# Any other welders out there?



## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

Just wondering if Im the only plumber who's real interest is more towards welding...


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Mr-Green said:


> Just wondering if Im the only plumber who's real interest is more towards welding...


Oh we have a very good one here...


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

rjbphd said:


> Oh we have a very good one here...


your a welder?


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Mr-Green said:


> your a welder?


Nope... he's north of us..


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

rjbphd said:


> Nope... he's north of us..


I dont follow.... are you trying to use the old Jedi mind trick or something?
:blink:


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

*Bad on the eyes*

And I've got a ton to do this year, fabrication wise for my companies. 


Got an ironman mig, could mig aluminum if I had a spool gun.


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

DUNBAR PLUMBING said:


> And I've got a ton to do this year, fabrication wise for my companies.
> 
> 
> Got an ironman mig, could mig aluminum if I had a spool gun.


Havent done any MIG my certs are mostly TIG and stick and some orbital if you can really call that welding.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Mr-Green said:


> I dont follow.... are you trying to use the old Jedi mind trick or something?
> :blink:


And we have another one down and under..


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## PlungerJockey (Feb 19, 2010)

I weld alittle. I would rather weld. but there is no money in it around here. There is not enough pipe work to keep busy for 6 months.

Most the work I do is SS in chicken plants.


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

PlungerJockey said:


> I weld alittle. I would rather weld. but there is no money in it around here. There is not enough pipe work to keep busy for 6 months.
> 
> Most the work I do is SS in chicken plants.


I thought there were more power plants and oil refineries in the south


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## Adamche (Feb 10, 2012)

I do more welding than plumbing


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

Adamche said:


> I do more welding than plumbing


Nice where you from?


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## Adamche (Feb 10, 2012)

Melbourne Australia :thumbsup:


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

Adamche said:


> Melbourne Australia :thumbsup:


Never been to Melbourne but I've been to Perth / Fremantle twice and Sydney once, beautiful country!


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## Airgap (Dec 18, 2008)

When I topped out after my apprenticeship, I ran the roads as a pipe welder for several years. Worked mostly nuke outages, and large construction projects up north.(cause the money was close to double)

Still feel like I could go back and pass all the tests I could before. The eyes aren't as good, but I'm steadier now for several reasons. 

It's still the most enjoyable way I've made a living. Top level pipewelders have a feeling of arrogance about what they do....At least I did...

There is a huge difference in knowing how to weld, and being a welder....


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

Airgap said:


> When I topped out after my apprenticeship, I ran the roads as a pipe welder for several years. Worked mostly nuke outages, and large construction projects up north.(cause the money was close to double)
> 
> Still feel like I could go back and pass all the tests I could before. The eyes aren't as good, but I'm steadier now for several reasons.
> 
> ...


 

Very true statement, and I'm neither. I just weld. However I've become quite skilled at welding paper thin steel, my park benches. Thick to thin, thin to thick, thin to thin... maintaining 179 benches will do that to you. My inventory needs to be replaced; it's getting very old.


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

Airgap said:


> When I topped out after my apprenticeship, I ran the roads as a pipe welder for several years. Worked mostly nuke outages, and large construction projects up north.(cause the money was close to double)
> 
> Still feel like I could go back and pass all the tests I could before. The eyes aren't as good, but I'm steadier now for several reasons.
> 
> ...


I look forward to that type of work have to finish this apprenticeship first though. Till then I just look forward to gas pipe. But I do have a genuine passion for welding hope to have a great career though.


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## Airgap (Dec 18, 2008)

Mr-Green said:


> I look forward to that type of work have to finish this apprenticeship first though. Till then I just look forward to gas pipe. But I do have a genuine passion for welding hope to have a great career though.


Learn to fit as well. I've been able to hang around jobs longer than some that refuse to do anything other than burn rod...

Good luck to you.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Does solvent welding count?


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

Tommy plumber said:


> Does solvent welding count?


