Aluminum Flatbed

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I have said time and time again I am a black Iron structural guy, well, heres my first real excursion into aluminum. seeing some high priced , low quality commercially produced alum. flatbeds I got mad and decided to build my own, I recently converted my F350 to dually, no spacers, axle swap. I began with structural material, some 1/4" and quicly found I needed a lot of power to get it welded. A quick call to my cousin, electrician and he gave me and increased temp feeder for 100 Amps, up from my old 50amp. Was cooking the pure Tungsten at 240-260 amps and a call to my LWS and I got 1/8 Zirconia. All working well but slow. Yesterday I demoed a 30 A spoolgun and although I can't afford it, I said this is just what I need. So, a grand in material, a grand in the spoolgun, a couple of hundred to get TIG stuff and I am still $ 2300 less than the cash and carry price for me to install on my own, the dealer bought junk flatbed. I will post pictures later tonight, I am still figuring out the macro zoom feature to get up close pictures of my ugly tig welds. Welds are fair but seem to be coming out wide.  This is probably a big project for a firs venture into new process, but so far I'm liking the clean, light aluminum. Ha Ha"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:Welcome to the club of building your own aluminum welding bed.  Mine is only been a 3 month project.  As everytime I try to work on it, another job comes in the door. Lincoln 300 Vantage 2008300 Commander 1999SA250 1999SA200 1968Miller Syncrowave 200XMT350MPA/S-52E/xr-15Xtreme 12vs Millermatic 251 w/30A  Millermatic 251 Dialarc 250 Hypertherm 1250 GEKA & Bantom Ironwokers
Reply:Can't wait for the pictures!A butterfly without wings, is just an ugly bug
Reply:Originally Posted by Magnetic MechanicCan't wait for the pictures!
Reply:Do you have some design drawings you can post?That way we can tell you all the things you are doing wrong...lol Just kidding you. Good Luck
Reply:Bed has recess in front for tool box to maintain lower profile, and cut out in middle for 5th whl. later will have door or panel. Super light weight , after tacking my son and I picked it off  to flip and put on dollyies for final welding in the garage.Main rails 4" cross rails 3" capped with 3x5 angle . First excursion with aluminum TIG and Spool gun. Attached Images"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:Originally Posted by kolotBed has recess in front for tool box to maintain lower profile, and cut out in middle for 5th whl. later will have door or panel. Super light weight , after tacking my son and I picked it off  to flip and put on dollyies for final welding in the garage.Main rails 4" cross rails 3" capped with 3x5 angle . First excursion with aluminum TIG and Spool gun.
Reply:Nice! Looks like you have space for tool boxes under the bed, forward of the rear wheels. And a headache rack would be a nice touch, depending on the size and shape of the toolbox up front. And you'll need  some mud flaps out back so you don't spray everyone behind you. Nice looking so far, though!
Reply:nice i really want to build some thing like that for my ranger to practice my aluminum tig skills.syncrowave 180 sd
Reply:Looks very professional.  Is that 6061 T-6?By the way, what wall thickness did you use?
Reply:That is a beautiful bed. I was just wondering how thick is the diamond plate you are using for the floor?
Reply:SWEET!Just needs a Chevy under it - with the same blue.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:By far the best aluminum bed I have seen in a while...Nice drop downs to hold the welders...I assume...wait its for a tool box.  I see the post....Last edited by lugweld; 08-08-2009 at 02:58 PM.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:OK, Alum. is 6061-T6 channel walls are .170 , The deck is a 3003 in what was supposed to be .190 but it looks and feels more like 1/4 inch, I haven't mic'd it yet. If you look at the forward recess it has a dropp, and then and open area between the rails. I don't want to waste that space so I am thinking of building a custom drop in box or actually incorporating a built in box down the line. The drop will give me more and deeper cargo area in the box without raising the exterior profile. Under rail boxes are part of the plan. The void in the center is housing 2 steel rails that mount a 5th wheel hitch below the deck. They must be accesible to pin and unpin the hitch. They use to sit in the floor of the stock bed and are a major pain. This void will be finished with either a hinged panel or a drop in latched panel. This truck accomodates my welders for now , but I have and F450 project on the back burner for that later. This is predominately used for my camper and towing my trailers so it geared toward the Fiver.need  to maintain a lower profile for turning clearance. Also planned for the sides above the bed are 5th wheel tail gate chests, these are top opening chests the size of a bed chest but around 10 inches tall. Never have enough secure out of the weather storage when you go camping or touring. Major investment but the way I see it , when I'm done even my sons can still move this bed to there rigs if they see fit in the future with little or no mods, plus it shouldn't need refinishing or scraping and paint.   This has gotten me thinking about building a 14 Foot aluminum dump trailer, I like the trailers but most weigh in around 4-5K lbs empty, seems counter productive.   Any body know where I can buy pre fab fuel filler neck mounts with trap doors that will flush mount on top of the bed. can't see building them if they are reasonable. may mount them under rail but it doesn't seem like I have enouhg angle on the filler hoses."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:Oh yea,  I don't have alot of Alum. experience but picked 6061 because the research I did told me it is a little more favorable to resist deflection and the 3003 was the most common sheet diamond sold by my supplier. Is this correct. weldability seems OK . I don't have a plasma cutter,but was able to shear some of the parts. As for the cut outs I used a saws all and jig saw. The rear light holes were made with hole saws and connected by sawing. I was surprised at how hard this material was for aluminum. And yes my tools were sharp.     Plasma cutter is on my short list but I will also need a compressor upgrade, mine seems to produce a lot of moisture through the line even with a separator. 5 hp with 30 gal tank, I think it runs too often, gets hot and condenses alot of moisture.  More pictures soon, I'm working my reg. job today."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:Super detail and craftmanship.  Appreciate the post.  We have similar goals.  I was planning to convert a 14 trailer to a dump....and it is on my short list as well.  Tired of off loading firewood by hand. I never thought of making an aluminum dump but that is an interesting idea.  Wish I could help you on a pre fab filler neck, I am sure some one will pipe up.  Might try Blackbird.
