Old boilermaker showed me a trick for tight tube alignment in Gary last month

I was working a boiler retube in Gary, Indiana last month and this old guy named Pete came by to check on our progress. He saw me fighting with a tube that was like a quarter inch off and just laughed, then showed me how to use a simple chain come-along to nudge the drum over without any drama. Saved me at least two hours of hammering and swearing. Has anyone else got a go-to trick for stubborn tube alignments that actually works?

2 comments

2 Comments

palmer.jana1mo ago

Damn, a chain come-along is the move for sure. I've been in that same boat where you're just one stud away from a clean run and everything fights you. My go-to is a big ass ratchet strap wrapped around the drum and a nearby beam, then you just crank it slow. Takes the same principle but you don't have to haul a come-along up there if you're already carrying straps for other stuff. Also works great on those tight condenser bundles where you need to tweak the tube sheet a hair. Just don't get impatient and over-crank it or you'll snap the strap and eat shit. Pete sounds like he knew his stuff, that's the kind of shortcut that keeps you from punching a hole in the wall.

elizabeth2201mo ago

@palmer.jana nailed it with the ratchet strap trick, I've done the same on a few jobs. One time in a tight spot near Hammond I used a 4-foot piece of 2x4 as a lever between the drum and a support column, just wedged it and tapped it with a sledge. Worked like a charm for that last stubborn tube that was off by a good half inch. The key is having something solid to push against without bending the tube sheet. Pete's chain come-along is smarter though, less chance of cracking something if you're gentle.