Spent 4 hours chasing a bad weld on a 6 inch pipe flange in Houston

I was working on a pressure vessel repair last month and kept getting leaks on a flange weld. I must have ground out and re-welded that joint 3 times, each time thinking I fixed it. Turns out the problem wasn't my weld at all - it was a tiny hairline crack in the flange itself that I couldn't see until I hit it with dye penetrant. Cost me almost a whole day of labor because I assumed it was my technique. My foreman just shook his head and said check the base metal first next time. Now I always bring dye penetrant spray on any flange job, saves me from guessing. Has anyone else wasted time chasing a problem that wasn't even in your weld?

2 comments

2 Comments

kim_west1mo ago

Man that's a tough one! I've been there too many times myself. Those hairline cracks in the flange are the worst because they hide so good until you really push the dye in there. Now I always hit the flange face with some clean rags and a good light before I even strike an arc. Saves a whole lot of grinding and cussing later on.

garcia.laura1mo ago

Those hairline cracks hide so good" is putting it mildly (or maybe sarcastically, I can't decide). I swear they have a sixth sense for when I've already got everything lined up perfect and the beer is waiting in the fridge. My go-to move is now just staring at the flange for five minutes like it owes me money, then hitting it with dye anyway even if I don't see anything. Saves a lot of "well that's gonna be a fun fix tomorrow" moments.