Hey WG
I was looS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-n at the WP-17/18 but a I'm a ways off from the welder and I'm mostly going to weld my project at the school, they have the Dynasty 350 and 700's amongst others but the Dynastys are sooo sick I think the 350s have the WG-18 and the 700s have the WG-20's and I'm gonna start playing on the D 700's from now on... I bought all kinds of collets, collet bodies and ceramic nozzles and a good array of tungsten in several sizes also... I think the collet, bodies and nozzles are larger on that WP-20 though...
Whats the trick to the aluminum cans, I know they are welding bottom to bottom or something like that... that is just sick...
I'll get you some photos of my welding aluminum, I think I might make you proud for the amount of time I've been doing this... the teachers think I've been welding for years, HE HE... I'm just picS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-n it up quick...
Whats that mirror welds you mentioned... is that when you make a pass and the dimes look shinny like a mirror?

no, that is when you cannot get your head anywhere that you can see all the way around (say a pipe in a corner). You use a mirror to see the back side while you weld it.

aaahh!!!
That's crazy hard I bet... I have a hell of a time shaving in the mirror let alone welding...
But that's why they call you ... well it doesn't need to be said... does it? O.K. "WELDNGOD"..:frog:

ya gotta think through your hand not your eyes.

my pc is down. I gotta build a new one.so if ya don't hear from me right away, give me time. I have to borrow the missus' to surf for now.

Very nice work on the rim adapters - I have had the hardest time trying to find something like that - building it is beyond the equipment I have available to me. I may be rebuilding my back axle due to some bending issues - I will probably go with a single piece of tubing cut in half with a inner sleeving tube that will be bolted in place (to keep make the axle 2 pieces in order to fit into my Honda). Popeye's mentioned problems in welding axles - they have a tendency to bend (banana) - and then they need to be re-bent to get back to true. I'll try avoiding this by using a clamping system rather than welding. Just a backup idea for you - by the look of it the schools got lots of good equipment - most likely a good pipe bender - so welding your axle should not be a problem. Good luck man - so far you got it coming together really well.

The Bug is going to have Bigfoot's (Nanking N800's) most of the time, and I'm thinking these tires for NABX, cuz they are 4 ply, 18"x9,5"x8", $26.37 lil bucks, 9.5" wide instead of 11", 10 lbs to help hold my aluminum bug down and cool tread to stick to the playa...
Duro DI5009's

Thanx Flexi,

Everything is being done at home except the welding, I have the pipe bender (similar to the one you see on PTW's site), a lathe, a mill, a tube notcher and other stuff, minus the welder which I hope to have in the next 4-5 months, also looS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-n to upgrade to a tubing bender... so if you want to fab up some of the impossible come on over...

I wouldn't mind building custom bugs down the road, similar to what Popeye does, big shoes to fill, but I don't have to be that bad a$$...:shocked2:

I doubt that I'll change up to "SCREWYTHEWELDER" or "SCREWYGOD" or anything like that...:ticking
I am becoming very fond of welding though, and look forward to doing custom fab stuff more than anything, Sandrails would be sick fun to fab up!!! also, like custom hotrod stuff, Quad/ATV/UTV suspension, the list goes on... I like to get into everything, it's the 2 year old in me!!!:saint: 39 going 2...

Thanx Weldngod, I most likely will take you up on your offer to pick your brain on welding... and broke PC, I'll hurry up and wait...:roll::puzzled:

Also, I'm making a bright orange seat, so I can be as SCREWY as I wanna be!!! and be seen from space...:singing:

O.K. got a lil further tonight, here are photos of the spindles on the axle and the axle mock up...
Spindle on the axle with axle clamp
Spindle on axle
Axle mock up
now its ready for some welding...:singing:

That is very pretty - nothing like building your own. It's a rush when your mind starts throwing things together in different configurations and you can then start problem solving through each scenario. Makes you want to run out to the shop and get to work.

FB, the way to weld axles without bending them is to give it negative camber before welding.
Basically pre-bend it the opposite direction that the weld is going to pull. You can try clamping it to something straight, but it will not eliminate the locked in stress from welding. It will still banana ,just not as much. The hard part is knowing how far to pre bend the part, you don't want to go too far. but ya don't want to not go far enough.


