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Canadian Poncho Homepage -> Canadian Poncho -> The Lounge -> Metal fabricators, can I get some help?
Post Info TOPIC: Metal fabricators, can I get some help?
4SPEED427


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Metal fabricators, can I get some help?
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I need to take about a foot square piece of 1/4" plate, drill a 2" hole in the centre, shove a 2" pipe through the hole and weld all around it on both sides. How can I keep the pipe perfectly perpendicular to the plate when I weld it? I know I can have it 90 degrees to start but the weld is going to pull it off it's axis when I weld, won't it?

I know that once I have it welded in place I can take triangle pieces of steel plate (with one of the angles on the plate being 90 degrees) and put them up against the pipe as gussets for strength, but for the life of me I can't think of a way to make it stay true when welding.

The pipe is going to be buried in the ground with the plate on top needing to be above ground and level when I'd done.

Kelico, is this the kind of stuff you do at work?



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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
50torpedo


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When you put the pipe through the plate put 4 small tack welds anot 1/4" long at 90 degrees ensuring you keep an eye on squareness the turn it over and do the same on the other side but in between the tack on the other side, then just do 1/4 of the pipe between the tacks alternating the quadrents 1-3-2-4 you should not have any problems. because the tack wels are small if you have to gring them off to make any adjustment its quick and easy

bill in red deer

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50torpedo


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what you makin' anyway a flag pole holder

bill in red deer

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4SPEED427


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I was wondering about that. My big concern was the first tack would pull it to one side. The second one should be 180 degrees from the first, right?

If so, what if the second one doesn't bring it back to level? I can't keep going if it's like that.

I was just thinking as I typed this, what if I made a little box out of 4 pieces of angle iron and clamped it in place, then welded the other side of the plate before I removed them?

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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
4SPEED427


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50torpedo wrote:

what you makin' anyway a flag pole holder

bill in red deer


No, a turntable to put some solar panels on. I like to be able to just walk by and rotate them a few times during the day to keep them aimed at the sun.

I guess it would be a similar idea though.

 



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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
lueger68


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Carl i work in the structural steel trade so we do in this type of situation is tack a couple of braces from the top of the pipe then it goes down to your plate get some one to hold it square/true and tack the top with the brace check it again and tack your brace at the bottom. do this on both sides then you can weld around all the way and when your done break off your braces and gring up the tacks

Kevin

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4SPEED427


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Thanks Kevin. That makes sense. I do a little bit of welding at home but never had to do something like this. It makes sense to brace from the top now that you mention it. I guess as you both said, I will have to be patient and just do little bits at a time and keep checking it.

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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
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rabbit64cs


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it also helps to keep the pipe off the plate 1/16 or so. your first tack will pull the pipe down and you will not be able to pull it over straight.

after the first tack, straighten and another ...and another..

using the braces like Kevin said will help greatly...and if you leave a slight gap,,,presto perfection!

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4SPEED427


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Hey, another good tip, thanks! Never thought of that one.

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1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
Pontiacanada


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Why does it have to be so accurate Carl if only the plate is to be showing at ground level. If you are out by a few degrees perpendicular, you can probably make it up when you bury the pipe.
I would think that frost might heave it out of wack eventually anyway.
Are you using stainless?

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4SPEED427


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Pontiacanada wrote:

Why does it have to be so accurate Carl if only the plate is to be showing at ground level. If you are out by a few degrees perpendicular, you can probably make it up when you bury the pipe.
I would think that frost might heave it out of wack eventually anyway.
Are you using stainless?


I am likely being too anal about it but I don't want to be looking at a slanted panel!

I'm just sinking a very thick wall steel pipe in the sand. I am guessing by the time it needs replaced it will be my kid's problem!  By then the government will be taxing the crap out of solar panels too I imagine!!!

 



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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
Fake68


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Carl,
You are Waaaaaay over thinking this. Hee Hee
Square it up with the four tack welds and you should be good to go.
Pre-heat, will also lessen warpage if it's that critical.
Gary

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4SPEED427


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Fake68 wrote:

Carl,
You are Waaaaaay over thinking this. Gary


I tend to do that, not being an engineer and all.............wink

 



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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
50torpedo


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well theres the problem ....yesterday I could not sp[ell engineer now I are one...lol

all bookwork and NOOOOO experience

bill in red deer

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timbuk


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and haha on the taxes they havent taxed solar power yet??? hush hush.......

-- Edited by timbuk on Friday 10th of September 2010 07:57:53 PM

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59poncho


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i just use a triangle magnet thingy i bought at princess auto to hold it 90 deg. and then tack it. Seems to work pretty good for me (now i just have to get better at welding)

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4SPEED427


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I have one of those but that won't hold it well enough. Now that you mention it, 3 of those would though...

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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
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kelico


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Hey carl!!
it is what I do for sure, sorry for the late reply (14 hour day). The subject seems to be covered pretty well. I use "tac" bars, or magnets, or "eye ball and square", and half the time after the post is welded on., the plate has distorted enough from the heat that (depending on thickness) no matter where you put the square against the post... it's out of wack.

good luck with it and I'm sure it will be fine no matter what you end up doing.


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4SPEED427


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kelico wrote:

and half the time after the post is welded on., the plate has distorted enough from the heat that (depending on thickness) no matter where you put the square against the post... it's out of wack.


LOL, I kinda figured that!

I am hoping to get my pipe tomorrow and as long as the brief appearance at a wedding reception in the evening doesn't get out of hand, I may be able to get it done tomorrow.


 



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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
kelico


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right on.
now you'll have to post photos of what you end up with... before you bury it..



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4SPEED427


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It worked great. I just welded it up. I used a combination of advice from many people. I made the hole just big enough that the pipe was basically a press fit in the plate. I used three of those triangle magnets to hold it and squared it up with a long metal square. It seems to have come out pretty close to perfect. The plate didn't warp from what I can see but it's pretty heavy stuff.

A little bit more to do on it and then some paint to make it all purdy! Then a photo shoot!

Thanks very much for all the moral support!

-- Edited by Carl Stevenson on Saturday 11th of September 2010 11:39:44 PM

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