Welding Tips and Tricks

I would like to make a gas(octane) tank for a motorcycle and I'm not sure what series Aluminum to use. I've read that 1xxx is recommended but Ive tried and research on the topic with no luck. It needs to be easy to work with, since I will be hammering it and putting it through the english wheel. If anyone has done one before please share some tips. Thanks

Wait for confirmation on this, as there are others with aluminum experience, but:

3003 does not work-harden, and readily welds with 4043 wire, so it should fit your requirements.

Steve S

3003 h14 oxy/acet weld with 1100 or shear strips of 3003 for filler.---RG

why oxy/acet? Is tig or mig not good for this?

desmo wrote:why oxy/acet? Is tig or mig not good for this?

I would tig it ... 3003 w/ 1100 filler is optimum & 4043 will work too as Otto mentioned. Very common for all types of fuel tanks. Why Oxy-fuel? Well, oxy-fuel can produce very good results on aluminum with the proper technique ... I know of many drag car fabricators that learned with oxy & still use a torch to make some sweet welds on tanks. Done correctly, an oxy welded tank will stretch a little more in the event of a tank flash ... But Tig is perfectly acceptable.

Mig can be used, but most people prefer the quality & appearance of Tig. The one place you'll find mig welded fuel tanks is on semi tractors. If you check out an 18-wheeler, you'll see Mig welded seams & end caps ... But they're manufactured using high end equipment & fixtures to reduce the chance of leaks at the starts & stops. In this case, Mig is used for production speed because the tanks are so long.

Oxy/fuel produces a more maleable weld that will planish smooth without cracking. The weld bead is usually flatter and less bulky so there is less filing.

Man, I must be getting old, and set in my habits... Didn't even think about 1100 filler! Non-hardening, and planishes like gold. 4043 is the lowest allow content I've used for a long time...

Steve S

Check this out, shows how maleable a gas weld is for thin sheet that needs to be worked after weld.
Half way through the vid. he really beats up weld area then straightens back out.
This is probably one of the very few times the torch wins over tig.---RG

Otto, I'm so old I forgot what my habits were.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF1Srs_e1Aw

Thanks for the video. I was unsure of using 1100 filler at first, still am a bit because I've read/heard is crack sensitive (I don't believe everything I hear, but take it into consideration). I'm concerned about the vibrations that will be present while the tank is in use and the stress it might put on the welds. Is 1100 the #1 choice filler for 3003-H14? Any info links would be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks