Custom Steel Penstock Fabrication Experts

T BAILEY LLC specializes in steel penstock fabrication for hydroelectric power generation, water treatment, municipal infrastructure, and industrial flow control applications. Since 1991, our team has delivered custom-engineered penstock pipe systems built to meet the demands of high-pressure water conveyance, aggressive site conditions, and long service life requirements.

With in-house fabrication, surface preparation, industrial coatings, testing, and delivery all performed at our Anacortes, Washington facility, T BAILEY LLC provides a full-service steel penstock fabrication solution that reduces coordination, shortens schedules, and maintains quality from start to finish.

Penstock Fabrication Capabilities

Our facility is equipped to handle steel penstock projects of significant scale and complexity. T BAILEY LLC operates 20-ton bridge cranes, CNC plasma cutters, and plate rollers capable of rolling heavy steel plate cold, enabling us to fabricate both exposed and buried penstock to meet a wide range of project specifications. Our capabilities include penstock pipe up to 120 feet long, 15 feet in diameter, and up to 1 inch in wall thickness, produced from carbon steel and configured to accommodate custom angles, bends, and complex geometries.

For projects that exceed standard shop dimensions, T BAILEY LLC can also mobilize a field fabrication operation near the job site, allowing our team to pre-roll and assemble oversized penstocks on location. Whether your project calls for standard shop-built sections or custom steel fabrication for a unique application, our penstock fabricator team can configure the process to fit your requirements.

Penstock Design and Engineering Support

While T BAILEY LLC does not design penstocks from scratch, we provide engineering support that helps refine and validate your designs before fabrication begins. Our team assists with geometry, performance, and strength calculations, cost recommendations, and CAD modeling.

We work with experienced engineers to ensure your penstocks design is optimized for the structural, hydraulic, and budgetary requirements of your project, aligned with applicable standards, including Bureau of Reclamation penstock design standards. By involving our team early, clients can identify constructability issues, optimize plate layouts, and reduce costly rework during fabrication of steel penstocks.

In-House Blasting and Coating for Steel Penstock

A key advantage of working with T BAILEY LLC is direct access to our in-house industrial coatings division. Our 14,000-square-foot coatings facility is co-located with our fabrication shop, so steel penstock moves directly from fabrication to surface preparation and coating without leaving the property. This eliminates handling risks, transportation delays, and coordination overhead that come with outsourcing to a third party.

Our process for penstock pipe begins with prewashing per SSPC SP1, followed by machine and manual blasting.

For plate and structural components, we use our Wheelabrator shot blast system to achieve a consistent surface profile. Our coatings team, led by a NACE Level III Certified Coatings Inspector, applies systems including metallizing with aluminum or zinc, zinc-rich primers, epoxies, urethanes, enamels, and vinyl ester coatings.

For dam penstocks and high-demand applications, T BAILEY LLC also applies plural component coating systems that deliver fast cure times and long-term corrosion resistance. The coating system is selected based on whether your penstock will be exposed or buried and the environmental conditions it will face.

The Penstock Fabrication Process

Once designs are finalized and materials are received, our steel penstock fabrication process follows a proven sequence with quality checkpoints built into each stage.

1. Cut and etch steel plate using CNC plasma cutters for precise dimensions and bevel preparation.
2. Roll the plate into cylinders using heavy-capacity plate rollers.
3. Weld the longitudinal seam of each cylinder.
4. Form penstock bends through hand welding to achieve the required geometry.
5. Assemble cylinders and bends into the final penstock pipe configuration using submerged arc welding for circumferential seams.
6. Blast and coat the assembled penstock using the appropriate coating system.
7. Transfer the completed penstock to our testing and quality control division for final inspection before shipment.

Because fabrication and coatings are co-located, T BAILEY LLC can begin surface treatment early in production and maintain coating integrity throughout. This integrated approach, supported by our full range of steel fabrication capabilities, is a core advantage of our penstock fabrication process.

Testing and Quality Control

Every steel penstock fabricated by T BAILEY LLC must pass a comprehensive quality control process before it is cleared for shipment. Our in-house inspection and NDE team operates full-time, led by an AWS Certified Welding Inspector and CWB Certified Welding Supervisor.

Testing and inspection capabilities include visual inspection with step-by-step process monitoring, radiographic testing (RT), ultrasonic testing (UT), dye penetrant testing (PT), magnetic particle testing (MT), heat treating and stress relieving, hardness and impact testing, positive material identification (PMI), leak testing, hydrostatic testing up to 2,500 psig, soluble salt testing, dry film thickness testing, adhesion testing, and lining continuity (holiday) testing.

T BAILEY LLC holds AWS D1.1 certification for welding, SSPC QP3 certification for surface preparation and coating, and DOT certifications across multiple states. These credentials, combined with our rigorous QC protocols, ensure that every penstock we deliver meets or exceeds the requirements of your project.

Shipping and Delivery

T BAILEY LLC’s Anacortes, Washington location provides a strategic logistics advantage for penstock delivery. Our facility sits 5 miles from a deep-water port, 7 miles from a rail spur, and 10 miles from Interstate 5, giving clients flexibility when planning transport for oversized steel penstock sections.

We offer rail service throughout the United States and Canada, truck delivery using our in-house drivers or trusted third-party carriers, and barge or steamship delivery for projects in Alaska, Hawaii, and other water-accessible locations. To help clients choose the most effective option, we provide a detailed cost analysis for each available shipping method.

Whether you are sourcing a penstock fabricator for a hydroelectric project, a water conveyance system, or a complex industrial application, T BAILEY LLC has the capabilities, certifications, and project history to deliver. From steel penstock fabrication and coatings through testing and delivery, our team manages the full process under one roof. Contact T BAILEY LLC today to discuss your penstock fabrication requirements.

Penstock Project

Our 125,000 square feet of covered steel fabrication facilities are situated on 30 acres of improved industrial property near the Burlington Northern Railroad, 5 miles from the deep-water port of beautiful Anacortes, Washington – just 10 miles from interstate highway 5 and approximately 70 miles north of Seattle. Our prime location affords us the opportunity to directly ship and receive oversized loads via barge, rail, or truck.