SkillsOne hit North Brisbane's TAFE campus at Eagle Farm to find out all about boilermaking. Boilermakers are employed in repairing, repiping, and retubing commercial steam and hot water boilers used for heating and domestic hot water in commercial buildings and multi family dwellings. Sometimes these boilers are referred to as pressure vessels. The main two tasks of boilermakers involve; using gas sets to cut or gouge steel plate and welding. Boilermaking, welding, and fitting pipe can be a full-time year round project at powerplants-since stress fractures, leaks, and rust and corrosion cause a continual need for repair or replacement, and power plants often operate at very high steam pressures. Other boilermakers might work seasonally or on an individual project such as re-fitting a boiler in a seagoing vessel, or in the one time remodeling of a steam plant. Boiler repair can be a very valuable service since even the smallest steam boilers for dry cleaners, tailor and alterations shops cans cost thousand dollars to replace.
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