Aluminum fabrication

[Flyboy]

TCK, I am with you on that one, speed be damned, there is nothing to raise the goose bumps and make you feel like you have ice water flowing through your veins like a six at full chat.
Had a Z1300 with a Kerker 6 into 1 many moons ago, thing was a heap, but my God, the thing didn't half sound glorious at full tilt.

[ValorSolo]

I made a folder for fabrication. It works great only on bends 1" or more from the edge.
I had a couple of bends that I wanted to make at 1/2", but wasn't able to do it.
It's due to the large gap at the pivot point. The gap is about 1/2", ideally it should be no more than 1/8".
When I find the right hinge to achieve a smaller gap and maintain strength, I'll make a new folder.




Here's the battery box I'm working on. I have it setting in place just to test the fit.
It's actually in two pieces and needs to be welded together and then polished.
I'm not sure how polished I want it yet. I may just sand it down and go with a brushed look.

[mighty13d]

You mean something like this......

Hahaha a little more simple than that. I probably won't paint them, and if I do, it will just be black. I like your metal break. I will take pics of mine when I get back up to it. And if you dont mind a little more hijacking, I will post up what I'm doing.

[pete]

Good work on the tool! That should help a great deal.

All of mine has been messing with C clamps and the bench vise, and something like that would've made it so much easier, but I just don't have the room for it I think... but I may investigate further if I end up doing more.

Right now I need to bend some solid 10mm steel rod for part of my carry rack, but I've determined I will need heat to do that successfully.

[ValorSolo]

Using the vice and c-clamps is fine for small pieces, but it's hard to get a uniformed bend on longer stuff.
That's where the folder comes in. Just wish I had thinner hinges to get a smaller gap.

Right now, I'm trying to figure out which welding method I should use.
I've got some aluminum wire for my MIG welder, but I've never welded aluminum like that before.
I want to stick weld it but I'll have to go buy some 4043 rods, if I can find them.
I can't braise, so that's no option. I really need to learn how to braise.

[GateKeeper]

go to your nearest hardware store and look for some piano hinge....

the really thin one might not be strong enough, but see if you can find a heavy duty one



.

[ValorSolo]

I used what I had on hand around the shed for this one.
But I could pick up some hinges cheap enough for a new folder.
I have some stainless steel brackets to make and will need strong hinges for that.
The one in the picture you posted may not be up to the task.

[ValorSolo]

Right now, I'm trying to figure out which welding method I should use.
I've got some aluminum wire for my MIG welder, but I've never welded aluminum like that before.
I want to stick weld it but I'll have to go buy some 4043 rods, if I can find them.
I can't braise, so that's no option. I really need to learn how to braise.

Anyone ever stick welded aluminum? I'm having a time teaching myself.
Either I'm a bad teacher or a bad student, not sure which.
I just spent $20 on a pack of 1/8" 4043 rods.
I can get a half decent bead, but I'm only getting penetration on one piece.
A little tap and the weld pops right off the other piece.
I've went hotter and colder to where I either burn through or barely get an arc.
At this point, if I had some argon, I'd jump over to the MIG and try that.

[mighty13d]

I have stick welded alum. It is the angle you are holding the rod. Try bringing it more towards pointing towards the piece you are not getting penetration. Hold it over there a little bit more if you use a back and forth 'sewing' motion. Some use a swirling motion, and some just right up the middle. I make little horseshoe motions and just remember to stay in the puddle.

If you are getting good penetration on one side, then it is your method, not the heat that is doing it. Hope this helped.

Edit:

MIG welding aluminium is a pita. If you run it from the machine, it has a huge tendency to kink right at the rollers. It welds good if you can keep it from doing that or if you have a spool gun.

[ValorSolo]

I thought of the angle and tried welding at different ones, but never got it right.
But now that I know that is the problem, I'll work at it some more. Thanks.

And good info on the wire feed issue. Maybe the better machines have less trouble?
My MIG is a cheap one that would probably be bad at this, but a friend has a nice, new Lincoln in my shed.
He may even have some argon out there. I know the bottle is on there, maybe it's not empty.