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Linear feet to quantity of welding rods estimation? 4

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mrcasper

Mechanical
May 1, 2012
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I have 960 linear feet of welding to do. Is there a general rule of thumb for the amount/weight for a sigle pass of 3/16 welding electrode based on linear feet?

Thank You
 
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We can't tell without more info:

What's the position of the weld going to be? "Linear" or short lengths or going around corners and around pipes? Seam welds? Who's going to do the tack welds and fitup? A fitup weld might takes many tack welds, each of which uses a 1/2 inch to 1" of rod. All tack welds have top be re-welded over with the final weld, and that adds more needed rod.

Field or shop? In your shop or somewhere else?

What's the size of the weld (fillet or buttweld?) rather than just size of the rod?

How "good" are your welders (Newbies? Experienced? Foreign? Overseas? New hires? Temporary (shop hires or temp job shop)? Will they "work hard" to save every spare inch of rod, or will they be wasteful but faster?

If the welders have to "bend" the rods due to limited space or restricted access, each rod may lose as much as half its length.
 
Most of the major suppliers can provide that information on their websites. You will have to punch the numbers in, but they provide you with the equations.

Best regards - Al
 
Let me see if I can clarify y answering all your questions

1. 50% horizontal welding, 50% overhead
2. 40ft straight welding intervals (welding 40ft of pipe cut in half on to a plate for a total length of 120ft, welding on both sides of the resulting 1/2 sections or 'c' would be a total of 240ft).
3. Field
4. 1/4" fillet weld
5. Experienced
6. Wasteful but faster
7. No bending.

Hope this is enough information for you to give me a way of estimating quantity of rods based on linear feet

Thank You
 
Per an older ('77) Lincoln publication, a C.S. 3/16" fillet with a convex face is 0.165 lbs./ft. Bear in mind this should be used for a guide only. There are many variables as you point out. If this is SMAW you'd need to factor in an electrode efficiency for slag and stub loss. Probably 65%-75% depending on the electrode type.
 
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