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Hi Glen. Torch heating your welds won't make a difference in the stress.
You'd need to heat the whole assembly. This can be done with a large oven and
the service is usually available in larger cities with a manufacturing
base.
It's not really worth the cost and effort unless you are planning on
subjecting the weldment/hull to stresses near it's maximum point. With the
typical safety factor of a psub of 1-1/2 times you are allowing enough extra
strength in the hull to avoid the extra work and cost of stress relieving the
entire hull.
I believe the ovens take it up to 1300 F. or so and hold it there for 3
hours, then a gradual cool down lasting 6 or more hours.
Frank D.
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