When we last left my certification test plate, it was sitting on my instructor’s desk, awaiting its destruction.
It was going to be cut into 5 pieces: The two ends with the strongbacks on them were to be cut off 1in in from the end, then an inch and a half from the newly created ends, they were to be cut again, leaving three “coupons”. The center one, with my ID stampings was to be saved for identification purposes, and the other two were to be bent, one in each direction, for testing purposes.
Like this
So, did I pass the test?
The short answer is no.
The long answer is, this is what failed me
That wrinkle you see about 1/3 of the way from the top is a crack that is 5/32 of an inch long. I am allowed a 1/8 inch lock crack.
FAIL
I’m trying not to feel bad about it, and being unsuccessful. I took my direct overhead test today, and the attitude from this failure is welded into every 32nd of every inch of that plate. We’ll see tomorrow if anguish welds better than happiness. Also, I was informed that I will not be allowed to retest my vertical weldment until next Monday.
Needless to say, the next liberal arts major in my general vicinity that whines about how hard his or her sociology final was is going to find themselves about a foot heavier. Because one of my feet will have been broken off in their ass.
Wow. Sorry to hear you didn’t pass, I had no idea that welding tests were that precise.
Miles better than I can do. Than I could have ever done.
Hell, I’m doing good to run a basic bead on angle iron onto a utility trailer. What you’re doing truly IS “Industrial Art”.
And for those who wonder why the tests are so exacting? How’d you like to be the welder entrusted for re-welding the hole in a side of a nuclear submarine, after it’s once-or-twice-in-it’s-lifetime, nuclear refueling.
Yep, they cut through the hull to do that, and then weld the “plug” that they’d cut out, back in place.
I’d imagine that not only every weld, but every individual pass on the weld, gets a full X-ray and other non-destructive testing.
Welding alloys in the aviation field is likewise critical, I’m sure. Same with combat worth armored vehicles.
Hell, just the welds on a backhoe’s boom and bucket had better be perfect. A bucket’s tooth giving way under fifteen tons of tension would be one hell of a lethal projectile.
You’ll pass these tests, I have no doubt. You’ve long since passed the test of earning your readers’ utmost respect.
Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX
Happens to the best of us, just less often than it happens to the worst of us.
I think you’ll do fine on the next one.