welding 50mm pipe (steam return line)

[Sberry]

The words of caution are good, don't get me wrong. Man when I think back at some of the stuff I did it would be really scary, still can get in over my head in a hurry especially when doing semi routine stuff. Biggest threat in numbers is doing the job, dropping something on your foot, eye injury or falling off a ladder.
I worked on thousands of equipment over the years, right from the start, most of it worked, even back in the day I never have a catostrophic failure and no real extreme failures despite my ignorance, seen it broke where it had to be removed from service, repaired a lot of stuff over the years and left it in far superior condition than it was. Seen a lot of work done by people with the "legal right" to be doin it that had absolutely not a clue, they should been school teachers or sumpthin else.
Even most sloppy work doesn't fail and lots of engineered stuff does. The paper work just makes it easier to sue someone. I was on a nuke, you be surprised how much needs to be re-done because first guy that did it just didn't know how. There a lot of plumbers playing fitter.
The threat of extreme catastrophic tends to be highly over rated.

[Sberry]

Most DIY installs, say a hitch or snowplow are as good as those done by the dealer who is "qualified" to do them.

[Sberry]

Lots of home built trailers as good or better than a lot of factory ones. I saw this at a farm mkt. The stick welding was sloppy but plentiful and by nature of forgiving design and overkill of materials made it a pretty service worthy unit.

[Portable Welder]

Sberry, I usually always agree with you, You are certainly a man of wisdom.

I guess after hearing a friend of mine tell me the grussom details about how when he helped a guy out of the steam line pit after there was an explosion.

One of the things he told me the guy was in shock and when he took his glove off the skin came with it.

I have replaced sections of condensate lines that the boiler operator said was turned off and when we cut into the line there was still steam in the line.

Though it wasnt much but it was enouph for me to thank god that I had my full face shield on when I cut it with my cut off wheel.

There was still enouph left in it that I would have went to see the doctor.

[1428turbo]

The words of caution are good, don't get me wrong. Man when I think back at some of the stuff I did it would be really scary, still can get in over my head in a hurry especially when doing semi routine stuff. Biggest threat in numbers is doing the job, dropping something on your foot, eye injury or falling off a ladder.
I worked on thousands of equipment over the years, right from the start, most of it worked, even back in the day I never have a catostrophic failure and no real extreme failures despite my ignorance, seen it broke where it had to be removed from service, repaired a lot of stuff over the years and left it in far superior condition than it was. Seen a lot of work done by people with the "legal right" to be doin it that had absolutely not a clue, they should been school teachers or sumpthin else.
Even most sloppy work doesn't fail and lots of engineered stuff does. The paper work just makes it easier to sue someone. I was on a nuke, you be surprised how much needs to be re-done because first guy that did it just didn't know how. There a lot of plumbers playing fitter.
The threat of extreme catastrophic tends to be highly over rated.

That is quite possibly the most assinine responce ive ever heard.first you qualify what you did out of inexperience as ok since you didnt get hurt?Well lucky you.
Then state seen alot of people with the legal right doin it that shouldnt? You stated it correctly,"THE LEGAL RIGHT"if you dont have the licence you shouldnt be doing it.PERIOD! your not insurable.
If the guy has to ask a question like that he shouldnt even consider doing it.If something goes wrong they WILL throw him to the wolves likity split! Your "just do it and pray for the best" is ok for little kids in a sand box,but isnt appropriate in the real world,where people do die!

[Sberry]

I am telling you what the numbers are. Its about like flying in an airlpane vs riding a Harley. Second what I am relating is real world experience in the sense that everything I wasnt qualified to work on didnt turn to a disaster.
This doesnt sound like a home brew job, there are likely bosses, equipment and insurance and this is at least semi skilled operation, thousands of these types of jobs done every day all over the world. In this case the mechanic in question here is aware of not cutting into a live steam line such as the "professional" Portable Welder admits to. Accidents and workmanship issues go all the way across the experience level. I agree with the original poster, this is a typical job to gain experience on.

[Sberry]

If the guy has to ask a question like that he shouldnt even consider doing it.If something goes wrong they WILL throw him to the wolves likity split! Your "just do it and pray for the best" is ok for little kids in a sand box,but isnt appropriate in the real world,where people do die!

Back in the day where did you start out and how many people have died as a result of work you have done?
Lets take a poll here, How many have had people die because of the result of the work you have done since you started working? This would involve millions of man hours on millions of projects.

If the guy has to ask a question like that he

At least he is asking, shows good sense of prudence and seems to have a grip on the difference between a condensate line and a pressure line.