Aluminium T Top Roof

[gazza2006au]

Going to try finish the seat base this week pending weather (gas welding outdoors) i cut the legs off the seat as the way i made it with the outside section bending there were gaps in the bend and anyone thst has welded aluminium knows gaps dont weld well in alloy so now i have the top section and 2 legs, when i made the old bends both sides and the top i kept the 45 degree angle cut out pieces these will be welded in as gussets under the base between the legs and top i might have pics to explain

Im going to take off the pulse in the settings and just run strait mig welds

Plan is to weld on some 50x3mm flat bar along the floor pieces as foots and make some gussets from left over 50x3mm flat bar going from the legs to the foot

Should look good, i hope

Any ideas on what to screw it down with, screws? Lug bolts?

[stevej]

Too late now but if you had if planned it all out you would have had more options
I glassed in on the underside 50mm x 4mm stainless with four studs to anchor the live/esky seat base down when doing the floor

your going to have to use a lot of fasteners to have any strength but that means more holes through your ply floor

[Noelm]

I did suggest that, it is possible to glass a double layer on top of the floor, just where the bolts will go, or maybe some stainless toggle gizmos, you know those things that poke through then spring open?

[stevej]

1691315[/URL]]I did suggest that, it is possible to glass a double layer on top of the floor, just where the bolts will go, or maybe some stainless toggle gizmos, you know those things that poke through then spring open?

missed that one as the post swings this way and that
could work, could glass a similar thing down to what I made and glass over it making it look neat

[gazza2006au]

Just finished welding the seat base ran really low on gas and only just made it, couldnt add gussets to the top as only had 500psi of argon left got some on the bottom though

It was pretty difficult mig pulse welding 2mm aluminium kept blowing holes even using the synergic setting set for 2mm thickness

Anyway shes done and a top plate cut, i'll bolt the top plate down than i'll bolt the seats to that than i'll screw the feet to the floor

[Noelm]

I just saw the control cables on the floor, didn't you put a tube under the floor for them? I thought you did.

[gazza2006au]

Thanks guys i found those nuts their called "jack nuts"

Hey Noel i havent been able to afford 19-20 foot cables just yet the cables in the pic came with the control box and engine they are around 13 foot long

[gazza2006au]

Ince i have the EWM pulse mig welder i may sell my new chinese ac/dc tig welder to fund a gps/fish finder or a bait tank

[Noelm]

Thinking of buying myself a small MIG about to start work on a new trailer for the cat, still dreaming about Aluminium I beam, steel I beam, steel tube, prices vary considerably, I will be needing a couple of 8m lengths of about 150X50 (or 100X50 thicker wall) and a couple, maybe 3 of 75X50, simple trailer to build, just have to get my bum into gear.....

[gazza2006au]

When boc had there special on the EWM PICOMIG 180 amp pulse machine at $2300 i found one second hand for $1700 i done some haggaling with the seller and bought the machine, everyday price is $4300 but boc had a huge sale on and i got agreat machine the seller included the original purchace receipt too, there are some good deals out there

If i were to buy again i'd get a kemppi 180 mig synergic machine second hand

Good old stick welding works very well too i stick weld using my unimig arc 180 i have never hit the duty cycle and u guys seen my welds on the trailer mover shes a beautiful welder under $400 new

[Dignity]

Thanks guys i found those nuts their called "jack nuts"

Trying to find them in SS is bloody hard, also like Rivnuts they can rotate once there has been some movement happening, especially in fibreglass, you will need to tighten them every now and then. They will work especially if they have something to wedge against underneath when they flatten. If you use them coat them in lanolin first, then ensure your bolt threads are coated in marine grease first so you can remove them.

[gazza2006au]

Thanks Digs i have 1 layer of double bias on the underside of my floor with 2 layers over the top

[Dignity]

Thanks Digs i have 1 layer of double bias on the underside of my floor with 2 layers over the top

Gazza, it doesn't matter how many layers you have, constant pressure in opposing directions as happens on a boat due to its motion will eventually grind away at the resin. As I mentioned, they are good where once they have flattened their rotation will be stopped by a vertical surface or other obstruction.
I've used them but only because of above circumstances. I've tried Well plugs but getting SS nuts in them is hard to get and expensive, also they usually have very small surface mounts generally. Rivnuts won't give you enough bite on the under surface and are worse than jack nuts and shouldn't be used on fibreglass.

[fishtragic]

I did mine with aluminium I beam, $300 per length and $300 to get both bent.

Thinking of buying myself a small MIG about to start work on a new trailer for the cat, still dreaming about Aluminium I beam, steel I beam, steel tube, prices vary considerably, I will be needing a couple of 8m lengths of about 150X50 (or 100X50 thicker wall) and a couple, maybe 3 of 75X50, simple trailer to build, just have to get my bum into gear.....

[gazza2006au]

Noel u could use H channel or steel i beams chuck them in a 50 ton hydraulic press make two bends if u want a Y trailer fram than grab a mag drill with 16mm anular cutter for bolt holes you'll be done super quick bolt her all together