Steamfitter Equipment and Tools Knowledge 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the function of a come-along (lever hoist) when installing heavy pipe sections overhead?
- Cutting pipe to length
- Providing mechanical advantage to lift or pull pipe into position (Correct answer)
- Testing hydrostatic pressure
- Threading pipe ends
Correct answer: Providing mechanical advantage to lift or pull pipe into position
A come-along uses a ratchet-and-chain mechanism to multiply pulling force, allowing workers to lift or shift heavy pipe into alignment with limited effort.
Question 2: A pipe saddle support is installed to:
- Join two pipes of different diameters
- Distribute the pipe's weight over a broader bearing surface and prevent point loading (Correct answer)
- Seal a leak in the pipe wall
- Measure pipe deflection
Correct answer: Distribute the pipe's weight over a broader bearing surface and prevent point loading
Saddle supports cradle the pipe's bottom arc and spread load over a larger area, preventing deformation at the contact point.
Question 3: What tool is used to cut cast-iron soil pipe without using a saw?
- Snap cutter (soil-pipe cutter) (Correct answer)
- Wheel cutter
- Reciprocating saw only
- Pipe nibbler
Correct answer: Snap cutter (soil-pipe cutter)
A snap cutter uses hardened cutting wheels tightened around the circumference; scored evenly, the pipe snaps cleanly with no sparks or dust.
Question 4: In steam piping, expansion loops are formed using pipe bends rather than fittings because:
- Fittings are not pressure-rated
- Bends have lower flow resistance and no threaded joints that could leak under thermal cycling (Correct answer)
- Bends are cheaper than elbows
- Expansion loops only work with copper pipe
Correct answer: Bends have lower flow resistance and no threaded joints that could leak under thermal cycling
Smooth bends eliminate threaded or welded joints within the loop and offer less flow restriction, reducing stress concentrations during repeated thermal expansion.
Question 5: A pipe wrap-around (contour marker) tool is used to:
- Insulate pipe against heat loss
- Scribe a straight cut line around the pipe circumference (Correct answer)
- Apply pipe dope evenly to threads
- Test pipe for corrosion
Correct answer: Scribe a straight cut line around the pipe circumference
A wrap-around is a flexible strip with a straight edge that wraps around the pipe OD and allows scribing a square cut line on any pipe diameter.
Question 6: Which measuring tool provides the most accurate inside diameter measurement of a large-bore pipe?
- Outside caliper transferred to a rule
- Telescoping gauge measured with a micrometer (Correct answer)
- Steel tape measure
- Vernier scale on a pipe cutter
Correct answer: Telescoping gauge measured with a micrometer
A telescoping gauge expands to contact the bore wall and is then measured with a micrometer, providing precise ID readings not achievable with a tape measure.
Question 7: When threading steel pipe, cutting oil is applied primarily to:
- Lubricate the die and cool the cutting edges, extending die life and producing clean threads (Correct answer)
- Prevent rust on the pipe exterior
- Seal the finished threads
- Mark the start of the thread
Correct answer: Lubricate the die and cool the cutting edges, extending die life and producing clean threads
Cutting oil lubricates and cools the die teeth during cutting, reducing friction, preventing chip welding, and producing accurately formed threads.
Steamfitter Equipment and Tools Knowledge 3
What is the function of a come-along (lever hoist) when installing heavy pipe sections overhead?