Gary
It doesn't look like the stuff the professionals do but I think it will work. My first real attempt at aluminum:
Gary
Gary
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THATS IT MAN !!! good job ... I'm in the process of setting up my TIG... its the best form iof welding. when you master it you will be the master. I have welding certs... but in ARC. Nice job.
Ron
Ron
Nice start! I haven't mastered tig yet. I've got a buddy that manages a shop with a couple full time welders I just go down there instead of trying to learn myself. Hope he never gets fired!
That is a skill I've yet to master myself. Good going Gary. It's on my to do list.
George
George
Man, you got some talent! I can't even imagine trying to make that thing air tight! Like George said, it's a skill.
I'm thankful, I've always been surronded by great welders, guys that can lay nickles, and I'm usally in good standings with them.
Good job!
I'm thankful, I've always been surronded by great welders, guys that can lay nickles, and I'm usally in good standings with them.
Good job!
I seem to screw around with a little of everything but I am a master of nothing. 
Gary
Gary
MMMHH, I did not know you could weld AL with TIG. Gary, I have a dry lead TIG and 4% throughlatd Tungston, that works with Argon on stainless steel. You must have a high frequency...right? What gas shield ? what tip? ac-dc? how did you do that?
I got this from a welding web site but is basically what I am doing:
TIG Welding
1. Good process for thin metal � very clean process producing good looking welds.
2. Use Argon shielding for steel, stainless, and aluminum.
3. Use DC-Straight Polarity (DCEN) for steel and stainless. Use AC for aluminum.
4. Always use a push technique with the TIG torch.
5. Match the tungsten electrode size with the collet size.
6. Aluminum � use a pure tungsten, AWS Class EWP (green identifying band). Will form a balled-end in AC.
7. Steel and stainless steel � use a 2% thoriated tungsten, AWS Class EWTH-2 (red identifying band). Prepare a pointed-end for DCEN welding.
Keep in mind not all aluminum is weldable. I am using 6061, pure argon, AC and the green tungsten tips.
Gary
TIG Welding
1. Good process for thin metal � very clean process producing good looking welds.
2. Use Argon shielding for steel, stainless, and aluminum.
3. Use DC-Straight Polarity (DCEN) for steel and stainless. Use AC for aluminum.
4. Always use a push technique with the TIG torch.
5. Match the tungsten electrode size with the collet size.
6. Aluminum � use a pure tungsten, AWS Class EWP (green identifying band). Will form a balled-end in AC.
7. Steel and stainless steel � use a 2% thoriated tungsten, AWS Class EWTH-2 (red identifying band). Prepare a pointed-end for DCEN welding.
Keep in mind not all aluminum is weldable. I am using 6061, pure argon, AC and the green tungsten tips.
Gary
Gary,
I'm also just setting mine up TIG ... I was wondering if you could use the AC for all of them ??? I have all the TIG equipment but missing some small adapters.
I have to say the most vercitile welder is the MIG... then they have a Spool gun for Aluminum. I think becuase the wire is too weak to push thru.
I also need the TIG for the root pass on Heavy steel pipe. It gives a clean first pass on large Steam and Process Pipe then we cap it with the 7018 ARC.
Thanks for the info...I have been in contact with Miller they have been very helpful.
Ron
I'm also just setting mine up TIG ... I was wondering if you could use the AC for all of them ??? I have all the TIG equipment but missing some small adapters.
I have to say the most vercitile welder is the MIG... then they have a Spool gun for Aluminum. I think becuase the wire is too weak to push thru.
I also need the TIG for the root pass on Heavy steel pipe. It gives a clean first pass on large Steam and Process Pipe then we cap it with the 7018 ARC.
Thanks for the info...I have been in contact with Miller they have been very helpful.
Ron
Polarity is critical for steel and aluminum. You have to swap them. My MIG will do aluminum and I tried it once. I got the right gas, swapped the conectors. I did spend a lot of time straightining out the spool. The only thing I could make with it was swiss cheese!
