Made a pipefitter's welding ground strap...

[dr_clyde]

Thought you guys might find this neat. Its just some copper cable braided around a stainless ring.





Its super useful when you're in the field welding pipe bigger than your ground clamp can get around. It also helps get a consistent ground when the pipe is rotating while being welded. Helps eliminate arc marks on sanitary stainless tube too.

This one will fit around 4.5" tubing or 4" sch. 40 pipe.

Shown here around a length of 3" sanitary tube for demonstrative purposes.



Super easy to make, similar to those hemp bracelets popular in the 90's. There are tutorials on youtube, or you can just do what I did and get a buddy who knew how to make one show me.

 

[jhn9840]

Very clever idea. I bet that makes a very secure ground on a piece of pipe.

jhn9840
John

 

[raddksn]

Nice work! How long was the cable you started with?

 

[Dr.phil]

what kind of wire did you use that's not going to come apart?

 

[rockwithjason]

looks like 2 awg welding lead.

 

[dr_clyde]

I don't know precisely what the copper cable was from. I suspect a welding lead as well, simply because of how flexible it is. I started with it about 20 feet long.

To keep it from unraveling I just silver soldered the ends into the braid.

 

[Showkey]

BUT ........you could be poisoned by the copper




Edit.......just a joke carried over from the PT wood thread

 

[NASTYZEN]

Never seen one like that. That is pretty cool. I have a piece of Copper sheet I wrap around the tube and clamp both ends with the ground clamp, but yours is much more efficient looking. No way you can arc that sucker. Thanks for sharing.

 

[89GLH]

The Cobra weave, for those curious.

 

[stokefire7]

No stainless ring though.

 

[dr_clyde]

No stainless ring though.

That's pretty cool. Did you make it?