I finally listened to my old foreman from the Kansas City plant about pre-heating thick plate.

He told me over coffee that rushing the heat on 2-inch A36 for a pressure vessel skirt is how you get a cold crack that looks fine until hydro, and after seeing a buddy's weld fail inspection yesterday, I'm starting to think he was right all along.

4 comments

4 Comments

daniel1402mo ago

My buddy skipped preheat and his entire seam cracked.

torres.thea2mo ago

Yeah, the "entire seam cracked" thing is brutal. My friend did something similar to what @daniel140's buddy did, just tossed a cold pan in a super hot oven. Sounded like a gunshot when it split.

-1

jason_lewis32mo ago

What temp did he tell you to preheat to?

the_tyler2mo ago

Wait, you guys actually listen to the preheat instructions? I just turn the knob until it feels right... which explains my last pan.