Welding porn

[Rickabilly]

(12-31-2015, 06:02 PM)Dr Stan Wrote: I've never before seen a weld that good.  Even the nuclear certified welders in the Navy didn't run that good of a bead.

I hate to be a Party pooper but...

While that welding is super pretty it could actually fail under Nuclear welding standards, the left hand butt weld apears to have very even but evident "Toe undercut" and that is an instant fail above a certain requirement.

While the surface ripples are really pretty they are, theoretically at least, welding flaws in their own right. As a welding inspector it's really easy to pass work like this and you'll rarely cop heat over it, but it's not right just cause it's pretty.

Also the welds haven't been passivated which is a corrosion risk in Stainless.

Sorry for pooping on that as I really like the look of these welds, My sister actually challenged me to do a piece as pretty when I was in Australia, she saw them on Pinterest or whatever it's called, it was listed as "welding as an artform" or some such, and she wanted me to teach her how, as if it was embroidery or something.

I did a test piece, which wasn't quite as pretty but was very nice, The experience taught me that it's the pretty colours that really make these pieces look so good. and that frankly is luck, it's because he was welding very clean probably pickled sched#40 316 or 304 stainless steel pipe at just the right ambient temperature,
All of those factors control where the oxides form in the bluish and purplish ranges Also the fact that you don't see the starts n stops is because the colours are all mixed up there so they are out of shot.

But I do love it, Just seeing this makes me want to be a better welder.

Best regards
Rick