Welding Tips and Tricks

Have this young kid getting ready to take his first plate tests (3G) first. Really good kid, works hard, always on time, goes the extra mile when needed. He was so nervous about taking this test. I told him no big deal, if you fail it, take it again next week and come in and practice after work.

My parting words were, "relax, 70% of a good weld is being comfortable"

lol....wouldn't it be nice if welds in the real world are like that. I remember I was taking a class getting ready for my ASME IX test and some of the students kept saying how easy this was. I told them tell me how easy it is when your welding with your opposite hand, on some rusty piping, laying on the floor looking in a mirror. They laughed thinking I wasn't serious

My suggestion at the end of that class was to make the students weld uncomfortable, old materials out of position...because unless your welding in fixtures at a table all day, that is the real world.

I know everytime I take a test my nerves get to me, until I put the hood down and take a deep breath, then I'm good to go. Looks like a nice big shop :nice:

Lol, you are telling me.....bending the rod, just enough room to get in, cannot afford to screw it up because no way you are getting a grinder in there.

I've done both of these things...

Laying in a round stainless vessel TIGging the 6:00 of the vent pipe 1 1/2" off the floor, in the mirror, constantly sliding toward bottom center on the slick surface.

Leaning back in an old office chair for an overhead on aluminum.

I'll take either, as long as the checks cash.

And, yes, I've burned a lot of bent 6010 and 7018. I don't miss it all that much...

Steve S

I recently got accused of having a creative rod angle. Bent it in two spots and welded with about 3 inches of each rod.

Lol, exactly why I also carry a twist clamp stinger.

This is a great thread, in the circle I travel in if they ask for a "certified" welder its not an easy job. If it were, someone else would have done it already.

When I was doing 3rd year schooling before xmas I was getting made fun of for laying on my back practicing my 5g smaw welds with the pipe a couple feet off the ground. I was like why not make the OH section as comfy as possible? Same when I was doing plate seams on skids while laying on my side. If I'm gonna have to weld 40'+ of seam why do that crap hunched over on my knees?

Tho I have always said tests like CWB only show u can do a weld under ideal conditions. Does nothing to see if u can run a decent weld opposite hand on a joint u can only see 50% of with one eye and ur head jammed between a couple beams while on a scaffold.... or my personal fave welding while watching the back side of the material using the force because engineers always consider how welders will actually build the things they design.....

christhewelder75 wrote:When I was doing 3rd year schooling before xmas I was getting made fun of for laying on my back practicing my 5g smaw welds with the pipe a couple feet off the ground. I was like why not make the OH section as comfy as possible? Same when I was doing plate seams on skids while laying on my side. If I'm gonna have to weld 40'+ of seam why do that crap hunched over on my knees?

Tho I have always said tests like CWB only show u can do a weld under ideal conditions. Does nothing to see if u can run a decent weld opposite hand on a joint u can only see 50% of with one eye and ur head jammed between a couple beams while on a scaffold.... or my personal fave welding while watching the back side of the material using the force because engineers always consider how welders will actually build the things they design.....

Very true.... "you must unlearn what you have learned-YODA"

I've learned to use the things around you to your advantage. Brace your butt and shoulder against those braces so your fore arms are free to move, not "I can't get in because the braces are in my way"...lol