obtain weld certification

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14 years ago I worked in the construction industry mostly on bridge and highway work in and around Connecticut. The only cert that was honored by the State inspectors was the CT DOT which was usually administered in the field or at state location witnessed by a state inspector. I had all position stick, and flux core unlimited for structural. I have since been employed by a municipal fire dept( vacation, benefits) and weld small odd jobs for people and myself almost every week.I have never had and AWS or ASME cert and would like to obtain it for myself and my late teen age son as well.  Now the question, Has anyone ever heard of "Certified Welding Technologies Inc" they are all over the Web and claim all kinds of affiliations . Testing is done at their labs, or get this, They will mail you the test pieces and procedure to conform to as long as you have a witness sign the application, by doing this you save some of the fee using your own equipment and shop. When I contacted them I asked who the witness had to be, they said it could be anyone other than myself.  This sounds very strange to me, or am I just that old that things have changed this much. Is this cert worth the paper its on and more inportant the $200 give or take . Sounds to good to be true."Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum"Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DCMillermatic 251   Syncrowave 300   30A spoolgunLincoln MP210Hypertherm 45(2) LN 25(2) Lincoln Weldanpower 225 CV(4) SA200   1 short hood    SA250    SAM 400
Reply:it sounds to good to be true so it probably is I would be weary of this one where did you find this place at ? internet ?
Reply:Take a ride up to MA and go to Triangle Engineering. He is certified to certify just about anything. http://www.trieng.com/Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:Nothing in the AWS D1.1 (1991-2006) book against this practice. I can not vouch for this company.If you give this some critical thinking you will see why this is an acceptable practice. A certification (AWS) is nothing more than an affidavit attesting that person "X" has made an acceptable weld, using the prescribed procedure. The fact that this company has added another witness to the process is meaningless, with regards to the code.  Please remember that this certification will be valid only when working to the procedure used while testing. If anything (not just essential variables) changes on the procedure, you would not be certified to the "new" procedure. So if you certify to a procedure with the name "WELD CO X" in the company name box and you are no longer working for WELD CO X then you are no longer certified. I have a question for the OP why  do you and this young person want certification paperwork?
Reply:It's been a long while since I tested certs. But I would have to call BS on the mail order deal. Without chain of Prof, the certs. offered would be to the coupon/weld tested, not the welder. How can it be confirmed who did the welding???I don't think the honor system would carry a professional engineering groups stamp.Miller TrailBlazer 251Miller HF-250-1Miller MaxStar 150 STLHyperTherm PowerMax 380 plasmaLincoln PowerMig 180Millermatic 252Miller Diversion 180
Reply:Originally Posted by waginIt's been a long while since I tested certs. But I would have to call BS on the mail order deal. Without cain of Prof, the certs. offered would be to the coupon/weld tested, not the welder. How can it be confirmed who did the welding???I don't think the honor system would carry a professional engineering groups stamp.
Reply:OK.....true..But what keeps joe blow from having his buddy the great welder weld the coupons for him and then put joe blow on certs?Miller TrailBlazer 251Miller HF-250-1Miller MaxStar 150 STLHyperTherm PowerMax 380 plasmaLincoln PowerMig 180Millermatic 252Miller Diversion 180
Reply:Originally Posted by waginOK.....true..But what keeps joe blow from having his buddy the great welder weld the coupons for him and then put joe blow on certs?
Reply:I would also add that unlike the plumber and electrician, most welders never open heck see the code book they are working to. I had 10+ certs before ever seeing a copy of D1.1. So if we as a whole (welders) don't even know about the codes we are working to how can we expect to be paid on par with the other building trades???
Reply:FB, I agree on that, I get a call from a guy the other day."I need a certified weldor, are you?""What certificaton do you need?""Are you certified?""Yes but what do you need me to be certified in?""I just need a certified weldor to do the job."Thats about the jist of a conversation with some one asking if you are "certified".Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:Originally Posted by TozziWeldingFB, I agree on that, I get a call from a guy the other day."I need a certified weldor, are you?""What certificaton do you need?""Are you certified?""Yes but what do you need me to be certified in?""I just need a certified weldor to do the job."Thats about the jist of a conversation with some one asking if you are "certified".
