The welds we see

Superiorwelding · Sun Jul 13, 2014 12:03 am

As a professional weldor, I am always looking at welds and general fabrication no matter where I go. The mall, Wal-Mart, or a car show. I attended the Goodguys Rod and Custom car show in Columbus this weekend and found myself taking pictures of not only the cars but the welds. Now before anyone were to say anything I am posting these for fun and not to put anyone down. I am not including who's products these were or who's cars they were. I just found it interesting the variety of weld styles and quality from car to car and manufacture to manufacture. Enjoy.
-Jonathan

Superiorwelding · Sun Jul 13, 2014 12:10 am

Superiorwelding · Sun Jul 13, 2014 12:13 am

Superiorwelding · Sun Jul 13, 2014 12:15 am

Superiorwelding · Sun Jul 13, 2014 12:17 am

And other pictures

Sun Jul 13, 2014 12:20 am

Arrright..

I'll confess I see welds everywhere I go. I was up close and personal with a top-fuel dragster and it's owner, and I caught myself studying the welds on the car frame.

I study welds on bicycles and BBQs... I think it may qualify as a mental illness in the DSM-V...

ADHD... "Attention Deficit Heli-arc Disorder"

GreinTime · Sun Jul 13, 2014 12:59 am

Otto Nobedder wrote:Arrright..

I'll confess I see welds everywhere I go. I was up close and personal with a top-fuel dragster and it's owner, and I caught myself studying the welds on the car frame.

I study welds on bicycles and BBQs... I think it may qualify as a mental illness in the DSM-V...

ADHD... "Attention Deficit Heli-arc Disorder"

Hehehehe I like the ADHD bit!

AKweldshop · Sun Jul 13, 2014 2:34 am

I look at welds where ever I go.

It drives me crazy every time I see a #$%& garbage weld, it makes me want to strangle the guy who did it.

Man!!!!

rick9345 · Sun Jul 13, 2014 7:15 am

my worst weld,was my first weld

learning curves vary

strength, penetration then cosmetics

mcoe · Sun Jul 13, 2014 10:23 am

At college, WVU, we had the PRT system. It was a automated rail car system that takes you from campus to campus faster than walking or driving. Usually there is a long wait to catch the PRT car so while I am standing there I would walk around the platform and look at all the welds. It scared me to the point that I don't ride the thing any more. It was built in the 70's and the welds are scary. I look at welds all the time. I need to take some pictures of some of the scariest ones I seen.

One of the scariest welds are the ones that hold my Tractor Supply diamond plate truck tool box together, scary.

Dblcorona · Sun Jul 13, 2014 11:03 am

I even have my 14yr old daughter looking at welds now. A scary place to look at welds is the traveling carnivals that pop during the spring and summer. Eeek.

AKweldshop · Sun Jul 13, 2014 6:24 pm

Dblcorona wrote:I even have my 14yr old daughter looking at welds now. A scary place to look at welds is the traveling carnivals that pop during the spring and summer. Eeek.

Cheap labor....
Whoever can get it done fastest and the cheapest!!

Sun Jul 13, 2014 8:31 pm

Scary...

I knew a guy who owned a company that built carnival rides. They are held to very high standards. BUT...

The guys who repair them are "supposed" to be held to high standards, too, but there's very little gov't oversight once these rides are sold to operators, and it's largely up to the operator to judge how much risk he's willing to take when having repairs made. Carnies do have inspectors, but how many of those are of high integrity? After all, they're working for carnival operators, not NASA...

Steve S

Superiorwelding · Sun Jul 13, 2014 10:03 pm

At last years fair, my son wanted to ride the Ferris Wheel so I took him. While near the top that weldor instinct took over and I looked over to my left an my stomach turned. There was a weld that was absolutely terrible and then I noticed a few more. I literally got a little (a lot) scared for my sons safety. I never told my wife as not to scare her. The next several rides we rode I looked at more, very scary. While I am sure they will hold, it still is a concern.
-Jonathan

dirtmidget33 · Sun Jul 13, 2014 11:04 pm

I work part time at a four wheeler dealer the welds coming off the factory floor are terrible. It is not uncommon for them to lay a mig weld down never pentrating very cold welds and sometimes the weld is just beaded up on one side not even connecting the other piece of steel. We even had brackets that where not welded in place. Example was a sway bar bracket was welded on left side both sides of bracket welded to frame but right side bracket had a cold weld just on one side of bracket. The cold joint held for awile before customer started hearing the sway bar bouncing off frame. This is a major producer of four wheelers and side by sides.

GreinTime · Mon Jul 14, 2014 1:28 am

dirtmidget33 wrote:I work part time at a four wheeler dealer the welds coming off the factory floor are terrible. It is not uncommon for them to lay a mig weld down never pentrating very cold welds and sometimes the weld is just beaded up on one side not even connecting the other piece of steel. We even had brackets that where not welded in place. Example was a sway bar bracket was welded on left side both sides of bracket welded to frame but right side bracket had a cold weld just on one side of bracket. The cold joint held for awile before customer started hearing the sway bar bouncing off frame. This is a major producer of four wheelers and side by sides.

I feel the same way about our go kart chassis supplier man. The owner of the race team and I even went as far as asking them if they would just tack the chassis and we would TIG weld the rest because their Union MIG welders were fucking terrible. Now this is on their US spec chassis only. Their EURO spec chassis however, are fully TIG welded and a work of art lol. But, naturally they refused!