Hillbillysmith Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Has anyone ever heard of "buddy welding"? It's supposed to use one stick machine but they split the electrode lead into 2 stingers and 2 guys weld on it at once but not at the same time. It's where 1 guy welds one half of the pipe at a time. Say guy a welds from 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock and guy b weld the oppostie side. while guy a is welding his side, guy b is cleaning the slag from his side and when guy a get to his finishing point (which is guy b's starting point) guy b catches the arc from guy a. This keeps goin around and around until the pipe is finished. So, in short, 1 guy is always welding and 1 guy is always cleaning. - hillbilly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainely,Bob Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Seems like if someone was in that much of a hurry they`d just use a robotic welder. From experience I can tell you that having 2 welders try to work the same area leads to;1-a case of sore eyes for one or both. 2-overloading the vent system 3-more problems and confusion than it`s worth. If this process is to be continuous then how does one pick up the puddle while the first guy is occupying that space?You`d have to be poised ready to strike your arc at the moment he finished.One space,two bodies,does not compute. When I was welding pipe the emphasis was on getting the best weld possible and that usually meant at least a quick chip and brush between changing rods so where would this technique be an advantage? Also,if this is to be an xrayed weld then who`s responsible for it? If you plan on doing this to weld assemblies in the shop then that`s what they make powered rollers for.1 man + rollers=pretty much continuous welds made from one comfortable position. I`m not saying it`s never been done.I`m saying it doesn`t seem like a well thought out technique.Sounds like an idea a foreman thought up rather than a welder,even one doing piece work with a trusted buddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Using one lead and 2 welders is counter productive. We use 2 welders on the same joint very often, on larger thicker pipe--10" and up. 1 welder starts at the bottom or top and gets one rod ahead, then he waits for the 2nd welder to clean the start and then they BOTH start welding. Once they finish that past then the weld is cleaned and the porcess stats over again til weld is complete. Each welder is responsible for his side of the pipe, each will put his stamp on his own side. Any repair from X-Ray is made by the offending welder and goes against his record. I have 'brother-in-lawed' pipe and it be 100% x-ray with no problems. You are not working on the same side of the pipe, There is no problems or confusion with experienced welders. How do you roll a piece of say 12" sch 120 pipe with a 90 degree fitting and 20 feet of pipe on each end of the 90 ell and 300# rating flanges on the other ends of the pipe. You don't. This is when you 'brother-in-law' the last weld. I have done this on every job I have worked and every shop I have seen will use 2 welders, welding at the same time, on large pipe. And no it does not over load the vent system anymore than if the welders were working on their own piece of pipe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainely,Bob Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 I have seen 2 different welders working on different sides of large pipe yes,have even done that when the pipe was large enough to act as a shield between the two welders.Large diameter pipeline work was something we did like that,usually each working a side(from 6 to 12) rather than one top and the other bottom.Welding different sides of a bulkhead seam after the root pass was another. Large diameter didn`t sound to me like what the original poster was talking about,I may have misread though.He said that welder A "catches" the weld from welder B and one is always welding while one is cleaning.This led me to believe the pipe had to be small diameter and each welder`s pass would take only one or two rods.I also didn`t get the split lead thing either. I have welded 12"+ pipe assemblies in the shop on rollers with just flanges or fittings on the ends.You just jack the rollers up far enough to clear the fittings.The assemblies for big jobs were mostly fabbed on rollers in the shops I worked in and then rough cut.After being delivered to the site the assenblies were hung,final fit and welded in place.Most times working off ladders,scaffolding or lifts. As far as ventilation goes,I was thinking about welding in an already crowded overhead in an area where the "sucker tube" needed that lag time cleaning between rods to clear the air.Probably should have stated that was my experience. If venting was a problem then there was always the dreaded full face supplied air mask that everyone just couldn`t wait to put on and wear for hours but I was trying to forget that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWHII Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Buddy welding can be done off one power supply. For example if you had a Lincoln SAE-400 welder you could use a Lincon 350 multi