MIG or stick on this one?

[TripleTrophy]

I just moved some tanks at work. 43' tall x 13' diameter, 27,000 lbs. each according to the crane operator. Two lifting lugs on the top, about 6" wide x 10" long, and approx. 1" thick, with a hole for a 1" dia. lifting lug. Don't torch or plasma cut the hole - it should be drilled. The holes sit above the top of the tank. The plate has to be thick enough to take the weight of the tank, and needs to spread the load along the length of the weld bead. BTW, these lugs were OEM from the tank manufacturer.

If in doubt about the welding, have the welds mag particle inspected before lifting. Some crane operators may insist on it.

[Bodybagger]

I think the "T hook" design introduces unnecessary complexity. More places where it can fail. Remember Occam's razor.

A reasonable worst case scenario would be having a failure that placed the entire load on two eyes.

8 A36 bars, 5/8" thick, 3" wide, (length not critical), with a 1" hole drilled at one end (1" away from any edge) can be welded on the sides.

2 would support the entire weight of this tank during lifting. The other 6 are an insurance policy.

Each would need to have at least 10 inches of 1/8" fillet welds on the sides. 5 inches per side minimum. This is using 70ksi electrodes.

The last part gives you an idea of how well they need to be welded. You only need 10" of good 1/8" fillet on each eye tab to hold the whole shooting match up with two eye tabs. If it were me, I'd make the welds a little heavier than 1/8". But due to the thickness of the eye tab plate, I would only recommend 7018. The eye tab plates shouldn't be thinner because bearing surface failure would become an issue (thickness is the only variable you can control).

[HawkerMetalworks]

I think the "T hook" design introduces unnecessary complexity. More places where it can fail. Remember Occam's razor.

A reasonable worst case scenario would be having a failure that placed the entire load on two eyes.

8 A36 bars, 5/8" thick, 3" wide, (length not critical), with a 1" hole drilled at one end (1" away from any edge) can be welded on the sides.

2 would support the entire weight of this tank during lifting. The other 6 are an insurance policy.

Each would need to have at least 10 inches of 1/8" fillet welds on the sides. 5 inches per side minimum. This is using 70ksi electrodes.

The last part gives you an idea of how well they need to be welded. You only need 10" of good 1/8" fillet on each eye tab to hold the whole shooting match up with two eye tabs. If it were me, I'd make the welds a little heavier than 1/8". But due to the thickness of the eye tab plate, I would only recommend 7018. The eye tab plates shouldn't be thinner because bearing surface failure would become an issue (thickness is the only variable you can control).

the only issue with that would be the 2" lip at the top, and the two rows of rivets right below that. I went with the T hook, or padded lifting eye design because of the thin wall of the tank, only 5/16".

[kiwi]

This is probably a simplistic idea but have you thought of contacting the manufacturer of the tank? I would think that the engineers that designed the tank could give you some valuable information. Just my thoughts.
Nick

[HawkerMetalworks]

not on a holiday weekend, and when the crane is going to be there tuesday morning...

[Rig Hand]

45 feet in the air?

Access- How will you get to the weld. Ladder, man lift, man basket, leaning over the edge of the roof???

Weather- Wind, a little wind on the ground can be a lot of wind on the top of the tank.

Prep.- Paint, rust, maybe some mold on the north side.

My suggestion would be to stick weld it with either 1/8'' 7018 or 5/32'' 7010-A1 (SA-85 I believe) the tank shell itself is only 5/16'' thick, so you don't need a 1'' fillet weld. With Mig or dual shield you'll have to tote the 8vs & gun + wire + 45' of lead + gas hose + grinders + power cord to make the weld. Up and down 8 times, Preping each area, possably building a wind break. I'd stick it for sure.

The Mag. partical test is a good idea if your worried about covering your rear.
The tank being ''cleaned'' is one thing, The floor inside the cement walls has probably seen just as much fuel as the tanks. An air monitor and fire watch would be a good idea.

I would use the 7010-A1 and I would down-hill it or Nr-232 .068. I would NOT use this site for advice on what process to use. You know this job better than any of use but you don't know what process to us This would be were I turned to. You'd have better luck flippin' a coin.

Good luck and be careful.

[Showdog75]

45 feet in the air?

Access- How will you get to the weld. Ladder, man lift, man basket, leaning over the edge of the roof???

Weather- Wind, a little wind on the ground can be a lot of wind on the top of the tank.

Prep.- Paint, rust, maybe some mold on the north side.

My suggestion would be to stick weld it with either 1/8'' 7018 or 5/32'' 7010-A1 (SA-85 I believe) the tank shell itself is only 5/16'' thick, so you don't need a 1'' fillet weld. With Mig or dual shield you'll have to tote the 8vs & gun + wire + 45' of lead + gas hose + grinders + power cord to make the weld. Up and down 8 times, Preping each area, possably building a wind break. I'd stick it for sure.

The Mag. partical test is a good idea if your worried about covering your rear.
The tank being ''cleaned'' is one thing, The floor inside the cement walls has probably seen just as much fuel as the tanks. An air monitor and fire watch would be a good idea.

I would use the 7010-A1 and I would down-hill it or Nr-232 .068. I would NOT use this site for advice on what process to use. You know this job better than any of use but you don't know what process to us This would be were I turned to. You'd have better luck flippin' a coin.

Good luck and be careful.

It amazes me that you guys will tell someone that has admitted he doesn't have his stick welding down just yet to down hill something. Sorry but to me thats recklessly foolish. I understand that folks like yourself that are practiced up on this technique would have no problem but please be careful what you suggest to welders that don't have your first hand knowledge.

[Sberry]

This thread is all over the place for sure.

[blackbeard's welding]

not telling you how to do it,i've built hundreds of vertical tanks in varying sizes. most of the lifting lugs were approx 12" h X6"w with 2"holes and 5/8 material. 2 lift lugs per tank . we just made sure that 7" of length were welded onto the tank. i have always used stick to weld them on, in different combos of 10 and 18 rod.many of these tanks were in that 30,000lb area when fully dressed. just an example of what i have/seen done. one suggestion, get the areas of the tank you have to work on tested with ultrasound to MAKE SURE that it is still 5/16 and not something less because of corrosion. good luck and hope its trouble free work.

[Black Wolf]

I would NOT use this site for advice on what process to use. <snip> You'd have better luck flippin' a coin.

That pretty much sums it up for me... Hard to tell sometimes who is a certified professional, and who is an over enthusiastic wanna-be giving you poor or dangerous "advice".

For myself, given the 2" lip at the roofline that you have to clear, your original idea seems do-able. Material on your repads is reasonable give the amount of lifting points, and the amount of stress you have to spread out because of the use of the teardrops plated welded perpendicular.

I have personally never done it this way... The tank manufacturing plant I worked at made the roofs flush with the walls, and used two lifting lugs welded on the sides of the tank very much the same as Blackbeard described... Right down to the -10 and -18 series electrodes as determined by the engineer.

Did it with 500 bbl, 750 bbl, and 1000 bbl storage tanks, and never had a failure in the yard, or on the customer's site.

Back to the original point though... This really is not the place for advice on something like this - 'cause you never know who is giving it.