Welding Tips and Tricks

Hello,

I’m Oliver and am from the Detroit metro area, in Michigan.

I always wanted a TIG welder, but what finally triggered the purchase of my Eastwood TIG200 AC/DC was that I have to make new engine mount brackets for the homebuilt aircraft, my wife and I are building.

I also want to add an additional NPT fitting to the tank, which is only made of 0.025” 6061-T6 aluminum and later also add a number of small l-angles, made of the same material, to other parts.

I have been a lurker in this forum for quite some time. Since I absolutely can’t figure out how to join two pieces 0.025” 6061-T6 aluminum, I figured that I should finally sign up to ask for help, for what I will start a separate thread with more details.

Oliver

Welcome to the forum, Oliver!

Welcome! What kind of kit plane?

Houle427 wrote:Welcome to the forum, Oliver!

Thank you.

tungstendipper wrote:Welcome! What kind of kit plane?

Thanks to you as well.
We're building a Zenith CH750 CruZer, but with the gear of the STOL version.
Once it’s done it will therefore look similar to this one:



I want to make new brackets to support the engine mount on the cockpit site, as the ones that came with the kit are a few degrees off an do not properly align with the firewall. If I would use them and tighten the engine mount bolts down, the firewall would be pretty significantly bent, as it is sandwiched between the engine mount and the support brackets on the cockpit side.

The other thing I want to do, which is also pretty urgent, is to weld an additional 3/8” fitting into the tank, which will be used to install a capacitance fuel sender. This is why I started this thread, as I first want to become competent in welding 0.025” aluminium, before I burn holes into the real thing : http://forum.weldingtipsandtricks.com/v ... =5&t=12940

Oliver

Welcome to the forum, Oliver.

I dont know about now, but I built (didnt finish!) a 'Monerai' sailplane. It had a chrome-moly cage inside a fiberglass pod.
At the time (1979-80) the FAA inspector would not allow 'EAA' amateur's to weld any other way than oxy/acet welding.
The inspector was also a member of EAA. 'Experimental Aircraft Association'

You might want to check with (somebody) before starting your project.

-c-

cornmuse wrote:I dont know about now, but I built (didnt finish!) a 'Monerai' sailplane. It had a chrome-moly cage inside a fiberglass pod.
At the time (1979-80) the FAA inspector would not allow 'EAA' amateur's to weld any other way than oxy/acet welding.
The inspector was also a member of EAA. 'Experimental Aircraft Association'

You might want to check with (somebody) before starting your project.

-c-

I just looked it up, as I never heard of a Monerai before - what a beautiful plane!

Funny how times are changing. The EAA is now even offering TIG welding workshops, for example during AirVenture in Oshkosh: https://www.eaa.org/en/airventure/featu ... ig-welding

In my case, I however only want too make two brackets that support the engine mount, as the ones that came with the kit don't fit right. While they are certainly important, this job doesn't come anywhere close to welding on the fuselage or control components.

Oliver

Your plane looks like a Kit Fox.