Aluminum welding

I've decided that I'm going to go ahead and try my hand at gas welding
aluminum. I have the TinMan's video. I have the flux. And I have lots
of experience welding...steel.

The one question I have is cleaning the flux. The video has the TinMan
welding and then cleaning coupons with a damp rag. But how would you
clean the inside of a closed fuel tank?


--
This is by far the hardest lesson about freedom. It goes against
instinct, and morality, to just sit back and watch people make
mistakes. We want to help them, which means control them and their
decisions, but in doing so we actually hurt them (and ourselves)."

Ernest Christley wrote:
I've decided that I'm going to go ahead and try my hand at gas welding
aluminum. I have the TinMan's video. I have the flux. And I have lots
of experience welding...steel.

The one question I have is cleaning the flux. The video has the TinMan
welding and then cleaning coupons with a damp rag. But how would you
clean the inside of a closed fuel tank?


By not making it a closed fuel tank. Put in an access panel.

--
John Kimmel

remove x

"He's dead, Jim."

John Kimmel wrote:
Ernest Christley wrote:

I've decided that I'm going to go ahead and try my hand at gas welding
aluminum. I have the TinMan's video. I have the flux. And I have
lots of experience welding...steel.

The one question I have is cleaning the flux. The video has the
TinMan welding and then cleaning coupons with a damp rag. But how
would you clean the inside of a closed fuel tank?


By not making it a closed fuel tank. Put in an access panel.


That is so obvious, there is no way it could be right. 8*)

The construction method I was considering was to make sides with rounded
edges, so that they cupped in like the bottom of a Coke can. There
would be a convenient flange to weld, but it would leave a sharp crevice
on the inside for flux to hide in. Having never done it, I'm not sure
if I'm being overly concerned about a nit, or if overlooking it would
have catastrophic results.

--
This is by far the hardest lesson about freedom. It goes against
instinct, and morality, to just sit back and watch people make
mistakes. We want to help them, which means control them and their
decisions, but in doing so we actually hurt them (and ourselves)."

Ernest Christley wrote:

John Kimmel wrote:
Ernest Christley wrote:

I've decided that I'm going to go ahead and try my hand at gas welding
aluminum. I have the TinMan's video. I have the flux. And I have
lots of experience welding...steel.

The one question I have is cleaning the flux. The video has the
TinMan welding and then cleaning coupons with a damp rag. But how
would you clean the inside of a closed fuel tank?


By not making it a closed fuel tank. Put in an access panel.


That is so obvious, there is no way it could be right. 8*)

The construction method I was considering was to make sides with rounded
edges, so that they cupped in like the bottom of a Coke can. There
would be a convenient flange to weld, but it would leave a sharp crevice
on the inside for flux to hide in. Having never done it, I'm not sure
if I'm being overly concerned about a nit, or if overlooking it would
have catastrophic results.

If you have a pretty fast connection, go download my Texas Parasol CD
from Matronics.

There is a photo section on building the aluminum gas tank in it.
This particular example looks a lot like a Cub tank - 12 gallons.
Formed end plates with aluminum wrapper skin.

I didn't weld it - Sonny did, using electric stick.
I can sorta do ok with a torch now.
Just practice on scrap first...

Plans and CD:

http://www.matronics.com/photoshare/...et.03.04.2006/




Richard

Drain the gas first.

Colin

COLIN LAMB wrote:
Drain the gas first.

Colin



The gas I'm referring to is oxygen and acetylene. It's not a tank, yet.
Just a sheet of aluminum that needs to be formed into a tank.

--
This is by far the hardest lesson about freedom. It goes against
instinct, and morality, to just sit back and watch people make
mistakes. We want to help them, which means control them and their
decisions, but in doing so we actually hurt them (and ourselves)."