Recent content by bplayer405

Just picked up a scrap boat trailer for material to widen the front of my 11x5 utility trailer. Want to use the 11x5 to haul 2 atvs, one loaded across the front and one loaded from the back. Had to cut it up to haul it home. Not sure if I'll repurpose the axle section into a small atv trailer or...

An Arc Pig may be a viable option for me. I was given a Lincoln tombstone welder a while back (still don't have in hand and don't know if it works...). I should pick that up and see if that would be a route to take. Unless I can get that boat in the right position to weld the middle of the floor...

I'm understanding that tig is just better at some things. A tig welder is now on my list of equipment to get. Looking pretty hard at the Primeweld Tig 225x. Being close to the end of fishing season and having another boat to use, this project is going on the back burner. Probably won't mess with...

I am learning the importance of preheating. Welded the 46 rivets I could reach that attach the keel to the boat and had a dozen still leak. Upon close inspection some of the weld did not fully wet-out and connect to the base material. These leaky welds were not preheated. Just enough porosity or...

Just tried 15cfh and no issues. Here's an example of my snail method of sealing up the rivets... I move in a fast spiral to the center.

Backed it off to 20 cfh and it did just fine. I realized I'll always have some black soot running 5356 wire due to magnesium in the blend. Thought more cfh would clean it up and saw plenty of vids using 30 cfh while aluminum welding. Good to know I should be fine running half that.

I actually have to back way off with my oxy-acetylene torch once welding temp is achieved or I just melt everything. I just picked up a tradesman mapp gas hose/torch setup I may try welding aluminum with. For now I'm just using it to preheat for spool gun welding...

No, a Smith HD torch. Quite heavy and cumbersome, but works well.

Its set just over 30cfh in my garage with no fan. Much less and its very sooty. I haven't tried any higher a setting. Figured I'd get clean welds, but always a bit of soot. Outside corners are the worst though...

Ty. I did not preheat these. Picked up a mapp torch hose setup specifically for preheating, but realized I was out of gas for it... My first argon tank (42cf) is down to 750 psi so I'll have to get it filled soon too... did 3 of these ribs yesterday and that little tank went from 1000 psi to 750...

Oh, yes... WAY nicer!

This setup should weld up a lot easier than my previous attempt... The cap is is inside the rib...

True, all this took me only around an hour to weld up...

Around 50 holes in the front deck alone... be close to a full afternoon of grinder work on this thing once I remove it for bracing... Its why I'm wishing I had a tig; wouldn't have so much welded material to smooth out. I'll be saving up for one... Maybe