the_miles•2d agoMost Upvoted

Flange leak near Moline cost me half a shift last Thursday

I was working a 48 inch header flange in a steam line near Moline and the gasket blew maybe 10 minutes after we buttoned it up. The studs were torqued to spec but I didn't check if the flange faces were perfectly parallel. Had to break the whole joint, resurface one side with a needle gun, and put in a new spiral wound gasket. That fix held but it made me wonder how often you guys check flange alignment before torquing.

3 comments

3 Comments

carr.abby2d ago

Needle guns aren't meant for resurfacing flanges, that's more of a bandaid than a fix.

morgan.jason2d ago

Reminds me of the time my buddy used a flap disc on a stainless flange and swore it was good enough. Three weeks later we were pulling it apart again because the gasket leaked. Sometimes you just gotta do it right the first time.

the_robin2d ago

Yeah, I've been burned the same way... always check those flange faces with a straight edge before you even touch a gasket. A needle gun can work in a pinch if its just light corrosion, but anything deeper and you're better off calling for a portable lathe to get a true surface. Saves you that second shutdown every time.