Welding Tips and Tricks

I havent posted much of my actual tig welding attempts, or practice... hasnt been much of it, building a tig torch cooler and welding positioner and will really get on it, once those projects are complete... since I did weld up some aluminum the other day, i thought i would post it... little insecure, as there are many awesome welders on this forum... but this is my best shot...

making a custom catch can and fuel cell for a nitrous mini bike project... this bike has been a part of my fight against cancer... cancer free as of right no and hope to stay that way... i have fought through side effects, long term and permanent damage from the process... and getting as much as i can done, when i can...

made templates for the tank and can...

I didnt want to cut all this 1/8" aluminum by hand... so i programmed the pieces and laser cut them... 1/8" 5052..
program looks like this


and cut




I could have and should have programmed it to fit together like a puzzle, with tabs, where there would be all outside open corner joints... but was moving fast and left the program, as it would be if i hand cut it... left me with the task of either modifying all the pieces, or welding closed corner joints... closed it is...

after watching a few of Jody's vids over and over, I finally got the courage to get it done.. lol

i prepped the pieces for the catch can and welded them up... i wanted to make sure this was welded up and had no issues, with sealing etc... so i welded along all seams first... I then welded all the corners so that it would change the pattern up a bit and make it all look as uniform as i could

i prepped tacked and welded up the fuel cell...

and it fits as planned... need to add filler neck for fuel cell and the vent setup for the catch can and mount it... sitting in the frame in the general location they will end up...

will be polishing the tanks, when done and having them anodized

LS Customs wrote:will be polishing the tanks, when done and having them anodized

If you used 4043, the weld bead will show up blackened/shitty looking for reference. Clear tinted powder in whatever color you desire may be a better option.

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LS
nice job good welds.

GT is right on.
use 5356 if you want to anodize
better match.
craig

GreinTime wrote:

LS Customs wrote:will be polishing the tanks, when done and having them anodized

If you used 4043, the weld bead will show up blackened/shitty looking for reference. Clear tinted powder in whatever color you desire may be a better option.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

motox wrote:LS
nice job good welds.

GT is right on.
use 5356 if you want to anodize
better match.
craig

thanks... yes, i used 5356 filler...

LS Customs wrote:

GreinTime wrote:

LS Customs wrote:will be polishing the tanks, when done and having them anodized

If you used 4043, the weld bead will show up blackened/shitty looking for reference. Clear tinted powder in whatever color you desire may be a better option.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

motox wrote:LS
nice job good welds.

GT is right on.
use 5356 if you want to anodize
better match.
craig

thanks... yes, i used 5356 filler...

Just making sure man, I've seen uninformed people get mad at their anodizing guy when it doesn't look right.

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GreinTime wrote: Just making sure man, I've seen uninformed people get mad at their anodizing guy when it doesn't look right.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

no problem, i did know this ahead of time, but others who stumble upon this thread may not and i appreciate it, none the less..

Looks good, Ive seen much much worse from good alum welders....lol That's a cool project, was a N2O junkie in the past with 600hp from a Wilson 2 stage plate How much will you put the mini bike 35 or 50, I assume a dry kit?

Rick_H wrote:Looks good, Ive seen much much worse from good alum welders....lol That's a cool project, was a N2O junkie in the past with 600hp from a Wilson 2 stage plate How much will you put the mini bike 35 or 50, I assume a dry kit?

thanks... gonna start with 25...that little engine has a lot going on in it too.. titanium valves, billet internals, etc... and it is a wet kit

Oh man, this thing is going to be fucking sweet lol

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Maybe you should talk to these two guys and see if they want to race

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4riS9DKvx8

The work LOOKS GREAT!! Good job! Equally, or maybe even more important it the finish work that you did!! Really an amazing build!

Thanks for sharing!

entity-unknown wrote:Maybe you should talk to these two guys and see if they want to race

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4riS9DKvx8

lol... i have another project i would use (car), to race a car with... but to be honest, in the 1/8 especially, this one may give the typical car a run for their money...

GreinTime wrote:Oh man, this thing is going to be fucking sweet lol

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Boomer63 wrote:The work LOOKS GREAT!! Good job! Equally, or maybe even more important it the finish work that you did!! Really an amazing build!

Thanks for sharing!

thanks very much!

the mini me to this one... i made this tank out of card board and had my friend weld it up for me... not done with it either... as this was before i found out i had cancer and before i had the tig welder etc... but sitting like this today... going to finish both... around the same time... not that into mini bikes, but pretty much the same way with all the silly projects i get into...

did all the laser cutting programming, etc... i learned how to operate the laser and how to use cad.. when i first built this bike, a couple years ago... i am always into a car project, harley or other silly stuff... so knowing how to program and make parts, helps and saves a ton of time and money... i have since, progressed to doing 3d cad etc

i didnt weld the really short/larger diameter tank, friend wanted me to add bungs to it... that came from mooneyes, or somewhere else... the polished tank is the first aluminum i welded and came out nice for the first time sitting down at the welder... made end caps for that...

just playing with the positioner and trying different speeds etc.... trying to be proficient and consistent at feeding wire at an increasingly faster speed, without compromising fusion, etc...

the filler cap bung for the tank with the trispoke looking cap, was the last thing i welded and i was able to feed the wire and weld it at a pretty fast pace, with proper fusion and dipping at a faster rate... very small bead also... so getting more comfortable as i sit down to practice each time

Very nice!!!
I hope my learning curve is equally as steep!

Beautiful work.

LSC, if you are new to this and that is the standard of work you are turning out, it's fair to say you probably have more natural talent in your toenail clippings than I have in my whole bod.

Well done, and thanks for posting lots of pics. I could look at stuff like this all day long.



Kym

Wolfgang wrote:Very nice!!!
I hope my learning curve is equally as steep!

MosquitoMoto wrote:Beautiful work.

LSC, if you are new to this and that is the standard of work you are turning out, it's fair to say you probably have more natural talent in your toenail clippings than I have in my whole bod.

Well done, and thanks for posting lots of pics. I could look at stuff like this all day long.

Kym

thank you!

played around in cad for the next few bits i will be welding up... this time tried to take it a little more seriously in hopes to sell the little tanks to help replenish welding materials, etc... also learning a bit more about fusion 360 and getting more comfortable with it as i go along...





i programmed the cap to be a small vent through the top... but fit a filter (1/8' npt) on the bottom to help prevent any vacuum issues with gas coming out the vent... grabbed the small vents from mcmaster car