Gary
Gary
Here is the best tip I can give anyone trying to tig weld aluminum. Make sure you have a clean joint to weld. What I mean by clean is to wire brush off the outside oxide layer of metal. Aluminum oxide has a lot higher melting point than pure aluminum. If you have a heavy oxidation build up on the surface and try to weld it it will suddenly flow all over the place because the inside melted before the outside. If you take just a little more time in preperation, you can wind up with welds that look like you oxyaccetalened them. In other words, smooth, even and strong.
Welded up an aluminum block yesterday that was 8" wide and an inch thick. Cranked the sob up to 165amps! It was a plate that had broken. I ground a "v" where I was welding to get complete penetration. Clamped it with angle iron to keep it straight. Worked like a charm! We milled it back flat and looks like it was never broke. I never imagined at that kind of current my ears were ringin when I was done from the noise!
Hot D*M% let's weld up some intake manifolds!
Gary
Hot D*M% let's weld up some intake manifolds!
Gary
Nice that you got it going....I like the 'fabricated' Intakes and valve covers. How would you start? Take an aluminum intake and cut it down to just the ports where the match the head? I can only imagine the challenges involved.
LPB, too many ideas, not enough focus really. My 434 stroker I am going to start with Demon carb. I have the chi head and adapter plate's. I was thinking of starting with the adapter plates and maybe fabricating an entire intake. I don't know. The other thing is my webers. I will switch to webers latter so I may fabricate a new intake for those. I have the Hal Pantera intake but again I am using adapter plates for the 400.
I Tig's the exhaust on the MGB and that went real well!
Gary
I Tig's the exhaust on the MGB and that went real well!
Gary
Gary are you gonna have to notch your rear deck to get the webbers to fit? If you are anyway, you may consider just making your own tunnel ram intake, a plenum chamber on top and two demons instead of just one. Top it off with the shelby oval air cleaner and you have a monster!!
quote:Originally posted by comp2:
Welded up an aluminum block yesterday that was 8" wide and an inch thick. Cranked the sob up to 165amps! It was a plate that had broken. I ground a "v" where I was welding to get complete penetration. Clamped it with angle iron to keep it straight. Worked like a charm! We milled it back flat and looks like it was never broke. Gary
I was always told that you need to heat the block with a gas torch prior to attempting that kind of repair?
Jeff
6559
quote:Originally posted by jeff6559:
I was always told that you need to heat the block with a gas torch prior to attempting that kind of repair?
You have to heat up cast iron, not aluminum.
Detom, The car used to have Webers before I bought it. The previous owner kept them for his GT40 project. The CHI intake already sit's up pretty high:
http://www.tmeyerinc.com/400stroker.html
http://www.tmeyerinc.com/400stroker.html
Saturday I TIG'd a transmittion case for a HARLEY and yes it makes for a better job to preheat Aluminum. The reason is if you do not preheat the material around the weld, the material when welded, losses it strenght by as much as 40%. If you preheat you could actually strenghten the area and the weld which is usually WEAKER then the area around it.( Unlike steel where the weld is usually stronger, not aluminum. Aluminum weld is usually weeker thenm the area around it.) So if you desire strength ... preheat the area around 400 degrees. A simple propane torch very lightly.
Provocative Ron,
that is the oposite of what every welder has ever told me regarding aluminum. They've always said the weld is stronger.
See, I need to take that TIG class.
Your friend on the DTBB
that is the oposite of what every welder has ever told me regarding aluminum. They've always said the weld is stronger.
See, I need to take that TIG class.
Your friend on the DTBB
George the welding we do is more high quality stuff like BILLET and HEAT TREATED stuff .. we know that aluminum welds are weeker. Oposite of steel theory. CAST ALUMINUM Ok you got me .. I'm not 100% but BILLET and HEAT TREATED ALUMINUM I'm 100%.... but why wouldnt CAST AL. be the same... and think about it. I say WE because I only put dollars to the process we perfom on a job. So I have to know the process to estimate how much time. I cant say I'm the expert.
LOL.........
Ron, I'm just the opposite. I've never had anything billet welded! Just castings. The welders have never pre-heated the parts, and have always said the repair was stronger than the original. Probably the most stressed aluminum parts I've had repaired are wheel hubs for off road motorcycles. The repairs never failed afterwards.
I can see the need to pre-heat a tempered material, like 6061-T6. I doubt there is a need with a casting. I'm tempted to go read up and resolve this, but I'm a bit busy tonight and through the weekend.
