A Rolls Royce Cobra weld:
This is splashing all over the engineering internet. Here's one of many threads about it:
this is what a rolls-royce cobra style weld looks like, courtesy of mats bertheussen : pics
A Rolls Royce Cobra weld:
This is splashing all over the engineering internet. Here's one of many threads about it:
this is what a rolls-royce cobra style weld looks like, courtesy of mats bertheussen : pics
Lane DeCamp
That's a pretty standard looking weld (albeit, a very good one) when you "walk-the-cup", as they say.
A lot of very big pipe in refineries and power plants is welded that way due to necessity, but a whole load of other weldors like the aesthetic.
Albie D. Ish IV
- Seattle Based Metal Fabricator
- Enthusiastic Alternative Learner
Yup, it's very pretty, but it's a classic case of someone from the outside seeing something commonplace and thinking it's extraordinary.
Eric Doswell, aka Edoz
Summoner of Crickets
http://edozbicycles.wordpress.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/edozbicycles/
In Before the Lock
looks nice but i'm betting it was an automated orbital weld process. not human hands and eyes.
Nick Crumpton
crumptoncycles.com
"Tradition is a guide, not a jailer" —Justin Robinson
"Mastery before Creativity"—Nicholas Crumpton 2021
Eric Doswell, aka Edoz
Summoner of Crickets
http://edozbicycles.wordpress.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/edozbicycles/
In Before the Lock
As a contrary view, I'm also surprised at the number of "high quality" items out there that have really poorly welded items.
thanks for that link Eric. that guy looks automated. ;-) but the work movement is automated.
this one demonstrates that "walk the cup" mentioned. very cool though perhaps with not as nice a result.
Nick Crumpton
crumptoncycles.com
"Tradition is a guide, not a jailer" —Justin Robinson
"Mastery before Creativity"—Nicholas Crumpton 2021
Brown Dog Welding also has some good info on walking the cup. There are other cover weld styles as well.
Well, sometimes we forget many "high standard" industries don't give any shit about aesthetics but the pure and real "health" of each weld, call it X-rays or any other test procedure. Bicycle industry has become pretty nuts about how welds look, being probably the one with higher demands on the visual aspect of it. And that's quite a recent concern, because I can't stop getting amazed each time I see many 90's frame and the welds, being so "unpleasant" on today's eye standards. Funny enough, many of these "unpleasant" welds were made by skilled people and the frames have lived a long life of use and abuse, while many other modern "supercleaneyecandy" welded frames get fucked after just two seasons. As it happens with humans, it's not just about the physical appearance, of course it's desirable and something we all welcome, but it has to have some inner true as well.
Aimar
www.amarobikes.com
to the uneducated eye, that's hot.
-Dustin
I do a lot of work in industrial plants, and I'm always amazed at how nice the welds are on process piping systems.
Dustin Gaddis
www.MiddleGaEpic.com
Why do people feel the need to list all of their bikes in their signature?
I used to work for GE and the welds in nuclear reactors put everything else to shame.
I just thought I'd like to see welds like this on my next frame. Nothing more involved than that.
Lane DeCamp
If I had a nickle for every bike rider, mechanic or customer that things they're a certified weld inspector I wouldn't be welding anymore! When I worked at the vessel shop we had to do an x-ray test to get hired on, 3 positions, full pen, dual shield. Once a week when they lined the test plates up outside the QC room we would go take a look at them. It was pretty nuts what would pass and what wouldn't. Some of those welds that look slick as shit were full of defects. Once in a while the ugly ones shot clean as a whistle. The beauty is on the surface but the proof is in the pudding. I did a decent amount of production x-ray work there and it's a different world, you're only as good as your last set of films. You might have been proud on the inside if it looked great, but all anybody really cared about was the film.
I've got some work in those places. Most of it's all shell work though.
I worked with a guy who did X-ray weld inspections on pipelines in Alaska. When they were up in BFE for months he and his partner had zero friends. He said said it could get a bit uncomfortable telling a welder to grind off what he'd done and start over. He also thinks he got cancer from it.
Considering he was later a lobbyist who crafted Florida's right to work laws I'm guessing he was post Union. This probably would have been early to mid 70's, maybe a little later. This guy told stories of other inspectors getting the shit beat out of them. There's not much to do in the time off other than drink apparently. Tough crowd.
BFE always has a bar.
Seriously, I remember guys who would go back to the motel after working a 12+ hour day, take a shower and head out to the bar. They would drag in about 3am,and be back on the job site at 6.
Rinse and repeat 4 or 5 days a week.
Eric Doswell, aka Edoz
Summoner of Crickets
http://edozbicycles.wordpress.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/edozbicycles/
In Before the Lock
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