New Member, New Business

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New Member, New Business,hello All,I'M Russ from Florida, I am starting a new small biz making special chairs out of 1" ALUMINUM pipe Stock.I will need to get a bending radius machine for the 1" stock and a notch pipe cutting machine, a Welder to weld the aluminum and some spring clip ball/pin hardware. When you make adjustable legs with ten (10) holes in the pipes, so you can select how high you want to make the legs. You push the small ball with your finger to adjust the legs up or down.Any help to guide me to distributors to buy the Aluminum pipe stock and the Welding gear/pipe cutter/notcher would be kind.It's the same type of polished finish pipe people use to make custom Boat T-Tops and Boat railings.Thanks, Russ
Reply:HelloThese guys make a nice tube bender.http://www.shopoutfitters.com/I got it and hope to pick up the dies for square tube this spring if a job goes thru.Welding alum requires either a tig machine or mig with a spool gun most likely for your plans. I would recomend taking a class and learning some basics if you want to do this yourself and haven't welded before. You could just hire someone with the skills also.I'll pm you some other stuff if I can find the links later.
Reply:Russ,To get started,  Harbor Freight has what you need, notchers and tubing rollers.  I think you will find their product satisfactory for getting started and using less than 400.00 to do it.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:Welcome Russ, another Floridian hereAmerican by birth Southern by the Grace of God
Reply:Welcome Russ,The aluminum used on T-Tops is heavily oxidized, to keep it protected from the elements, and will require a tig unit with enough OCV (open circuit voltage) to burst through those oxide layers and initiate an arc. If appearance is important, I would tig it with a 250 amp AC/DC tig unit like a ESAB Heliarc 252 or a Miller Syncrowave 250.  Just don't go with an inverter tig because none of them have enough OCV to initiate an arc on that aluminum.  If appearance is not that important, using a spool gun or a push-pull gun on a mig machine will do the trick.  Good luck!Welding is my hobby, I just happen to get paid for it!
Reply:Originally Posted by Carolina Welder.......The aluminum used on T-Tops is heavily oxidized, to keep it protected from the elements, and will require a tig unit with enough OCV (open circuit voltage) to burst through those oxide layers and initiate an arc. If appearance is important, I would tig it with a 250 amp AC/DC tig unit like a ESAB Heliarc 252 or a Miller Syncrowave 250.  [I]Just don't go with an inverter tig because none of them have enough OCV to initiate an arc on that aluminum.  [/I
Reply:Trust me a 700DX will burn right through the two machines he mentioned. LOL. NONE HAVE ENOUGH POWER..... LOL --Gol'
Reply:russ, I just shut down my shop doing t-tops and towers, I have a Miller Synrowave 250 for sale with a coolmate 3,regulator,nad foot pedal. I have used this machine for about 5 years and it works great. also have a pipe bender,and all the other stuff you need to start youre business. $1,500 obo for the welder.
Reply:Originally Posted by Carolina WelderWelcome Russ, Just don't go with an inverter tig because none of them have enough OCV to initiate an arc on that aluminum.