View Poll Results: To see or not to see?
Smooth joints
13
32.50%
Visible welds
27
67.50%
Voters: 40. You may not vote on this poll
Your Preference on Welds
Your Preference on Welds
Just curious what you think about parts that are welded. I see a great many people by a part and then talk about how good the welds look like it is an actual indicator of a quality weld.
Personally I prefer not to see them as I don't want my bike being an advertisement for someones ability to make a pretty weld. After all, it is what's under a weld that is important isn't it?.
What are your thoughts? Smooth joints or visible welds?
Personally I prefer not to see them as I don't want my bike being an advertisement for someones ability to make a pretty weld. After all, it is what's under a weld that is important isn't it?.
What are your thoughts? Smooth joints or visible welds?
Last edited by HDCustomFabrication; Dec 15, 2012 at 05:05 PM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,398
Likes: 74
From: Lafayette, IN.
It depends on what I'm looking at really. I don't want the welds to show on the body of my car but I can appreciate the craftsmanship in a really nice weld. Structural parts are good to show welds if they are nicely done. Decorative items should be smooth.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 10,675
Likes: 95
From: Billings,Mt.
Well fabricators/welders would appreciate good welds.All depends on the application.
Got a freind that works next door to my shop that welds sprint car parts all day long.He does some great welding and they all show until the powder coat covers them.
Got a freind that works next door to my shop that welds sprint car parts all day long.He does some great welding and they all show until the powder coat covers them.
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 884
Likes: 0
From: n
I would say that what's underneath is more important that what it looks like. That said, there was a pretty rigorous certification to do aviation welding and the guys that passed generally had pretty good looking welds that met standard NDI type inspections. Conversely, the shitty looking welds rarely passed. There was no grinding down of the welds to make them look good. So I guess I would say, a bad looking weld would make me suspect, a ground down weld???, and a good looking weld I would be comfortable with, but you really don't know unless someone x-rays it. I am not offended by a decent looking weld on structure.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,988
Likes: 17
From: Between Fort Worth and Wichita Falls Texas
I have made some really good looking welds that just barely held the two parts together. And some of my worst have held through extreme abuse. So to me it doesn't matter what they look like. It's how they hold that counts. Now I'm a farmer/rancher so that makes me see welds a little different than some.
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 234
Likes: 2
From: Largo, Florida
I like to see the welds on my king apes. Makes me feel that they are structurally stronger. They're hardly noticeable but nicely done. But my fuel tank has a weld running from the fuel pump hole down to the frame bolt & it looks tacky. So I won't cast a vote in either way.
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,456
Likes: 132
From: Deep South, Louisiana
With a weld several things can be seen. Is enough heat being used to penetrate, is it a clean weld, good weld, enought weld, how many passes, etc. If a weld is ground down to make it smooth you have just removed metal at a joint and made it weaker. How much strenght does the weld need, will it hold a tab to hang your Grimlin Bell or for frame or neck
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With a weld several things can be seen. Is enough heat being used to penetrate, is it a clean weld, good weld, enought weld, how many passes, etc. If a weld is ground down to make it smooth you have just removed metal at a joint and made it weaker. How much strenght does the weld need, will it hold a tab to hang your Grimlin Bell or for frame or neck
My question was more about aesthetics than quality of a weld, since the quality is impossible to truly judge without an x-ray.
I guess I am just one welder (certified in 1987) that has never liked seeing a weld on a finished product, such as handlebars. When I learned my instructor always told us if your weld cannot withstand being ground smooth, it will not withstand the test of time.
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