Welding Tips and Tricks

Anyone take a test like this?

I’m applying for a job that was posted internally at the place I work at. (Highway department maintenance) I was told I have to take a written and practical test to make sure I’m capable of being the welder. I’ve asked two supervisors if this was an AWS certified test and they could not answer my question with any certainty. I’m still waiting to hear back from the testing facility to see what the test involves.

Just trying to prepare myself for what’s to come and make sure I bring appropriate gear with me.

https://www.tests.com/practice/welding-practice-test

This is the kind of crap you'll encounter in the near term future because people with Degrees that belong on protractors are calling the shots.
Prepare for it, and keep your mouth shut that it can be easily found with a search engine. If anyone asks, tell them the written test is really hard, and it's grinding your gut..

Somebody in HR who doesn't know their job and is probably scared of melting metal read a book. HR probably spent money to buy the brilliant test written by a fool who can't run 6013 overhead with an AC machine.
Long & short of the deal, the excuse makers are covering their azzes.

I got a 19/20. Some of the technical questions I didn’t know, like the acronyms for non destructive testing.

Homemade wrote:I got a 19/20. Some of the technical questions I didn’t know, like the acronyms for non destructive testing.

There is an actual Science to writing tests, one of the leading companies is in Lexana Kansas.
The fun part, the people who assemble and modify test questions submitted by working professionals don't know diddle Q Squat about the subject matter of the test, and swear they would be disadvantaged if they knew the subject matter. It's all about verbiage and sequence of presentation. Translation- it's all a game.

Their approach does lead to some interesting test questions. "You want to make 1 gallon of 10% solution of Disinfectant in water. How many cups of Disinfectant do you add to 1 gallon of water to make the 10% solution?
3 cups, 2 cups, 1 cup, 1½ cups? "

When the wife showed me the test, I pointed out all answers were wrong, and I had doubt the professionals knew how many ounces comprized a gallon and how many to a cup.
None of the proposed answers can be correct for 2 reasons.

The "test" I linked to is similarly flawed.
A large percentage of these tests is designed to generate failure because most people have no test taking skills.
The best tests will allow you to pass questions you aren't sure of and complete the test to the end, and return to unanswered skipped questions. Worst case GUESS, you have a 25% chance of getting it right.
Depending on the test creator's goal, many limit your ability to go back and answer skipped questions. You really need to know if you can return to skips before you begin. If not, guess as you go.

Don't be surprized if the testing is conducted at a local H&R Block tax office after April 20. Block has tremendous computer power available and they rent it to testing companies after Tax season. They also have the cameras in the monitors turned on to video you taking the test so the video can be reviewed to determine if you used a cheat sheet. The next generation of testing will also supposedly test your stress level during the test based on facial expression and body language. Welcome to the Cyborg world.

BTW, NOBODY other than some pervert professor memorizes all the stupid acronyms for NDT.
Unless you're cooking rod on a College Campus job, it's generally going to be nuked, dyed or UT, unless it's a pressure vessel.
Like I said, the authors of the "test" couldn't burn a rod if their life depended on it.

True. I’ve taken tests similar to this one in the fire service. They generate questions based on one sentence and give similar worded possible answers based solely to trick you.

According to my supervisor, the tests will be given by the lead welding instructor at the local tech college. I don’t know how much “practical vs technical” knowledge will he be looking for.

My welding history is mainly farm type repaires and fab. Minimal tooling, and materials. The only code I had to go by was “ it better hold through planting season”. Or “if it keeps the cows in, it passes inspection”.

I’ve never had a full time welding job, but burnt enough rod know what’ll stick and what won’t.

Homemade wrote:
According to my supervisor, the tests will be given by the lead welding instructor at the local tech college. I don’t know how much “practical vs technical” knowledge will he be looking for.

My welding history is mainly farm type repaires and fab. Minimal tooling, and materials. The only code I had to go by was “ it better hold through planting season”. Or “if it keeps the cows in, it passes inspection”.

I’ve never had a full time welding job, but burnt enough rod know what’ll stick and what won’t.

Lead welding instructor = the guy with the best line of crap and fake credentials who BSed his way up the ladder.

Since he's giving the test,
ALL cracks must be drilled beyond the end for stress releif, then ground or burned out with no regard givcen to time spent making the repair.
Carefully check the temperature of the rod oven before opening the door, and check the date tag for when the rod was put in the cooker and document.
Refuse to use any 7018 outside of storage specifications. It ain't about making the weld, it's about following the rules.

