ok, so the jimmy gote is about done and I'm thinking about the next one. Thinking of buying a TIG welder and need a project. Soooo, I was thinking of something a bit more lighter then the 320lb jimmy gote. So a 6.5 clone and an aluminum frame. But never worked with much aluminum. Any issues I should think about? How does it hold up to flex and other stress? Any words of wisdom?
aluminum frames
- Thread starter jim85541
- Start date
Most of my experience with aluminum and TIG has been that the metal fails at some point within a 1/4" or so of the hot spot. Thats with boat trailers on washboard roads. Not every joint, but, the most stressed. I am working on some trial welds with a small Miller MIG with an aluminum spool gun.
You got a can of worms here...still, good concept.
SAT
You got a can of worms here...still, good concept.
SAT
An old welder fabricator told me a long time ago that for aluminum to have the same strength as steel it had to be twice as thick which means it weighs just about the same..... I learned to stick weld looking over his shoulder watching him. This was 40 plus years ago, so I am sure aluminum specs have changed since. It might get pricey to buy specific grade of aluminum to have the extra strength...
My advice to you would be to buy a Cobra Torch and a small set of tanks and gas weld the aluminum. My next reply will clear this up.
SAT the reason the metal fails at or near the weld is because it was overheated. My Tig welding instructor preached that if the aluminum weld bead was not shiny the weld was overheated and would fail..... He was adamant about this.
Thus the reason I suggested a Cobra Torch and gas welding the aluminum. Softer heat/flame and almost no chance of overheating it. And the Cobra torch will cut 1'' plate clean. So the tool has multiple uses.
Here is a video of the torch in action. I own one and it does everything that they claim it will do. I am not proficient with it but when I need it it does the job. Bought it from the very man doing the video, Dal McGill, in 1994. Great guy and he never forgets your name. It has been called a Henrob torch, a Dillon torch and now the Cobra torch. I have no affiliation with him but he is a guy that will help you and stand behind what he sells.
[video=youtube;bBWy3SPFGe4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBWy3SPFGe4[/video]
Here is his aluminum welding video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=FTD6bcFpRVs
And his webpage to order the torch.
Welding & Cutting Torch Acetylene Welding Torch DHC 2000 Torch Cut Like Plasma -TorchWeld.com
Doug
edit - this torch works with 4 psi of pressure from both tanks. 2 small tanks will last for a long time...
My advice to you would be to buy a Cobra Torch and a small set of tanks and gas weld the aluminum. My next reply will clear this up.
SAT the reason the metal fails at or near the weld is because it was overheated. My Tig welding instructor preached that if the aluminum weld bead was not shiny the weld was overheated and would fail..... He was adamant about this.
Thus the reason I suggested a Cobra Torch and gas welding the aluminum. Softer heat/flame and almost no chance of overheating it. And the Cobra torch will cut 1'' plate clean. So the tool has multiple uses.
Here is a video of the torch in action. I own one and it does everything that they claim it will do. I am not proficient with it but when I need it it does the job. Bought it from the very man doing the video, Dal McGill, in 1994. Great guy and he never forgets your name. It has been called a Henrob torch, a Dillon torch and now the Cobra torch. I have no affiliation with him but he is a guy that will help you and stand behind what he sells.
[video=youtube;bBWy3SPFGe4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBWy3SPFGe4[/video]
Here is his aluminum welding video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=FTD6bcFpRVs
And his webpage to order the torch.
Welding & Cutting Torch Acetylene Welding Torch DHC 2000 Torch Cut Like Plasma -TorchWeld.com
Doug
edit - this torch works with 4 psi of pressure from both tanks. 2 small tanks will last for a long time...
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FOMOGO,intresting product. i would like to see more info on welding cast aluminum(engine block)
he did show little on a intake manifold. that just might be the ticket for me. i need to fill in some voids and machine some area's out.
have any of you played with welding cast aluminum with that torch.
he did show little on a intake manifold. that just might be the ticket for me. i need to fill in some voids and machine some area's out.
have any of you played with welding cast aluminum with that torch.
