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Choosing between a 3/8 inch and 1/2 inch backing bar for the new tank in Toledo
We were welding up a big pressure vessel for a client in Toledo and had to pick a backing bar thickness for the root pass. I went with the 1/2 inch bar instead of the 3/8 inch because the plate was a bit warped from the fab shop. It gave us a much more solid base and the root came out perfect with almost no cleanup. Anyone have a different go-to for dealing with warped plate on a big seam?
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benlewis7mo ago
Man, I feel you on that. Warped plate is the worst, it just throws everything off. Good call going with the thicker bar. I've been there trying to chase a gap that just won't sit still, and that extra mass from the half inch just makes it so much easier to get a stable setup. Solid choice for sure.
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gonzalez.vera7mo ago
That "gap that won't sit still" reminds me of trying to level my grandma's wobbly kitchen table last summer.
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benlewis7mo ago
Totally, that extra weight just kills the vibration. I used to shim a warped base with folded up sandpaper under the low corners, but it's a pain. You end up adjusting it every time you use the tool. @gonzalez.vera's table story is the same deal, just on a bigger scale. A solid, flat mounting surface is everything for keeping your cuts or your measurements right.
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