SD,
Congratulations on your good fortune. You will make 200K this year. Things are good in the patch. If most of your work is 2-6 inch pipe, they you are right, 5's are not the right rod. 1/8's and 5's
However, what happens if you get a 8 inch job. Time yourself for 6 welds. 5's on the bead and 3's on the cap will save about 5-10 minutes per weld. Lets say you have 6 welders working. and it is 5 minutes you are saving. That is 30 minutes per setup. Over a days time it starts to add up. If you are doing 2-3000 welds the time difference your bottom line saving in manhours is substantial. And 8 inch is marginal. .156 wall 8 inch for field gas lines, 1/8 bead and HP, 3/16 smoke ring. Go to the next set up.
And I have NEVER see a welder who could run a 5 bead who could not run 1/8's. As a contractor, when you have a lot of welds to do, the faster the better. 5's and 3's are faster.
I know a couple of oilfield contractors i set procedures for in Hobbs who got clear on what they were giving up to their 75 dollar hour welders by letting them run 1/8 and 5 and they made them stop. But if it is just you, and you get paid by the hour and no savie hard dollar, continue on. You are being quite successful at your business and for who you work for. But if your business grows and you have to bid work like a big boy, YOU may run 1/8's for a bead, but those high dollar contract welders you are paying 75 and 125 sub will be running a bead with a 3 if you can get away with it.
The pipeline companies require the 12 inch test.
Not me.
I could care less if you are welding ceder post with bubble gum, if that is what the procedure calls for. But I do not want to test a queen drama or otherwise with 1/8's and find out he is having a 20% repair on the bead because he cant run a 5. It makes me look bad.
And I dont want to look bad.
And the gentleman's post dealt with learning how to run a 6G bead downhill. Did I give him bad advice for someone who has basic skills but wants to improve himself? I am living proof any idiot can run a bead with 1/8's. Who just wants to be an idiot? Why not aspire to be a craftsman. Always improving your skills and abilities.
BABRT's