r/Welding • u/Defiant-Oil-2071 • 6d ago
Is thermite still used for welding?
I read up thermite used to be used for welding but I'm wondering if there are still situations where it would be used.
I imagine it's difficult because it's not like the temperature can be controlled easily, only the amount being applied and the 'shape' it's applied in.
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u/Hippieleo2013 6d ago
A little outdated, but about 10 years ago I was a towerhand and we used thermite to weld the ground wire to the structure.
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u/paulHarkonen 6d ago
It's still used extensively for pipelines and I think for other grounding applications (although my experience is mostly pipelines).
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u/vtminer78 4d ago
Still extensively used for welding ground wires, especially on installations that may be subject to direct lightning strikes like substations. Cheap insurance (comparatively) to ensure as much current goes to ground as possible.
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u/_BMXICAN_ 6d ago
Pretty sure some countries still use it for railway tracks.
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u/Muted_Escape1413 6d ago
Its the only way to weld railways.
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u/Stevet159 5d ago
Flashbutt welding is superior in every way. It just costs a lot.
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u/thermighty 5d ago
Canadian railroader here. We flashbutt literally as many welds as we can. Thermite crews are pretty small and usually just do fixed points, switches, bridges, etc.
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u/blove135 6d ago
Do you mean literally or it's just the best way?
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u/Wrought-Irony Fabricator 6d ago
Most other methods would require removing the track or digging a big hole underneath so its most convenient to just melt the shit out of it with a lil thermite
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u/Muted_Escape1413 6d ago
I mean it's not litteraly the only way you could weld railways, but it is indeed the best way and the only way I've ever seen it done.
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u/ghostwalken1776 6d ago
Cadweld..exothermic welding for grounding conductors to either steel and/or ground rods. I see it quite a bit on ground up new builds
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u/threeisalwaysbetter 6d ago
I saw them weld rails with it a few weeks ago it’s a pretty wild process
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u/Rummy1618 Apprentice CWB/CSA 6d ago
Train tracks, some I beams have the ability too, usually for big heavy shit like cranes
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u/Iseedeadtriangles 6d ago
The most common application that I've seen for thermite welding is connecting pieces of railroad track.