This is scary

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There is a guy that builds trailers nearby and I pass by his place quite often. There are always new trailers sitting outside and there is quite a bit of turnover.  Today I was going by and his shop doors were open so I decided to stop in and meet him.He said he has been building trailers on the side for 17 years. He only had one built at the time I was there. We went over an looked at it and he was bragging about how many he builds and the prices he gets for them.He told me that he has had a lot of welders come in and want to learn to build trailers and "Honestly" they don't even know how to weld so he had to teach them welding at the same time as trailer building. Says he has had welding inspectors send people to him to learn to weld.I took a couple pictures on the sly, pretending to take pictures of a smoker he had on the trailer. I did not want to offend him and I agreed his welds were great.Here are two pictures I was able to get of welds. Got to say; I have seen better.Then the funny part of the conversation. This guy makes "Kettle Corn" or sweet popcorn. He asked me about my welding skills and I had a couple small things in the truck I had made including my headache rack. He looked them over and then asked me to look at something. He showed me the Kettle corn cooker he has and asked me if I could build it. I said sure I can. He said that he was taught to weld on 3/16" steel and can't weld on anything else and the materials for the cooker are considerably thinner so he can't do them. I will post those images in another thread to get input on what to charge him. Attached Images
Reply:You'd think that on something as critical as a trailer that he'd make his beads a bit better.
Reply:Amazing that he doesn't realize what a good weld is.  Looks like a pigeon droppings.  Scary.
Reply:That's bad.  I welded better than that when I was in 7th grade...MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Originally Posted by Bob WarnerSays he has had welding inspectors send people to him to learn to weld.
Reply:Did he use the newspaper behind cheap sun glasses welding helmet?Tough as nails and damn near as smart
Reply:Every weld on that trailer was pretty much the same, including the hitch and the axle mounts.And he was PROUD of them.He sells the trailers, has no insurance and is not worried a bit.
Reply:believe it or not I have seen A LOT worse on the road.  No way I could trust those welds on a trailer.  That just always goes to show that NEVER know what you are passing on the road...I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:i think my lil brother can do better
Reply:wow...
Reply:You should see some of the work in the truck scene, lots of scary stuff driving around.Lincoln Promig 180
Reply:Sheesh.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Just to show the longevity of a bad weld.......... this pic is of a weld made on the leveling arm on my latest rebuild.  It stood the test of time, but not a good weld.  I was starting to grind it out, and decided to take a pic.THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS THAT THIS WAS MADE BY A GUY TRYING TO GET BY.  A repair on an implement.  He, and he alone, was responsible for the weld.  It wasn't being passed on to the public.I'm always amazed at the power of metal, even done poorly. Attached Images"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammJust to show the longevity of a bad weld.......... this pic is of a weld made on the leveling arm on my latest rebuild.  It stood the test of time, but not a good weld.  I was starting to grind it out, and decided to take a pic.THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS THAT THIS WAS MADE BY A GUY TRYING TO GET BY.  A repair on an implement.  He, and he alone, was responsible for the weld.  It wasn't being passed on to the public.I'm always amazed at the power of metal, even done poorly.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammJust to show the longevity of a bad weld.......... this pic is of a weld made on the leveling arm on my latest rebuild.  It stood the test of time, but not a good weld.  I was starting to grind it out, and decided to take a pic.THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS THAT THIS WAS MADE BY A GUY TRYING TO GET BY.  A repair on an implement.  He, and he alone, was responsible for the weld.  It wasn't being passed on to the public.I'm always amazed at the power of metal, even done poorly.
Reply:Jeez ! I can weld better than that and I have only been tinkering for 2 months ! I would hate to actually pay someone money for that trailer welded like that.
Reply:wow that is scary.Ya gotta spend money to make money!
Reply:Were those trailers being made to go on the roads? They obviously do not have any kind of trailer inspections where that guy makes these!! No State Dept of Transportation  would ever allow those welds to pass inspection.Co-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.&  2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.
Reply:The trailer that has those welds on it was sold today to the city building inspector of the town the guy lives in. I was there because he hired me to build something for him (ironic a "weldor" hires a weldor). The Building inspector was like a kid in a candy store. He paid $1150 for a 16' trailer.Here in Texas you just register them as home built and you get the tags, no problem. I have made a few and had no problem getting plates. No inspection, nothing, you are not even required to prove you have lights on it.
Reply:Originally Posted by Bob WarnerThe trailer that has those welds on it was sold today to the city building inspector of the town the guy lives in.
Reply:i can honestly say my wife is 10 times better than that! what the bloody hell?
Reply:I have seen welds like that on some military equipment I work on. I worked with a heavy equipment mechanic who welded like that, he thought he was good to. His welds are on more then a few semi trailers.
Reply:i go to tractor supply from time to time and look at the trailers they sell. same crappy  beads.
Reply:nothing i love better than to watch someone's metal going through a guided bend, especially wen you know its going to fail. everytime someone tries to tell me he's a "better" welder or brags about his skill, i ask him to do a guided bend at the shop, ill provide the metals and do the test. havnt had any takers yet.my all time favorite excuse for a crappy weld - my school was judging the FFA national contest in welding. we welded a piece of 1.5" OD pipe to a 2x2 coupon flat (seal one side of the pipe), then do a die-penetrant test. well were testing out the machines the day before and this one kid brings up a weld that looks like hell, he says its mint, no problems at all. then we take it to use the die-penetrant and he starts to say," oh well i didnt know we were gonna test the welds, i thought they just had to look good"needless to say his didnt pass, only 2 of us passed with no leak. mine was 1. at the end of the contest with 160 somethin highschool kids, only about 1/3 actually passed the test.I break things for a living...
Reply:Originally Posted by Bob Warner...... He said that he was taught to weld on 3/16" steel and can't weld on anything else and the materials for the cooker are considerably thinner so he can't do them.....what makes itr worse is he cant even weld on 3/16.
Reply:Wow..Those are some great welds..If you think thats a nice weld you should just put the stinger down.
Reply:Originally Posted by specterWere those trailers being made to go on the roads? They obviously do not have any kind of trailer inspections where that guy makes these!! No State Dept of Transportation  would ever allow those welds to pass inspection.
Reply:Nothing for him to worry about...house, wheels and shop in wife's maiden name probably.  Would like for folks to be told when their welds are crap...perhaps they could do with just a little instruction.
Reply:Chris, it don’t matter what’s in the wife’s name, Texas has the DEATH penalty.
Reply:Sooooo, Bob -How come you're not in the trailer businness?Seems like you got no competition.A butterfly without wings, is just an ugly bug
Reply:one can only hope that maybe, possibly? the inspector knew what he was doing and aquired one of his trailers to hold as evidence to bring this guy down. those welds are  crap, i woudnt even call them welds! i can just picture that thing coming apart behind somebody towing it at high speed and taking out someones wife and kids! tragic!
Reply:the same situation as guys with 110 migs online asking how to start up own welding biz...then you have idiots encouraging them...
Reply:Bob did you happen to notice what machine he was using?perhaps it was this new rig  http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...ndid=474320173         FelonCaution lurker lives here" hmmm That is serious,pass the ganja and pick up a  24 of MGD"
Reply:Can you tell me where he lives? I want to stay as far away ( About 1000 miles) away from the area he sells his trailers!