kaih36•4d ago

My foreman told me my weld prep was too rough on a 2-inch steam line

He said my grinding marks were making stress points and could cause a crack under pressure. I was using a 36-grit wheel for everything, but now I start with that and finish with an 80-grit flap disc to smooth it out. It adds maybe ten minutes to the job but feels way more solid. Anyone else have a tip for speeding up a cleaner prep on pipe welds?

3 comments

3 Comments

wesley1814d ago

You mention adding ten minutes for a smoother finish, but that's time well spent. A clean prep is the foundation of a good weld, not a place to cut corners. Rushing it just sets you up for problems down the line.

the_emery4d ago

Totally agree, it's like when I skip cleaning my bike chain to save five minutes. I always end up spending an hour later fixing the rusty mess. That upfront work just saves so much headache.

harper_foster4d ago

Nah, I get what @the_emery is saying, but sometimes you gotta just send it. Not every little prep step is worth the time if the job is small.