tig welding boiler tubes

by Austin
(Cave City, AR, U.S.)

I'm in welding school right now and when i get out i have a job lined out for welding boiler tubes.

First off have you ever welded on a boiler tube and was it hard to get your tig torch on the side of the tube since the tubes are so close together.

Do you walk a cup around it or free hand? Last but not least if you had a half inch gap between your tubes how would you start to even put your root pass in and then how would you finish it out?

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Yes i have welded boiler tubes.

there are tricks for when they are so close together that you will learn from the other hands.
sometimes you use a steel wedge to get a little more space.

I have also buddy welded with another welder on the other side where we handed off the arc without ever stopping. sounds wierd, by you will learn what i am talking about..

I mostly freehanded on boiler tubes.
in a pipe stand, walking the cup is not very practical in the field ...for me anyway.

good luck,

jody

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