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got the R90 out in the sun

Annealing Aluminum

Recall that some British panel beaters (aluminum body builders) wipe a bar of lye soap on the aluminum when it gets too hard. They then heat it until it starts to look charred. After it cools down, it is back to its original soft state and unlikely to tear or crack. Hope this helps!
 
I just heat it until my HF glove starts smoking, then let a cool off a little, and it seems to take a good bending at that point. Thanx.

thats funny right thar...

seriously though, cold work, anneal, douse in pickle solution, then cold work, repeat. I think you've probably figured that out. Also, turkey fryer burners make great annealing stations.

you're doing well man, really well.

if you were closer, I would let you use my wheel, and you would be done by now.
 
Back from the welder, great craftsman, difficult to find such an artist, lucked out. Here's the side.

fat, wide and stiched. cool

Everyone wants that stack o dimes look, but you can see where he stiched this together an inch or so at a time. which, btw, is correct.

try not to have to form near the welds now, as cracks are inevitable when that happens.

j
 
Everyone wants that stack o dimes look,

In case anyone was wondering what beater means by that.

393774173_85e9d5b954.jpg
 
Professional welders were stacking dimes long before robots showed up on the factory floor.

Here's a couple more. If you look closely the "dimes" are not robotically-perfect in size, and in the second photo the welder changed work angle and while gorgeous, the part would have been rejected because the weld failed to fill the joint. I work at a nuclear power plant and see this kind of stuff daily in our fab shop. These guys never cease to amaze me.

images


101undercut.jpg


bike4-09.jpg
 
i have seen more pretty welds fail than ugly ones...

My favorite a few years back was when the rock crawling world got big, was small shop welders were using mig to get a tig look by starting and stopping, or laying dots. Looked pretty, but lacked penetration.


That said, aluminum is my least favorite material to weld. it's heat properties lie on a razor's edge, and in my world, where the shapes, materials and environment is less than perfect, it's a giant pain to work with.

Now, let's get back to tank porn please.

j
 
orange peel

Just a thought, but could you cover your plug with paper mache and cut it off into manageable pieces to use as templates to cut your sheet stock into? An other thought into forming can be found here. www.eurospares.com/frame.htm Use it to form the section shapes you need and cut out and use what you need. I've enjoyed reading your thread. frank coleman P.S. article 8
 
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Pulling the plug on this try. Just occurred, caveat, the double seamed welds are no good. If the outer weld ever leaks, it can't be rewelded because it could blow up. Might be strong, but not the way a tank should be built. Butt joints only. This one looks like frankenstein on steroids.

Have to start all over. Gonna hang this one on the wall, take a deep breath, and start over. It's been a learning time, the next try will have fewer welds and butted. Maybe it can be entered in a sculpture contest for abstractions? Hey, nothing ventured, nothing whatever.

Think about it before you trash this... TIG welds don't leak if they are done right. Finish the tank up, pressure test it with water & air, coat the inside with POR 15 tank coat & run it! It won't leak & will last a long time...
 
Was rolling over this morn when the thought pops into mind, if there's leak after welding the whole thing together, and fuel has been introed into tank, then there will be fuel in the gap between the welds, and the torch will light up the fuel!

Sometimes a seemingly great idea, making the tank back superstrong, can lead to unforeseen consequences.

So, just going go ahead with What I first did, make the back with fewer pieces, fewer welds, and no overlapping joints. Will hang this piece on wall as a conversation piece, I think I can pound out the two new pieces fairly soon using what I've learned.

I knew there was reason I never saw a lot of welds on the various tanks seen!

Just yesterday in welding class, a guy welded two plate squares together all around the edges (doubling their thickness), then tried to practice welding beads on the surface.

He'd gotten a good weld on the edge, with no leaks until the wee bit of air trapped between the plates made its own leak with a BANG!
 
Well the welder did say they'd never leak, maybe I'm getting too anal. I'll think about it for a day or two. Yes, it's tig welded. Thanks John.

That is why you pressure test it. I MIG welded tank for my Bronco years ago. MIG leaves lots of porosity, I had some very small leaks, but the POR 15 cured it just fine. It was steel and way before I learned to TIG.
 
I'm having trouble visualizing where you're going. It looks like this is a cover for a Forumla 1 rear engine. Or the housing to cover the engine for a sidecar racing rig. :dunno
 
I agree with your observation, not enough curve or height on the top, it that's what's great about what you're doing. Just take it off and make a new one

I'm building an aermacchi right now for my daughter and hate the stock sportsterish tank. Bought a leggero version off eBay and set off to cutting it up and welding it (widening it and stretching it). Then I came across a benelli tank that looked perfect, picked that up and just modified the frame and the mounting ears to accept the tank. I wish I had the talent to do what you're doing and just make exactly what I want out of a piece of aluminum, would save me a lot of headaches - or maybe introduce an entire set of new ones

I love this thread of yours
 
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