For fun I just googled "judging welds" and came across this website.
http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtalk/archive/index.php"Weld Talk" -- A forum for welders to chit chat about welding.
I'm no expert, but these guys really seem to have a passion for welding.
Worst welding you've ever seen?
Timinmb
11-09-2004, 11:46 AM
I visited out new local outlet of "Mountain Equipment Co-op", a really cool store that sells hardcore camping and outdoor equipment. They built a two story climbing wall inside the store, and as you ascend the staircase to the second floor of the store you come real close to the structure. The climbing wall boards are bolted to galvanized steel channel which is welded to a steel superstructure in the poorest manner you could ever conceive. The welder obviously had difficulty welding the thin walled galvanized tubing to the heavier steel superstructure. Considering the choice of materials, they should have bolted it together. The welds look like pigeon droppings piled on the steel and were it not for the great length of the structure and the majority of the force in shear, I would think it would fall to the ground. I'd hate to think what could happen over time as the top of the structure begins to "delaminate" and all the weak links come apart in a catastrophic event. Hard to believe there aren't building inspectors that would catch on to something like this. Or maybe a climbing wall isn't subject to inspection?
The only equally bad fabrication I've seen was at a local race track where owner allowed a driver to compete in a car where the factory belts had been welded by their metal tabs to the roll cage. In an effort to minimize the heat damage to the nylon webbing, the welds were applied very cold.
Anyhow, wondering if any others of you have come across this sort of thing other than on someones homemade stuff or equipment made in China.
Pakman
11-09-2004, 01:30 PM
You know its problem I have also. If I see a weld I judge it. All the railings at amusment parks drive me nuts. :rolleyes: Its so bad my youngest will point out welds to me also on people's cars in front of the owner! :eek: I crawl in my shell and walk away.
cassidy
11-09-2004, 02:01 PM
Same here, since I began to weld I've got this nasty habit of inspecting any metalwork closely - not only bad welds, but bad fit up, misalignment, etc.
Seeing other peoples ****ups let me believe that there's still hope for me as a welder.
MustangFergy
11-09-2004, 03:45 PM
At work (at UPS warehouse) some of the weldings are horrendous, then some on the belts and stuff are very well done.
Bob S2
11-09-2004, 04:30 PM
I do the same thing! When it's a really bad weld, why is it frequently in a place that could really cause problems if it broke? There's this canopy at the entrance to the local hospital (it's amazing what you look at when you spend 5 days going in and out waiting for the new arrival) that is quite big, and the welds on the lightweight tubing frame are horrible. This should handle high winds and snow, but it really looks like if you hit it with a hammer once it would come apart.
I'm at the point where I'm not good enough to rely on my welds yet, but educated enough to see a really bad weld.
TJButler
11-09-2004, 05:01 PM
This is a real interesting post. I also am looking more and more at metal joints in the last year since I have started trying to make some myself. I'm not qualified to make the welds or to judge them but I sure can tell when the job was done by a 'real professional' vs a hacker wannabe. Nothing wrong with a hacker wannabe except it's wise to stay away from structural, IMHO...just keep your head down!!
Brandon H.
11-09-2004, 05:37 PM
Good, now I know its just not me judging welds at theme parks lol. When I went to Bush Gardens (theme park) and I was about to get a ride, I looked at the railings and said "man those welds suck" but I didn't mean to say it out loud 
. When I was at school today and looked at the welds on the railings some where nice, then others you wonder wtf happened there. Oh well good to know other people do it too 
IRON TO ART
11-09-2004, 05:43 PM
I do that all the time. Usually I'm trying to figure out if I could build this and what material I'd use.
cassidy
11-09-2004, 05:47 PM
Apart from judging welds have you guys perhaps found that you've looked at metal in a totally different way after you've started welding?
Before, metal was dull, uninteresting and not worthy of my attention.
After my first puddle my whole outlook has changed.
Brandon H.
11-09-2004, 05:54 PM
Yea it has for me too
Smokey
11-09-2004, 06:48 PM
I was killing some time in a local sporting goods store and started looking at all the deer stands. I couldn't help but notice the welds were all terrible. Couldn't imagine what might happen if a stand gave out on someone while they were 20 feet up in a tree with a gun or bow. I would think that would be a serious lawsuit.
JakeD
11-09-2004, 07:14 PM
All the chairs in my conference room, I have had to repair 3 of them in 2 months... Either they are bad weld jobs, or I am getting chunky.
welder28
11-09-2004, 07:45 PM
In reply to the first post...galvanized steel coatings are hard to weld through! If you use anything BUT 6010/6011 on the first pass it'll turn out exactly how you described. Weld the first pass w/ 6010 to burn off the zinc around the weld and then run over it w/ a few stringers or a big cover pass of 7018 (or whatever you're supposed to use) and then things turn out pretty ok.
