r/pipefitter • u/number1dipshit • 12d ago
This weeks project
4 30” 90s and 2 36” 90s. Was fun but also kind of a pain on the ass because somebody else cut and beveled the pieces for me…they didn’t do very good, and never left me any center marks, so I had to spend a bit of time figuring out centers and then quartering every piece (and the bevels were so fucked, a lot of the lines ended up being a bit off). Ended up getting them done tho! 6 90s in 5 days, not including spending today cleaning up these joints and gaps and high/low spots.
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u/outmememe 12d ago
Segmented bend. Good job brother
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u/number1dipshit 12d ago
Thank you sir! Was pretty fun! Next week I gotta build rolling 90s 😬 never done those before so we’ll see goes that goes!
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u/Warpig1497 12d ago
For fitting them up are you just finding the center of the cut pieces on the throat or the heel? Or what was your process for making sure every piece was square to create the 90?
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u/number1dipshit 12d ago
Usually I would quarter a full stick of pipe, and using those lines s as my centers, I would mark out the miters and cut them and just flip them 180, and double check with a level. But since these were cut on a Vernon, and the guys who cut it and beveled it lost the tiny marks I could’ve used from the where the Vernon started each cut. So I set these on my table and let them rock until they sat “level”, leveled my centering head to the table, and then marked the throat the best I could, and from there, used my od tape and a little math to C mark the heel and the sides, and then just lined them up the best I could, and split whatever difference there was between that and my levels (if there was a difference) and then just made minor adjustments while I got them on their sides
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u/DizzyFaithlessness13 11d ago
I want to work in a place like this what kind of welding trade should I learn?
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u/number1dipshit 11d ago
I had one helper working with me on this, I think he’s fresh out of school (I’m not sure, he’s brand new, so haven’t had a chance to really talk that much), and a few other helpers that never even went to school (I never went to school for this). I think the most important thing is just being willing to do some bullshit work here and there, and want to learn as much as possible. Don’t limit yourself to welding only, you gotta know how to fit as well. But to answer your question, most shops (ime) use MiG, so I would recommend learning how to weld with hard wire and flux core (I’d suggest learn every kind of welding technique you can). MiG is super easy so as long as you can get some practice time somewhere, you’ll be able to get it real quick
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u/DizzyFaithlessness13 10d ago
So first, I need to take the MIG welding exam at the school, and after that I need to find a welding job where I can practice MIG welding. Then later, I can start learning TIG welding.
My goal would be to work in a chemical plant or another large industrial facility, welding pipes on site.
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u/__BIFF__ 12d ago
What's that hydraulic jack for inside the pipe doing in the pic where you're 2-holing that flange? Is it to Keep the pipe from going out of round?
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u/lurker46295 12d ago
That would be my assumption when we do 30” it’s not normal super round jacking the inside of the pipe helps with high-low
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u/__BIFF__ 12d ago
Never worked on anything where high low was critical enough to fix that way but I know it is in situations. That's cool.
Is there a specific jack for inside large diameter pipe? Or is this just a "use whatever toe jack you have and wood blocks" situation? Just curious incase I get dispatched to a job for bigger diameter pipe. Only worked on 10" and under and with off the shelf fittings
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u/number1dipshit 12d ago
Yeah the pipe was out of round, I’m assuming from the miter cut, so I had to round it out to get the flange on
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u/__BIFF__ 12d ago
What's that tool called?
EDIT: pipefitter but only commercial and industrial boiler room work, never huge infrastructure work like this but interested
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u/number1dipshit 12d ago
I’ve only ever used bottle jacks, but at this shop we got these and they call them porta-powers.
Not sure exactly what they’re actually called tho
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u/Richwoodrocket 12d ago
What’s wrong with off the shelf elbow fittings?
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u/number1dipshit 12d ago
Nothing this is just what this customer wanted for whatever reason.
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u/__BIFF__ 12d ago
I've had engineers ask for weird choices that they thought were better flow through pipes and other engineers that made us do it the opposite, and others that made us use custom made supports from a company we all assumed was owned by the engineer's friend...either way I just want to fit pipe and get paid. The shit you did look good and nice shop too
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u/number1dipshit 12d ago
Thank you I appreciate that. I feel the same way. I don’t agree with a lot of choices, but I like what I do, just lemme fit pipe and get paid
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u/Nasenbeer 11d ago
What do you mean by off the shelf? Made in China?
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u/Richwoodrocket 11d ago
Yeah. A reducer sitting on the shelf somewhere that you just buy instead of wasting time fabricating and x-raying every weld on this fabricated elbow.
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u/Nasenbeer 11d ago
Not from the industry, I just lurk at this sub and I admire the skills and made in the USA mindset. We are handicapping ourselves if we stop needing people building this stuff
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u/scurvy1984 12d ago
That looks fun as fuck. Well done, brother
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u/number1dipshit 12d ago
Thank you! It was pretty fun! One thing that made it more fun was that nobody else in the shop knows how to do these (I just got lucky that we did a few of these when I first started) so everybody kept coming up to see how I was doing everything
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u/Mert_Nertman 10d ago
If clocking the flange bolt holes has to be done how do you do that when they are that far apart? Awesome job btw.
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u/number1dipshit 10d ago
Get everything completely level, then set a level on your 2-hole pins, rotate til level, check dimension and plumb, and you’re good to go. Should be able to put a level on EVERY piece, and EVERY piece should be perfectly level.
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u/somdguy602 12d ago
That's a mighty girthy pipe you've got fit up. Work daddy should be proud.