An Exercise In Frustration

We continued with the butt joint weld today in class and boy was it a pain in mine. I started off pretty well and actually 30 minutes into the lab work I did my best weld. It had a nice buildup on the top with total penetration about 4/5’s of the way across the whole length of the joint. I just need that last 5th to have an excellent weld. I should have quit there. But not being a quitter I kept on for the rest of the day experimenting with different gaps, heat levels, travel speed and work angel. I even tried adjusting the way I was sitting on the stool and holding the electrode. I had many good attempts and some terrible ones, but that is why we are there. To practice, to try new things and to get better.

I am confident that I will ‘get it’ next week. Now off to Caribou to check in with FourSquare and get some coffee.