Reply:Its my opinion that "Certified Welder" is one of the most abused terms in the industry.The term is only used in D1.1 as a definition. welder certification. Written certification that a welderhas produced welds meeting a prescribed standard ofwelder performance. Within the remainder of the body of the code, there is no reference to "Certification" when it applies to a welder.The company I work for OWNS my certificate if thast is who certified me.  Someone can come to my house, I can watch them weld, test their plate or pipe in accordance with the rules set forth by AWS D1.1 or ASME Sec IX or many other codes, and write a paper that indicates what they tested in accordance with and what ranges they are qualified for. As a single person company, there is no code rule that stops me from welding up a coupon, sending it out for RT or Bending it myself, and documenting the same.The key in my opinion to being an employable welder is NOT what you have done in the past. Its what you can do when you are tested. I have tested numerous welders and even had some show me stacks of little laminated cards of whan they last certified. Thos cards mean nothing in ASME (Except some B31 codes) work and are up to the discretion of t he engineer for D1.1 work.Have a nice dayhttp://www.weldingdata.com/
Reply:Certification isnt worth the paper it is written on except to the company you work for. You just need a piece of paper to show you know how to weld? Then I suggest you contact the state you live in or go thru the union.
Reply:I do agree that the certs are merely a piece of paper. That being said, you tell someone you do welding the next question is almost automatic, are you certified? and as others have pointed out the people asking don't even know the depth of certifications. But my old certs did say i was qualified to do mild steel plate all position unlimited thickness. What my interest is that if i have a cert i can atleast claim some profesional capability without fraud. Also in most advertisements be it yellow pages or business cards it does seem more profesional to include certified welder. The DOT test here in CT is usually limited to those that are working on DOT projects which I no longer do. As for my son, the sooner he can achieve certification the more doors it may open for employment. I do not want him to make his living as a welder, However it is and excellent skill to learn, He is in trade school for HVAC and welding is and excellent compliment for most trade employment. Today the more diverse your skills , the better off you are. I was certified at age 19 and never wanted for a job. I'm not rich but I always eat. I had the luxury of learning from my grandfather who once worked in the shipyard of Poland. I was well prepared in my teens , however my experience has been mainly stick and mig on heavy structural and equipment repair , as you all know and affectionately refer to as bull work or junk yard welding. I am gradually trying to expand that, I only wish that at a young age I had been exposed to more stainless and aluminum or special alloys. I got out because I was sick of black Iron.At the time I worked union instead of job shops because the pay was much better."Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum"Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DCMillermatic 251   Syncrowave 300   30A spoolgunLincoln MP210Hypertherm 45(2) LN 25(2) Lincoln Weldanpower 225 CV(4) SA200   1 short hood    SA250    SAM 400
Reply:I have used statements such as I have been certified by various employers for welding in accordance with ASME Sec IX on Carbon, Steel, Stainless Steel, Nickel Alloys, Copper Alloys and Aluminum. The ranges of qualifications varied but included welds with and without backing and diameters from 1/2" NPS to unlimited diameters and thickness.There is nothing that prevents you from welding a plate or pipe, sending it off to a lab and getting it tested in accordance witha specific or muliple codes. In my opinion a company that is just interested in the paper as opposed to spending a few minutes watchin you setup and run a bead may be limited in "certifications" themselves.Have a nice dayhttp://www.weldingdata.com/
Reply:like Donald explained,  "sometimes you have to educated the customer"Its a 1000$ conversation weld it like you own it
Reply:Originally Posted by TozziWeldingFB, I agree on that, I get a call from a guy the other day."I need a certified weldor, are you?""What certificaton do you need?""Are you certified?""Yes but what do you need me to be certified in?""I just need a certified weldor to do the job."Thats about the jist of a conversation with some one asking if you are "certified".
Reply:dude if you can find someone to certify ppl in the new england area let me know ill pay the 200.00 for my certification in a heart beat.
Reply:Originally Posted by mike@westernbronzedude if you can find someone to certify ppl in the new england area let me know ill pay the 200.00 for my certification in a heart beat.
Reply:It's been a while, but I was under the impression that a CWI had to witness the test in progress to verify that you used the proper procedure, position, etc.  I'm talking D1.1 here....My name's not Jim....
Reply:I have a5.1 and a5.2 certs are these good?
Reply:i was in the mechanical industry for forty years as a draftsman, estimator, project manager, superintendant and inspector.some structural stuff, some heavyduty steam and hthw piping..never ever did i see a project specification that gave a welding procedure. it would state what rod was required. it might state that certain inspection was required. it always required a welder be certified. so a welder could send a certificate from joes welding school that said the bearer was a real good welder.i based thngs on the appearance of the bead. . if i didntike the weld  the sumbitch was told to grind, and then told to grind again..and again..usually this guy got replaced in a day or two ..
Reply:Originally Posted by waginOK.....true..But what keeps joe blow from having his buddy the great welder weld the coupons for him and then put joe blow on certs?