That one welder who kept criticizing my fit-up

Last month at a job in Gary, this old-timer kept coming over and telling me my gaps were too tight before we even tacked anything up. He grabbed my torch and said I was gonna crack the whole thing if I didn't leave more room. Has anyone else had to deal with someone constantly second-guessing your layout work?

3 comments

3 Comments

craig.tessa20d ago

That's the thing about working with metal, you get all these old guys who think their way is the only way. It's like every trade has that one person who can't let anyone else learn without butting in.

hugo_nelson19d ago

Oh man it reminds me of this buddy of mine who took up blacksmithing. Some older guy kept telling him he was holding the hammer wrong so he finally just nodded and did it the old guys way. Next thing you know he hit his own thumb so hard the nail turned blue for a month.

abby18919d ago

And that's EXACTLY the kind of guy who probably also tells you the best way to season a cast iron pan while you're just trying to sear a steak. I once had a guy like that who kept adjusting my welds and then acted SURPRISED when his own stuff warped worse than mine. Maybe it's just me, but I swear some old timers get their jollies from making everyone else feel like they don't know a grinder from a butter knife. But hey, at least we'll have stories to tell when WE'RE the ones yelling at kids to leave more gap, right?