When The Moon Hits Your Eye Like a Big Pizza Pie . . .Cart Repair

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Well one thing's for sure - I need ALOT of thin aluminum TIG practice in addition to general practice altogether!!!Picked up some 1/16" 2% Thoriated tungsten yesterday to attempt a repair on a thin wall tubing pizza tray cart that belongs to one of the local Dominos and I'm thinking it should have been pure instead.  I know many experienced TIG welders use red on AC aluminum but. . . ??  It proved really hard to get the inside of the tube very clean with a small SS brush and I'm sure that contributed to my problems.  Buffed down the outside of the tubing and the end caps with a new softpad.Syncrowave 180 on ACBalance @ 5 (started out on 2 but increased to 5 after a bit)100% argon (of course) @ 10CFH1/16" 2% Thoriated tungsten balled end#6 cup1/16" 5356 filler rod (only have 1/8" 4043 or I think I would have used 4043)Foot remote as neededThis is what it looked like when I got it.  The bottom tray 'track' welds broke on both sides allowing the whole end to swing out which in turn broke the welds on the top rail end caps resulting in the end assembly falling off.  Pizza crusts all over the place!Top rail with end cap broken off at welds.The 'not so good but left alone after welding' beads.  These were the last ones and I think I was beginning to get a feel for it but the job was almost done at this point.The REALLY not so good welds that I had to clean up with the softpad to make presentable.And in spite of all that, back together and standing on its own again.  End assembly was missing one tray track so I removed the corresponding one in the center to help avoid sliding a tray in on the slant on that side.Thanks for looking.Last edited by duaneb55; 07-18-2009 at 06:57 PM.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:I've never attempted aluminum with anything other than stick, and that was 25 years ago. Needless to say I was so unimpressed I don't do aluminum. I did work in a shop 5 or 6 years ago where they welded it with MIG, but I only fabbed the pieces and played fitter. As much as aluminum is used today it is probably a good idea to be profficient in all diciplines. Good job Duane, you proved practice makes perfect (enough) with one small job!Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.                                         -Cree Indian ProverbSA 200 LincolnVictor Torches
Reply:This is the third or fourth item I've repaired for them with this being the most involved job so far.  I'm beginning to think 'Large Deluxe'?MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:Hey DuaneJust how is that thing held together?  Some sort of weird bolt thru the cap arrangement?Don't understand why you couldn't just butt, and fillet, weld the joint where the tubing meets.Those things are designed weird"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Shame it wasn't Little Caesars"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammJust how is that thing held together?  Some sort of weird bolt thru the cap arrangement?
Reply:That's probably it.  They can sell a single, or gang them together to make a REALLY BIG MESS when they collapse. Attached Images"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Could have been an engineering oversight.Probably designed before the popularity of stuffed crust pizza.Can you imagine the additional torsion, shear, and tension loadsI think we might have the beginnings of a class action lawsuit hereDuane will be disqualified as a witness when the plaintiff's attorney finds evidence that Duane was bribed to give favorable testimony with a lifetime supply of thick crust pepperoni pizza, and unlimited bread sticks.Perjury for Pizza, oh the shame of it all"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Sam - you leave me speechless.Do you think they'd serve the jury pizza for lunch?(side note) currently watching Papa John's Pizza commercial.Last edited by duaneb55; 07-18-2009 at 08:08 PM.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/