It's getting cold, better jump back in the hot tub. take care my friend.
Ron, I'm just the opposite. I've never had anything billet welded! Just castings. The welders have never pre-heated the parts, and have always said the repair was stronger than the original. Probably the most stressed aluminum parts I've had repaired are wheel hubs for off road motorcycles. The repairs never failed afterwards.
I can see the need to pre-heat a tempered material, like 6061-T6. I doubt there is a need with a casting. I'm tempted to go read up and resolve this, but I'm a bit busy tonight and through the weekend.
It's getting cold, better jump back in the hot tub. take care my friend.
For the purpose of info and learning,
Preheating
The need to preheat aluminum prior to joining depends on the welding process, type of alloy, its thickness and ambient temperature. In general, it is accepted that preheating is not usually required with MIG welding until the material thickness exceeds 25 mm. However, some preheat, i.e., 150-200°C will be found beneficial from the point of fact of improving weld quality (with respect to porosity) on material thicknesses in excess of 9 mm.
For AC TIG, preheating is necessary when sections greater than 3-4 mm are welded, to aid fusion without the need to use excessive welding currents.
Just something I found on LINCOLN's site ? Our spec books have info ususally specific to a certain use on a project so they are not really beneficial. I find they are the WISH LIST for something an Engineer dreams up at night that he would like to see in a process. But then cost soo much money that the spec is scraped. So I pulled some thing generic.
Ron
Preheating
The need to preheat aluminum prior to joining depends on the welding process, type of alloy, its thickness and ambient temperature. In general, it is accepted that preheating is not usually required with MIG welding until the material thickness exceeds 25 mm. However, some preheat, i.e., 150-200°C will be found beneficial from the point of fact of improving weld quality (with respect to porosity) on material thicknesses in excess of 9 mm.
For AC TIG, preheating is necessary when sections greater than 3-4 mm are welded, to aid fusion without the need to use excessive welding currents.
Just something I found on LINCOLN's site ? Our spec books have info ususally specific to a certain use on a project so they are not really beneficial. I find they are the WISH LIST for something an Engineer dreams up at night that he would like to see in a process. But then cost soo much money that the spec is scraped. So I pulled some thing generic.
Ron
Ron, Can you drop me an e-mail when you get a chance? I have a question
gow2@rc-tech.net
Thanks,
Gary
gow2@rc-tech.net
Thanks,
Gary
quote:Originally posted by comp2:
Detom, The car used to have Webers before I bought it. The previous owner kept them for his GT40 project. The CHI intake already sit's up pretty high:
http://www.tmeyerinc.com/400stroker.html
Holy moly Gary!! It already is an individual runner intake, practically. I keep forgetting you have the only big block Cleveland in the world.
Well, it is something I would like to play with. At least I could drop the spacer plates. I have been toying with the idea of a dual chamber intake like the Vette had. With a dual chamber you could close one chamber down and keep the intake speed up during low rpm. Just a thought.
Gary
Gary
Hey Gary, did you see where Mad dog told you he has an intake just for your motor???
Hey DeTom,
I saw that. I have more intention of playing then in need of a solution. What I have will work I just wonder what I can do if you know what I mean.
I flew down to the keys thismorning. I am typing in the pilot lounge. I probably won't be back on till tonight.
Gary in Indiana...Well not at the moment!
I saw that. I have more intention of playing then in need of a solution. What I have will work I just wonder what I can do if you know what I mean.
I flew down to the keys thismorning. I am typing in the pilot lounge. I probably won't be back on till tonight.
Gary in Indiana...Well not at the moment!
quote:Originally posted by comp2:
Hey DeTom,
I saw that. I have more intention of playing then in need of a solution. What I have will work I just wonder what I can do if you know what I mean.
I flew down to the keys thismorning. I am typing in the pilot lounge. I probably won't be back on till tonight.
Gary in Indiana...Well not at the moment!
Gary sounded to me like he would just give it to you in exchange for a promise from you to run the silver state classic.
I would love to do something like that. Unfortuantly I can only do so many things. Since I am my own mechanic (with 4 sports cars) I have half of the rest of my statistical life left just catching up (with no delays).
