Pipe fitters, welders, and other resident smarties.

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Pipe fitters, welders, and other resident smarties.

Posted: 12/30/2002 2:00:42 PM EDT

[url=http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=158831&w=myTopicPop]Update here[url]

I am ready to set the top bar on my driveway arch. Before I do I want to see some other ideas. The way I want to do it, it cut a saddle with a pipe wrap. I can't seem to find anyone with the knowledge to figure it out. The top bar is 12" while the posts are 14". I can make a wrap to do a 12" to 12" but, not to 14". I realize I will need to cut some fillers. I could just rough cut some saddles and play with it in the air but, I would really like to have all this done and ready to go before I lift the 40' top bar in place. Other ideas have been to cut half moons in the 12" to allow it to drop over the top of the 14". Anyone???

[img]http://photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/IG_LoadImage.asp?iImageUnq=3264[/img]

[img]http://photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/IG_LoadImage.asp?iImageUnq=3265[/img]

[img]http://photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/IG_LoadImage.asp?iImageUnq=3266[/img]

Posted: 12/30/2002 2:03:00 PM EDT

[#1]

It appears your problem is that the pipe you are trying to use is [b]fuzzy[/b]. [:D]

Aviator

Posted: 12/30/2002 2:04:18 PM EDT

[#2]

Wow that third pic is terrible!

Posted: 12/30/2002 2:09:46 PM EDT

[#3]

Thanks Smart[b]azz[/b]

Here is what it will be spanning

[img]http://photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/IG_LoadImage.asp?iImageUnq=1472[/img]

Posted: 12/30/2002 2:22:37 PM EDT

[#4]

Hey! That looks like the place where I was doing donuts a few weeks ago. Damn that was fun.[:D]

Posted: 12/30/2002 2:58:18 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
Hey! That looks like the place where I was doing donuts a few weeks ago. Damn that was fun.[:D]

View Quote

LOL, you're funny.

Posted: 12/30/2002 3:12:30 PM EDT

[#6]

12"? 14"??? holy cow!

cut the 14" into the length you need for the saddles and let the local fab shop roll it the radius of the 12".

or fishmouth your verticals with a torch.

Posted: 12/30/2002 3:47:16 PM EDT

[#7]

I ran a pipe fab shop for several years - everytime we needed to do something like this, I would get the sheetmetal shop to make a template. It always worked great. My advise would be go to a local tin knockershop, small one, and see if you can find an older guy there that knows what the hell he is doing. Since computers most people do not know how to "layout" fittings anymore. I'll try to look and see if I can find the formulas for making the template.

Also 14" pipe usually refers to the OD. 12" is usually the "nominal size making it 12 1/2" OD. is this what you have?

Posted: 12/30/2002 4:25:27 PM EDT

[#8]

Take a piece of scrap pipe the same size as you need to cut the saddle on. Rough cut the saddle in it and then remove a little at a time with a grinder until it fits right. Now take a thick piece of paper and roll it around the end of the pipe and cut off the excess. Now you have a home made pipe wrap to use on the good pipe.

Posted: 12/30/2002 5:15:42 PM EDT

[#9]

I'd cut a 1" ring from the cross member pipe and use it as a template on the sides of the 14" posts where you need to cut the saddle, holding or tacking it alongside and tracing the profile with a flat sandstone market. If you layout and work from the elevation you want the crossmember to finish at you can dress with a grinder to suit w/o the saddle dropping too low. Prior to starting I'd layout centerlines on both sides of the post to help locate the template.

Once the assembly is fitted and tacked up I'd heat the open spots on the sides of the posts cherry red with a rosebud torch and beat them to make contact with the cross member and then weld solid to seal it.

Hope you can post a photo of the finished arch for us.

Posted: 12/30/2002 8:56:19 PM EDT

[#10]

Cut a fishmouth in the uprights for the 12 inch cross beam to lie in, then heat and beat to fit as Powergen suggests, and paint to match.