I had a buddy thrown out of a State mechanic test for putting his thumb over the #1 spark plug hole to install a new distributor. They have a screw in whistle for that purpose.
Crane operators now spend hours in engiscrewup and safety meetings to qualify to make a 20 minute pick. The suits will soon stop all progress, and create necessary jobs for their Frat Brothers.

It's all a game so somebody in HR has an excuse to fall back on when the welds fail and the job goes down the dumper or somebody gets hurt.
You now have the advantage because you know what's waiting for you. Chances are 90+% somebody in HR bought a test similar to the one I linked, because writing a relevent test would cost too much and take HR away from Nap & Meetings.
Use it to your advantage. Tell potential compeditors you heard the written test is really hard with a lot of Code questions and half won't show up.

I just had an “off the record” type conversation with the test giver. He wasn’t 100% sure if the testing parameters but thought it involved some stick and mig and tig. All visual inspection and none out of position. He had to check with our office assistant who is requiring the test, to see what was past practices were. I asked if it was a cut and bend test and he said he didn’t think so. I also asked if it was an AWS test and he said no.

So, that pretty much translates to "I have no idea what I'm doing, although I'm being paid to do it. I'll check with the girl in your office and see if she can tell me what she thinks she wants" give or take.

With a little luck this hands on part could result in testing with a machine your shop don't own, never will, for a process that can't be done.
I wonder what the reaction from the head instructor would be if he was asked about running vertical down with a Diesel powered sub arc rig.

Funny you mention sub arc. It was listed in the job requirements/ description to know how to weld in sub arc process. We don’t have a sub arc machine, anyone who knows how, or a need to do sub arc. I should take a pic of the job discription for you guys.

http://www.sheboygancounty.com/Home/Com ... b/2583/376

Here’s the job I’m going for.

Homemade wrote:http://www.sheboygancounty.com/Home/Com ... b/2583/376

Here’s the job I’m going for.

Sounds like you would be the only employee there doing all the work over 5 trades, body builder, on call 7 days all for 25bux an hour


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They definitely are either insane, stupid or operating in an area of very high unemployment.

Whoever typed that description forgot do laundry & plunge plugged crappers too, and I bet the State Labor Department would take a dim view of requiring an employee to lift 100 pounds, even occasionally. Work in confined spaces is real cute too.

How far is this place from civilization and the 21st Century?

Pay scale is minimally 15 bucks below where it belongs too.

What kind of equipment do they have besides a buzzbox and a beat to hell torch?

Is it possible the job is for somebody's relative and it just needs to be made legal?

I agree that about 50% of the description would be experienced on a regular basis. But you know how it goes, if they don’t put it in the description, then they can’t expect you to do it. As far as the on call weekend night and holidays, it comes with the job.

As far as equipment we have is
Miller sinc row wave 250
Millermatic 252
Lincoln sae 400 on 3phase
Hypertherm 85
One manual lathe with digital output but no cnc maybe 18” chuck and 36” bed
One mill... average manual set up
Two radial arm drill’s
And the usual shop stuff.

Nicely tooled up, appears they intend to play with some heavy iron.

Well I took the test. Pretty much AWS d1.1 standard test.
Mig 1g on .25”
2f on .325”
3/8 fillet on one side and 1/4 fillet on the other side.

Stick same as mig

Tig 2f on 14 gauge
1g on 14 gauge both positions on mild and stainless steel.

I didn’t do too bad. I over cooked the 1g stainless because I didn’t lower the amps like I should have. I didn’t burn threw but she warped the test plates.

The instructor said I basically can weld, but I need more practice. Just some basic techniques need touching up

I'm willing to bet a buck if you don't get the job and some politician's nephew does the boss will come to you to do the welding because little Glipdink can't weld.

Have they even got anybody there who knows radial arm drills require bushings to hold the hole?

Did the heliarc machine they tested with have a foot control?

Franz[COPYRIGHT SIGN] wrote:I'm willing to bet a buck if you don't get the job and some politician's nephew does the boss will come to you to do the welding because little Glipdink can't weld.

Have they even got anybody there who knows radial arm drills require bushings to hold the hole?

Did the heliarc machine they tested with have a foot control?

Well politicians nephew is a stretch. He’s a Forman but no way political.

We do have a few guys that were machinists in a previous life.

And the tig was a dynasty 400.