I tried a new weld prep method on some 1-inch plate and it backfired big time

We were working on a pressure vessel in the shop last week and I decided to try a 30-degree bevel instead of our usual 37.5. I thought it would save time on the fit-up. I ran the first pass and it looked okay, but when we did the x-ray, there was a 2-inch long lack of fusion right in the root. My boss said, 'You just cost us a full day of rework.' I learned that our standard bevel angle is there for a reason, especially on thicker material. Has anyone else had a weld prep shortcut blow up in their face?

2 comments

2 Comments

mark_fisher487h ago

Used to argue with the old timers about prep. Not anymore.

the_piper6h ago

Took me a few years of being the annoying new guy to figure it out. Now I'm the one giving the side-eye when someone tries to argue about soaking beans overnight... some lessons just need to be learned the hard way.