Welding can range anywhere from simple joins and primary connections to fantastically elaborate art, but it all boils down to a small handful of techniques leveraged with mastery. Even master welders needed to start somewhere, and that somewhere is learning the different kinds of joints. Of the five types of joints, the Tee Joint is among the easiest to understand.

Welding can range anywhere from simple joins and primary connections to fantastically elaborate art, but it all boils down to a small handful of techniques leveraged with mastery. Even master welders needed to start somewhere, and that somewhere is learning the different kinds of joints. Of the five types of joints, the Tee Joint is among the easiest to understand.

What is a Tee Joint?

Different welding joints refer to various positions and angles of the two pieces of material being welded together. Tee joints are one of several kinds of joints, including butt joints, lap joints, and others.

Tee joints, also known as T joints, refer to the shape of the materials making a perpendicular connection, like a T. It doesn’t have to be precisely 90 degrees, but a right-angle connection is by far the most common. Though deceptively simple in shape, you can make tee joints with various weld types.

Tee joints are most often used when the requirements are simple: two materials need to be connected perpendicularly and aren’t shaped oddly. They are also common in machine applications and structural welding. Think table legs attaching to a table or pipes to a cross-member for a railing.

A tee joint may be welded on one side of the material, or it can be welded on both sides. For example, when joining two flat pieces of metal, both sides of the vertical member are easily accessible and can be welded. When joining a pipe to a flat surface, the outer side is accessible, but the inner is not. Additionally, for added penetration and strength, the weld may use plugs from the back side of the cross-piece.

The Difference Between a Weld and a Joint

In welding, it’s important to distinguish between a weld and a joint. Both are essential to any connection, and knowing which to use in which situation is part of learning and mastering welding.

A weld is a method in which two materials are joined, and any grinding or drilling is necessary to prepare the materials. Different kinds of welds lend different types of strength to the resulting joint. The most superficial tee joints are welded using a primary fillet weld; the materials are placed against each other, and the weld adheres them together. More complex versions involve beveled welds, J-welds, plug welds, slot welds, or melt-through welds.

So: a joint is the position of the materials, and a weld is how they are connected. 

The needs of the finished product largely determine the choice of the weld. For example, a simple fillet weld is usually satisfactory if the joint is mainly cosmetic and does not need a high degree of strength. Conversely, if the joint is expected to bear significant loads or withstand lamellar tearing, more thorough preparations will be necessary.

The Pros and Cons of a Tee Joint

Tee joints are simple joints with many avenues to make them more complex and robust.

Typically, a tee joint is simple and relatively easy/fast to produce. When done correctly, tee joints can be pretty strong. However, they must be done correctly; if the materials are thick, you must prepare the edges, and additional support may be necessary.

The most significant risk is lamellar tearing, where the base material cracks due to inclusions and imperfections in the metal, and the contraction is caused by the welding heat. Lamellar tearing occurs because of tensile stress, which can limit the utility of the tee joint.

Tee joints can also be deceptive. With basic fillet welding, a joint can look and feel solid while only being adhered to on a surface level, meaning the joint will be prone to failure. With thicker materials or materials that will need to bear the stress, you must ensure that proper penetration into the metal fully adheres to the pieces.

How to Weld a Tee Joint

Welding a tee joint is simple, and it’s often a great introduction to welding. Here’s how to do it. For this article, we assume that you’re using an appropriate kind of welding (between stick, TIG, and MIG) and that you have the necessary equipment. If you’re still learning, your mentor should be able to provide you with what you need.

As a quick primer:

• Stick welding is the oldest process and involves consumable sticks of electrodes. It’s cheap, versatile, and easy but also prone to molten spatter and slag, requiring more finishing. Stick welding is also the best outdoors and requires the least cleaning.
• MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding uses an automatic feed process for its electrode and shielding gas to protect the weld from atmospheric contamination. It’s easy to learn but more expensive and often requires enough equipment that there are better choices than this if you need a portable solution. It also requires more pre-weld cleaning.
• TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding is the most complex and high-skill version of welding, most used by artists and artisans. It provides the cleanest and strongest welds but the most coordination and care and the most preparation.

Picking the right kind of welding is essential. However, as a beginner, you will likely be starting with either stick or MIG welding and learning the ins and outs of the process before digging deeper into the most appropriate kind of welding for each job.

Step 1: Safety

Welding, when done correctly, is a safe process for both hobbyists and career practitioners. However, it has many different ways to go wrong, so safety is paramount.

Make sure you have an appropriate safety checklist before starting any weld.

• Ensure you have the appropriate safety equipment, including welding gloves, a helmet or mask, a jacket or apron, and work boots. You may also consider a respirator, depending on the kind of welding and the location where you’re working.
• Work in an appropriate location, outdoors, in a welding shop, or in an otherwise safe area. Be wary of nearby flammable objects, and make sure you have safety tools, such as a fire extinguisher, fire blanket, and eye wash bottle.
• Ensure proper ventilation when welding.
• Take care of electrical safety, and ensure your equipment is in good working order.

Welding safety is critical, so take this step, no matter how deep into welding you delve.