oceanobob
Senior Member
Recent project required some machinery stands out of about ten feet of 12" std wall A53 pipe, bases 1" by 28" OD circular, top 1/2" by 55" circular.
Weld to the 1" base plate full pen with 1/4" backing bar. Started the job with the pipe on some three legged stands with the two aluminum rollers. Wasn't astute cause the hand rolling of the pipe for fitting tacking welding caused the stands to lift and then if not detected, well we actually dropped a 12". No injuries only to pride, but a lot of how'd that happen.
Got some horses and some different (manual) rollers, this worked well as to no more pipes falling.
During this portion, welds were done w 7018 root followed by Gas Shielded Flux Core. Weld area alternated and most welds were placed from about 9:00 to 12:00.
The machine for the 045 Gas Shielded Flux Core was a transformer machine with 1 thru 5 on the voltage and wire speed dial with in/min. We checked the amps and the volts with DVM. Gas was Ar CO2.
Yes: we had occasional worm tracks and a dose or two of porosity - which of course was ground out. Those grinding wheels from 3M are some money but they get er done.
As is typical, got some ideas going: 1) Bigger Machine and 2) Powered Pipe Rollers.
Brought the invertec and a LN25 wire feeder from my shop, set it up and also changed to 100% CO2.
I think there may have been one tiny worm track or two, and maybe one pin hole. Cant say if the machine helped (probably) or if the CO2 helped (probably) but I wanted to mention it.
The next move was the Pipe Rollers, I guess these are correctly called Turning Rollers. Last one I ran had a three position belt for different speeds and you could jog it along. Worked adequately for stick weldin. Actually was shown how to use a drive motor from a motorized torch on a chain - to turn the pipe.
But these "dial a speed exactly" Turning Rollers, well that was the big success: the gun could be held near to 12:00 and the roller fed the pipe so smoothly to the welder - the finished item looked like sub arc or robotic welds.
For the pic: The cover is off the Turning Roller and the servo motor is seen with the speed pot on the console.
The welder is in position holding the gun with the speed pot right below the work area and his foot is on the foot pedal to allow stop go action. Not alot of foot action required once the speed is set.
Hit my limit on the pics - I will put the weld pics on the next post.
Really glad to be able to learn about these turning rolls & report about it here, and also the very good success with the invertec, the LN25, and the CO2 with the type of process.
Weld to the 1" base plate full pen with 1/4" backing bar. Started the job with the pipe on some three legged stands with the two aluminum rollers. Wasn't astute cause the hand rolling of the pipe for fitting tacking welding caused the stands to lift and then if not detected, well we actually dropped a 12". No injuries only to pride, but a lot of how'd that happen.
Got some horses and some different (manual) rollers, this worked well as to no more pipes falling.
During this portion, welds were done w 7018 root followed by Gas Shielded Flux Core. Weld area alternated and most welds were placed from about 9:00 to 12:00.
The machine for the 045 Gas Shielded Flux Core was a transformer machine with 1 thru 5 on the voltage and wire speed dial with in/min. We checked the amps and the volts with DVM. Gas was Ar CO2.
Yes: we had occasional worm tracks and a dose or two of porosity - which of course was ground out. Those grinding wheels from 3M are some money but they get er done.
As is typical, got some ideas going: 1) Bigger Machine and 2) Powered Pipe Rollers.
Brought the invertec and a LN25 wire feeder from my shop, set it up and also changed to 100% CO2.
I think there may have been one tiny worm track or two, and maybe one pin hole. Cant say if the machine helped (probably) or if the CO2 helped (probably) but I wanted to mention it.
The next move was the Pipe Rollers, I guess these are correctly called Turning Rollers. Last one I ran had a three position belt for different speeds and you could jog it along. Worked adequately for stick weldin. Actually was shown how to use a drive motor from a motorized torch on a chain - to turn the pipe.
But these "dial a speed exactly" Turning Rollers, well that was the big success: the gun could be held near to 12:00 and the roller fed the pipe so smoothly to the welder - the finished item looked like sub arc or robotic welds.
For the pic: The cover is off the Turning Roller and the servo motor is seen with the speed pot on the console.
The welder is in position holding the gun with the speed pot right below the work area and his foot is on the foot pedal to allow stop go action. Not alot of foot action required once the speed is set.
Hit my limit on the pics - I will put the weld pics on the next post.
Really glad to be able to learn about these turning rolls & report about it here, and also the very good success with the invertec, the LN25, and the CO2 with the type of process.