With a little crude layout for guidance, you can freehand the fishmouths surprising close, especially since this joint is not a net fit anyway.

Posted: 12/30/2002 9:06:08 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
I'll try to look and see if I can find the formulas for making the template.

View Quote

That is what I am looking for, the formula.

Also 14" pipe usually refers to the OD. 12" is usually the "nominal size making it 12 1/2" OD. is this what you have?

View Quote

14" OD and 12 3/4" OD

Posted: 12/30/2002 9:09:57 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Take a piece of scrap pipe the same size as you need to cut the saddle on. Rough cut the saddle in it and then remove a little at a time with a grinder until it fits right. Now take a thick piece of paper and roll it around the end of the pipe and cut off the excess. Now you have a home made pipe wrap to use on the good pipe.

View Quote

The only scrap 14" I have is the 1.5" ring you see in the pic. The hard fit is what I am looking to avoid. I could do this but if I had the formula and layout it will be a one shot deal.

Posted: 12/30/2002 9:15:51 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
Once the assembly is fitted and tacked up I'd heat the open spots on the sides of the posts cherry red with a rosebud torch and beat them to make contact with the cross member and then weld solid to seal it.

Hope you can post a photo of the finished arch for us.

View Quote

I haven't decided about that... I guess I will decide that when it is up. I think it will look better with filler pieces cut in. I will post pics after it is up. I will get the preceeding threads to this also.

Posted: 12/30/2002 9:22:50 PM EDT

[#14]

The original threads leading up to all of this.

[url=http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=158288&w=searchPop]The Problem[/url]

[url=http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=158831&w=searchPop]The Solution[/url]

Posted: 12/30/2002 9:32:20 PM EDT

[#15]

Since I have no clue what you guys are talking, should I just keep my mouth shut and move onto the next thread?

Seriously I wish I knew how to do that sort of thing. I cant count the times that I've needed to weld something and kicked myself for not knowing how and not having the equipment.

Posted: 12/30/2002 9:44:17 PM EDT

[#16]

Im just the weld inspection guy, I can find problems with the welds and parts if you want.

Anyone need a weld inspector, unemployment is getting boring

Posted: 12/30/2002 10:17:36 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Im just the weld inspection guy, I can find problems with the welds and parts if you want.

Anyone need a weld inspector, unemployment is getting boring

View Quote

TIC in Steamboat Springs isn't hiring?

Posted: 12/30/2002 10:22:33 PM EDT

[#18]

At first I agreed with the fish mouth on the 14, but after looking at the Pic with the mixer between them I have to ask about the vert. height, as in will the bottom of the 12" be more than 14' from ground? I ask this wondering if you might ever get a delivery from a tractor trailer?

If you do and you have less than 14' but more than 13'6" you might cut short notches in the 12", nest on top and strap than fill in to cap it (heat and hammer)

Posted: 12/30/2002 10:34:48 PM EDT

[#19]

Hummmm Is that pipe P I N K ? Nice choice of colors. The Mrs. have anything to do with that?[:D]

Posted: 12/30/2002 10:54:45 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Hummmm Is that pipe P I N K ? Nice choice of colors. The Mrs. have anything to do with that?[:D]

View Quote

Should just put a big rainbow between the posts [:)]

Posted: 12/30/2002 10:55:47 PM EDT

[#21]

1GUNRUNNER, do those idiots know you're well armed?

Posted: 12/30/2002 11:01:11 PM EDT

[#22]

TwoStage - The finished clearance will be somewhere between 13'6" and 14'. Believe it or not, I dug the holes and guessed them to be about 6'. I gave no worry to the finished height of the posts and figured to just cut the highest one to level. The ring in the top pics was the 1.5" they were off. I couldn't have got them that close if I had tried.

deadeye47 - Yes they are pink [:x] That is the color they came, they are used waterlines. The whole arch will be Line-X'd black this summer.