Gateway to Success

SkillsOne hit North Brisbane's TAFE campus at Eagle Farm to find out all about boiler making.

Boilermakers are employed in repairing, re-piping, and re-tubing 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.

Boiler making, welding, and fitting pipe can be a full-time year round project at power plants 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.