Thank you for some of the kind words chaps
If I manage to help just one novice welder, the effort would have been worthwhile
I will try to add some more content to this thread as & when I have the time.
Ash
Yes it can be quite difficult to deliberately produce a particular weld with a known defect/defects for the purposes of illustration .... Spent an hour this afternoon with some fillet welds, even the ropey ones passed the bend testing !!??
I guess natural instinct kicks in to overcome poor welder settings.
Rob & Nathan
Don't be so hard on yourself, I have a massive respect for folk picking up a welder for the first time & are willing to learn.
I personaly do not like to judge a weld purely on looks alone, A neat weld is not
allways a sure sign of a good weld
Function over form for me anytime.
Lost count of the amount of BS 4872 trainees we have had in from factories, some of them thought they were amongst the elite of welders ( A few years in a booth with no formal training )
Some very neat welds indeed, just a pity that some of their work lacked any physical strength .... Most indignent when advised that the icorrect procedure/weld current is being used.
The number 1 reply was .... I'll have you know that I have been welding for XXX years
Given the choice, I would much prefer to train a total novice, at least they are willing to listen to the advice given & usualy turn out to be darn fine welders
Get the strength of your welds right first & do plenty of testing, neatness will come with experience.