Dock Building Business Startup

Date 10-08-2002 15:33

Hello,

I have decided to take my welding/engineering skills to another level and start to build aluminum boat docks for people. I have been welding on my own for awhile now but do not have any certs for this sort of thing, I mostly do it as a hobby or for friends. I alreayd have all of my designs done and the mechanical engineering done so I know what I can hold. I am doing all flat welds with either fillet or sq. butt welds and some nuts welded to hold stuff down but nothing too fancy.

My questions are what I should do about being certified, the work I do does not demand it but maybe I would feel better with a very expensive small piece of paper.

This will be my only welding to begin with and I am going to start a business within the first 2 years after testing the waters under the table but what do I really need to build a leasure structure for people on my own time?

Thanks again,

- Mike

By jfolk

Date 10-08-2002 17:19

MIke-

I would suggest qualifying your procedures and yourself to AWS D1.2 Structural Welding Code- Aluminum. This will support structural aluminum with various welding processes and base and filler materials. If you intend to weld any pressure retaining components I would suggest ASME Section IX- Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code- Welding and Brazing Qualifications.

Good Luck.

By mkulikow (*)

Date 10-08-2002 17:21

OK,

I have no problem trying to qualify my procedure but how do I go about doing it. Do I need to have WPS for each different weld that I make on this and all work as well as qualify myself as a welder through AWS, I could really use some more explanation here.

Thanks,

- Mike

By GRoberts (***)

Date 10-08-2002 17:21

Mike,
Not only should you be certified as a welder, but you should look into qualifying your procedures. If you qualify your procedures youself, you are qualified as a welder for the essentail varables you used automatically. Check out the AWS Stuctural Aluminum welding code for info on how to qualify welders and procedures. This may be the most expensive part of the process if you buy it, but a good library, or your local AWS chapter should have a copy.

By mkulikow (*)

Date 10-08-2002 17:24

I have a copy of this on order right now. I also have miniature (12" long) pieces of the same metal I will be using on each dock so I can build a representative model of my docks. Can I take these pieces to a CWI to look at?

- Mike

By mkulikow (*)

Date 10-08-2002 17:33

I also have a collection of the best aluminum welding books that I could find. I am an electrical Engineer so buying overpriced books is something you learn to live with.

Books So Far:

Aluminum Welding by N.R. Mandal
AWS Pocket Handbook for GMAW on Aluminum
Kaiser Aluminum welding textbook from 1967 (best book ever published on the subject) IMHO - 400+ pages on just aluminum FCAW,GMAW,GTAW, electron beam, laser welding, etc.
AWG D1.2 Aluminum Strucure Codebook
GMAW and GTAW handbooks by Minnick

Any other texts I should be looking at?

- Mike

By mkulikow (*)

Date 10-08-2002 17:34

I meant AWS not AWG - electrical engineering taking over :)

By mkulikow (*)

Date 10-08-2002 17:49

Everyone who welds aluminum should try and find this book.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1770623795

By pipewelder_1999 (****)

Date 10-08-2002 19:02

You as the manufacturer can decide upon the "Codes" to use. Unless there is some federal or local law, you are not bound to comply with a code. I live near a lake and when I am out of work I sometimes assist with dock/boat lift building. These are manufactured from steel. Complying with a code and having documented evidence that the standard practice for you shop is to work within a code could provide some evidence of "intent" to do quality work should something fail later.

If you certify your welders, this is not an expensive task. There is usually no requirement for 3rd party involvement however if you are the only employee you wouldn't be wise to test and certify your own welding.

In most cases the manufacturer is responsible for the testing and certification of their welders and you cannot be certified by another organization.

If you are going to advertise your products as "Welded in accordance with xxxxxx code" then you should follow the requirements of that code for welder qualification. If not per any code, you could write your own quality system that addresses welding and qualification in the "control of special processes" section. A quality system/manual would be a good idea for for a small fabricating business in my opinion and like a WPS it's not voodoo requiring any third party.

Have a nice day sir.

Gerald Austin
http://www.weldinginspectionsvcs.com