Old foreman told me to stop fighting the pipe and let it cool

I used to rush into welding right after beveling, thinking I was saving time. But last job at the Mobil refinery in Joliet, my foreman said I was causing cracks from thermal shock. Now I let the metal rest at least 15 minutes before I strike an arc. Has anyone else had to unlearn bad habits like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

leebrown1d agoMost Upvoted

Yeah man, rushing the metal is a hard habit to kick. You think you're saving time but really you're just creating more work. Old timers know better for a reason.

finleybutler17h ago

Heard that @leebrown, reminds me of when a mechanic told me to stop spinning my ratchet backwards to feel the threads.