two inch lace

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recently, i was came across a two inch lace that I thought was pure beauty.  There were several around, I only wish the picture came out better and that i had a wire brush to clean it up.  You won't see this weld new in today's world. Attached Images
Reply:Yes, when I worked for Halliburton at Coffeyville Ks. I spent about a year welding high pressure bottles. Some did these and some just welded around the nipple about 3 passes.
Reply:What is the application, Scott?
Reply:It was in an electric plant.  This is either a steam return, gas feed for a furnace, or steam feed line.  I am not sure.  There are tons of these.  I snapped the picture as I was leaving.
Reply:Could you elaborate a bit on what that is? I don't have a clue. Joe
Reply:Joe,If you are referring to the term lace, it is a single puddle weld that covers the whole of the cap.  It is accomplished by weaving the electrode and it is not easily done out of position.  I use to have a great set of pictures of that demonstrated a texas lace (figure 8), box weave, and several others not used today.  When I learned, I was required to learn them all.  They will separate the men from the boys in puddle control.They aren't used today due to the high probablility of slag entrapment.  They are also typically run at the higher end of the rod's current range to keep the puddle fluid and to boil out any impurities.If I were to guess, it is a stream pipe due to the pipe's enability to hold paint.  everything is painted fresh every year whether it needs it or not.  This pipe is most likely XXX Heavy going into XXX Heavy pipe.Last edited by Scott Young; 01-07-2012 at 11:30 PM.
Reply:I saw this earlier Scott and didn't get back.What's your reckoning, 5/32" at maybe 180+ or 3/16" at sick hot? Gas & pressure guys can't do that anymore but overlay and tool steel/repair do.I can remember a few fellas (who really welded for a living) traveling then dwelling and trying to flick some thing out, seldom, but once in a while you'd here "****" and they would stop & clean things up. The lace done with very high nickel & chrome stays fluid for an silly, amazing distance & the travel is fast.Clearly on a different level than me... I can see when the puddle goes around something if it's going away from me but traveling back... no chance for me with electrode.Matt
Reply:The lace is not such a forgotton art but one of non-code allowance. I began welding right when the lace was going out. I could run one with anyone, that was the point that you had made it....the problem with the lace is it is not ran hot as has been suggesting in this thread. ASME, API 1104 were the death to the lace in the oil and gas fields thank God. A stringer beaded cap is ten times stronger than a lace. the width of the weldment should only be no more than 1/8" wider on each side of the heat effected zone, ever, API 1104 only allows 1/16". Adding weld metal past that is only asking for cracking (which the lace did...alot) There are millions of those welds out there....I will get some pictures of some of mine that I done back in the day.........that are still in service.Now before all of the Tig hands start getting red faced.....the tig lace never exceeds the weld groove anyhow or shouldnt so that is a differant matter. It was cool back in the day.....but those days are gone.A young green pipe welder asked an old salt one day...How can I make the weld on the bottom of the pipe look like the top.......The old salt replied....Screw up the top......
Reply:I am not knocking a stringer cap and I am not suggesting that it is not stronger.  I am simply stating that around my parts only the old hands know how to lace hence it is a "forgotten art" on the up and coming.  What is interesting is how many of these lace caps are still in active service.  Most of them were replaced not due to failure, but to retrofitting new hardware and new modifications that required a different code level than the previous weldment.I only posted the picture due to it is a process that is no longer in use, but spoke of true craftsman ability.  There are many guys that couldn't lace if their life depended upon it and then there were those that mastered it hands down.