It might look pretty but is it OK??

[xhead]

I've spent time looking at the tutorials and practising and I am at the point where I think the welds look OK. I remember that, when I did a couple of evening course, the tutor used a fluid to determine if the weld was OK (this after the weld had been cut to expose a cross-section).
Although paranoia is not my middle name, I would like to examine my welds before I embark on an 'Off-road vehicle' project.

Any advice on the fluid and how to use it?

 

[Wozzaaah]

It'll be an acid.
The piece would have been cut, cleaned up and the acid applied which would then show the weld clearly.
It's a bit overkill for the average diyer and is only as good as the joint you test it on tbh.

 

[xhead]

I then suppose that depending on the cross section, bar,tube, etc would then determine whether 10% of poor weld equates to 10% of strength lost.
The only way forward is to test every weld to destruction, I suppose I will when I get 'off road'!

 

[hussy]

look for crack test fluid, we had to use it on all below water welds when building canal boats, you spray an activator on one side and a purple fluid on the other any cracks show clearly as it touch's the developer... think it was around £15 a setup that would deal with say 2 60ft boats

 

[xhead]

Thanks: