A self-mocking line from the fab shop for smoothing ugly welds with a grinder and covering the rest with paint. It admits that the original welding was poor while celebrating the cleanup. The serious point is that grinding can hide lack of fusion and porosity that make a weld weak, so the saying is also a warning to inspectors.
Heard on the job
Beads look like pigeon droppings, but don't worry, a grinder and paint make me the welder I ain't.
Also heard as
- a grinder and paint make me the welder I ain't
- grind it, paint it