Arc blow in G3 test plate

[dstig1]

So here it is. The plate on the left is the face bend, and the one on the right is the root bend. I had one slag inclusion on the root you can see. I think it still "passes" from what the instructor says, but who knows. Basically I needed to start moving the rod more in a U or J shape, even though he was telling us to just drag it. Once I got there, it worked a lot better. Not perfect, but that is my lack of smoothness. For me, that is what I need. I would have no issue that my welds would hold well enough for the things I do. Practice helps a lot.

The face bend on the left, I didn't grind it flat as it was taking forever as it was. Plus I needed something to tell me which side was which. So those are the small pits you see.

Every other flaw is my bad torch cutting to make the bend plates...

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Not bad.
It looks like the inclusion is small enough to pass from here. But it also may be related to the root pass busting through...which is a concern, depending upon how much you ground it down.

Just looks like the edges have a little underfill, even though you say you didn't grind it completely flat. A little more pause on the side will even it out.

 

[dstig1]

I know for sure I am not steady enough or smooth enough, which is the "root" of the problem on both your counts, Mark (forgive the welding pun..). That is my downfall as a "weldor"...but for what I need, after this class I now know I have improved a lot and I have a much better idea of what is good/bad and why. I am in a better place now...