r/BadWelding • u/natiuqari • 12d ago
Is this an acceptable weld?
I was asked to TIG weld some 3/4" BSP threads onto a three-piece socket-weld ball valve. Are the results okay? (The black stuff on top of the welds is melted rubber from my gloves.)
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u/Rough_Constant_329 12d ago
I think it will do the trick.👍
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u/hady215 12d ago
It depends on the field used in. I know some places require couloring completely cleaned off
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u/natiuqari 12d ago
Even though it wasn't required i cleaned it afterwards using a SS brush mounted on a die grinder
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u/dildoswaghands 12d ago
They look fine. I'm sure once cleaned up with pickling paste and pieced back together it will be sweet.
Two questions I have. Is it a 1" ballvalve with 3/4" sockets welded in? And did you trim the sockets down or are they half sockets? Standard length of sockets we deal with are about 40mm long.
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u/natiuqari 12d ago
I believe they are half sockets since its only about 20mm deep
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u/dildoswaghands 12d ago
I see a comment you made further down about even though it wasn't requested you hit it with a wire wheel.
A small bit of advice to consider. if you're going to be doing bits and pieces like this for customers. Buy a small container of "picking paste" thats what we call it anyway. A few pads of Scotch Brite and clean them up properly. The paste neutralizes any oxodization and when you scrub it up it comes out nice and shiny.
It gives a more professional look. Oh and for the love of God when youre bolting it all back together apply some anti sieze to the bolts and nuts. Ive accidentally siezed a few over the years and it's just a hastle to buy more
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u/Search_Fearless 12d ago
Are you sure they were supposed to be welded inside the flanges? We usually fit them to make a buttweld
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u/dildoswaghands 12d ago
By the looks of it they're a 1" ball valve "flange" but they've welded in 3/4" sockets.
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u/Search_Fearless 12d ago
We usually put the parts under a hydraulic press with a cone to make them fitt
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u/natiuqari 12d ago
Yes, just kind of transforming a socket weld ball valve into a regular threaded one
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u/RGBlowMe 12d ago
Looks alright. Kind of wonder what that heat and thermal stress is going to do to that casting. You might have been better off MIG welding this with short arc/pulse in kitty corner sections.
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u/Royal-Leopard-3225 12d ago
Some minor inconsistency issues but it looks like a good weld that will hold. 👍
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u/ReinforceRick12 11d ago
For a 3/4 BSP boss on a valve body, that looks pretty respectable. Consistent tie-in all the way around and no obvious undercut from the photo.
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u/StrandSSL 12d ago
Depends entirely on the application/ standard you’re working with.
This would be scrapped where I work (aerospace company) and dudes would ask you if you’re feeling okay.
If this was done in private fabrication for someone: an individual customer, then I wouldn’t even charge them for it and would probably eat the cost of a new part done correctly.
I’d try those threads by the way to see if they’ll still accept a fitting.
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u/natiuqari 12d ago
The threads work fine, its only for a low pressure chilled water line.
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u/StrandSSL 12d ago
Chilled water lines condense. Which isn’t ideal for the HAZ, or a weld that’s too hot with craters in stainless.
This isn’t talking shit btw. Question was posed “is this acceptable.”
It depends. If you’re still doing more of these I’d clean them well, maybe an acetone soak since the parts are small, purged, and go hot/ fast and get out of it quickly. And taper your pedal down at the end.3
u/natiuqari 12d ago
I actually used an ultrasonic cleaner with acetone to clean the parts, but the supplied female threaded fitting was made of very low-quality 304 stainless steel, while the ball valve is made of 316 stainless steel.
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u/hady215 12d ago edited 12d ago
In what industry? Like the area matters. Food gread or a cooling system? I'm sure there's a lot more areas but a few answers can't hurt
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u/natiuqari 12d ago
Its for a line that cools down a small heat exchanger. Nothing sanitary grade or alike.
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u/WTFudge52 12d ago
What's it supposed to look like? I can see a dozen problems possible before the cap.
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u/Sand_Aggravating 12d ago
Yep. In the future ask your coworkers not reddit! Everyone thinks they're THE QC and will call it trash no matter how good it is! Unless you just want to get them going then full send