Community Forums

CIDE · 05-25-2019, 12:15 PM

Like yourself, I enjoy aluminum because it's clean and pretty. When you're done with the weld, a little buffing of the oxide cleaning zone and you're done - there's no painting prep and painting, aluminum is the finish and it doesn't rust.

"Aluminum for me has been about seeing the puddle means you’re late for the party."

As you know, it has no surface tension, when it puddles, it's likely to drip on yer foot.

I can't believe how HOT alum gets when welding, like the center of the sun hot and it does it RIGHT NOW.

I use a lot of heat sink on small parts to keep them from dripping on the floor.

Wroughtnharv · 05-26-2019, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CIDE

Like yourself, I enjoy aluminum because it's clean and pretty. When you're done with the weld, a little buffing of the oxide cleaning zone and you're done - there's no painting prep and painting, aluminum is the finish and it doesn't rust.

"Aluminum for me has been about seeing the puddle means you’re late for the party."

As you know, it has no surface tension, when it puddles, it's likely to drip on yer foot.

I can't believe how HOT alum gets when welding, like the center of the sun hot and it does it RIGHT NOW.

I use a lot of heat sink on small parts to keep them from dripping on the floor.

I have a couple of buds that can weld aluminum with their eyes closed. They call me a solderer because it’s against my nature to just move and trust that it will be okay. For me the TIG is the fun rod when using silicone bronze to stick stuff together. Also silicone bronze if the funnest material to forge the foo foo stuff. You can work hours forging up a piece of art and then get it too hot, easy to do, hit it with the hammer and you have instant pile of sand.

I’m working on a cart that will hold the Miller Dialarc and the Lincoln 205ACDC suitcase machine I use for TIG along with Argon bottles. It’s kind of funny, for probably forty five years I’ve laughed a guys wanting to use bed frame material. It’s too hard for cutting and generally contrary to work with. But that’s what I’m using. As I was looking at available material I saw some bed frames and decided they would be perfect because it’s really strong for its weight. I’ll just have to be little more diligent in the welding.

93% humidity this morning, feel like will be higher than that later, oh joy!

CIDE · 05-26-2019, 01:05 PM

I'm a wannabe weldor, as a hobbyist, I just don't enough practice. I think weldors are magicians and underpaid for their knowledge.

Silicone bronze is a sweet medium.

BEDFRAMES?!?!?

Hey, it's cheap, readily available and more that adequate for a weld cart.

I'm a hands on tool kinda guy but my career was trapped in a cubicle watching a computer.

I'm drawn to metal fab of any sort, from NASCAR, Indy cars, monster trucks, rock crawlers, Mars rovers, the space shuttle, everything. I'd love to watch the aluminum weldors perform their magic.

Wroughtnharv · 05-26-2019, 07:07 PM

Two tips, Zap over on the various welding forums. I haven’t been on there in years but the man is pure magic. And Jody at tips & Tricks is another master that’s invaluable for information.

The welding cart is almost done. I’m using 1/8” 5 P+ rod and the Dialarc on one setting. I’m lazy so I just change technique a little bit when changing from welding 16 ga to 14 ga or sewing up some 3/16 1 1/2” square tubing. It’s not something I would share online but it will work just fine for my purposes. The material is all rusty and or used except for the wheels. She’s not a hot date, but a sure one.

A long time ago I picked up on the fact that some of the most creative weldors weren’t the most technically gifted. And that some of my buds who were artists when it came to the welds themselves weren’t worth a hoot at creativity. I kinda fall in the middle there and am comfortable with it.

I’m getting a little antsy about getting the welding cart set up with the TIG available. I have some aluminum scrap around could have some fun.

CIDE · 05-26-2019, 08:25 PM

I understand this is an RV site but it's your thread so I'm going with that.

For the three years before my retirement, I spent many hours on the welding web sites (WeldingWeb, Miller Forums, ShopFloorTalk) and I remember Zap - a truly gifted weldor/fabricator. He's one of the reasons I have an underachieving complex. So is Jody.

Good point about welding skill vs creativity. I know a gifted machinist. He made the point that he knew almost NO machinists that could weld and he was completely dumbfounded by it - saying that being able to weld is what makes him a talented machinist.

He built this motorcycle from an artist's rendition, that artist being IN TURKEY who knew almost nothing about the mechanics of motorcycling.

You can google 'bmw alpha' if you have any interest. It's a Bonneville Salt Flats land speed concept, keyword being 'concept'. It's actually rideable but that wasn't its intent. The CNC aluminum fabrication is stunning.

Wroughtnharv · 05-27-2019, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CIDE

I understand this is an RV site but it's your thread so I'm going with that.

For the three years before my retirement, I spent many hours on the welding web sites (WeldingWeb, Miller Forums, ShopFloorTalk) and I remember Zap - a truly gifted weldor/fabricator. He's one of the reasons I have an underachieving complex. So is Jody.

Good point about welding skill vs creativity. I know a gifted machinist. He made the point that he knew almost NO machinists that could weld and he was completely dumbfounded by it - saying that being able to weld is what makes him a talented machinist.

