Cool machine for Pipe welding

[sdezego]

I am sure some of you have seen this, but just came across it. just some cool stuff that I figured I would share.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joqdl...eature=related

[MikkiJayne]

What a clever thing

[irishmpls_2]

Orbital welding is nothing new. It's pretty neat technology though.

Wanna see something really crazy look up thermite welding.

[petethepug]

This is good stuff. During my apprenticeship we didn't have stuff like this due to confinement. All the s/s lines at the Co-Gen plant (lox) were done by hand and x-ray'd.

I wish there were pics but it seems that they don't like people to know that the oil workers occasionally do hot tap welds. Live pressurized lines full of crude were repaired to avoid the costs of shutting down the refinery. Burning crude shoots out of the line 4-6 feet until the weld seals the leak.

Who discovered that the crude wont explode due to lack of O2 so you can do this? Probably the same guy that realized you can drop 12V in a gas tank for an electric fuel pump. I don't miss the pipe fitting days.