I made modular axles for mine , so I did not encounter that problem. And Screwy ,my not so young apprentice,good luck w/ your bug. And remember the only stupid question is the one ya didn't ask. peace WG

In class, I have not noticed/experienced aluminum bending or warping after the welding is done... Is this still an issue with aluminum or are carbon/stainless steels the one with this problem or all metals? and/or is it just less of a problem with aluminum...
Thanx for the props guys...
I'm aiming to have the side rails bent up and goose neck mocked up for welding Monday night and Tuesday night start some welding on the forks and goose neck... I'll post photos...:singing:

quite the opposite , aluminum distorts like crazy if you don't Control weld it. All metals do it . Metal expands when it melts and shrinks when it cools. It always shrinks more than it expands and creates the pull that warps. Aluminum is even worse because it gets soft when really hot , so soft that it cannot resist the pull of the shrinkage.

Quote:

Originally posted by WELDNGOD so soft that it cannot resist the pull of the shrinkage

HEY!!! this is a family show!!!

Thanx, that's valued information... So, I should expect my aluminum axle to warp when I weld the side rail tabs to it? if so, I can bend it back but I kinda wanna know what to expect...

The "weld toward your 1st short weld trick", will this help... and it goes like, weld an inch from the end to the end then a inch from the start of the 1st weld toward the 1st weld, and so on?
Would welding a lil bit let it cool and come back and weld more till you complete the section, help in any way?:puzzled: I've seen them do this in like a spot weld technique for sheet metal on bodywork...

that would be a kind of control welding. But no matter what you do it will warp slightly. I suggest that you clamp a long piece of angle (steel) to it and try not to over heat it. Don't try to weld it all in 5 minutes.
Yeah, let it cool after an inch or so then take a break and come back to it. Then let it cool slowly on its own before takin the angle off. I still think putting negative camber on it is the best way,but I'm not sure of the amount, maybe .125" to .25" . I made my axle sections a 3 dimensional structure w/ gussets and backup chocks as to minimize bending under load. If you have a problem w/ deflection when you sit in it or over time and loading. You can get another pipe and make a double tube axle over/under style ,I have 2 buggies like that now. One round pipe, and one square tube. They are super strong.

Thanx for the advice, I might try and add a .125" sprung neg bow in it preweld, it couldn't hurt much the axle is actualy the 3/4" chromoly and will get no welds to bend...
I know in my photos you cannot see it but the 3/4" chromoly tube goes through the center of the aluminum pipe, and I was designing it that way for added strength...

screwy, I hate to tell you this. But "chromemoly" is steel.You should never put any steel in contact w/ aluminum (GALVANIC CORROSION AHEAD). It is only steel w/ chromium and molybdenum added to it in small percentages.But it is still just a specialized steel. But not even close to stainless steel ,which is nickle/chromium mostly.

your advice has been taken master... I have designed the end plugs of the aluminum tube out of plastic to insulate the two metals and then the bearings are stainless... I never 2nd guess the GOD...:bigok:

I have taught you well.

Yes WG, you have...
I read and data input everything into a lil space far away in the brain...
Here is a lil lesson Popeye has learned me from his site (thanx PTW)...
The mock up of the goose neck and forks on wood...
:singing:
You guys have a huge impact on my inspiration and thanx again...

Welded up the goose neck tonight in welding class, here are some photos...
Aluminum Goose Neck pic #1
Goose Neck pic #2
Goose Neck Pic #3

Don't forget to post some pics when its done. I've always there weren't more alum. buggies out there. One with "ovalized" tubes similar to what's on higher end mountainbikes would be cool as hell, not to mention more comfortable.

I had always assumed that people didn't aluminum because:

a: It much more of a pain in the a$$ to weld.
b: Its far more rigid than steel.
c: Its very hard to bend aluminum without weakening it significantly. (I noticed WELDNGOD's siderails are all formed with welded straight pieces rather than bent tubing)

That being said, I'm not a welder. Folks like POPEYETHEWELDER"and WELDNGOD on the other hand, actually know there #@%$#!. If they say it can be done, then dammit it CAN!

good job bro'

How thick is the wall on that tubing? Not bad for a "greenhorn", you are on your way to "puddlepusher" and if you keep on going one day you might be a "MASTER MANIPULATOR OF MOLTEN METAL" or "4M". Then you can get that on your hard hat. and everyone will know you are a weldin mofo.


