Busted A Welding Test-What Went Wrong and How to Fix It 

As bad as you hate admitting to it, it keeps you more "real" to the viewers. Keeps you humble as well. Which I believe is the word you were looking for. 😎🤙🏼

Welding is so deceiving. Anyone can learn to weld in a few hours, but it takes real dedication to become a welder who can craft beautiful, fully sound joints time after time in all conditions.

I remember busting a tig test for a pipeline because I didn't know how to "walk the dog" so I came home grabbed some pipe and by the next day I was the best damn dog walking tig welder you ever seen. I beat myself up so bad I became the master at it. Busting that test was the worst day of my life, as a welder, kinda :-) But at the end of the day it's also what makes us better welders. If you never failed you haven't done anything.

It takes a real man to own up and admit it was your mistake that busted that test. But that’s real life man. You are a stand up dude Jacob and one heck of a role model and I bet you’re a damn good father and a teacher.

Hey that’s my Husband, Clay! Keep at it Jacob!

When you stop trying to learn new things doing this job you will fail. These old hands have a wealth of knowledge that will rival everything. Thats why I love this career. This career isnt for everybody but i love that i get to learn a massive amount of skills from the ones before me. I LOVE that i get to carry it on and teach others when in need.

40 yrs experience. It can be done many ways it's all in the balance of heat,gap and land. Great video my man.

I'm not a welder, but I admire your dedication and how you guys stick together and help each other.

Ive been in the NDT business for 30 years but can still remember that feeling of dipping a graph or a UT test. Not good but you learn from it

Not a welder but got a job as an apprentice rigger in an oil refinery. Veterans there, some had 30, some 35 years experience. They were so full of knowledge about how to rig things, I would go home and think about the job until the next morning. It was so cool too work with experienced men in the field.

It sucks that u busted a welding test, but your attitude and the way u handled it and got some advice and went after the self improvement etc.m and then with humility sharing your experience m is what helps all of us welders become better.. that's cool bro. Your doing the good work...

I’m just blessed to see your videos but I thought I was the only one struggling but the challenges are real it’s good to see all the knowledge put to use and overall be shared that’s the definition of blessed going thru the challenges and sharing them with people looking to overcome those similar challenges in life or your job very cool 👍🏽👊🏽🔥

Thank you for making this video Jacob. I listen and pay attention because I wanna better myself. Thank you also for keeping it real and being humble 💪🏾

"If you never busted a test you never been anywhere."

as long as you learned something from it, its all good!!! IF you busted & didn't learn from what you did wrong is BAD!!! I was told years ago try to learn something new everyday!! I have tried to do that, some days you don't other days you learn a lot!! technology is changing very fast these days!! you really have to keep up with it!!! most guys that have been in the field will share their wealth of knowledge with the younger guys if they feel they will stay with it & show some work ethic!!! thanks for sharing with us

One of the things I got sick of welding. Testing. Test for this job. Test for that job. Jobs two weeks long now do another test. Its the same work why did I never get the same damn test....always different. I adopted an idgaf attitude to remove the stress during test and that worked. I enjoyed the 6 year job I had. After the initial tests I never even knew that I was being tested periodically. They did production tests after the first tests. Got sick of testing. Then you have the tube welders in a boiler. I never did that. Talking to them the stress of it would get to them after years as for them every single weld is a test. They needed a 99% pass rate due to it being so hard to repair a defect. Or so I was told.

Thinking I would’ve repositioned the pipe. Clay mentioned it more than once. Yes, listen to the experience and if he’s patient enough to be there, repeats himself, get the hint.

Great video Jacob, big thanks to Clay for the tip n trick help out. God bless you keepin it real bro, great camera skills too nice to see that root glowing under the hot pass :-)

One of the first things I learned in school running 7018. Gravity

I'm in my trade near 30 years and I still learn stuff that changes the way I've been doing things every day is a school day age and experience doesn't come into it ance again a great video keep up the great work

Caught myself closing my eyes when you tacked it to the truck

It happens to the best of us brother. Keep your head up

Exactly why I subscribed to your channel, your humility is so admirable Jacob, keep up the good work brother 💯💯

I was once told a welder who says he has never busted a test either hasn’t taken enough test or hasn’t been welding long enough. Even the best bust. Hats off to you for picking back up and never giving up. They tel me every day you weld you learn something new you never know enough, always be willing to listen to the guys who have been doing this longer. Or even been around it longer. God bless

