The week I swore off gas welding after a close call with a fire

I used to be all about gas welding for pipe repairs on the job. Thought it was the only way to get a clean seal on thick stuff. Then last Tuesday we had a job at a refinery in Baton Rouge, and my buddy's torch setup caught a drip tray on fire. We put it out quick, but the foreman chewed us out for 20 minutes about using stick welding instead. He showed me how a 6010 rod on a 200-amp machine gets the same penetration with way less risk. I tried it on a flange joint the next day and it held perfect. Now I'm thinking I was just stubborn about the old ways. Has anyone else switched their process after a scare on site?

1 comments

1 Comment

joel_singh8412h ago

Oh, you're gonna let one close call with a drip tray make you give up gas welding for good? That sounds like an overreaction to me. I've been running oxy-acetylene on refinery pipes for 15 years and the key is just being careful with your setup, not ditching the torch. You can't get the same heat control with a 6010 rod on thin wall tubing or tight spots where you need to back the heat off fast. Stick welding throws slag everywhere and you have to chip it off, which costs time. Gas welding lets you see the puddle and adjust instantly. Maybe your buddy just needed to clean his torch head and check his hoses instead of you both jumping to stick welding.