hydraulic press mezzanine - need certified welder?

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600-ton press with top-mounted hydraulics.  Several hundred pounds of motors, pumps, piping, etc up on the mezzanine (not to mention the 2" thick steel plates, probably 18" x 72", one in front, one in back, that things are mounted to up there).  The back of the mezzanine had previously been cut off and welded back on due to a low ceiling at the previous facility that prevented it from being lifted up over the ram in one piece (the back piece comes off as a rectangle and then the front and sides that are left form a "C").  To give a sense of scale, the main C-channels (blue) are C8x13.75 (0.303" thick web) and the perimeter C-channels (yellow) are C4x7.25 (0.321" thick web).  Picture 1 shows the riggers cutting the back of the mezzanine off.Well, the mezzanine pieces arrived at our facility today and I got a good look at the previous "welds".  Picture 2 shows the inside of the left main C-channel.  The fresh grinding closest to the cut end is mine to check for porosity.  I cut/pried off a ****ty little 1/8" plate that was down below that (only welded on two edges).  As you can see, the previous "welders" didn't even bother to weld the bottom third of the web or the bottom flange!  What they did do was bridge the bottom flange with a piece of scrap and weld fish plate to the flange side of the web (picture 3).Then there's the right side main C-channel.  Some atrocious **** hidden between two more little 1/8" plates (again only welded on two edges).  Same signature as the other side, but this time they managed some even worse welding and also mis-aligned the joint.  I decided that piece of work was not going to fly and promptly severed the joint with a combination of 0.045" cutoff wheel in the angle grinder and metal-cutting blade in the reciprocating saw.So, to my question.  Our facility has the ceiling height that we can install the mezzanine as intended in one piece.  Naturally, that allows it to be welded on the ground.  With the mezzanine being a welded structure that people will be standing on as well as below, would a certified welder be required to rejoin the C-channels?  I googled certified welding and mezzanines and saw a reference to AWS D1.1/D1.1M Structural Welding Code.  Anyone familiar with this code and/or mezzanine welding?Also, what's the rule of thumb on fish plates?  Aren't they usually thinner than the parent member?  Would 1/4" work for these C-channels?  Also, aren't the ends of fish plates supposed to be rounded or pointed? Attached ImagesLast edited by dbotos; 04-10-2013 at 08:59 PM.
Reply:rest of the pics... Attached Images
Reply:looks like a lot of stuff that comes out of PROFESSIONAL shops. I cut stuff up all the time and examine it. Pure junk. Makes me wonder why certain posters here are so hell bent on only PROFESSIONALS building trailers. For my money, I want a good trailer and not one that was built purely for profit, which would be cheapest steel, cheapest parts, cheapest labor and rushed out the door. You sir, have a fine example of what people get away with!Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:That's frightening stuff. How do those guys sleep at night?.
Reply:holy$#!+ batman!!!!
Reply:"it's ugly but it's strong " !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!--------------------------------------------------------------www.becmotors.nlyup, I quit welding.. joined welder anonymous
Reply:About an hour after breakfast I passed something that was "ugly and strong", too. Reminds me of those "professional welds".  Last edited by bearston; 04-11-2013 at 12:58 PM.When a welder tells you to "stick it", what do they really mean?"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
Reply:Originally Posted by bearstonAbout an hour after breakfast I passed something that was "ugly and strong", too. Reminds me of those "professional welds".
Reply:We got a guy in on Thursday after lunch and it took about 7 hours to get it all back together.  We used two forklifts and some big wood blocks to get everything lined up and straight, little by little.  The big right side C-channel was slightly twisted from the weight of the 900-pound manifold block that's outboard of that C-channel (I can just see it bouncing and twisting while it was on the truck during its 300-mile journey).  Ended up using a big ratchet strap from the top of the manifold block down to the other big C-channel in order to twist it back.  Mezzanine went back on the press Friday morning - fortunately we have plenty of ceiling height at our facility.  It's been a busy week - I'll have to take some pictures of the welds next week.  The top of the perimeter C-channel (yellow) is 11' 8" off the ground.  The press, as shown, without any oil in it, weighs 56,700 pounds according to the scale on the riggers' forklift. Attached ImagesLast edited by dbotos; 04-13-2013 at 05:58 PM.
Reply:Sometimes I wonder why I don't have a job when these guys literally lay down bird sh!t everyday and get paid for it.Miller Maxstar 200 SDPiperliner #10 Gold