Patent ID: 7762447

Claim:
A method of joining a first portion of a fabrication preform and a second portion of the fabrication preform, the first and second portions of the fabrication preform having abutted edges that form a joint and wherein a first groove is disposed adjacent at least a portion of the joint, the first groove having a first base forming a first common surface of the first portion of the fabrication preform and the second portion of the fabrication preform, the method comprising: friction stir welding substantially the entire joint in a first pass; disposing a first filler in at least a portion of the first groove, wherein a first seam is formed between the first filler and the first portion of the fabrication preform and a second seam is formed between the first filler and the second portion of the fabrication preform; friction stir welding at least a portion of the first seam in a second pass; and friction stir welding at least a portion of the second seam in a third pass; wherein the first common surface is substantially entirely friction stir welded.