Blueprints

admin

I did these on friday.  I missed some un marked welds, so rework.I didn't weld at the red arrow.Customer used the highlighter, I drew in the red arrow.This is how I knew to use 4043. A little preheat to about three hundred something f .I cleaned the aluminum with a stainless steel wire brush.Nuttin fancy here.  1/8 tungsten, #7 gas lenz @ 25 cfh.  3/32 4043.  Arcmaster 185 cranked.   No, that is not a crack.David Last edited by David R; 01-26-2010 at 04:41 PM.Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Doesn't 4043 turn dark grey after anodizing?If you cannot convince them, confuse them.         Harry S Truman
Reply:Originally Posted by David RThis is how I knew to use 4043. David
Reply:Awe Sheiss!  Ya mean I screwed up.... Again?DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Reworking rework is never any fun.  I hate plans that cause me head aches.  There are times when I think some engineers are passing some stuff off on the welder just to get it off thier desks.  I had a long talk to one of my bosses and they said that paying me time to figure it out was cheaper than paying the engineer time to spell it out.  I then pointed out that he was hopeful I would catch the slack and there not be any rework.  He just shrugged and said he liked to gamble.
Reply:Definetly 5356, 4043 looks like hell when it's clear anodized, actually any light color. So does stray arc strikes, don't ask.....Mike
Reply:Dave,Here's a reference for filler metals for aluminum.  Couldn't tell from your blueprints what the base metal was, but 5XXX series filler metals are best for anodizing color match for the majority of Al base metal alloys.May be you could grind off the 4043 beads, and re-weld with 5XXX series filler overtop?  Hopefully without any distortion?P.S.  Haven't seen you posting in a long time.  Welcome back... Attached ImagesBenson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:im  wondering why you feel it is your responsibility as a welder to take the comment about anodizing as a requirement that you use a certain material. isnt it the engineer's job to specify that? i know it enhances your appeal tot the customer to provide that degree of knowledgability and he gets the benefit of that, but he paid someone for that drawing which should include such info , imho.
Reply:sorry you are the weldor, not the welder. no offense
Reply:This is why ISO 9000 and the like were created. The customer is responsible for drawing content, Period. Although I do agree it's good PR to point out errors, omissions before proceeding.
Reply:sorry you are the weldor, not the welder......
Reply:Originally Posted by mrmikeyLOL, suprising the amount of people that don't know the difference, it's a sore point with me too when I see it spelled wrong, minor point yes but it still bugs me GBG .....Mike
Reply:Even though I intended to type weldor due to this issue making the ropes previously, it would help if some would read a dictionary from time to time in order not to show their ignorance.  WELDER can correctly be understood as the machine or the man.  The determining factor is context.  I stand corrected though and will use weldor for now on so as not to offend the unlearned.
Reply:Not to put words in DavidR's mouth, but I'd say the defining factor is this:If I was an employee of the company that created the drawing, I would push it back to some engineer on staff for correction.  But being that this is DavidR's customer, it only makes good business sense to do everything reasonable to meet the customer's needs.  Could the drawing be better?  Yes.  But pointing out your customer's mistakes and delaying the job until they were fixed would not earn you any gratitude from your customer... Now if the drawings were so ambiguous that you couldn't intuit the right material to use, then you have to push back rather than forge blindly ahead. Just my $0.02. Originally Posted by weldbeadim  wondering why you feel it is your responsibility as a welder to take the comment about anodizing as a requirement that you use a certain material. isnt it the engineer's job to specify that? i know it enhances your appeal tot the customer to provide that degree of knowledgability and he gets the benefit of that, but he paid someone for that drawing which should include such info , imho.
Reply:Originally Posted by A_DAB_will_doNot to put words in DavidR's mouth, but I'd say the defining factor is this:If I was an employee of the company that created the drawing, I would push it back to some engineer on staff for correction.  But being that this is DavidR's customer, it only makes good business sense to do everything reasonable to meet the customer's needs.  Could the drawing be better?  Yes.  But pointing out your customer's mistakes and delaying the job until they were fixed would not earn you any gratitude from your customer... Now if the drawings were so ambiguous that you couldn't intuit the right material to use, then you have to push back rather than forge blindly ahead. Just my $0.02.