It takes a great welder to admit that!! It took me three months to pass my overhead test! Keep making this great videos

your honesty is refreshing, and yes, we can learn form this...thanks Old timer....Oldtimer in Florida, Paul

It happens to the best of us. It's an ugly feeling and it's ok to roll up after busting out heading home upset with no one else but self. The lesson is realizing the mistake or mistakes that were made and learning from em. Busting out only makes you a better welder

Badass video , and Glad to see guys like yourself doing what ya Love !!! Welder 👨‍🏭 for Life

Moving from mug to stick. Pushing myself to learn more all the way around.

1st video I've seen by you and I instantly subscribed and liked. Very genuine and a likable person. I'm getting my Nccer on december. Can't wait

I’m so glad I watched this video. I broke out 2020 and my first job was 30” X70 doing tie-ins etc. probably would have repaired out if not for this video🙏🏻

This is a real man to show and tell!

Great welder with a lot heart

Great video! Really like this one

No shame in that, Jake. A lot of guys I know have busted for oneok who’ve been in the game for 10-20+ years.

Seeing those Bingham county plates makes me happy, keep up the good work!

Man i like that coat buddy sweet rig too

It happens to the best of us and we ask ourselves how but just gotta move on can’t let it beat us up to much

great videos! 👍 i’m trying to get back into welding again it’s frustrating with little experience.

Your not a welder if u never busted a test brother. It happens. Dont dwell on it

Man thats rough I mean I would personally be pissed but a reminder to always ask what is the procedure. Thanks for the video and the tips keep it up

I have a copy of (welders offshore guide), that's sold on EBAY, and in one part of it, it tells how a number of welders learn and get certified without ever having to go to an expensive welding school. So many young men want to be welders but some are already married and cannot afford to take a year out of their life and go back to vocational training school. Ingalls in pascagoula, ms. Has 3 year pipe welding apprentice programs where they pay $17.50 per hr. Just to train you, drawback is passing a drug test and no criminal background which most welders have issues with both. That's why I like the welders offshore guide because it overcomes all those issues with the knowledge it provides on learning and getting certified, without having to go through long awaited union programs, some welders follow its advice and get certified in a few weeks. I wish it had been published back in the 70's when I started welding.

Good dude.... really helpful

I’ve never welded a thing in my life but this makes me want to learn.

We were always taught in welding school well that’s what my instructor said “keep your wide gap up top”

Northern Alberta, sweating on one test. 6g uphand. Ends closed off and my remote stopped working, had to go to my machine to adjust amps. F3 R&H, F4 fill and cap. Passed and then went and made $35,000 in a month. I’m out of that now, eye sight not so good anymore. Do mobile mechanic now, way less stress.

Jake ur the most humble guy I know

“Use the same amount of pressure as if you were using a pinecone for toilet paper”😂

Awesome video my brother 👊🏻👊🏻

23:96, are you burning the slag off with the torch? Why not grinder? Novice here. Curious for my own sake. Love your vids.

Can’t tech this at any school!!. Some good stuff to cement into your head! Free teaching!!

Never go to South Florida them guys there say that they have never busted are had a leak, but have only taken 3 test in there long career of 5 years, and they never been out of the state of Florida. Maybe burnt only 100 pounds of welding rods in there career. 42 years I’ve busted 4 test and it made me better at what I love to do,

I see others putting in the root and the rod flexes while the are putting it in. They too have been welding for over a decade.

Hey Jacob I’ve got a question about the lenses. I noticed that when I go down to 85 A I have to drop down about a shade or two to be able to see it really well. Do you carry a lens for your 85 amp passes and another lens for your 120 amp passes? Or do you just rely on the auto dimming lenses

Jacob,, really like your passion and your videos.. I"m a retired welder from the Nuclear industry. I am also a Christian Brother... at 31:08 you busted out the GD... be safe with that brother,, Our Lord and Savior wants us to be the BEST we can be, to show others the Love of our Heavenly Father. Teach by Example My Brother,, God Bless you and your family. Road work is always difficult, be steady and strong.... DAWG from the Show me State, Missouri.... peace

Just went for a weld test today and busted it up. I know i aint got the job.. but i will keep on keeping on until i get it down.

