Finally figured out why my tube sheets were always a pain to roll

I was working on a 4-pass firetube boiler in a plant up near Tacoma last month, and I kept fighting with the tube sheet fit-up. For years, I'd been using my standard 3/4-inch drive impact to seat the tubes, thinking more power was always better. My old foreman, Mike, was watching me and just said, 'You're working too hard, kid. Listen to it.' He made me switch to a regular ratchet and go slow. The sound changed from a harsh bang to a smooth, even pull, and I realized I'd been over-torquing and warping the sheet just enough to make the next tubes fight me. It took an extra 20 minutes on that first tube, but the rest of the bundle went in like butter. Has anyone else had a simple tool change make a huge difference on fit-up?

3 comments

3 Comments

logan27111d ago

Same thing with stubborn wheel bearings, honestly.

rosecarr11d ago

Ever try a little heat on the hub first?

aliceharris11d ago

That "listen to it" advice from Mike is so good. When you switched to the ratchet, could you actually feel a different kind of resistance through the handle right before it seated, or was it all in the sound change?