Appreciation post: My old foreman told me to always double-check the fit-up before the root pass

Back in 2008 on a big tank job in Toledo, he said 'Pat, your eyes are the best gauge you got, trust them over the tack welds.' I thought he was just being extra careful, but a few months later I rushed a fit on some 2-inch thick plate and the whole joint pulled apart after the first bead. Cost us half a day to cut it out and start over. Anyone else have a simple piece of advice that saved your hide later on?

3 comments

3 Comments

brookes371mo agoMost Upvoted

Remember that time Wyatt's quick fit-up on the pipe spool went sideways?

wyatt9321mo ago

Honestly, that sounds like a pretty basic shop rule to me. I've seen guys skip the double-check on fit-ups all the time and it usually works out fine. Maybe you just got unlucky with that one thick plate.

wyatt_fisher4113d ago

My dad worked in a fab shop back in 82, and he always told me the same thing about checking your setup on a bandsaw blade before you cut anything with a big wall thickness. One time I was in a hurry on a 10-inch schedule 80 pipe, didn't check the blade tension, and it wandered right off the line and ruined a good 4-foot piece. Cost me two hours and a lot of explaining to the foreman, so I started listening to the old timers after that.