P.S SOME gas companies want let u use a template they make u lay it out so it's good to learn how to lay 1 out as well guys, it's not hard to do just takes some patience and skill

I got to see clay in action in Russell ks working for jomax in tie-ins

Busting a test will test your limits keep your composure learn improve pass on were good but can always be better keep your cup half full

This is the testosterone filled Man's episode brought to you by "The world will know I can do it!"

I met a friendly welder in Alaska at north pole refinery with a southern accent in about 1992? and I asked him what his name was ,he said "Dallas Houston."I said Where you from Dallas?He said Houston Texas.So if you are out there Dallas Houston here is a howdee ta ya!True Story.Good welder too.

If you haven't busted any test you haven't been welding long enough. I've busted on copper-nickel and hastelloy piping in the shipyard. Got them now though. Keep on keepin on Jacob 👊

Watching from Lewiston idaho

I had an issue with a 6010 6 g schedule 80 6 inch bend test . Have you ever done one?

So ive slowly started putting a truck together and have started focusing on my hood time but to be ready to break out how does one get rig welder jobs at plants

That Wyoming hoodie though! Go Pokes!

20 years in the business up here in Canada 10 of them as a bead hand biggest advice can give a guy coming up in the industry running root is you want to be welding on the lands not in the lands. Easiest way to explain it

Where are you testing at? Looks like in Fort Collins.

I’m a decent welder. Imo. For the most part I want the bigger gap on the bottom. gravity is gonna help it fill. when it’s on top taking a chance of having weld hanging down inside if it gets out of hand.

Keep up the good work buddy!

If you have the new software, you can adjust your dynamic dig to make your arc more or less aggressive. You probably could have softened it up enough to where you could have ran 130 with a 3/32 gap.

If your running a SA 200, what gear and where at on the fine control?

Are you doing very tiny twists with the rod or doing very tiny whips when you’re going downhill? On the root pass.

I ain't no welder but I learn what a good weld is because I know how to weld and penetrate the metal easly to make it strong and durable doesn't matter what metal it is it's easy. Pressure wise I will get done prefect

Shit I busted 3 test one time back to back that was very depressing went in head filled with air not thinking straight then boom bust it sucks but u learn what not to do expect the unexpected always

Wish I could hear more of the conversation! I feel like there’s good shit in there. Just hard to hear.

I just want to get it straight, higher Amp root pass less gap lower Amp root pass wider gap?

Do u run ur root uphill or downhill?

What brand of templates are those ?

what does he mean when he says that gravity will always help wouldn’t the gravity spread the pipe back open?

How are you still getting new welding caps?

What gloves are you wearing in this video?

Busted on another test, drove 17 hours, next day I was given a 12’ and a 90* elbow…6”. The darn pipe was magnetized. Tried wrapping the ground lead around the pipe but it didn’t help. The bead kept to one side. Just bad luck I guess. Ever experience any thing like that.

Granted we are using wire but I always use 3 tacks on pipe. One dude when he tigs will only use 2 and set his pipe out enough to take in the heat

130 amps!!!!!!!!! That’s insane!!!

Other than going back to school and getting in a welding booth and welding right after work how do you get better welding. My problem is that job i get most of the time im not being sent out as a welder. I just be sent out on a job just so i can feed my family. othere than buy a used welder and practice at home how do you get better when you are working to far from school to practice welding at welding school? What should I do?

1/8 rod on your root?

what was the amp range on the welding procedure? min and max?

Could that fit apply to a up hill root (AKA up hand,plant style root) and what about a horizontal or Arkansas Bell hole would you do the same fit if the procedure called for 130 min amps and the pipe was in one of those positions

What brand of work shirt is that?

Hey man can you do a video on how many hours are put on your machine through out your work period week or month

What kind of gloves are those

What size rod are you using for this weld

Nickel space nickel landing trumps everything brother

,130 amps I'd want 3/32 land and maybe a 16th gap.

I’m just starting out, and I learned that the larger gap is always at the bottom because it will close up.

What brand of welding jacket is that?

What’s the most money you’ve made in a year being a pipeline welder I’m currently an apprentice for plumbers and steamfitters

I heard your boy saying something about laying out with the blue book Hes getting the blue book wrong, when you get the big gaps on the throat , you are measuring backwards on them lines , you gotta start from the inside out,

Can you get one of them lenses for your camera so we can see what your doin with your rod. I’d love to see that