welder to run off the same power source. The 350 multi-weld is not a powersource by itself. You can run multiable units of this one welder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weldor87 Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 "buddy welding" is a common practice used by boilermakers when welding on small diameter tubes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plain ol Bill Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 Been a tube welder for over 35 years and buddy welding using a "Y" is the preferred method for most of us. You can lay in wait and "suck the fire" away from your buddy when you pick him up. Less porosity using a Y than with two seperate machines in my experience. For those who don't know what we are taliking about imagine this - a line of 2" diameter boiler tubes with 3/8" to 1/2" spacing between the tubes (and to boot these can be vertical, horizontal or anywhere in between). This line of tubes might well be 100' long. Now imagine how the **** you weld these up with X-ray quality without buddy welding. Retired Boilermaker and **** glad I'm retired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainely,Bob Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 Well,I guess you learn something new every day. Looks like today was my day. Thanks to the boiler makers for explaining that for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boodrow Posted April 14, 2010 Share Posted April 14, 2010 Yes, it's done to prevent porosity from forming on the sides of a tube section (typically where the membrane comes together). You can do it using the SMAW or GTAW welding processes. I have used this technique for welding 180* bends (candy cane sections), in the water wall, penthouse and crossover sections of boilers. It can be an extremely beneficial method to learn. Basically what happens is when your welding partner comes up as far as he can go you just hold your electrode or torch up in the bevel of the weld and when he gets close enough the arc transfers from him to you. You never break the arc thus no start stop area in the jammed up side of the weld and therefore no porosity. It takes a little getting used to but it'll make you a better welder for knowing how to do it. I have worked for a several double time company's as a welder and as a QA/QC manager it's just one of the many tricks that you learn with 20 years under a hood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbranan Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 Buddy-welding keeps you from pushing the puddle when you get to the sides of the tube and subsequently losing gas coverage from the flux burning. When you start to push the puddle your partner picks you up. We kind of buddy-weld when we GTAW. When you put the TIG torch on the side of the tube you can't see the puddle and your partner might have to feed you wire in the root until you can pull the torch and puddle to the point you can see it and finish. Your partner will watch through the root opening to the insides look OK. Bobby Branan Boilermaker Local 60 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BM454 Posted June 26, 2010 Share Posted June 26, 2010 Buddy-welding keeps you from pushing the puddle when you get to the sides of the tube and subsequently losing gas coverage from the flux burning. When you start to push the puddle your partner picks you up. We kind of buddy-weld when we GTAW. When you put the TIG torch on the side of the tube you can't see the puddle and your partner might have to feed you wire in the root until you can pull the torch and puddle to the point you can see it and finish. Your partner will watch through the root opening to the insides look OK. Bobby Branan Boilermaker Local 60Glad to see a fellow Boilermaker on here Scott Teeters Local 454 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbranan Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 Glad to see a fellow Boilermaker on here Scott Teeters Local 454 Right on Brother. We are the Boilermakers Ironship Builders BlackSmith Forgers & Helpers! http://www.boilermakers.org/resources/news/V47N4/Maiara_uses_blacksmithing_skills_on_and_off_the_job Bobby Branan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZIG Posted November 10, 2010 Share Posted November 10, 2010 I'm a Boilermaker from local 455 for last 25 years. And I'm glad you bros explained that so well. Good to hear some more boiler animals are on here. If people only knew what we gotta go thru to make a tube weld. Sometimes it takes 3 people and or a mirror or two. Reckon we should explain slag welding a tube to them. ? Not to mention its gotta pass xray too. Alot can go into a two inch tube weld. Better have your rod bent if you started the weld,so you'll be there in time to pick him back up. Ha. I brought a Y home to prove it could be done to some friends. But couldn't get in near enough of a bind, with wedges and come a longs in your face, to really show how bad our work can get. But I love everyday of it. Still. Don't like the heat so much. But am truely blessed to have my job. Boilermakers make it steam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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