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Went to a shutdown at a steel mill and found the weirdest weld I've ever seen
I was doing some tube work at a mill outside Pittsburgh last month and came across a repair on a steam drum that looked like someone used a stick welder with their eyes closed. The bead was so wavy it almost looked like a corkscrew. Has anyone else run into field repairs that made you wonder if the guy was even certified?
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kimr109d ago
You mention "even certified" and I think that's jumping to conclusions a bit. Not all bad welds come from unqualified guys. Sometimes it's just a tight spot where you can't get a good angle, or the material is dirty and you're fighting the weather. I've seen certified welders with 20 years experience lay down some ugly beads when they're working on a live steam line with a mirror and one hand. The wavy look you describe could be from the guy having to reposition a dozen times to reach the joint. It might not be pretty but it could still be sound if the penetration is there.
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thompson.nathan9d ago
Even certified" sounds like a polite way of saying "still possible to mess up.
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