Stopped using a torch for preheat on heavy plate...

I used to grab my oxy-acetylene rig for every preheat job on 2-inch plate, figuring it was fast and simple... then I burned a whole shift's worth of work because the heat wasn't even across the seam. Switched to a propane rosebud last month and my welds stopped cracking out on me. Anyone else find it hard to break old habits with preheat?

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brooke_nguyen653mo ago

Ngl that 2-inch plate is no joke. My buddy runs a shop up in Spokane and he swore by the oxy torch for years until he had a 4-foot long crack show up on a critical beam, cost him a whole week of rework. He finally switched to propane rosebud and it’s night and day for even heat distribution. Honestly it’s hard to let go of old habits when your torch has never failed you before, but that one bad burn changes everything. Tbh once you see the difference in weld integrity you won’t go back.

3

barbaraschmidt3mo ago

Blew right past "old habits" and straight into "old and EXPENSIVE lessons," huh? At least you got a good story out of it, even if your welds didn't make it.

1