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I have not tried it on cast aluminum. I have welded a bunch of aluminum with it over the years. I always carried my intakes to the guy that I watched over his shoulder to learn how to stick weld. He was as old school as they came. He never took the cutting attachment off his torch... He would braze or weld steel or cut but he never changed the torch. I always said that if he could get a pine needle to spark he could weld a tree limb back together. He could repair pot metal moldings.
Go on the Torch Weld website and his number is on the contact page. Call Dal and discuss it with him. He is as straight up as they come. He wont BS you about what it will or wont do.
If you buy one and take the time to learn how to use it you will be very happy with the purchase. Initial set up cost is recouped in the multiple things that you will be able to do that a regular torch wont do. Brent Vandervort at Fatman Fabrications doesn't use anything else for sheet metal work. He told me that he had 5 of them in use in the shop. When I was there last year for the Covell metal class Brent was in the middle of chopping a 51 Mercury and the Cobra torch was hanging in the window opening. All the welding was gas welding.
Doug
Go on the Torch Weld website and his number is on the contact page. Call Dal and discuss it with him. He is as straight up as they come. He wont BS you about what it will or wont do.
If you buy one and take the time to learn how to use it you will be very happy with the purchase. Initial set up cost is recouped in the multiple things that you will be able to do that a regular torch wont do. Brent Vandervort at Fatman Fabrications doesn't use anything else for sheet metal work. He told me that he had 5 of them in use in the shop. When I was there last year for the Covell metal class Brent was in the middle of chopping a 51 Mercury and the Cobra torch was hanging in the window opening. All the welding was gas welding.
Doug
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I have a little turbo torch that is in a tote that I use for quick little jobs where I have to carry the torch away from the shop. I have a full sized set of bottles with a Victor Torch that I use mostly for heating something with the rosebud. But the set that the Dillin is on are a mid size in between the 2. I don't know the tank numbers... The oxygen tank is around about 36 inches tall with the cap on it. The acetylene tank is about 6 or 8 inches shorter. I wish I knew the numbers for the tank size but I just set them on the dock and the guy gives me another set...
I just looked at the video again and the bottles that you can see beside him is the size I have.
You wont regret purchasing one of these. You can cut 22 gauge sheet metal and not warp it. Weld 22 gauge and not warp it either. The flame is very soft.
It sounds to good to be true but its TWUE, its TWUE...... ( I am watching Blazing Saddles as I type this... )
What you see Dal do in the video takes practice to do but it can be done with a relatively short learning curve. I am surprised that more of you have not seen Dal as he goes to every big car show or swap meet that you can think of. I see him all the time at shows. I bought my torch from him in 1994 if I recall correctly. I still have the receipt in the torch box.
Doug
I just looked at the video again and the bottles that you can see beside him is the size I have.
You wont regret purchasing one of these. You can cut 22 gauge sheet metal and not warp it. Weld 22 gauge and not warp it either. The flame is very soft.
It sounds to good to be true but its TWUE, its TWUE...... ( I am watching Blazing Saddles as I type this... )
What you see Dal do in the video takes practice to do but it can be done with a relatively short learning curve. I am surprised that more of you have not seen Dal as he goes to every big car show or swap meet that you can think of. I see him all the time at shows. I bought my torch from him in 1994 if I recall correctly. I still have the receipt in the torch box.
Doug
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They make an open coat flap wheel that is designed just for aluminum. Use it on steel and it goes away quick. I buy SAIT brand from Air Gas.
When you use a file on aluminum use WD 40 on the file and the aluminum. It wont clog as long as you keep it lubricated.
While you are at it use Carbide concrete drill bits to drill it... They work in Stainless too if they are a "good" brand.
Doug
When you use a file on aluminum use WD 40 on the file and the aluminum. It wont clog as long as you keep it lubricated.
While you are at it use Carbide concrete drill bits to drill it... They work in Stainless too if they are a "good" brand.
Doug