Reply:As far as the fuel filler neck, go to youre nearest muffler shop and have him bend the diameter you need to the angle you are looking for, then cut to youre desired length. Connect w/ short pieces of fuel resistant hose bam youre done. Did it on my F350 worked great, good lookin bed too.
Reply:I should clarify, I meant a small cabinet or recessed mount for the filler neck, I have a pipe bender. I was hoping for a pre fabbed door to drop in the top of the bed to hold the filler and cap."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:The 6061 T6 aluminum you're using is a higher strength grade of material.  It'll lose some strength in the heat affected zones around the welds, but unless you're moving heavy loads or decide to mount a small crane, it shouldn't make a difference.  6061 is a heat treated alloy.  The 3003 alloy is non-heat treatable alloy.  It's got good corrosion resistance, better than the 6061.  It's strength comes from the cold rolling done to form it into a sheet.  There's an 'H' number, something like H13, that tells you how large a reduction the material went through in the final rolling operation.  The higher the H number, the higher the strength and lower the ductility of the aluminum.  It will also lose some strength in the heat affected zone around the welds.  But again, this shouldn't matter in the long run.A word of advice, keep the bed clean and wash off any road salt on a regular basis in the winter.  Aluminum has good corrosion resistance compared to steel, but it will still suffer from salt exposure over time.  Just curious, but I was wondering how much money you spent on the material?Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:Originally Posted by kolotI should clarify, I meant a small cabinet or recessed mount for the filler neck, I have a pipe bender. I was hoping for a pre fabbed door to drop in the top of the bed to hold the filler and cap.
Reply:Wow, Kolt, that's an impressive, well thought out, piece of work.
Reply:I don't know if it is well thought out or I think quick as much of it is :"design as you build' cost of aluminum so far is $1053, LED lighting 250, and consumable wire gas about 150 or so but I will have extra in TIG wire and gas. I estimate another 250 in aluminum to make hedache rack, my son has made up the mud flaps out of stuff we have around. don't know the cost of the recessed fillers but I'd say 100 a piece so should be around 2K in the end. Also I bought a spool gun for a grand but this was just a good excuse. Still beats a new truck. I have my old bed starting to rot around the wheel wells, I'm sure a trip to the body shop and paint would have been all of the above. Duaneb55 your right on the money , excellent link and they have quite a variety of mounts at a lot of angles.Last edited by kolot; 08-08-2009 at 11:33 PM."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:Is that a 4x4?  My flatbed barely has clearance for suspension travel on my F-350, and it's about as high off the frame as yoursPlus the mfr made it around 3-4" too narrow on the bed  I have to make wheel cutouts, which is gonna look like crap"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:you should have gottin a pic when he fell over with it
Reply:Nice skidloader , I have NH too. I'll get some more pics of the bed up this week, almost done but have started on other projects, pockets and rub rails in as well as LED lights and hedache rack. still have to improve on the fuel fillers but functional now."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 400I don't know if your state uses mag chloride but its way way way worse on aluminum than salt.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:Thats a good looking truck bed. That is also a sweet trailer set up you have.
Reply:Nice bed.Che out some of THESE fuel fillers.
Reply:Here's a few after the fact Attached Images"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:Nice job dude, I can't wait to build my bed for my F450.  Any more pictures would be helpful and what sizes did you go with for the sub frame, brackets, plateing, etc. If you don't mind.
Reply:nice job! i'm sure it is much better than anything you would buy commercially. i notice it has a trailer hitch. i'm sure you built it stout as hell, but your a smart guy, no pictures of that fab. the flaming would be brutal, as it usually is with all hitches LOL. the majority of manufactered hitches don't have an extra ounce of material, an extra mm of weld, but have a beautiful powder coat that makes a horrible smell when you have to repair shoddy welds done by idiots, but i have never seen any critical comments about this crap on the forum.
Reply:Looks awesome. When you mount an aluminum bed to the truck, do you have to put anything between the truck frame and the bed frame?Safety 3rdGump
Reply:Originally Posted by dbl612nice job! i'm sure it is much better than anything you would buy commercially. i notice it has a trailer hitch. i'm sure you built it stout as hell, but your a smart guy, no pictures of that fab. the flaming would be brutal, as it usually is with all hitches LOL. the majority of manufactered hitches don't have an extra ounce of material, an extra mm of weld, but have a beautiful powder coat that makes a horrible smell when you have to repair shoddy welds done by idiots, but i have never seen any critical comments about this crap on the forum.
Reply:Originally Posted by GumpLooks awesome. When you mount an aluminum bed to the truck, do you have to put anything between the truck frame and the bed frame?
Reply:Originally Posted by marcomjlNice job dude, I can't wait to build my bed for my F450.  Any more pictures would be helpful and what sizes did you go with for the sub frame, brackets, plateing, etc. If you don't mind.