Welding Tips and Tricks

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That's funny because I used to work on GE Gas Turbines for aircraft! (not welding them though...)

These were LM 2500, if that means anything. I'm reasonably certain that we made the enclosure and base, and all the spinning whirly bits were added in the US. I don't think we ever held a rotating parts certificate (I believe that what it's refereed to as.)

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That sounds right as the LM 2500 is the marine version of the CF6-80 series aircraft engine. They share the same basic core modules but the CF6 has a large fan and a whole lot of accessories (hydraulic pumps, generator etc) that bolt on to the accessory drive pads on the gearbox. The CF6 also has a shed load of titanium pneumatic ducting that the LM 2500 doesn't..

Hey OF,

Thanks for that, I never got past the welding of the bare bones of the module. That bottom pic shows the things we made apart from the "enclosure" which is the sound proof box that surrounds the whole shebang. 4mm plate with Z shaped ribs to hod fiberglass insulation, covered with stainless "perf sheet" plug welded on to the z's. Quite the set up, even without the whirly bits,

Mick.

Hey Mick,

It's a pity that you never got to see the whirly bits because they are pretty amazing pieces of engineering!

Flo

For sure. Such amazing tolerances involved

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You guys have worked on some amazing stuff.

It must be so satisfying to stand back and say "I built that!" In awe of your skills.

I think the lack of this in my day-to-day work (I work with intangible, digital stuff) is part of what drives me to weld, repair and fabricate in my spare time. There seems to be something inside most humans that drives an urge to hold in our hands some solid evidence of our own hard-won skills and innate creativity.

Kym

Another coincidence relating to the LM2500 was that when I left my airline job I landed a job working for a defense contractor to maintain the LM2500's fitted to the RAN's Guided Missile Frigates (FFG's and FFH's). That was until they lost their contract..

Adam, Would that be ADI, at Garden Island? If so, Thats who I work for, Now known as Thales (Tell-us) though.

Mick

Hi Mick,

Thales it was.. I interviewed with them and was given the role pending the Navy renewing their contract. Unfortunately that contract was awarded to GE and so my prospective role vanished. Very disappointing.. It was right up my alley.

I do have another ex-Qantas colleague who works for Thales at Garden Island as a planner..

Flo

I built the pump test facility for the ffg's at gi a long time ago.

Sweet as Flo, Our site in Bendigo is a bit of a one trick pony, but Garden Island has some interesting operations.

Mick

weldin mike 27 wrote:Sweet as Flo, Our site in Bendigo is a bit of a one trick pony, but Garden Island has some interesting operations.

Mick

When you say, "One trick pony", I flash to that image I keep deleting on facebook... You know the one.



Steve S

There is a few horses asses working up there, and few horse cocks.

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Saw this thread and went looking for this pic, welded this about 30 years ago. Note the size of the chains, 7/8" dia. links 20' long choker chains, make a man out of you pulling them around the shop and rigging them. As you can see it was painted in primer after heat treating and there is some grinding on the left side. One of the welds a single bevel T joint about 2" deep cracked at the toe. Turned out when I gouged into it the the non beveled vertical plate was laminated and loaded with crap like 1/4" wide cavity full of crap. lots of gouging, grinding and welding. Pretty sure I gouged into all of the joints that used the plate just to be sure.

Anyone know what that weldment was, it is one end of a common fabrication shop machine. But that was going to be a very large one!



John

Roller?

Bet you aint that skinny or have that much hair today

weldin mike 27 wrote:Sweet as Flo, Our site in Bendigo is a bit of a one trick pony, but Garden Island has some interesting operations.

Mick

Hi Mick,

It certainly looks as though it does. Plenty of different operators in the defense sector now. I've only been onto the Garden Island site once and that was for the Thales job interview.

One of the sites that I currently work at is Cockatoo Island in Sydney Habour which was a former ship building and repair facility.. I would have loved to have seen that in its heyday!

Flo

Absolutely. During my apprenticeship, they showed a video of cockatoo Island in the 50s, back when we used to have a crack.

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Cockatoo used to have a crane ship called Titan which I hired once to replace a condenser coil at a coldstore in Pyrmont. The island was still a working shipyard in those days.

I have seen pictures of Titan..she was a monster!

Poland308 wrote:Roller?

Yep plate roller. They told us it would roll 8" cold how wide I don't recall.

John

ex framie wrote:Bet you aint that skinny or have that much hair today

Haha more weight less hair and brain cells too......
John