I was thinking more GTAW, SMAW, or GMAW but ok


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Mr-Green said:


> I was thinking more GTAW, SMAW, or GMAW but ok


 






My post was an attempt a humor. Apparently I failed. I should have included this...:laughing:...after my post.


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## MDPlumber1977 (Mar 4, 2013)

I can weld the rod to the metal, get it stuck, wiggle it back and forth until it comes loose, curse for a minute, insert another rod, and repeat. Does that count???


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

MDPlumber1977 said:


> I can weld the rod to the metal, get it stuck, wiggle it back and forth until it comes loose, curse for a minute, insert another rod, and repeat. Does that count???


It's pretty dam close lol


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## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

MDPlumber1977 said:


> I can weld the rod to the metal, get it stuck, wiggle it back and forth until it comes loose, curse for a minute, insert another rod, and repeat. Does that count???


Me too. At least it's not just me !!!


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## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

Mr-Green said:


> It's pretty dam close lol


Green u get my pm ??


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

I sold my tig welder. 



Swapped it for damage done to another car, and then I got my work van painted red, the cab, D/A'd the entire box, ready for paint. 


I only paid $1800 for that welder so two vehicles fixed/painted.... that was a great deal for something that sat in the garage for years never used, never even hooked up.


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

DUNBAR PLUMBING said:


> I sold my tig welder.
> 
> Swapped it for damage done to another car, and then I got my work van painted red, the cab, D/A'd the entire box, ready for paint.
> 
> I only paid $1800 for that welder so two vehicles fixed/painted.... that was a great deal for something that sat in the garage for years never used, never even hooked up.


Sounds like a good deal especially since you didn't use it.


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## Rando (Dec 31, 2012)

I've got a nice little Lincoln MIG just for personal projects though.


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## slumplumber (Jan 22, 2013)

I have a Miller Legend AC/DC gasoline driven machine that I use occasionally on large low pressure steam boiler installs. Mostly 4" and 6" pipe although I do the steam headers in 125# cast iron fittings and screwed pipe to allow for movement. There are times when pipe welding is more satisfying then plumbing for me, give me a cutting torch, grinder, line up clamps, a can of 6010s and 7018s and I'll zone out as I try to lay the perfect bead.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

I weld a little...
I mean it's not like its rocket science or anything...
Just heat it up melt it, add a little filler rod and bam...
2 pieces of metal stuck together...

I prefer TIG & MIG...
But can do a few other ways...
Ya oughta see me friction weld a dull drill bit... :laughing:

Melt a little aluminum together?




Or maybe weld some 0.02" wire cloth onto a sheet metal box with a TIG machine...


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

Redwood said:


> I weld a little...
> I mean it's not like its rocket science or anything...
> Just heat it up melt it, add a little filler rod and bam...
> 2 pieces of metal stuck together...
> ...


It gets a little harder when it's pipe in position that has to be of X-ray quality. Hell even making an X-ray weld on a stand can be a challenge. You have to have proper layering of your cover passes, keep the weld clean, 100% penetration, 100% percent fusion, 0 slag inclusions, 0 porosity, cover passes can't be higher than 1/8 inch above the face of the pipe, no grind marks on the pipe, no arc marks, and then it has to look nice (laughing). It might no be rocket science but its definitely a skill/ art form and can be challenging.


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## James420 (Nov 14, 2012)

Get some 24" chrome with a tig root and first pass and fill with with 7018, all in position and pass x ray. Yeah that takes plenty of skill..

Mig? Please, a chimp could learn it in a day. 

How bout some downhillers, any pipeliners here? Now that's a gig, after a year the refinery put 3 fitters on the road with some downhillers, they gave us $60,000 each for a truck of our choice and machine of our choice. 

The good old days of great pay, ditches, and mud.


