Scary find

[Oliver 1555]

I picked this piece of 3” channel up off the road today. I’d say it’s probably a trailer crossmember. Notice that there is a bead on the face of the channel, but hardly any penetration. Elmer’s would probably do as well. Lucky it didn’t bounce and go through a windshield! The other end also has an equally crappy weld.

 

[MC]

Yikes. Looks like some of my welds! If you don't know what you're doing, people can get hurt.

This reminds of a time I was driving on the freeway and a piece of metal got kicked up from the car in front of me and hit my windshield. Sent a bunch of glass dust and some crumbles into the car. By the time you see it, it's hitting your windshield.

 

[Oliver 1555]

Learning to cut and etch is a very important and often overlooked step to learning about penetration.

 

[California]

Learning to cut and etch is a very important and often overlooked step to learning about penetration.

Cutting & polishing is obvious, but what's a simple way etch to emphasize the weld?

 

[Oliver 1555]

After cutting and polishing, use some naval jelly on a Q-tip and rub it around on the cross section. The weld nugget will appear. Other acidic products can be used, but naval jelly is readily available.

 

[California]

After cutting and polishing, use some naval jelly on a Q-tip and rub it around on the cross section. The weld nugget will appear. Other acidic products can be used, but naval jelly is readily available.

Thanks!

 

[cavdweller]

I've done a lot of welding for friends and family over the years but if it travels down the road I don't touch it. As far as I know I've never had anything I welded fail but, when it happens, I don't want to be responsible or face the liability of seriously hurting someone who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

[DMacLeod]

I've done a lot of welding for friends and family over the years but if it travels down the road I don't touch it. As far as I know I've never had anything I welded fail but, when it happens, I don't want to be responsible or face the liability of seriously hurting someone who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Very good point, thank you.

 

[Old Irish]

I've done a lot of welding for friends and family over the years but if it travels down the road I don't touch it. As far as I know I've never haS

Same here but when I was young and dumber I welded long shackles on a trailer to raise the bed. I drug it through rough forest roads as fast as I could drive for 8 or ten miles and inspected the welds, nothing was cracked or deformed so I used it for 2 or 3 years before giving it to a youngster of a friend of mine to haul his boat to the farm pond with. I didn't think much of it then but it sends shutters through me now.