I'm so good , I got a "4Q" on my hard hat. that stands for..... well just say it 3 times fast. I weld good enough , I don't have to take no crap. Or I will pack up my stuff and have another job before I start my truck to leave.

peace WG

Thanx WELDNGOD,

.125 wall... Thanx for the props, puddlepushen is tougher for me in the corners, also I literally only got like 3 foot of welds on aluminum to date... I'm proud of them though...

Anyhow... Here are some photos of the forks mocked up ready for some weld'n...
The pics are all the same mock up just at different angles...

Forks Pic #1
Forks Pic #2
Forks Pic #3
Forks Pic #4
Forks Pic #5

This Thurs night I get three hrs of welding to get as far as I can on them...:singing: I'm having so much fun with this project and the whole welding process...

WELDNGOD, you are defiantly blessed with a valuable talent...

"ovalized" tubes, great idea...

Ready for welding, all jigged up!!!
Couple hours to go before school, you can bet I'll be there early...:ticking:
Here are the jigged up photo links...
All Jigged Up #1
All Jigged Up #2
All Jigged Up #3
All Jigged Up #4
All Jigged Up #5
All Jigged Up #6
I'll get you Photos tonight after class, unless I bomb...:puzzled:

Dude!, I'm makin some new forks right now that are very similar to what you are . That is crazy, no that's screwy! WTF over!..... I'll have to get some pics for ya.

Great minds think alike...
Just got through bending the left side rail... now the hard part... bending the right to mirror exactly to the left... I got a digital angle finder to help, hope that works out to be precise...
Look forward to your pics...

Quote:

All Jigged Up #1 All Jigged Up #2 All Jigged Up #3 All Jigged Up #4 All Jigged Up #5 All Jigged Up #6 I'll get you Photos tonight after class, unless I bomb...:puzzled:

Looks nice,
I also finished my aluminium buggy, first testride was good.
This weekend i'm gonna test it with the races in Holland.
Al my plates are 8 mm, yours looks a bit thin....?

Yeah, I guess it is thin compared to 8mm, it's 1/4" or 6.35mm... and I thought I was over kill... did you ever get a complete photo up with the tires? that is a nice bug...

Here are some pics of the Forks partially welded, I got about 95" of welds on it last night and still have another 15" or so to go...

Forks #1
Forks #2

The welds are a lil rough, I was in a lil bit of a rush and I regret it now because I still have to take it back anyways... I might grind them down and re weld them for a nice ribbed bead... they got plenty of penetration though...:roll:

Screwy ,do you know how to "walk the cup"?
I'll try to explain it, but you might wanna ask your instructor to show you. It is when you put your gas cup on the metal and roll your wrist to make the cup zig zag up the weld . the trick is too not use to much heat or the metal will not be solid when you r cup gets to it, then you will be "dragging your d%ck" and that messes up the appearance of the finished weld. walk the cup when you want it to look like a machine did it,it will look like a roll of dimes layed out. pretty work for a newbie


PS you could just reflow those welds. and walk the cup when you do, just add a tiny bit of filler every time you see a low spot so it comes out even. Aluminum is one of the few metals you can reflow acouple times if you mess up. JUST DO NOT USE TOO MUCH HEAT! You gotta find that fine line where your puddle is just right and not getting ANY bigger. If your puddle is getting bigger turn down the amps till you find that spot where you can roll w/it. Peace WG






my new forks , not even close to being finished.

Sick, I like the way you have your bends, kinda sweeping back... dig the lower plate being bent also... how do you make your bends, a hydraulic break or press?
Man!!! I sure could use 1 on 1 lessons, I learn so much more watching someone else weld then try myself, thanx for the tips, I understand and will give her a go... I definitely tried to do too much in too lil time last night, I was supposed to have 3 hrs to weld then the teacher had a hour demonstration on a basic bead on aluminum, which didn't help me much, just a lil reassurance... I'll take them back in and take my time and see if I can't make you proud :ticking:...
Here are a few photos of the forks mounted up on the goose neck, they fit perfect to boot...
Forks and Goose Neck #1
Forks and Goose Neck #2
Forks and Goose Neck #3