Weight saving exercise.

Fortunat1 wrote:

I still don't see how I would weld the baffles in place before the tank is
closed up. This tank would be about 48" by 24" by 5" The top has a bevel at
the back to conform to an airfoil shape. I reckon I'd need two baffles
(strictly eyeball engineering here) to minimize sloshing from side to side.
maybe just one. If I were to make the tank out of a single wrapped piece
with ends stitched on afterwards, how would i go about welding the baffles
in place? Put the ends on last? Presumably, the baffles would only need to
be tacked as opposed to a continuous seam all the way around..

Yes, you would wrap the sheet to form the overall tank shape, weld in a
baffle or three working from the open ends and then weld on the ends to
close things up.

Matt

Matt Whiting
:

Fortunat1 wrote:

I still don't see how I would weld the baffles in place before the
tank is closed up. This tank would be about 48" by 24" by 5" The top
has a bevel at the back to conform to an airfoil shape. I reckon I'd
need two baffles (strictly eyeball engineering here) to minimize
sloshing from side to side. maybe just one. If I were to make the
tank out of a single wrapped piece with ends stitched on afterwards,
how would i go about welding the baffles in place? Put the ends on
last? Presumably, the baffles would only need to be tacked as opposed
to a continuous seam all the way around..

Yes, you would wrap the sheet to form the overall tank shape, weld in
a baffle or three working from the open ends and then weld on the ends
to close things up.

'Kay. makes sense. Al I have to do now is learn to weld aluminum!

"Fortunat1" wrote in message ...
Yes, you would wrap the sheet to form the overall tank shape, weld in
a baffle or three working from the open ends and then weld on the ends
to close things up.

'Kay. makes sense. Al I have to do now is learn to weld aluminum!

Or, you can drill holes in the outer skin where the baffle flanges are
located and then weld them from the outside. It's a lot easier than trying
to get a stinger in the tank.

Learn how to weld Aluminum? After a couple thousand in dedicated equipment,
and a hundred hours of practice, you'll certainly be qualified. It's a
little easier than turning crankshafts, I suppose. If it was me, I'd spend
my time doing fun things and leave the 20 minutes of welding to the pros.

Rich S.

"Rich S."
:

"Fortunat1" wrote in message
...
Yes, you would wrap the sheet to form the overall tank shape, weld
in a baffle or three working from the open ends and then weld on the
ends to close things up.

'Kay. makes sense. Al I have to do now is learn to weld aluminum!

Or, you can drill holes in the outer skin where the baffle flanges are
located and then weld them from the outside. It's a lot easier than
trying to get a stinger in the tank.

Learn how to weld Aluminum? After a couple thousand in dedicated
equipment, and a hundred hours of practice, you'll certainly be
qualified. It's a little easier than turning crankshafts, I suppose.
If it was me, I'd spend my time doing fun things and leave the 20
minutes of welding to the pros.


Mmm, maybe. Plan was to borow my buddie's TIG, though! I do know someone
who can do it for me, alright. On the other hand, ACS have atank for this
airplane.
By the way, I'm hurt! I learned to weld steel and it only took me a few
months! And it was fun, too..

"Fortunat1" wrote in message ...

Mmm, maybe. Plan was to borow my buddie's TIG, though! I do know someone
who can do it for me, alright. On the other hand, ACS have atank for this
airplane.
By the way, I'm hurt! I learned to weld steel and it only took me a few
months! And it was fun, too..

So. . . Go for it! Practice on some 1/8" and gradually decrease the
thickness. Anything more than 1/8" will conduct the heat away too quick and
anything less will tend to melt, so it's a good thickness to start on. It'll
be an experience learning to sharpen your Tungsten just the way you want and
to control the heat to get a clean weld without birdpooping the Aluminum
into your shoe.

Good luck - and. . .have fun. )

Rich S.

"Fortunat1" wrote

Mmm, maybe. Plan was to borow my buddie's TIG, though! I do know someone
who can do it for me, alright. On the other hand, ACS have atank for this
airplane.
By the way, I'm hurt! I learned to weld steel and it only took me a few
months! And it was fun, too..


