Please don't do this, how my welder takes out dents.

luckyjr

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Oct 2, 2010
Messages
169
I was having a hole fixed and my welder starting adding air and more air. I had a gauge on it and I went over and looked. 45lbs. I said thats enough air and he said ok. We talked and he explained that is the way they find leaks that no one can find. Be doing it for years. He also explained how they take out bigger dents with 50lbs of air and heating. That ring a bell because I was told I was crazy when stated it maybe possible but fill with water. He knew my background and said you know .090 can hold a 100lbs. It can but I am not sure of the welds or the divided compartments. Any way if you need some dents taken out and your in the Houston area, I have his number.
 

5150abf

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 12, 2007
Messages
5,808
Re: Please don't do this, how my welder takes out dents.

You are very very fortunate it didn't explode, I can't believe you got that much air in a tube and it held.

I have had them let go with 12-14 and we normally run 6-7 at work to find leaks.

Also the air pushes the same amount on the entire inside of the tube so I don't see how it would push a dent out unless he got the aluminum almost to the melting point and if he does do that it aneals it so it would be very soft afterwords and dent even easier.

As everyone knows I have built pontoons for 25 years and I give this my highest level DON"T EVER TRY THIS warning, you only need 3-5 lbs ot find any leak.
 

Howard Sterndrive

Rear Admiral
Joined
Nov 5, 2008
Messages
4,603
Re: Please don't do this, how my welder takes out dents.

said you know .090 can hold a 100lbs.
nope
pascal's law is the concept that needs to be understood. Material thickness/tensile strength is one important but tiny part of the equation.

.090 couldn't even hold 1 psi above atmosphere if the vessel is the size of a blimp. Pressure isn't measured in pounds, it's measured in pounds per square inch. Go measure your tube and guesstimate how many 1" by 1" squares are on the inside surfaces, then multiply that by 100 pounds. =Nice knowing you.

The guy could seriously injure or kill somebody. I would have been out the door long before he got 10 psi in there. Shrapnel is one thing. Losing ear drums is another.

"Welder" shouldn't be used to describe anyone who owns a welding machine.
 
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