Square Buddies inventor tells how pipe fit-up tools came to life

Square Buddies hold a common framing square in the horizontal position, which enables a fitter to measure the pipe assembly to check for square. Given the length of the pipes, it would not be safe or practical to roll the pipe into the vertical position to check for level.

Square Buddies were developed as a practical and efficient means to perform accurate fit-ups on pipe and fittings in all positions. They are adjustable to pipe sizes anywhere from 2 to 12 in. and can be attached quickly and easily with any common framing square.

They are a real game-changer in applications where fit-up tolerances are required to be exact. This was my initial reason and inspiration for developing this system.

I received an opportunity in 2015 to work as a pipe welder for a major oil and gas company on the Alaska North Slope. Given the age of the facility and the inherently corrosive nature of Alaskan crude, much of the work I did was maintenance related, including in-service pipe welding and replacing existing corroded pipe spools. On my very first day, I was told by shop management that the “zero-stress policy” in bolting in replacement spools meant we worked to very tight fit-up tolerances. Therefore, the company preferred the use of squares instead of levels in fit-up and welding operations.

I made it a point to use the square primarily, but it was a bit of an adjustment at first. Like so many other welders, I had come to rely on the common torpedo level for fitting flanges and other fittings. It is generally sufficient for most applications and is a quick and efficient means of fitting and measuring pipe fabrication assemblies.

The problem with this commonly held methodology is that in Alaska, given the subsidence inherent in the permafrost conditions far inside the Arctic Circle, combined with the zero-stress policy in pipe fabrication projects, the common level was not practical to measure flange and fitting alignment. A level cannot be relied upon to measure pipe and fittings with the accuracy and precision required to meet necessary tolerances. Alaskan crude can come out of the ground at temperatures of 125 to 150 degrees F, all while wind chill conditions outside reach temperatures as low as -100 degrees F.

As a result, the company adopted a policy: If a fitter used a pry bar or spud wrench with more force than could be exerted with one arm to line up and perform the bolting operations during installation, this would constitute a rejection and the part would be returned for rework. Very few of these rejections would be tolerated and repeat offenders would earn themselves a “one-way ticket back to the lower 48.”

Oftentimes, I worked alone. But it became apparent that there were many situations where the measuring and checking of dimensions on the parts I fabricated required a third hand. I sometimes had to borrow a helper or snag another welder to hold a tape or square so I could measure a piece. Of course, we all need a little help now and then, but I have always felt a little guilty asking others for help.

It occurred to me that there was a need for a practical, efficient, and hands-free way to place a square on a piece of pipe so that it could remain securely in place, leaving a welder’s hands free to perform the necessary measurements. It was an idea that took root in the back of my mind and stayed with me even after my brief stint on the North Slope came to an end.

Sometime thereafter, I began work on a basic prototype design of the first set of Square Buddies. I used a couple of small pieces of angle iron with a tab welded on top so the framing square could be clamped into and held securely in place. After some trial and error, I developed a set that was effective, practical, and most of all, useful. I was very happy with the initial design, and from there I began testing them on the job and was instantly pleased with the results. I had devised a system where any common framing square could be used on a piece of pipe, up to and including 12 in., to check parts for square while a welder worked independently.

In fall 2017, I was hired as a pipe welder/fabricator for an oil and gas company in my home state of Colorado. Soon after, I was tasked with managing a small shop where we fabricated wellhead pipe spool assemblies. Alignment was crucial.

A fitter uses a tape measure to ensure the pipe assembly is square using the Square Buddies attachments.

Drawing upon my Alaska experience, I approached the energy company with a procedure that would ensure proper fit-up and alignment of the pipe assemblies required for the wellhead pipe. We began building the pipe assemblies once we had the company’s full agreement and support. It was during this job that I was able to definitively prove the efficacy of Square Buddies.

In 2½ years at this position, not one single part was ever returned out of alignment or misaligned. The quality control program we adopted required that every fabricated piece be checked for square prior to it being sent out. The Square Buddies proved a very integral part of our quality control program's success.

A typical level’s main limitation is that it is, at best, an approximation. A level can reveal if something is or isn’t level, but it can’t reveal exactly how far out of level the part is.

A framing square secured by Square Buddies allows a welder or fabricator to measure exactly how far out of square a component is. In our pipe flange-to-pipe welded connections, we never let a flange go out the door with more than 1/8 in. in 2 ft. out of square. We had a very accurate and efficient means to make sure we were holding to those parameters.

My next challenge to overcome was to find a way to secure these in horizontal applications, positions where a level would be of no practical use whatsoever. I reached out to Industrial Magnetics in Boyne City, Mich., which developed a system using magnets for the base that were strong enough to hold the square securely in place in any position (including overhead or horizontal). Now, it no longer mattered if the pipe being worked on was level or not.

When using a level to check parts for square, it is important for all parts to be in a level position. When a piece of pipe is locked in a fixed position, with no practical means to make it level, the use of the square then becomes the only practical way to check all parts for alignment.

Square Buddies are easy to use and efficient for fitting up pipe and fittings with precision and certainty, which improves the quality of pipe fabrication projects. A common level is limited in its functionality and is merely an approximation, giving no clear and objective assessment of how close to truly square a pipe assembly is. These fit-up, measurement, and inspection tools can greatly increase the pipe fabrication project quality and productivity and minimize time lost in costly repairs.

Many welders have told me that the Square Buddies are now their go-to fit-up tools for checking square on pipe and fitting assemblies. Welders who usually work on their own love having a hands-free way to hold a framing square solidly on a piece of pipe, enabling them to take the necessary measurements.