Found a trick for getting tube sheets aligned without a third hand

I spent 2 hours fighting a misaligned tube sheet on a condenser job in Baton Rouge last Thursday, so I tried wedging a scrap piece of flat bar between the sheet and the shell to hold it steady while I tacked it, and it lined up perfect on the first try has anyone else used a shim trick like that for stubborn fit-ups?

2 comments

2 Comments

schmidt.amy5d ago

I'd be worried about that flat bar slipping out and messing up your alignment worse...

rosew374d ago

Wait, is this really that big of a deal? I've been on plenty of condenser jobs where the tube sheet was off by a good 1/8 inch, and just a little bit of wedging usually gets it close enough for a decent tack. Two hours seems like a lot for a misalignment most guys would just smack into place with a hammer.