Actually, the goal is to get the 434 in #1905 so I can start driving it. Then do full nut/bolt resto on #1280 (hopefully begining by years end). When #1280 is driving, then break down #1905 and prep it in a way it could be run hard on a track........And mow the grass in between. Damn job just get's in the way of everything!
Gary
Actually, the goal is to get the 434 in #1905 so I can start driving it. Then do full nut/bolt resto on #1280 (hopefully begining by years end). When #1280 is driving, then break down #1905 and prep it in a way it could be run hard on a track........And mow the grass in between. Damn job just get's in the way of everything!
Gary
Yeah I am really looking forward to retirement, but it is almost 15 years away and they keep moving the date on me. 
Made another tank and it's brackets:
Gary
Gary
Gary are you just practicing? I mean that would have been easier for you if it had been made out of steel. I bet you are practicing so you can make the worlds first and only aluminum bodied Pantera aren't you?? Admit it. That is what you are up to. You are going to make a Pantera completely out of aluminum, aren't ya??? What some guys won't do to become famous, I'll tell you. So now we will have another Chip Foose, only from the Pantera world. Well I guess I will be able to say, I knew him when he was just another Pantera guy. Remember us when you get your own tv show. OK???
Ha, I am a chip foose in slow motion. It only takes me 10 years to do what he does in 7 days. Truthfully, he has a lot more vision then I will ever have (even though I don't care much for his wheels). His wheels aside, he has more vision in those 7 days then many of us do in a life time!
I thought about steel but don't you think a radiator over flow would be better out of aluminum? I am going to re-do the clutch tank. I may have some issues the way it's built. I can get the cap on/off unless I twist the tank. In doing so will jepordize the seal. I have been antagonizing over what I need to do and have finally come to the conclusion I just need to re-do it. We'll see how the second one comes out.
Gary
I thought about steel but don't you think a radiator over flow would be better out of aluminum? I am going to re-do the clutch tank. I may have some issues the way it's built. I can get the cap on/off unless I twist the tank. In doing so will jepordize the seal. I have been antagonizing over what I need to do and have finally come to the conclusion I just need to re-do it. We'll see how the second one comes out.
Gary
Looking good man .... Ok when you gonna be up for making us an Aluminum gas tank for Pantera ??? LOL
Ron
Ron
I don't think a gas tank would be a bad job at all. It would be fun. Fab the aluminum, bring it over we'll weld it together.
Gary
Gary
Ive been driving around for 2 days with my argon/co2 bottle rolling around in my trunk to get it refilled. I used a bottle already on the Pantera.
Ron
Ron
I just got home and its cold outside ... but I'm going to tackle changing the 11/4 coolant tubes this weekend. I got the tig and some 11/4 SS tube with some butt weld 90's and I also have some what they call TRI CLOVER clamps I'm brain storming now.
The cold takes it out you to get motivaded after work.
Ron
The cold takes it out you to get motivaded after work.
Ron
Post some photos; lets see how it comes out.
I have so many thngs I want to do that I think about durring the day. I run 4+ miles 3 nights a week and when Sat comes I can hardly get my self going. Problem is by Sunday night I can't find a stopping point.
G
I have so many thngs I want to do that I think about durring the day. I run 4+ miles 3 nights a week and when Sat comes I can hardly get my self going. Problem is by Sunday night I can't find a stopping point.
G
quote:Originally posted by comp2:
Ha, I am a chip foose in slow motion. It only takes me 10 years to do what he does in 7 days. Truthfully, he has a lot more vision then I will ever have (even though I don't care much for his wheels). His wheels aside, he has more vision in those 7 days then many of us do in a life time!
Well Gary I have seen overflows made of about everything including plastic. So I think it is great you made one out of aluminum, because it is giving you the experiance you will need to fabricate all aluminum body panels for the Pantera, which will sell like hotcakes and make you rich and famous.
I thought about steel but don't you think a radiator over flow would be better out of aluminum? I am going to re-do the clutch tank. I may have some issues the way it's built. I can get the cap on/off unless I twist the tank. In doing so will jepordize the seal. I have been antagonizing over what I need to do and have finally come to the conclusion I just need to re-do it. We'll see how the second one comes out.
Gary