He built this motorcycle from an artist's rendition, that artist being IN TURKEY who knew almost nothing about the mechanics of motorcycling.

You can google 'bmw alpha' if you have any interest. It's a Bonneville Salt Flats land speed concept, keyword being 'concept'. It's actually rideable but that wasn't its intent. The CNC aluminum fabrication is stunning.

Interesting concept, face like a bull dog with a butt like a chihuahua made to break wind. I bet the billet work is beautiful. Art.

As for weldors and machinists, there’s a law of nature about that.

Weldor looking at a 1/4” gap in a repair, “nothing but a thing”.

Machinist looking at same gap, “OH MY GAWD!!!!! 250 thousandths!!!!!!!!!!

CIDE · 05-27-2019, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wroughtnharv

Interesting concept, face like a bull dog with a butt like a chihuahua made to break wind. I bet the billet work is beautiful. Art.

As for weldors and machinists, there’s a law of nature about that.

Weldor looking at a 1/4” gap in a repair, “nothing but a thing”.

Machinist looking at same gap, “OH MY GAWD!!!!! 250 thousandths!!!!!!!!!!

ronjhall · 05-28-2019, 04:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wroughtnharv

Machinist looking at same gap, “OH MY GAWD!!!!! 250 thousandths!!!!!!!!!!

That's me.

Wroughtnharv · 06-05-2019, 06:30 AM

We got the wake up call that we are still living in Jane, black tanks needs to be emptied. We replaced the old toilet with a newer much better one finally and evidently it used more water.

We’ve had a ton of things going on. We had company, cuz and husband were here for a couple of days. We have a new routine in the mornings. Dozer goes after his favorite squirrels and then I get out the BB gun. Dozer gets even more excited and squirrels flee, they’re rifle trained now. I’m using BB’s because I want to just sting them into leaving the dog alone.

We bought a gas range just like the one we have in Arizona. Sure glad cuz’s husband was here to change out about a dozen orifices (6) so it works on propane. We can have a cobblers, pies, and cornbread. That of course meant we had to expand the floor area under the cover where we cook. I picked up 30 concrete blocks they use for setting up mobiles homes, 4” X 16” X 16”. It was a lot of hard work, blocks are heavy and it takes multiple tries to get them just right. We also added Coolaroo awnings to block morning and evening sun. They are awesome.

The welding cart is about 90% done, usable. The new winch is installed on the gin pole attachment. Now I can move the power pole so we can get the old temporary power pole out of the barndominium porch foot print. Yesterday I got the concrete guy on board. He will do the pour and finish, $1.00 per sq ft. And he will give me two good helpers to get the forming done. He was surprised when I told him I would do the rough in plumbing myself. Then I told I would do it all myself, finish plumbing, electrical, carpentry, etc.

Sorry for the no pics. It seems life with one to two bars isn’t what one would like to have in the new world. One of the embarrassments is moving my head will cancel a phone call. Friends and family are constantly telling me to be still while talking on the phone.

We start working with helpers next week, cash at end of day plus they get to eat lunch with me, hot diggity!

okmunky · 06-05-2019, 04:53 PM

Harvey,

I highly recommend a Weboost cell phone amplifier. I used one on Notta Ranch and went from 1 bar to 4. They aren’t cheap, but they really work. Mine worked in a raidius of about 40’ around the RV with fewer bars the further you walked.

https://www.wilsonamplifiers.com/web...BoCFWcQAvD_BwE

Wroughtnharv · 06-06-2019, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by okmunky

Harvey,

I highly recommend a Weboost cell phone amplifier. I used one on Notta Ranch and went from 1 bar to 4. They aren’t cheap, but they really work. Mine worked in a raidius of about 40’ around the RV with fewer bars the further you walked.

https://www.wilsonamplifiers.com/web...BoCFWcQAvD_BwE

Thanks Barb, double doggone darn, a little expensive. I have to look at it as 50 pieces of #4 rebar, I’m buying 300 pieces for the slab of the barndominium. Yesterday they delivered 30 more yards of select fill and 10 yards of O Dot (road base). Tomorrow and Saturday is OKC for some chores on granddaughter’s house. Then it’s back to Thereabouts and taking advantage of some dry weather.

It looks like I’m able to upload a photo this morning, this is the new kitchen area.

okmunky · 06-06-2019, 11:29 AM

Lookin' mighty fine there, Harvey!

Wroughtnharv · 06-07-2019, 06:18 AM

Yesterday was a great day at Thereabouts. One of the goals was to move the power pole that was abandoned in the fence line to where we can use it for a temporary power pole while we build the barndominium.

The gin pole attachment had to be rebuilt after years of neglect. The new hole had been dug last week after adding 32” to the auger, 8’ deep. Then it was time to dig the hole next to the power pole.

Wroughtnharv · 06-07-2019, 06:21 AM

Once the hole was dug then it was time to change over to the gin pole attachment to lift the pole out of the power line. They had topped the pole so I had about three feet clearance vertically so I had room to tilt it over and then pull it out of the hole.

Then it was just pick up sticks.