How many hours to build

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ok, Its a safety tank to go in a tunnel underground.  6' wide, 8' long, 8' tall.  1/4" walls, 3/8 roof.  Inner structure 6" 12.5 lb I beam frame.  I beams every foot in the cieling, 2' in the walls with a sealed door installed.......Air tight.  He has a forklift......I know how to operate it. 200 hours?  That would be 3 weeks or so.   Its going to weigh 7,000 lbs.Whaddyathink?Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by David Rok, Its a safety tank to go in a tunnel underground.  6' wide, 8' long, 8' tall.  1/4" walls, 3/8 roof.  Inner structure 6" 12.5 lb I beam frame.  I beams every foot in the cieling, 2' in the walls with a sealed door installed.......Air tight.  He has a forklift......I know how to operate it. 200 hours?  That would be 3 weeks or so.   Its going to weigh 7,000 lbs.Whaddyathink?
Reply:Just you?
Reply:Originally Posted by Me!Just you?
Reply:Who's doing the cutting?What quality of fit-up?This would be a good job for core wire. Move the tunnel into position with the forklift.
Reply:200 Hrs sounds good to me Dave. Thats 5 weeks at 8 Hrs of actual work time per day at 5 days a week. I know you will most likely work longer per day and maybe  even a weekend or two. I also know you will be using wire feed which will help a lot with the time factor. Thats my 2 cents worth, You better factor that into your price  Hope it all works out for you.Miller DVI2Lincoln Precision Tig 225Thermodynamics Cutmaster 38Everything else needed.
Reply:I think 200 hours is more than enough.  In the shop I work in, that would be roughly 17k with material.  I think you'll make out like a bandit if they go for that bid.Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.
Reply:wow!!I wish I had some action like that!!hahabeing a full time machinist  puts a damper on my welding time.
Reply:With all the spare time you pick up by using wire, consider this: It's all about the experience, equipment and help you have available for your setup.We built 54 "frames" similar to your project,  12' x 10' x 6', 10" "H" beam, channel and angle bracing, gussets, no sheeting. The first one took 3 men 4 days to build. Built from the floor up and stick welded. The last ones where built by one man, using  a 10,000 lb forklift with a rotator attachment, 1.5 days each.The difference? Improved technique, through experience. Special tools and jigs suited for the job.  Positioning the work to keep it  low and flat, eliminating ladder work and.... big core wire!I would say it could take longer than you're thinking. Will every weld need a clamp job to pull it together? Again, who's cutting and how accurate? Will you have shorts and longs on your ends? Square sheet? I know it can be done alone, but positioning 8'  beams would be a lot simpler with a helper. If you do build it, I'll guarantee you could build a second one in half the time.Best Luck with your bid
Reply:I am sure I will be using dualshield.  Thanks, at least I know I am in the ballpark. If I get the job, I will post pics here.  I can lay things out.  I will be doing all the cutting so it should be close.Thanks guysDavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:good luck
Reply:Why not have everything cut.  Some your metal distributor can probably gang cut and be accurate on everything.  It would be just one less thing for you to do and probably not too costly.
Reply:I agree with tapwelder.Also, I see no reason why you cannot built this in 200hrs by yourself.  Get a bunch of come-alongs and premake a bunch of pad-eyes and it should go together pretty fast.  We do a lot of similar stuff at the shipyard I work at.  The hardest part will be keeping it square and finding a perfectly flat surface to build it on.  Even with braces that thing is going to want to bend and sheer once you get some come-alongs on it to pull the plate to the I-beams.Good luck, and you BETTER post pics of the progress!
Reply:Originally Posted by tapwelderWhy not have everything cut.  Some your metal distributor can probably gang cut and be accurate on everything.  It would be just one less thing for you to do and probably not too costly.
Reply:I agree with tapwelder.  You might find that you can buy that amount of material precut cheaper than you think.  You might even come out making money on it once you figure in your handling, cutting and clean up time.  I have two "V" blades to build for a couple of 650 JD doziers for a friend in the tree planting business.  Was all 1/2" material and it was several parts cut from plate.  I got the material delivered already cut and wound up making a few hundred to boot just from the time I saved from not having to handle, cut, and clean it.  My distributors are ususally pretty good about cutting when its a large order.  It's when it is a small order that they eat you up on the cutting.  Just something to consider.  I think you are the right track with your time.  ~JacksonI'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:Ok, so did you win the bid?  If so, you need to post pics, we all want to see.