Welding Certification test Q&A and tips and tricks
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Otto Nobedder wrote:



Do what feels right. If anyone argues, tell them what to go do with themselves.

Steve S
Great advice.
Could've saved me from tons of problems.

Man....

~John
Just a couple welders and a couple of big hammers and torches.

Men in dirty jeans built this country, while men in clean suits have destroyed it.
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Braehill wrote: @Steve,
The food chain has us all hanging at the same level when the sh!t hits the fan. You just can't see who's on the other side of the chain from where your at, that's all.

Len
I prefer not to think of myself as "low-hanging fruit", but I do see your point... :lol:

Steve S
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I am probably going to really catch it for this, but I tig welded up a flaw in the (welded) seam on a very old 1 gallon or so pancake propane bottle, and after several years, me, the patio, the bbq, well, we're still here.

Years ago, I welded 2 spin-on oil filter housings from Cat 235 excavator engines. They were about 5 or 6" 'round & about 12" long. I wanted to make a small air tank. They had 1/8" pipe plugs on the 'bottoms''. I filled the tank with water, screwed in a "tee" with a guage & a grease fitting. Used a grease gun and got a pinhole leak at about 750 - 800 psi. Re welded it, let it sit for several months & threw it away. This is / was the reason I went ahead & welded the propane tank, which on a hot day prolly would not reach 175 psi or so.
 
 
 
Look! a hole in the space-time continuum!
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Otto Nobedder wrote:
Superiorwelding wrote:True story.....I tested a guy once that came in and bragged about being certified to weld around 10,000psi. Now remember, this guy, although very nice, would not stop bragging about being the best and certified. One of my requirements is to weld a piece of pipe to a piece of plate. The welder is responsible to set the machine and when he is done, I fill it with water. If it leaks you fail..... He failed.
-Jonathan
Was his name John Ketch?

Long shot, but...
Steve,
I don't remember, it was at least 4 years ago.
-Jonathan
Rick_H
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Otto Nobedder wrote:Rick_H,

The test will not and should not specify "walk" vs. "freehand".

The test has parameters you must follow, but the method is NOT among them.

ASME makes no distinction.

Do what feels right. If anyone argues, tell them what to go do with themselves. Tell them to show you where the WPS says you can't do what you're doing...

Steve S
I asked today and was told cup walking was not required but they teach it since it helps steady things up for most guys. While I agree at times I whipped my tig finger out and went to town free hand...personally felt better and more comfortable as I was coming up and around tje pipe in 6g.
I weld stainless, stainless and more stainless...Food Industry, sanitary process piping, vessels, whatever is needed, I like to make stuff.
ASME IX, AWS 17.1, D1.1
Instagram #RNHFAB
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Rick_H wrote: I asked today and was told cup walking was not required but they teach it since it helps steady things up for most guys. While I agree at times I whipped my tig finger out and went to town free hand...personally felt better and more comfortable as I was coming up and around tje pipe in 6g.
How'd the instructor feel about your work, and more importantly, your use of the TIGfinger?

Steve S
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Otto Nobedder wrote:
How'd the instructor feel about your work, and more importantly, your use of the TIGfinger?

Steve S

Skeptical I'm sure.

Tig Finger is just a crutch for poor technique.....

~John ;)
Just a couple welders and a couple of big hammers and torches.

Men in dirty jeans built this country, while men in clean suits have destroyed it.
Trump/Carson 2016-2024
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AKweldshop wrote:
Otto Nobedder wrote:
How'd the instructor feel about your work, and more importantly, your use of the TIGfinger?

Steve S

Skeptical I'm sure.

Tig Finger is just a crutch for poor technique.....

~John ;)
Wouldn't completely surprise me, but an open-minded man would ask questions. This is how the TIGfinger grows... one amazed person at a time.
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I'm just kidding.
I have three of them.

I use them pretty much every time I tig.

Thought I'd get Jody in a cold sweat. :D
He says he's not had one negative email regarding them.

Just kidding though, every tig beginner needs to buy a couple of them....

~John ;)
Just a couple welders and a couple of big hammers and torches.

Men in dirty jeans built this country, while men in clean suits have destroyed it.
Trump/Carson 2016-2024
Rick_H
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Actually he really liked the tig finger and has seen them in the past. I had it with me when I took all the AWS 17.1 tests a few weeks back. He tried it then and was amazed at how good it worked right over a fresh alum weld. My classmates were cutting fingers from stick loves...I sent them to Jody's website. I'll be honest I was skeptical when I first stumbled onto Jody website and saw the tig finger but I wanted to show some support and bought them. Now I use it all the time, sure beats burning my Tillman loves to my finger.

He told me I could free hand since my cup walking was more then acceptable...

What these classes have taught me was confidence. I always thought I was a decent welder but all of us do...lol They have asked me a few times why are you here your a very good competent GTAW welder. My response is paperwork....

You get a pretty good range of welders in these classes that is for sure...
Attachments
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I weld stainless, stainless and more stainless...Food Industry, sanitary process piping, vessels, whatever is needed, I like to make stuff.
ASME IX, AWS 17.1, D1.1
Instagram #RNHFAB
Rick_H
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Root Pass, Hot Pass and Backside....
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IMG_20140409_093842.jpg
IMG_20140409_093842.jpg (51.64 KiB) Viewed 2085 times
I weld stainless, stainless and more stainless...Food Industry, sanitary process piping, vessels, whatever is needed, I like to make stuff.
ASME IX, AWS 17.1, D1.1
Instagram #RNHFAB
Rick_H
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Here's some more...
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Cap
Cap
IMG_20140409_154416.jpg (42.98 KiB) Viewed 2081 times
Starting to stack stringers
Starting to stack stringers
IMG_20140409_100300.jpg (36.97 KiB) Viewed 2084 times
I weld stainless, stainless and more stainless...Food Industry, sanitary process piping, vessels, whatever is needed, I like to make stuff.
ASME IX, AWS 17.1, D1.1
Instagram #RNHFAB
Rick_H
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Wahoo!!! Nailed the test today, I am offically certified ;)
I weld stainless, stainless and more stainless...Food Industry, sanitary process piping, vessels, whatever is needed, I like to make stuff.
ASME IX, AWS 17.1, D1.1
Instagram #RNHFAB
paul_s
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Congratulations! I'm sure that you're glad that it is done.
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Congrats man!!

~John
Just a couple welders and a couple of big hammers and torches.

Men in dirty jeans built this country, while men in clean suits have destroyed it.
Trump/Carson 2016-2024
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Good for you, Rick_H!!!

Now YOUR ass is covered for those repairs!

Has your company looked into the "R" stamp, and whether your work will ever require it?

Steve S
Rick_H
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Yes I am glad its done to be honest I hate tests...lol i decieded to free hand the test instead of walking the cup. Walking the cup is great but you dont always have the room, so i did it left and right handed.

They are investigating it, from what I can tell I have raised questions that may have been overlooked in the past...at least until I started taking work from the contractor.

The company who actually does the pm and inspections on the boiler are R stamped but to the best of my knowledge the repairs from the boiler out were not done by a r stamped contractor.

I wanted to make sure my ass was covered along with my employer.

Steve- could I borrow that spec copy you have I'll return it when I'm done ;) I'll pm you my email.
I weld stainless, stainless and more stainless...Food Industry, sanitary process piping, vessels, whatever is needed, I like to make stuff.
ASME IX, AWS 17.1, D1.1
Instagram #RNHFAB
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