Extended a battery mount today......

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My across the street neighbor (who owns the MIG machine I use.......) asked me to fabricate him an extension to his battery mount for his toy hauler..... He got the battery from work because people throw the wildest crap away....... (I work in the trash industry)......I had only rusty metal to work with......I spent a LONG time today making sure it was square.... and that the welds looked good..... at least better than the stock crap I see on his toy hauler......Here are some pics of the existing battery mount.... Attached ImagesPrecision TIG 185 and MP 210Bobcat 225NTCutmaster 42O/A tanks.... 2 Argon tanks...... 2 C25 TanksFacebook...... F2 Metal WorksETSY....... https://www.etsy.com/shop/F2MetalWorksF2MetalWorks.com....... http://www.f2metalworks.com/
Reply:I spent a good amount of time making sure that my extension was perfectly square and matched the existing piece.....    RUSTY Metal Warning!!!!!!!Here are some pics of my extension..... Attached ImagesPrecision TIG 185 and MP 210Bobcat 225NTCutmaster 42O/A tanks.... 2 Argon tanks...... 2 C25 TanksFacebook...... F2 Metal WorksETSY....... https://www.etsy.com/shop/F2MetalWorksF2MetalWorks.com....... http://www.f2metalworks.com/
Reply:I had a really hard time with fitting it up to the existing piece.... A real hard time.......I had HUGE gaps to deal with....... WIND..... and a neighbor who wanted to weld too (he is not that bad..... but when he said "let me do it"...... I felt like I did a poor job)......This was for free..... I mean... I can't charge the guy for shoddy work done with his machine after all...Pics of the final product... with the help of a 16# sledge hammer to make it better.... Attached ImagesPrecision TIG 185 and MP 210Bobcat 225NTCutmaster 42O/A tanks.... 2 Argon tanks...... 2 C25 TanksFacebook...... F2 Metal WorksETSY....... https://www.etsy.com/shop/F2MetalWorksF2MetalWorks.com....... http://www.f2metalworks.com/
Reply:The huge battery fits.... really tight..... It's some big battery out of a tractor or something........When it comes to putting down half assed welds in my garage.... I'm ok.... but when it comes to putting something together to an existing piece in open air.... I really need to practice.........Precision TIG 185 and MP 210Bobcat 225NTCutmaster 42O/A tanks.... 2 Argon tanks...... 2 C25 TanksFacebook...... F2 Metal WorksETSY....... https://www.etsy.com/shop/F2MetalWorksF2MetalWorks.com....... http://www.f2metalworks.com/
Reply:Don't put yourself down.  You did fine and once the battery is in place nobody sees much anyway.  Your friend will be just tickled pink to have this job done for himGordie -- "I believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."
Reply:Looks good from hereDont beat yourself up to hard, its not something most get overnight, btw any reason you didnt just make a whole new battery tray instead of welding to the existing tray?
Reply:I couldn't figure out how to grind off all the existing welds...... and I didn't have that much angle.......It would have been easier to just build the whole box.....Man.... you should see some of the welds on this thing.... I am no expert at all..... but I know what Porousity looks like......When a person spends $15K on a trailer... the stock welds should look better than the crap on this thing..... my NOOB welds actually look better... Amazing!Precision TIG 185 and MP 210Bobcat 225NTCutmaster 42O/A tanks.... 2 Argon tanks...... 2 C25 TanksFacebook...... F2 Metal WorksETSY....... https://www.etsy.com/shop/F2MetalWorksF2MetalWorks.com....... http://www.f2metalworks.com/
Reply:OK, so I'll say it.......I hope you didn't weld that with the propane tanks in place, becausesafety is no accident.Anyhow, I do like that the angle was coped instead of other options.How do you know the blacksmith's dog? When you hollar at him he makes a bolt for the door!
Reply:Those puppies are dead empty.......I was concerned about them myself.........Ka BOOM...... but they have been drained for some time..........Precision TIG 185 and MP 210Bobcat 225NTCutmaster 42O/A tanks.... 2 Argon tanks...... 2 C25 TanksFacebook...... F2 Metal WorksETSY....... https://www.etsy.com/shop/F2MetalWorksF2MetalWorks.com....... http://www.f2metalworks.com/
Reply:Looks fine from here as long as you got good penetration where you welded onto the existing angle iron. Getting perfect fitup comes with practice, you'll get the hang of it.  Originally Posted by FexalWhen a person spends $15K on a trailer... the stock welds should look better than the crap on this thing..... my NOOB welds actually look better... Amazing!
Reply:That looks a lot better than the battery box on my trailer.  I agree on production welding on trailers.  I just bought a new 10 x  5 utility trailer and I am going to have to grind off  some welds and re weld.
Reply:You did good !  What about the battery hold down ???       Not a bunge ??
Reply:Originally Posted by FexalThose puppies are dead empty.......I was concerned about them myself.........Ka BOOM...... but they have been drained for some time..........
