Used to think annealing was just a waste of time...

I always skipped annealing my steel before welding, figured it was just extra steps for perfectionists. Then last month I had to repair a crack on a 2-inch boiler tube on an old steamer in Portland, and the guy I was working with made me do it. I watched the stress lines just disappear after we heated it to 1200 and let it cool slow. The weld took way better and I didn't have to grind down any stress cracks after. Anyone else ever get proven wrong on a basic step they thought was unnecessary?

3 comments

3 Comments

michael_green4416d ago

Not trying to be that guy, but 1200 is a bit low for annealing steel - you usually want to hit around 1450-1600 for full anneal on most steels, then let it cool super slow in the oven or pile of sand. Still glad it worked out for you though, that crack repair sounds like a tough gig.

jamie_adams16d ago

@michael_green44 you're probably right, but I was just relieved the old crack closed up. Ever try oven cooling a tube on site?

elliotm5716d ago

Boiler tube on a steamer" - wait, you worked on an actual steam engine? That's wild, man.