I'm going to ask the question that's impossible to answer... but you guys are smart:
We have already talked about checking welds but I'm wondering about the big picture. Trying to assess risks statistically, if you will.
I hear it routinely said that a good weld is as strong or stronger than the surrounding metal.
OK. I can buy that.
But, what about the other welds? Consider the typical scenario of a home fabber who has little experience in welding. Maybe a dozen hours with a flux core, say. Let us say he can do welds that look sorta OK. Not pretty smooth, but not random floating blobs and holes either.
What would be your assessment in big broad impossible overgeneralization terms?:
a) welds are likely to be completely unreliable and should not be used at all in real life until he has xx hours practice.
b) welds are probably reasonably strong and should be OK for non-critical situations (say mounting brackets for accessories, maybe bumpers etc) only.
c) welds are likely close to as strong as the rest of the metal and one should not hesitate to use them for serious stuff (steering, suspension, winch plates, recovery points, etc).
I'm thinking -well, OK, really hoping- b).
What say ya?
We have already talked about checking welds but I'm wondering about the big picture. Trying to assess risks statistically, if you will.
I hear it routinely said that a good weld is as strong or stronger than the surrounding metal.
OK. I can buy that.
But, what about the other welds? Consider the typical scenario of a home fabber who has little experience in welding. Maybe a dozen hours with a flux core, say. Let us say he can do welds that look sorta OK. Not pretty smooth, but not random floating blobs and holes either.
What would be your assessment in big broad impossible overgeneralization terms?:
a) welds are likely to be completely unreliable and should not be used at all in real life until he has xx hours practice.
b) welds are probably reasonably strong and should be OK for non-critical situations (say mounting brackets for accessories, maybe bumpers etc) only.
c) welds are likely close to as strong as the rest of the metal and one should not hesitate to use them for serious stuff (steering, suspension, winch plates, recovery points, etc).
I'm thinking -well, OK, really hoping- b).
What say ya?