Reply:Looks good so far.  A few suggestions:1.  Make sure the welds where the battery sits are ground down nice and flat.  If you have areas sticking up, they're going to create pressure points on the case of the battery.2.  Weld some braces or gussets from the side of the tongue up to the bottom of the extension piece you added.  This will help immensely with any cyclical loading on the extension (battery wanting to bounce/tilt as you're going down the road / around curves).3.  Paint it up well.  Areas in between the battery and the metal will be slower to dry out than those out in the open air/sun.  The more water sits there, the more potential for rust.4.  Might want to put some thin rubber / foam between the battery and the metal (definitely on the bottom, on the sides if space allows).  Will help keep the battery from rubbing on the paint and could cut down on vibration a tiny bit.
Reply:A little word to the wiseWhen building anything onto something, always build from the truck/trailer/etc out.  Don't try to make something to fit an existing structure, then try to attach it, you'll always have fitup problems."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:These are great suggestions folks. I will get some gussets on there. I was thinking on putting some round rod to from the trailer to the battery mount, but I think gusset will look better and be stronger.Paint is a good idea..... that way it will look like it was made together...... I like the padding idea too.Precision TIG 185 and MP 210Bobcat 225NTCutmaster 42O/A tanks.... 2 Argon tanks...... 2 C25 TanksFacebook...... F2 Metal WorksETSY....... https://www.etsy.com/shop/F2MetalWorksF2MetalWorks.com....... http://www.f2metalworks.com/
Reply:+1 on tacking and then welding out in place.Be careful with gusset placement. You want to minimize vertical welds on a tongue. Actually I'm guessing the battery is a 4D and it wouldn't need a gusset. They are designed heavy duty for the extremes of running in heavy equipment.Also, the propane tanks are probably at their most dangerous when they are full of vapor.Millermatic 200Hobart Handler 120Victor O/A & Ramco BandsawLincoln 225 ACSnapOn AD HoodMiller XMT304/22AHypertherm Powermax 1650 G3Lincoln Idealarc DC600 w/Extreme 12 VSMiller Digital Elite "Joker"
Reply:I think that what the guys are trying to say is "A blind man on a galoping horse would be happy to see it".Miller thunderbolt 250Decastar 135ERecovering tool-o-holic ESAB OAI have been interested or involved in Electrical, Fire Alarm, Auto, Marine, Welding, Electronics ETC to name a just a few. So YES you can own too many tools.
Reply:Originally Posted by that'll_buff_outOK, so I'll say it.......I hope you didn't weld that with the propane tanks in place, becausesafety is no accident.Anyhow, I do like that the angle was coped instead of other options.
Reply:When building anything onto something
Reply:Looks good.  I bet paint will make it look soooo much better.  Post some pics when done.  I don't think you need to add anything to it.  The batterys center should be over the main beam of the trailer.TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:Originally Posted by FexalThose puppies are dead empty.......I was concerned about them myself.........Ka BOOM...... but they have been drained for some time..........
Reply:If you disconnect them, you are trusting a check valve alone to contain residual vapors in the lines. The only way to be safe is to disassemble the trailer box from the frame, and send the frame out to be hot tanked first. Then sandblast, and follow up with a pressure wash. Make sure you wait half an hour after eating.Ok, make it twenty minutes...Ok,ok, vapors are only harmful in large quantities and in confined spaces. A source of ignition in these circumstances is very dangerous. That is why we have customers turn off refrigerators while refueling LP. Automatic ignitors - BAD. When you introduce welding heat and sparks, I consider the heat more dangerous than sparks. You can use a piece of sheet metal to guard against sparks, but if any steel is left HOT in close contact with LP system components, that gets me scared. And I mean within a few inches, something a foot and a half away is not going to get hot from residual heat.I know, a tank holds large quantities and in confined spaces. But did you ever see a spark go through an 1/8" steel walled tank?Last edited by tanglediver; 03-19-2012 at 11:05 PM.City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Originally Posted by tanglediverI know, a tank holds large quantities and in confined spaces. But did you ever see a spark go through an 1/8" steel walled tank?
Reply:Tanks are light and easily removed, what is really the issue of leaving them within a foot od the weld zone. Heat , sparks,  how about static electricity  or just a poor groung connection giving you a problem.  And yes, there are many definitions of explosion, conflagration, defragration, whatever, vapors and not liquid are what go boom, when you cook on your gril, do you see any liquid spraying out? You could put a match out in a lake of gasoline if you could just get it past the vapors. Maybe to rich to ignite, but at some place in the area the mixture of gas and air(O2)whatever,  is just right to go BANGGG, wether it explodes or not. This is a situation that can be avoided, why push it?   on a lighter note, camping is great , don't get out as much as I used to but enjoy it alot. Now get the solar charger and fab a mount on the top."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 400Points taken. The frame extension looked good to go. Nice job! City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:They used to call em "slave welds".Because of the labor forced welding back in WW2, and earlier.I think the Germans and Chinese were most known for it, probably others too.Lincoln 125HD, yep I'm a big spender.