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## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

Il stick with my good ole solder and sil floss. And leave the welding to the welders. I'm a plumber not a welder Plus I suck at it. Lol


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> Il stick with my good ole solder and sil floss. And leave the welding to the welders. I'm a plumber not a welder Plus I suck at it. Lol


 I suck at welding too..


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

rjbphd said:


> I suck at welding too..


But I know how to hook up a chain!


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## Fast fry (May 19, 2012)

Is it true that the hardest level for a welder is grade 3?
Count me out then


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

James420 said:


> Get some 24" chrome with a tig root and first pass and fill with with 7018, all in position and pass x ray. Yeah that takes plenty of skill..
> 
> Mig? Please, a chimp could learn it in a day.
> 
> ...


I was taught some down hill did it a few times in welding class on a stand. I'm not even close to being as good as those guys though.


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

check out this thread. Our shop is all fitters except me and 1 other plumber. Our shop is a UA certified fab shop, they do a ton of crazy-cool things. Right now there is a big titanium project going on.
http://www.plumbingzone.com/f21/carbon-steel-underground-drain-manifold-23833/


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

422 plumber said:


> check out this thread. Our shop is all fitters except me and 1 other plumber. Our shop is a UA certified fab shop, they do a ton of crazy-cool things. Right now there is a big titanium project going on.
> http://www.plumbingzone.com/f21/carbon-steel-underground-drain-manifold-23833/


Are you a combination local?


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

Mr-Green said:


> Are you a combination local?


422 was. My boss is a 597 fitter and hired me to so he could offer complete piping services. He already was signatory to 422 for fitting work so it was no biggie. After the merger, when 422 was split between 597 and 130, I went 130 so he had to sign with 130.


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

I can't see how somebody could function very well in this trade without being a welder. I know not everybody is equipped with this talent but it share makes it a lot easier. How could you get around it if you run anything bigger than 2 in steel?


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

wyrickmech said:


> I can't see how somebody could function very well in this trade without being a welder. I know not everybody is equipped with this talent but it share makes it a lot easier. How could you get around it if you run anything bigger than 2 in steel?


Well put


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

422 plumber said:


> 422 was. My boss is a 597 fitter and hired me to so he could offer complete piping services. He already was signatory to 422 for fitting work so it was no biggie. After the merger, when 422 was split between 597 and 130, I went 130 so he had to sign with 130.


Yeah I figured. Out here we have plumbers local 5 and fitters 602 and there's constant bickering under what work falls under who's jurisdiction.


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## James420 (Nov 14, 2012)

Mr-Green said:


> Yeah I figured. Out here we have plumbers local 5 and fitters 602 and there's constant bickering under what work falls under who's jurisdiction.


Are you local 5? I was local #74, from 2000-2006. Combination local, out of Wilmington, De. I worked mostly out of 420, Philly and 9 in central Jersey. I loved local 9. Great money and alot of good guys.


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## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

wyrickmech said:


> I can't see how somebody could function very well in this trade without being a welder. I know not everybody is equipped with this talent but it share makes it a lot easier. How could you get around it if you run anything bigger than 2 in steel?


Easy. Hey stupid come weld this!!! Around here it's different. Ether ur a welder or a plumber !!! All welders do is weld all day every day. F that. I don't want to do that. I want to plumb with PVC copper steel cast ect ect ect. When I was doin mech work. I ran the job and the welder did what I said Any hydronic piping over 2" was welded. 2" and down was copper and installed by me/plumber. Hell a welder can't even install a RPZ/dcv With out me all they could do is weld stands and run beads on hydronic pipes


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

wyrickmech said:


> I can't see how somebody could function very well in this trade without being a welder. I know not everybody is equipped with this talent but it share makes it a lot easier. How could you get around it if you run anything bigger than 2 in steel?


Ya don't know how to run a threading machine up to 4" on site??


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

rjbphd said:


> Ya don't know how to run a threading machine up to 4" on site??


