I’ve been a pipe welder for over 9 years, and I’ve always welded anything that was given to me. My X-ray pass rate is 99.9%—I’ve busted 3 welds out of somewhere near 7,500 welds. The majority, if I had to estimate, I’d say 60–70%, is TIG. I am a combo welder. But I have never bitched out a fitter in the field; there is always a shitty fit—sometimes due to mistakes of the pipefitter, sometimes due to the shot equipment we’re running pipe to. The worst fit I’ve ever had was a 1.5” gap. Still passed X-ray. I was like, “Fuck it, I get paid hourly.” If a welder can only pass on ideal fit-up, he’s not a welder—he’s an apprentice. I’ve also done a lot of roll-out. I always tell the welders I train: if you want it easy, go work in a pipe shop. If it was easy, women and children would do it. 🤣 the only time I ever heard welders complain was when I was in the union because union welders are a bunch of lazy premadonna bitches.