My foreman in Gary told me to TIG the root or stick it, and I went the other way

Kai Burns · 2026-09-25T15:55:04.569274+00:00

I was on a 6 inch schedule 80 header repair at the BP Whiting refinery outside Gary two winters back. My foreman, a 30 year guy named Dale, swore stick root with 6010 was the only way to get penetration on a cold pipe, but I ran TIG root instead because I hate chipping slag in a snowstorm. Cost me about 2 extra hours but the X-ray came back clean on the first shot and Dale didn't say a word, just nodded. Now half the crew thinks I'm slow and the other half wants me to show them the technique. Anybody here ever go against the old guard on a root pass and have it bite you later?

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My foreman in Gary told me to TIG the root or stick it, and I went the other way | Boilermakers - Vivisector