Production welding sucks! They want you to put out as many parts and pieces as you can, which harms weld quality. I've seen it in just about anything that's made w/ 1/4" thick steel/aluminum and thinner. And it's amazing how they get away w/ it all!
I was watching a welder in the shop I was at a few weeks ago. He was building a handrail on a table. His copes and lengths were so bad! He had to fill 3/8" gaps...and everybody knows what happens when you have to fill a big gap w/ a MIG welder...shrinkage/warpage! Some of the handrails looked like he was trying to build a steel canoe or something!
krehmkej
11-09-2004, 08:23 PM
When my office chair at work fell apart, dumping me on the floor. This was obviously a bad day at the slave camp. The entire top of the chair was held on by 1 spot, about 1/8" long, and a lot of paint. The rest of the weld had completely missed the joint between the seat and the base.
Rocky D
11-09-2004, 08:41 PM
This really warms my heart! To hear you guys talking about critiquing welds where ever you go! That's a mark of a good weldor! You're constantly aware of the wrong way to weld...you see it all over and you know you can do better...that's great! I do it too, and have been for 48 years! Because you're on this forum and wanting to learn and share your experiences, means you are a cut above the rest, my friends! I am truly proud to have you guys around...thanks for making an old dog feel good! 
air-sickness
11-09-2004, 08:42 PM
My brother in law tried to stick weld an Aluminum fireplace grill with 1/8" 7018 rods. When I went to visit he showed me all the holes he blew into this thing then asked what he was doing wrong. I told him "Trying to weld" There are some things insurance underwriters should leave alone.
Pakman
11-10-2004, 12:33 AM
This really warms my heart! To hear you guys talking about critiquing welds where ever you go! That's a mark of a good weldor! You're constantly aware of the wrong way to weld...you see it all over and you know you can do better...that's great! I do it too, and have been for 48 years! Because you're on this forum and wanting to learn and share your experiences, means you are a cut above the rest, my friends! I am truly proud to have you guys around...thanks for making an old dog feel good!
So Rock are you saying we are forever doomed to a life of judging welds and metal work? But what's funny is I knew about nice welds all they way back to about in 3rd grade, when I seen the coolest looking aluminum BMX bike frame with the greatest welds, it was called the "PK" Ripper. Come to think of it I knew that 4130 moly steel was the only way to go in performance steel, from real bike frames. That's were this high performance chassis work mentality began! ! :eek:
cassidy
11-10-2004, 01:37 AM
While we're at it, do you also think that a good weld is a work of art? The best way to describe what I feel when I'm welding is this quote I've got from a post on some BB -
"Zen in the reflections of a weld pool"
monkey-1
11-10-2004, 08:16 AM
I do the exact same thing. I am always looking at welds, and how things are put together. Me and my dad think so much a like and he does it too. We will be looking at something and instead of admiring it as a whole, we look at welds, both good and bad. We also critique it, saying things like, "I would have 45'ed these corners" or "this weld here is a little too thin." I thought we were the only 2, but Im glad to know there are more of us out there.
Brad54
11-10-2004, 09:21 AM
I can't weld--don't even have a welder yet. But my job keeps me around cars and fabrication, and I've seen enough really good welding that I ALWAYS notice it. Of course, that screws me, becasue when I do get a welder in my hands, I'm always dissapointed with my results.
Last week I pulled into a gas station, and there was a new Dodge Dakota truck that some wanna-be Rockabilly Rat Rod Greaser had "customized." The truck was originally red, and he masked off some horrible flames and then painted THE REST of the truck flat black, so the original red was in the shape of horrible flames on the front fenders and doors. It did have pretty nice 18- and 20-inch 5spoke wheels and tires on it. He lowered it, and the way he did it was like this: In the rear, he "C"-notched the frame with box tubing so the axle--on lowering blocks--had a place to go. The new shock mount was a hole drilled through the top of the C-notch with a 1/2-inch bolt. How do I know this? Because he had to cut a hole in the bed floor to clear the C-notch. Cut the metal bed and plastic bed liner with one cut at the same time, and didn't bother dressing the edges of either.
Now I noticed something was funny with the truck as I was pulling in--the rear passenger side of the bed was about 4 inches lower than the other side, and the wheel opening was laying on the rear tire. Greaser Rockabilly Boy asks me if I've got a ratchet strap. "Um, no. Why?"
My C-notch broke, and the the rear half of my truck is sitting on the tire. I think I can get it back up in place with a ratchet strap and get home.
"Where's home?"
North Carolina.
(we're in Georgia--45 minutes from the Sourth Carolina border! And he wants to drive all the way home with the rear end located by a ratchet strap.)
I could see the welds on his C-notch, and have absolutely NO doubt he did them himself, particularly after looking over the rest of his handywork on the truck. It looked like someone chewed up Chiclets gum and stuck them on the joint. Several hudred of them, one little chicklet at a time. Painted it black and called 'er done!
