DIY Welding Pipes

Welding creates a permanent bond between two metal pipes

By welding two pipes together, you create a stronger bond between the two pipes than would exist were the pipes connected any other way. Welding heats the surface of the pipes, causing sections of the metal to melt. When you strategically melt portions of two metal pipes, the pipes will be permanently welded to one another when the metal cools. Pipe welding tasks vary in their complexity and requirements, but the basic premise of the procedure remains the same whether you are welding small or large pipes.

Things You'll Need

• Gas-cutting torch
• Welder's cap
• Helmet with filter lens
• Safety goggles
• Welding torch

Instructions

1. Clean all foreign material, such as rust and dirt, away from the sections of the pipes you plan to weld together.

2. Cut the pipes to a bevel edge with a gas-cutting torch if the pipes are not already cut.

3. Put on a welder's cap and helmet with a visor and filter lens and safety goggles. Looking directly at a welding arc without a filter can burn your eyes.

4. Align the two pipe edges with one another.

5. Turn on your welding torch. Place the welding torch's flame directly against the pipe's surface. Heat the pipes with the welding torch to create a puddle of melted metal on the surface connecting the two pipes. This puddle of melted metal is known as a “tack weld.”

6. Turn off the welding torch. Reposition the two pipes as necessary.

7. Turn on the welding torch and create a second tack weld in the pipes. The number of tack welds you must create to weld the two pipes together sufficiently will vary depending on the size of the pipes. For example, small pipes that are approximately ½ inch or less in diameter require only two tack welds to remain in place. Larger pipes require additional tack welds.

Tips & Warnings

• If the pipe sections do not properly align on their own, connect them with a metal pipe clamp.

• You can weld only metal pipes. You must use an alternate method of connecting together plastic pipes and PVC pipes.

• Never attempt to hold two pipes together with your hands while welding. Doing so could result in injury.

• Do not wear flammable clothing while welding. Sparks fly freely throughout the process and can ignite flammable garments. Stick to heavy cottons, wool and other oil-free materials.

References

• SweetHaven Publishing Services: Fundamentals of Professional Welding
• American Welding Society: Personal Protective Equipment for Welding and Cutting

Resources

• American Welding Society