Professional quality welds?!? A warning to all

S.R.I....That is unbelievable, they need to be beaten! They suck, period.

IndaShop....THANK YOU! I have been waiting for someone to say that. These companies have no right selling pathetic fluxcore shit as there 'economy' welding set. Hell, I wouldn't even weld something for those 'so-what' guys with that shit...

For all those new welder guys.....Practice, ask a certified welder, or instructor, find out the difference between a good weld and a shitty one, then Practice, practice, practice, etc......before you weld on a hotrod.

 

When I tell people a woman built that rod, they flip! Its beautiful and what a lucky guy to have a wife that wants to learn!

 

Isn't Classic Roadsters the same company, out of Florida, that got the shit sued out of them...investigated by the FL. Attorney General...settled all the lawsuits, paid damages...& now is back in business selling the "Street Beast"?

 

Doc,
you are absolutely correct about the Coddington stuff. Last year I welded up the frame rail on a Boyd built frame that was under a roadster put together by another well known rod builder. The car was being trailered to Columbus for the GoodGuys event and the upper shock mount tore the frame along the top outer edge. The frame was a typical welded up box section ('35 Ford style) but the shock brackets were only attached to the upper surface of the rail. Just riding down the road in the trailer was enough load to crack the frame right along the seam.
Two problems here: poor penetration on the welds that were then ground down to make the frame look nice, and poor engineering with the shock mount not gusseted down the side of the rail. I don't know if Coddington's actually built the frame or if it was sourced elsewhere but it was definitely sub standard in those areas.
I actually did the job for a friend's shop as he did not feel that any of his guys were capable of effecting a proper repair that would be any better than what was there. They had just got a TIG welder and he didn't think that his guys had enough experience with it at the time.

Roo Man

 

If they do that type of welding, then they aren't "professional". Professional shops do quality work whether you can see it or its hidden from view.

 

I dont consider myself a good welder and I can do much better than that.

I have a friend of mine that is a professional welder in the chemical industry. His welds get X-rayed and all sorts of silly things. I got him to teach me how to weld. His first words were - what welder to you have? His second words were - now before we touch the welder, I a going to teach you about prep! Took and hour to properly prep my frame, then 5 minutes to weld it.

 

One problem I'm personally running into is FINDING a welding school at which I can take classes.

I know basic MIG, but don't do it enough to be proficient, and I know it. I'd love to take a class with good equipment and supervision. And I want to learn TIG welding.

You would guess that in a city like Philadelphia, I could find a place to go, but many schools have gotten rid of their trade classes, and I can't find anything within in an hour drive.

 

We took in a T bucket that had a horrible frame. The rear end mounds came off with 6 blows with a rather small ball peen hammer.

"You don't ever get on it do you?"

customer... "Oh yeah all the time!"

"Wow, you're lucky you're not dead!"

 

Gotta love them BEER welds,,,

 

This story is the truth. I know and talked to some of those involved with this story. Pretty sad. They should have went to the show and had Boyd come to the shop and stand behind his work and get in there and get dirty and get it fixed.

 

The welds are not really the issue. The real problem is that there has to be plenty of people that see that kind of work in the shop and ignore it. Paying good skilled employees is expensive. Just get the damn thing out off here and if there is a problem down the road let the lawyers handle it. In todays society a profit stands above all else.

 

Hey, you think if I bring my Mopar by the shop they could spot weld a bumper bracket ?

The thing that cracks me up is how they hit it with the grinder and the boogers were so big it kicked the grinder all around......the guy probably said "F' it, that's enough o' that ! "

 

I have a friend who is retired Air Force welder. (he even has certifications for welding MAGNESIUM)

When I asked him to teach me how to weld some simple brackets, (properly) he said that before I even THOUGHT of trying to weld them, they needed a BUNCH of prep work.
Clean surfaces, (grinding off mill scale) beveling edges, (to allow for deeper penetration) AND proper set-up of the welding equipment.

After showing me some really bad examples (like above) of how NOT to do the job;
I sold my welder, and I use HIS services. (he currently works in a specialized welding shop and welds every day!!)

Me ... well I feel a whole lot safer driving around in my car with his workmanship!!
I'll keep to engine building!

 

I'm the same way...I can weld, but when it comes to the structural stuff, I let my friend do it. He's a certified inspector and did all the work on my frame. One of the things that's tough to deal with is our pride...most of us thrive on saying we built our cars ourselves, but some sacrifice safety because of it. One day I'll be good enough to do all my welding, but I'm not rushing it.

Bryan

 

Why so surprised???? If I saw a shop using the kind of safety precautions some of these TV guys do, I would seriously question their workmanship.

All the little avoidable shop fuckups and accidents on these TV shows are just a way of creating drama.

I don't have cable, but flipping the channels on the hotel TV the other night I see a guy welging the fuck out of something, no goggles but a gold rolex. WTF more do you need to know???

What shits me is the message they are sending out about craftsmanship.

 

Damn, that's some bad shit!!! My brother was a welder at a structural steel fab shop bfore he retired last year. His welds on highway overpass bridges were all x rayed by the State and he never had one bad weld in his 25 years at that job. I can weld some, I used to do it for a living at the shop where I work, but we didn't build structeral stuff so when i built my own frame I just tacked it together and had my brother do the final welds. They were truely beautiful; when he was done he said that all i needed to do was grind them smooth and paint. I told him there was no way i was gonna grind them down, maybe someone who can appeciate good work would see them...and maybe they'd think i actually did them...LOL...
We had a local guy with a Model A sedan thet he built himself decide that he could weld. He got out the ol' buzz box and cranked it ALL the way up. to get "good" welds, ya know. The first time he hammered the car the entire rear end came out, punctured the fuel tank and dropped the rear of the car on the ground with fuel pouring out. He had his grandson STRAPPED in the car with him in a five point harness. Luckily the fuel didn't ignite and they got out safely. Guess who they called to have it welded back together after they fixed it.......

 

HAHAHAHA,

Man suprise suprise on the Boyd car, anyone who has seen American Hot Rod has seen the (un)trained chimps he has building his cars. Too busy with petty bitch fights to worry about decent work.

Danny

 

damn the dude must have been drunk!

 

drunk...or maybe high

Or maybe the welder had only one arm.

I know if I weld without a place to perch my arms and weight for support, my welds look like that too; especially one handed.

 

I just want to make it clear that this was not me or any of the crew here in PA. I'm not saying I'm beyond mistake. I stand behind what I do.
Clark

 

We decided to scrap the whole door and replace it with one of ours(Long story, but the Classic Roadsters cars were made using OUR molds anyhow so our door is a perfect fit, and yeah, I think it was the same Classic Roadsters in Florida that screwed everybody). The chassis welds look OK, but they're under powder coat so it's really hard to say. I do know this car was rear ended @ almost 50 MPH, and there was very little structural damage. The front MII suspension was put in and set up wrong though. Almost no travel and the shock bodies hit the crossmember.

 

I've said this before... and I'll say it another 7,396 times before I die...

PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE TO TAKE A TEST AND GET A LICENSE TO EVEN OWN A WELDER...!!!


JOE

 

Ive always really wanted to take the lincoln race welding class. http://www.lincolnelectric.com/focus/motorsports/school/school.asp

But its in OHIO and I havent been able to make it. If someone else has let us know how it went.

 

My grandfather only has one arm, and let me tell you he makes my bad ass welds look like crap. That fool can lay down the pretty shit with a buzzbox.
I know that wasn't the point of your comment but thought I'd add, that even a one arm'd bandit can weld better than that chicken coop filler.