I'm not licensed but I was told code says gas pipe 2" or larger has to be welded. Is this wrong?


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## James420 (Nov 14, 2012)

rjbphd said:


> Ya don't know how to run a threading machine up to 4" on site??


4" threaded, ugh. How bout victaulic?


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## James420 (Nov 14, 2012)

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> Easy. Hey stupid come weld this!!! Around here it's different. Ether ur a welder or a plumber !!! All welders do is weld all day every day. F that. I don't want to do that. I want to plumb with PVC copper steel cast ect ect ect. When I was doin mech work. I ran the job and the welder did what I said Any hydronic piping over 2" was welded. 2" and down was copper and installed by me/plumber. Hell a welder can't even install a RPZ/dcv With out me all they could do is weld stands and run beads on hydronic pipes


That's crazy, every welder I worked with was a fitter by trade.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Mr-Green said:


> I'm not licensed but I was told code says gas pipe 2" or larger has to be welded. Is this wrong?


What??? I've put together 4" threaded gas manifold, bringing up to code so gas company can turn the gas on.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

James420 said:


> 4" threaded, ugh. How bout victaulic?


Guess you're not a steam boiler fitter...


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

rjbphd said:


> What??? I've put together 4" threaded gas manifold, bringing up to code so gas company can turn the gas on.


I really don't know but that's what plumbers I've worked with have told me. I won't take code till next year.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Mr-Green said:


> I really don't know but that's what plumbers I've worked with have told me. I won't take code till next year.


Why next year for code?


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

rjbphd said:


> Why next year for code?


I don't know that's how my apprenticeship is set up.


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> Easy. Hey stupid come weld this!!! Around here it's different. Ether ur a welder or a plumber !!! All welders do is weld all day every day. F that. I don't want to do that. I want to plumb with PVC copper steel cast ect ect ect. When I was doin mech work. I ran the job and the welder did what I said Any hydronic piping over 2" was welded. 2" and down was copper and installed by me/plumber. Hell a welder can't even install a RPZ/dcv With out me all they could do is weld stands and run beads on hydronic pipes


I started out in residential as a plumber. Then slipped into commercial work at 18 where the man I worked for sent me to school to get my certification as a pipe welder. Then after a few years I was we'll rounded in both plumbing and HVAC. It was a long road but worth every second. Now I can say hey stupid weld this or I can say get out of my way and let me weld that you weld like a iron worker!


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

wyrickmech said:


> I started out in residential as a plumber. Then slipped into commercial work at 18 where the man I worked for sent me to school to get my certification as a pipe welder. Then after a few years I was we'll rounded in both plumbing and HVAC. It was a long road but worth every second. Now I can say hey stupid weld this or I can say get out of my way and let me weld that you weld like a iron worker!


You've got to be a well rounded mechanic😉


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## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

Id like to know how to weld but its like sheet metal. The shop I was in if you do sheet metal or weld that's all you do so I stayed away from the break and sheer and from the grinding table when I was just a grunt. I saw what the plumbers did and it interested me a lot more the grinding and running beads or banging on sheet metal all day. Like I said here its all seperate I did layout in mech rooms and the welder did what I layed out some welders did ther own lay out. But not most. PVC and copper is a lot lighter then steel lol. I made the rite choice by far Now where I work nothing is welded at all. It's not mech work at all. Service and small com plumbing I do mis setting chillers and boilers. But not working with a dirty welder !!!


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> Id like to know how to weld but its like sheet metal. The shop I was in if you do sheet metal or weld that's all you do so I stayed away from the break and sheer and from the grinding table when I was just a grunt. I saw what the plumbers did and it interested me a lot more the grinding and running beads or banging on sheet metal all day. Like I said here its all seperate I did layout in mech rooms and the welder did what I layed out some welders did ther own lay out. But not most. PVC and copper is a lot lighter then steel lol. I made the rite choice by far Now where I work nothing is welded at all. It's not mech work at all. Service and small com plumbing I do mis setting chillers and boilers. But not working with a dirty welder !!!