Welding Al is indeed much harder to master than welding steel. The melting
point of the filler and the melting point of the filler is the same, or very
close to it. Get it got enough to flow the puddle, and if you are just a
little too hot, it blows through.

And of course, a tank has to be perfect to not leak. Many pros still get a
few leaks. Make sure that whoever does the welding does a pressure test,
before any gas goes in it.
--
Jim in NC

"Rich S." wrote in message
...
"Fortunat1" wrote in message ...
Yes, you would wrap the sheet to form the overall tank shape, weld in
a baffle or three working from the open ends and then weld on the ends
to close things up.

'Kay. makes sense. Al I have to do now is learn to weld aluminum!

Or, you can drill holes in the outer skin where the baffle flanges are
located and then weld them from the outside. It's a lot easier than trying
to get a stinger in the tank.

Learn how to weld Aluminum? After a couple thousand in dedicated
equipment, and a hundred hours of practice, you'll certainly be qualified.
It's a little easier than turning crankshafts, I suppose. If it was me,
I'd spend my time doing fun things and leave the 20 minutes of welding to
the pros.

Rich S.

It isn't all that bad, Rich. I use the same Smith torch and tanks for
aluminum as for steel. Use an aluminum flux and soft aluminum filler rod.
I would use a cheap spot welder to tack in the baffles. They work great on
aluminum.

Leave your outside seams as bent out flanges. Brush a little flux on the
flanges and melt them together with the torch. It really isn't terribly
tough. The flanges melt down and you don't even need filler rod! See the
Tinman videos on welding aluminum with a torch.

Highflyer
Highflight Aviation Services
Pinckneyville Airport ( PJY )

"Highflyer" :


"Rich S." wrote in message
...
"Fortunat1" wrote in message
...
Yes, you would wrap the sheet to form the overall tank shape, weld
in a baffle or three working from the open ends and then weld on
the ends to close things up.

'Kay. makes sense. Al I have to do now is learn to weld aluminum!

Or, you can drill holes in the outer skin where the baffle flanges
are located and then weld them from the outside. It's a lot easier
than trying to get a stinger in the tank.

Learn how to weld Aluminum? After a couple thousand in dedicated
equipment, and a hundred hours of practice, you'll certainly be
qualified. It's a little easier than turning crankshafts, I suppose.
If it was me, I'd spend my time doing fun things and leave the 20
minutes of welding to the pros.

Rich S.

It isn't all that bad, Rich. I use the same Smith torch and tanks for
aluminum as for steel. Use an aluminum flux and soft aluminum filler
rod. I would use a cheap spot welder to tack in the baffles. They
work great on aluminum.

Leave your outside seams as bent out flanges. Brush a little flux on
the flanges and melt them together with the torch. It really isn't
terribly tough. The flanges melt down and you don't even need filler
rod! See the Tinman videos on welding aluminum with a torch.

Kay, thanks John. I did try welding aluminum when i gt my bottles first
years ago, but gave up early on! Anyhow there was nothing for me to weld..

"Highflyer" wrote

It isn't all that bad, Rich. I use the same Smith torch and tanks for
aluminum as for steel. Use an aluminum flux and soft aluminum filler rod.
I would use a cheap spot welder to tack in the baffles. They work great
on
aluminum.

Isn't it true that most pros use TIG to weld aluminum? A good aluminum TIG
weld is a work of art. Can gas welding make as beautiful a fillet as TIG?

I tried gas welding (or soldering) with a cheap torch with some of that
"miracle rod" quite a few years back before I was interested in building
planes, or really, even welding. The results were horrid. I'll have to
give it a try with some proper rod and stock, now that I have a good torch.
What size tip, by the way? (Smith)
--
Jim in NC

P.S. Nice to see you back, for a while, even. The yahoo count is somewhat
low right now, with the right kill list! g

On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 01:46:36 -0500, "Morgans"
wrote:

Isn't it true that most pros use TIG to weld aluminum? A good aluminum TIG
weld is a work of art. Can gas welding make as beautiful a fillet as TIG?

How do you supposed aluminum was welded before TIG was invented? They
used a torch. It just takes practice.

Corky Scott