Not a home project,but..

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What I do for a living. All material is Sch 40 anodized aluminum pipe & TIG welded.If I knew that I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself
Reply:A couple more.If I knew that I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself
Reply:Very nice.  I'm not much of a boat guy, but from my perspective the additions improve the looks of the boats.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:Nice work Bob. Now, wait for someone to tell you that you can't weld on anodized aluminum, and start said discussion all over again!!!And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:Thanks guys. Who says you can't weld anodized alum.? Come by my shop anytime. I would love to prove them wrong. I've been doing it for 23 years.If I knew that I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself
Reply:Very nice work. Makes everything stand out from the ordinary.How long is the boat in the bottom picture since it needs a triple axle trailer?
Reply:Thanks Oldtimer. That boat is a 31' contender.If I knew that I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself
Reply:Very nice work!!
Reply:Nice work, I like the gentle curves, takes the plainness off it. I can imagine the hours involved.....Mike
Reply:Very Nice!  I would like to see more of the ladder rack on the TruckCarlohttp://public.fotki.com/Naudi2U/
Reply:Very nice work, I can tell you've been doing it for 23 yrs. You're an artist.                                    MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:Wow, very nice work.  I like the lines and especially the truck rack.And just to show my ignorance about boats; what is a poling platform for?Thanks,Reece
Reply:Thanks for the compliments. I like to think of it as artwork. It does really compliment the boat.  Since it's my truck, I'll get some more shots of the truck rack if you'd like.They use a poling platform when the water is too shallow to use the motor or a trolling motor, but the boat still floats. They use a long (usually 16' to 20')fiberglass pole to push the boat around the flats. and for sight fishing in shallow water. Typically used in inshore waters of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, and the Bahamas.If I knew that I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself
Reply:how do you bend the pipe without damaging the surfaceAWS CWI/CWEASNT NDT Level 2 PT/MTAWS Certified Welder(aerospace)
Reply:I would like to see more of the ladder rack on the Truck
Reply:That's the kind of work I wished I had gotten into 23 yrs. ago so I wouldn't be a pig Iron welder today. it's looks all of 23 yrs learned and from what I see , Mastered!  looks great."Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum"Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DCMillermatic 251   Syncrowave 300   30A spoolgunLincoln MP210Hypertherm 45(2) LN 25(2) Lincoln Weldanpower 225 CV(4) SA200   1 short hood    SA250    SAM 400
Reply:Let us see a close up of those welds. And as said great looking work from here, you are an artist.Miller Thunderbolt 225Millermatic 130 XPLincoln HD 100 Forney C-5bt Arc welderPlasma Cutter Gianteach Cut40ACent Machinery Bandsaw Cent Machinery 16Speed Drill PressChicago Electric 130amp tig/90 ArcHobart 190 Mig spoolgun ready
Reply:Originally Posted by redcoupehow do you bend the pipe without damaging the surface
Reply:To bend the pipe I use an Enerpac hydraulic bender. The dies or shoes are polished to a mirror finish. The roller blocks are Delrin. I'll get a picture of it up later, when I get more shots of the truck rack. All of the curved parts are done by hand, using wooden radius blocks of different sizes. I use 3/4" to 2" alum. pipe on my jobs, although the 2" is getting harder every day to curve. ( I'm not as young as I used to be)BobIf I knew that I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself
Reply:As promised, here are are a couple of pics of my truck rack & welds.This is my bender. I can bend vertically or horizontal.Here is my radius/ layout table with misc. radius blocks underneath.[IMG]http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l347/HappyBobbo/IMG_0944.jpg[/IMGIf I knew that I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself
Reply:Do you grind or sand off the anodizing of the welded joint before welding?AWS certified welding inspectorAWS certified welder
Reply:Very very very niceA butterfly without wings, is just an ugly bug
Reply:That's not a truck rack, that's a piece of art, damn nice work. All the sizes, bends etc. are proportional, something to be pround of.Do you grind or sand off the anodizing of the welded joint before welding?
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloNice work Bob. Now, wait for someone to tell you that you can't weld on anodized aluminum, and start said discussion all over again!!!
Reply:Originally Posted by Donald BranscomDo you grind or sand off the anodizing of the welded joint before welding?Great work.  That rack is GORGEOUS!  MMmm, I think I might need a woman more than Samm. j/k
Reply:It all looks great Bob!  Do you design the stuff on the computer before you start fabbing it?  If so, what software do you use?
Reply:OK.........That's it!.......I'm cashing out my 401K and buying a Contender and sending it to SC to have you build me a freak'n beautiful pipe tower!Up here we have a few boys that weld SS and Aluminum towers, but nothing as purdy as that!Great work!Roy BDartmouth, Mahttp://www.rvbprecision.comMM 185 MIGDiversion 165Purox W200 O/AGrizzly 9957 MillGrizzly 4030 Metal Band SawGrizzly 1050 Knife Belt SanderJet 1236 Metal LatheCM 14" Metal Band SawTP Blast Cabinet
Reply:Originally Posted by TubularFabIt all looks great Bob!  Do you design the stuff on the computer before you start fabbing it?  If so, what software do you use?