My only consolation is that I'm pretty sure he'll Darwin himself right on outta the gene pool soon enough.
-Brad
INTP
11-10-2004, 12:07 PM
I was in Northern tool and notice the welds on their go-carts were Terrible! There are a lot of production welds that are bad, but these seemed more dangerous than most.
The welds on some of my HF tools have been surprisingly good. The 20 Ton press and cherry picker surprised me. I was ready to re-do them if needed, but decided it was best to leave them alone.
Some of my early dirt-dauber imitations (MIG) are prime candidates for the hall of shame.
stever
11-10-2004, 12:12 PM
When I qualified as a welding inspector I had to train myself not to critique welds that were outside the job. However, as a welding instructor I do suggest to the students that they go to the state fair and ride the ferris wheel. Most return to class with really nasty things to say about me for telling them. 100% of those that actually rode the ferris wheel will never do it again.
Brad54, in NC the saying is..."if it runs, it's done". It's amazing that it had any paint other than primer.
Hell on wheels
11-10-2004, 07:25 PM
The worst welds I've seen are some of myne,I've only been welding about six months now but I'm practicing almost everyday so I'm getting better.
Best welds I've seen though are on my dads skid steer loaders (bobcats) and trailer.We take them to work everday working hard they get beaten around and they hold up.The bucket on the tractor I'd say is the best thing welded together hasn't broke yet.(Knock on wood).
Dan
enlpck
11-10-2004, 11:01 PM
Seen my fair share of crummy welds in all kinds of places, but the absolute worst are furnesses of the residential variety. The reason the clean-out holes are so small is obvious when you look in with a good flashight. That way you can't see all of the birds nests of wire, and bird snot that tries to pass for welds. Indtalled one at work where there is more wire hanging off the 'welds' than there is weld metal, and they still didn't get the seams tight- we needed to seal a few spots.
gfunkatoa
11-11-2004, 11:04 AM
People look at me funny when I say"Man, look at those beautiful welds" or, "Man that weld looks like crap". I can't stop looking and I really don't want to!
HossCat
11-11-2004, 08:49 PM
"Man, look at those beautiful welds" or, "Man that weld looks like crap".
My 14 yearold daughter makes the same comments. I took her shopping for her birthday and while we were looking at clothes she says "Dad..look at the welds on this rack ..I could do better !" ...and she CAN too. :cool:
walker
11-11-2004, 09:19 PM
I critique every weld I ever see, and I see a lot working in a pipeline industry. Some good ones I could improve on, some bad ones I couldn't do better than, due to horrible position (welding upside down in a muddy hole). I have made plenty of bad welds, as every other good weldor here. The difference is that I have ground them out and redid them when they came out bad. I do not tolerate poor welding from others because I don't tolerate it from myself.
Agtronic
11-13-2004, 09:44 PM
A turbo oil-return flange welded to an oil-covered oil pan. So sweet!
http://www.muller.net/sonny/tmp/awesomeweld.jpg
Here is a picture of some old guy mouthing off saying he was a good welder... 2 and 1/2 hours later he finally patched the hole in the exhaust. And he managed to do it without turning the gas on!
http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/wetoddimage.wtdr/i=wMTYxODE0NnM0MTNkZmQzMXk1NDE%3D
Thomas Harris
11-13-2004, 10:03 PM
A turbo oil-return flange welded to an oil-covered oil pan. So sweet!
http://www.muller.net/sonny/tmp/awesomeweld.jpg
Just did one today and it too was exhaust. The first short bead was OK, except it missed the gap by about 1". The sun was in my eyes, the helmet kept falling off, er...I guess that musta been it. That's a really bad weld even if the bead is sweet.
Agtronic
11-13-2004, 10:11 PM
That's a really bad weld even if the bead is sweet.
My "sweet" comment was sarcastic! 
This is really terrible in every way possible.
Rocky D
11-13-2004, 11:20 PM
I think I'm gonna be sick... http://www.socaps.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/puke.gif
dda52
11-13-2004, 11:31 PM
Take some Pepto< rocky. You'll be ok. They made me a little queasy too!
The worst welds I ever saw were on the carnival rides you see popping up in parking lots. Some carnies approached me to help them with some repairs. When I saw the welds and the condition of the base metal, I declined. The welds were classic "how not to do it" welds. The base metal was also a text book case of metal fatigue. I didn't want the liability of trying to plug up the Titanic so to speak.
John1
11-14-2004, 07:55 AM
Now working in a prison in corrections and you would be really "scared" at the quality of welds for the detention of major crime folks!!
If you are concerned about your teeth, which are a highly valuable part of the human body, perhaps asking these "welding commandos" how they rate welding might be prudent?
Topic: How can you tell if the weld joint on the lat bar is weak? (Read 813 times)