That one apprentice who kept skipping the preheat still gets to me

Back in 2019 on a job outside Baton Rouge, this kid about 19 years old thought he could skip torch preheating on 1 inch plate because it was a 'warm day.' I caught him twice and told him the code says 250 degrees minimum, he just shrugged and said it felt fine. Third time I brought my temp stick over and showed him it read 180, he finally stopped arguing. I think about that every time I see someone rushing a fit-up because that skip can crack a weld joint down the line and cost the whole crew days. Has anyone else dealt with an apprentice who thinks rules are just suggestions until something actually fails?

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jakewhite1d ago

That "it felt fine" line is the part that gets me. I see that same thinking everywhere, not just on job sites. People skip the small steps all the time because they THINK they know better, then act shocked when the whole thing falls apart later. It's like guys who don't torque their lug nuts because they've done it a hundred times, or cooks who don't check meat temps because the outside looks done. The rules exist because somebody already paid the price for skipping them, usually with a lot more than a cracked weld. That kid's lucky he had a temp stick shoved in his face before he cost y'all real money. Some lessons only stick when you can SEE the proof, and even then, half the battle is just getting someone to slow down and respect the process.