Reply:Nope, no sanding, grinding, just cut, bend, cope on the bandsaw and weld
Reply:Here are some pics I found.http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...dized+aluminumThis guy does the same type of work as me. Ask him, no sanding or grinding. There is a technique though. If you're ever near Columbia,SC, I'd be happy to show you.If I knew that I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself
Reply:His technique is bumping the power, off-on-off-on.....Next time I find a piece of anodized alum I'm gonna try that.If you're ever near Columbia,SC, I'd be happy to show you
Reply:Originally Posted by mrmikeyOk, there has to be something you're not telling us,   I've tried welding anodized pipe and, without removing the anodized surface, it welds like s**t . Burnt black, rouigh welds etc....Mike
Reply:Thanks for the pictures Looks great!Carlohttp://public.fotki.com/Naudi2U/
Reply:Alright, thanks for the tips, I'm going to give it a go next time I have to do a bit or welding on anodized stock, thanks....Mike
Reply:Rojodiablo has the idea. I use a momentary bump switch instead of a foot pedal. It makes it easier when I'm standing in a boat on my tippy toes welding overhead. I'll use the foot pedal for bench work like fuel tanks.  My amps are set around 200 (depends on what I'm welding). My miller 250 Sync. set on continuous high freq. Balance about midway. Press the button and get the puddle going, add fill rod, let it burn in a bit, let off the button and start again. on, off,on,off,on, off. Braap, braap, braap (kind of hard to print the sound it makes)It's a hell of a lot easier to show someone how to do it. than trying to put it in words.If I knew that I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself
Reply:Rack???.......DID SOMEONE SAY RACK??Seriously, It looks real good Bob.  Rolling advertising is worth a lot."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by Happy BobTo bend the pipe I use an Enerpac hydraulic bender. The dies or shoes are polished to a mirror finish. The roller blocks are Delrin. I'll get a picture of it up later, when I get more shots of the truck rack. All of the curved parts are done by hand, using wooden radius blocks of different sizes. I use 3/4" to 2" alum. pipe on my jobs, although the 2" is getting harder every day to curve. ( I'm not as young as I used to be)Bob
Reply:Awesome rack. Just one problem..... it's not on my truck.Good judgement comes from experience.Experience comes from bad judgement.
Reply:Originally Posted by Happy BobI have'nt had a decent job since Labor Day. Oh well, it'll get better(I hope).
Reply:amazing.. very nice work. i would have figured being in a corrosive environment you'd opt for stainless? i guess the anodizing is what makes it withstand galvanic corrosion?i might have to swing thru some day when i move to NC and watch this magic.. you don't re-anodize the welds? (not that theres actually a way to do that, huh..)  interesting stuff again, nice work!http://kawispeed.com/ -moderator and tech deluxewww.myspace.com/trickortrack -cuz i have no life
Reply:Originally Posted by VipernutI was wondering why you only had 1 piece of pipe on your storage rack in one of the pics. Hope it picks up for you.
Reply:ya.. i'll agree with you on the nice time aluminum makes for work.i was a machinist for a while and 95% of it was 6061. when the stainless and carbon steels rolled thru was trying times on a manual bridgeport shellmilling with a 3" cutter..  didn't mind when it was in the CNC mills.. just had to keep a watchful eye and select cutter speeds and feedrates carefully.hopefully you won't go out of buisness man!!   we can hope and pray for ya.. your work is far too incredible for you to go completely under.. at least i would think so..http://kawispeed.com/ -moderator and tech deluxewww.myspace.com/trickortrack -cuz i have no life
Reply:I hope not too!!! If everyone that said they'd get with me after the 1st. of the year does, I should be good to go for a while. With the way the economy is, no one is wanting to spend their money. And I can't blame them, I'm in the same boat. My lease is up in March and I'm going to see if my landlord will let me rent month to month. If I can get a couple of good jobs a month I should be able to start to make ends meet and start digging myself out of the hole I've made for my self.If I knew that I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself
Reply:Everything looks awesome. I am in awe.
Reply:Awesome work!!  Keep em coming, we like pics DewayneDixieland WeldingMM350PLincoln 100Some torchesOther misc. tools
Reply:Originally Posted by Happy Bob             Whitehendrx, (and anyone else) , Ya'll are more than welcome to give me a shout and come by my shop any time. (if I don't go out of business first   )
Reply:Yeah,You could turn your shop into a Saturday classroom for those wannabe tiggers out there.  Charge 100 bucks for a 4 hour seminar per person.   Print off a nice little certificate of completetion affix a gold star and presto:  you make your rent.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:Now that's an idea I'd never thought of. I might print up some flyers and go down to the community college. It will probably have to wait til after New Years. I think they're shut down for the holidays. Thanks guys.  BobWANNAWELD,  I got the bender thru a marine metal supplier and I believe they raped me on it, because of the polished bending shoes. The hydraulic pump came from McMaster-Carr. I paid about $ 3800.00 for the both of them.  I'll find my invoices and get back to you on the actual amountIf I knew that I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself
Reply:That seems like it would be an awesome welding job, pretty cool! Nice tundra rack