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Question for gas welders.

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bill_dom(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 5:51 am Post subject: Question for gas welders.

What type of filler rods should be used to gas weld 6061-T6?  

      I need to start practicing my welds so I have the skills  developed by the time I have to make my tanks sometime next year.

       

      William Dominguez

      Zodiac 601XL Plans

      Miami Florida



   [quote][b]

agustafson(at)chartermi.n
Guest

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 6:46 am Post subject: Question for gas welders.

It took me 1 1/2 years to finally get it. And I  have done most other types of welding, brazing and soldering. I went to the  forum at Oshkosh at least 3 times.  I gave up many times saying "I can't do  this" but each time I would come back in a few days or weeks after thinking  about it and try something different, and one by one I got the bugs corrected .  I just closed the second wing a few days ago.

  

 I ended by using the rods that Wicks sells for  aluminum welding. I find they work just as well on both 3003 or 6061. Used the  flux from The Tinman (TM Technologies)

  

 Aaron Gustafson   601 HDTD   plans  Cont. 0-200    11 years next month.  Fly in  spring???

 do not archive this message just remember  it!

 [quote]   ---

pacificpainting(at)comcas
Guest

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 6:58 am Post subject: Question for gas welders.

Is that 11 "dog " years in building? I admire  someone that can stick to anything for that long. I better get mine done in 2 or  no longer than 3 years. My attention span is not that great.

  

 DON NOT ARCHIVE

  

  

 [quote]   ---

nfivesl(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:16 am Post subject: Question for gas welders.

William:



Here's my advice on building your own tanks -  Make them thicker and take them to someone to have them TIG-welded.  Or buy a TIG welder and do it yourself.  



I made mine to the plans and every welder I talked to wanted them thicker.  I finally found a guy who did a great job on them but advised next time to make them thicker.  Gas welding them would be a real trick.  I can gas weld steel just fine, but aluminum is really tricky and I've managed to ruin several pieces of aluminum with gas-welding.  



Most of the advice I received was to make them .050" minimum.  I've looked at other aluminum wing tanks and they are at least .050" thick.  



Find a local  welder (like a speed shop) and get some advice before buying your aluminum for the tanks.  



Good luck,



Scott Laughlin

Hack welder

Omaha, Nebraska

601XL/Corvair

www.cooknwithgas.com



---

larry(at)macsmachine.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:36 am Post subject: Question for gas welders.

William,

Try a 4043 or a 5356 filler rod for what you're doing.   You'll find gas 

welding is very much like riding a unicycle in the dark and it

takes a little more practice as you've got to be very quick in 

recognizing the puddle.  I burned up a 4 x 8 sheet of aluminum learning 

to weld with the torch and only made one tank.  If you have any 

resources to purchase a TIG welder, I'd highly recommend it.  They have 

become much cheaper to own and operate as well as providing excellent 

welds on mounts, gear and the like.

I'd also recommend you use 5052-H32 aluminum of .040 to .050 thickness 

in lieu of 6061-T6.  It's a much better alloy for a tank

and a little less costly material.



Larry McFarland - 601HDS with 3 TIG welded tanks at www.macsmachine.com



William Dominguez wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   What type of filler rods should be used to gas weld 6061-T6?

 I need to start practicing my welds so I have the skills developed by 

 the time I have to make my tanks sometime next year.

  

 William Dominguez

 Zodiac 601XL Plans

 Miami Florida



 *



 *

pacificpainting(at)comcas
Guest

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:36 am Post subject: Question for gas welders.

I can' believe I spelled do wrong. Do I get  archived if it's misspelled? I thinking I'm talking to my self here. I better go  to work.

  

 DO NOT ARCHIVE

  

  

 [quote]   ---

p.mulwitz(at)worldnet.att
Guest

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:06 am Post subject: Question for gas welders.

Hi William,



 This sounds like a good question for your welding supply house.  



 The really important part of welding aluminum is a combination of a huge flame (because the aluminum conducts heat just as well as electricity) and to keep oxygen from the joint.  I have never tried this task, but I suspect you need a heavily reducing mixture of gases.



 Good luck,



 Paul

 XL fuselage



 At 05:51 AM 12/5/2006, you wrote:

  	  Quote: 	
		  What type of filler rods should be used to gas weld 6061-T6? 

 I need to start practicing my welds so I have the skills developed by the time I have to make my tanks sometime next year.

  

 William Dominguez

 Zodiac 601XL Plans

 Miami Florida



 

 	
 

 ---------------------------------------------

     [quote][b]

Trainnut01(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:13 am Post subject: Question for gas welders.

William

 I wound up just about as frustrated as Scott on welding the tanks. I could  not do it. Several local welders who said they could actually couldn't. I gave  up. My new carbon fiber tanks will be ready for testing soon. They look good and  fit beautifully but have not been tested yet. I'll know a lot more in a couple  of weeks.

 Carroll Jernigan

  

 do not archive

  [quote][b]

jfmasell(at)optonline.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:47 am Post subject: Question for gas welders.

I finally decided to rivet my tanks and am doing so now. If you would like

to see pics I would be glad to put on list. I am using Pro-Seal and Rivets

foe all parts I have done the fittings for two tanks and now I am starting

to rivet the body.

John Maselli

Still building ST801 on Long Island NY East Moriches

Spadaro's Intl Airport



--

btucke73(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 1:29 pm Post subject: Question for gas welders.

I TIG welded my LE tanks and my header tank.   I made the wing tanks out of 5052 .032, and the header tank out of 6061 .025 (as per plans).  If I were to do it all again, I would make them out of at least .040.  I did notice that 5052 was slightly easier to weld, but was a full time 6061 welder as a teenager, so it was not a problem.  The problem is how thin the material is.  Thicker is MUCH easier.  I used to weld aluminum soda cans together for fun, but can barely get a nice bead on .025 now.  Go thicker - the weight penalty for this size of tank is neglegible.  

   

  VR/

   

  Brandon Tucker

   

   

   

    



   Any questions?  Get answers on any topic at Yahoo! Answers. Try it now. [quote][b]

Float Flyr

Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 2704
Location: Campbellton, Newfoundland

Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 10:38 am Post subject: Question for gas welders.

Carbon  fibre is a good idea but it is very porous. Make sure the interior of your tank  is well coated with some kind of gel coat.  Also you will want to stay away  from Ethanol degraded fuels... I have heard of one fellow who  has had good  luck by adding a bit of "top lube" to his gas.  Apparently the oil protects  the composite fillers from the effects of 10% Eth.

  

  

 

Noel [quote]   

   --

_________________
Noel Loveys
Kitfox III-A
Aerocet 1100 Floats

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