Reply:I saw what it said on the print about anodizing.  I used the wrong rod.  That part is simple.These folks send me the nicest work.  I will gladly do the job over for free including the first time.  Not a big deal.I went to school for 2 extra years.  The best thing I took with with me is one day the transmission instructor looked me right in the eyes and yelled "FACE IT YOU F*CKED UP!"  I will be at the customer tomorrow morning to tune up their forklift and will discuss it.  Probably do it over its for a special customer of theirs.A_DAB_will_do, I printed your chart and will take it with me.Thanks for the welcome back  Life is a road, it has its bumps and curves.Today I looked at a 22' aluminum push boat that is getting a new aluminum deck and subframe for it.Gonna get out the spoolgun tomorrow and practice.He asked for a guestimate, I only told him my hourly rate.  I have to think about this one.  Look for pictures, I got a new camera and its the balls!David Edit:  I'm not welding cell towers in the winter any more.  Too frikkin cold.  Maybe I'm too old or hopefully too smart.More Edit:The back of my rig in the aviator:  My son put em there.  2 or 21/4" nuts.More edit:  I think they beat Denreps horns!Last edited by David R; 01-27-2010 at 06:12 PM.Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:David, your attitude of doing the right thing is why I enjoy reading your posts.
Reply:Besides the filler from the start you did not do anything that was NOT on the print..You did where the welds were drawn in..Like you are supposed to..Engineers...Not rework..PAY work....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:David, since the end finish is clear anodize-- do the drawings note the aluminum alloy to be used for the blocks, prior to welding?Since you're going to re-work, the issue of color match for clear anodize, still remains,depending on the alloy they used, per Mr. Benson's chart.After all of the above gets sorted out, alerting their engineering that someadditional notes, flags added on the drawings would be appropriate.Last edited by dave powelson; 01-27-2010 at 10:21 PM.Reason: additionBlackbird
Reply:I told the customer I screwed up.  He said "Thanks, we will cut new pieces.  Glad we didn't start machining them."  DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by David RI did these on friday.  I missed some un marked welds, so rework.I didn't weld at the red arrow.Customer used the highlighter, I drew in the red arrow.
Reply:I jokingly told my boss at the last review, "some say it takes a big man to admit their mistakes."  He replied, "You're big enough already, you don't need to get any bigger!"  I had welded everything backwards due to laying it out upside down.  The finished side was diamond plate.  The prints were viewed through the finished side and not from the bottom side.  That feature of the print escaped me.  If my screw up wasn't enough HE, the boss, had welded one of them up backwards also, claiming he had simply followed what I had done.  He didn't even look at the print.  He just copied my panel.
Reply:.No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Originally Posted by David RI told the customer I screwed up.  He said "Thanks, we will cut new pieces.  Glad we didn't start machining them."  David
Reply:Related to the 'ask the customer', if this piece will be in a service/use environment of > 150F, then the customer has a conflicting set of conditions.Color match for clear anodizing means use 5356 filler.Service temp greater than 150F means use 4043 filler.So, if the print doesn't spell it all out (and it doesn't) then you really need to talk with the custormer and find out who/what/where/when/why in order to do the job.What is the base alloy?  What is the end use?  What is the desired weld filler and are there any conflicts with base materials or finish requirements (anodizing) or end-use conditions?  Pretty much like Dave/Blackbird said.    The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...I did not show that part on the blueprint.  It was 6061.  I knew that.Here are the new ones.I used 3/32 electrode, 1/16" 5356.  No preheat.  I just let the torch heat em up.  I turned the cleaning to 35% + wave and the Hz all the way up to 150 for a more concentrated arc.I gave em the whole job both times.  Say what you want, I took chicken **** and made chicken salad.  My reputation and customer are worth more than a hunnert bucks.I do appreciate ALL comments.David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:David, you need a BIGGER (higher amperage) machine, because all your beads look to be on the cold side.  More current might help improve your weld bead consistency too.ESAB Migmaster 250 Hobart Ironman 230Multimatic 215TWECO Fabricator 181i & 211iHH125EZ - nice little fluxcore only unitMaxstar 150 STH - very nice
Reply:I had a laugh with one of my good customers the other day,  I'm an above average reader but im not a mind reader.   i have done way to many projects in the last 10 years that were drawn by professional stamped engineers that were simply cut and paste from previous projects.   Most of them never even visited the jobsite on remodels.   even new construction with horrible deficiency in design are becoming more the rule than the exception to it.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:Originally Posted by weldbeadsorry you are the weldor, not the welder. no offense
Reply:David,try to really prep the joints extra well!  that way you don't need so much "cleaning" and can dial in more EN on your TA 185.  It'll give you a bit more penetration and heat into the workpiece.
Reply:Originally Posted by David RI did not show that part on the blueprint.  It was 6061.  I knew that.Here are the new ones.I used 3/32 electrode, 1/16" 5356.  No preheat.  I just let the torch heat em up.  I turned the cleaning to 35% + wave and the Hz all the way up to 150 for a more concentrated arc.I gave em the whole job both times.  Say what you want, I took chicken **** and made chicken salad.  My reputation and customer are worth more than a hunnert bucks.I do appreciate ALL comments.David