It's different here I do copper, PVC, steel, cast iron basically I do it all


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> Id like to know how to weld but its like sheet metal. The shop I was in if you do sheet metal or weld that's all you do so I stayed away from the break and sheer and from the grinding table when I was just a grunt. I saw what the plumbers did and it interested me a lot more the grinding and running beads or banging on sheet metal all day. Like I said here its all seperate I did layout in mech rooms and the welder did what I layed out some welders did ther own lay out. But not most. PVC and copper is a lot lighter then steel lol. I made the rite choice by far Now where I work nothing is welded at all. It's not mech work at all. Service and small com plumbing I do mis setting chillers and boilers. But not working with a dirty welder !!!


I went from running 3 to 7 million dollar work to working for myself, I to do miss setting and hooking up of the chillers and boilers. My last job was a addition to a hospital were the mechanical room had to be completely gutted and re done,new chiller new tower new boilers new vac pump. I was in heaven it was a challenge . The outfit I worked for had a man in charge of operations that had no clue. He wanted me to do all of the fitter work and weld plus he wanted me to continue to run the project. 25 men later he sent me a welder. I finished the project but within two months I was on my own and happy as happy can be.


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## James420 (Nov 14, 2012)

rjbphd said:


> Guess you're not a steam boiler fitter...


Nope, in the refinery everything was welded, or threaded back welded. 1/2" and up. Although we did have a nit wit boss who wanted us to cut and thread 2" schedule 160, for one of the relief valves off a boiler, btw the boiler was bigger than most homes and there were four of them in one little unit, the Cat Cracker, I was talking more about commercial work, general water lines. I have never seen a plumber residential wise that needs to know how to weld.

I climbed in and seal welded 250 degree heat exchangers with two ice vests on and fresh air pumped into my mask by hose. Those were the small ones, only 48".


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## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

James420 said:


> Nope, in the refinery everything was welded, or threaded back welded. 1/2" and up. Although we did have a nit wit boss who wanted us to cut and thread 2" schedule 160, for one of the relief valves off a boiler, btw the boiler was bigger than most homes and there were four of them in one little unit, the Cat Cracker, I was talking more about commercial work, general water lines. I have never seen a plumber residential wise that needs to know how to weld.
> 
> I climbed in and seal welded 250 degree heat exchangers with two ice vests on and fresh air pumped into my mask by hose. Those were the small ones, only 48".


Sounds like a good time lol


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## James420 (Nov 14, 2012)

Mr-Green said:


> Sounds like a good time lol


Not as bas as climbing in the boilers and doing the same thing. 

I made a steam manifold out of 10ft of 24" pipe with 6- 8" take offs for the candy cane on top of the boilers, the steam was used to cool the candy cane off, which I was inside. Now that was fun.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

James420 said:


> Not as bas as climbing in the boilers and doing the same thing.
> 
> I made a steam manifold out of 10ft of 24" pipe with 6- 8" take offs for the candy cane on top of the boilers, the steam was used to cool the candy cane off, which I was inside. Now that was fun.


Candycane?? Or drop header??


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## James420 (Nov 14, 2012)

rjbphd said:


> Candycane?? Or drop header??


More of a drop header from the unit to the boiler, the tie in was below the boiler, as the unit was built in 1935. It was the first cracker in that design uses in the a United States.

There uses to be a really neat write up on the refineries history and units on the Internet, now searches just show the closing back last March 2012, when I was laid off. The refinery was over 100 years old. Its the Sunoco Refinery Marcus Hook, PA. 

Now its going to be a LNG plant, with all the natural gas coming from PA I believe and shipped to the Gulf Coast and Norway, with barely any employees.

When the Cat started up, much like a Hydrocracker, you could hear it from at least 3 miles away, and you hoped that was far enough in case something bad happened.


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