Why do my welds keep failing?

When welds fail, it is easy to blame your hand on the torch. But you have already found the real culprit: the metal was not ready. That is actually good news, because prep is fully in your control, and it is the most fixable part of the whole job. A weld can only be as good as the surface under it. Rust, paint, oil, mill scale, a sloppy fit, any of these will ruin a bead no matter how steady your hand. The joint has to be clean, bright, and fitted tight before you ever strike an arc. Next time, clean the metal to bare, shiny steel and check the fit before you weld. Treat prep as half the job, not a chore before the real work. Do that and watch your failure rate drop.