How's my aluminum welds?

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Hey guys, just got done doing a repair on an aluminum dump trailer that needs to pass DOT inspection before the sugar beet harvest can you guys tell me what you think?I think I did pretty good what do you think?
Reply:Alright I figured I'd throw that out there while I got the rest of the pictures in a post to see some shock and awe.  This farmer brought me a couple aluminum dump trailers because his inspection is up, the guy he had repair it last was dead.  I was tempted to ask if his welds killed him?He said "wherever theres a crack, weld it up."  Boy are we finding them.  I've got 10 hours of just grinding out cracks and these crappy welds.These chunks are part of a box frame rail for a aluminum dump trailer. These pieces had bird **** welds stacked a 1" off of them, and the welds were all broke clear through, the "welds" held enough to keep the plates from falling out. As a result there are cracks all over the framework. This guys "welds" are all over the trailers.I wish I would've taken pictures before I ground the welds and got those chunks out.
Reply:Scary to think that trailer was goin down the road, carrying who knows how many tons of dirt! I dont know if ive ever seen that much bird sh#t in my life, must have been a big bird!Miller Dynasty 300dxSpeedglas 9002XMiller Spectrum 375 XtremeLincoln PowerMig 255xtLincoln PowerMig 140cMilwuakee Portaband
Reply:Holy @#$%! POO! POO!
Reply:DOT Inspection? I would not waist your time going for inspection! Serious!Just being honest! Good illustrations though!
Reply:Originally Posted by cmartman46DOT Inspection? I would not waist your time going for inspection! Serious!Just being honest! Good illustrations though!
Reply:I seriously can't understand the mentality of some welders. They can kill someone with those shotty welds.
Reply:Originally Posted by mgroshongI seriously can't understand the mentality of some welders. They can kill someone with those shotty welds.
Reply:Originally Posted by AcemanYou consider him a weldor?
Reply:dang i feel for you It's not what you can buy, it's what you can build that matters
Reply:Oh my, my , my.Any pics of the repairs?QamuIs Heg qaq law' lorvIs yInqaq puS
Reply:I don't envy you on that job.  That's one of those where the deeper you dig, the worse it gets.  What a mess! Work HARDER, not smarter! ------------------------ Miller Bobcat 250Millermatic 251Lincoln Precision TIG 185Hypertherm PM 600Hobart 135 HandlerOxweld 400 FlameMaster
Reply:Originally Posted by DDA52Any pics of the repairs?
Reply:Gross! I hope those repairs are in a decent spot where you can make yourself comfortable, you are goin to be there for a while!Nothing Ever Got Done By Quitting, Never Give Up.
Reply:I would sell the aluminum and invest in a new or better dump trailor. It looks like alot of work and effort going into that project. I only replied to the pictures you put on here. I assumed you did a repair according to what the article said. Good luck!
Reply:where's me fishing pole cause we are opening a can "0" wormslotso work.......been ther done that,  more ya dig the worse it can bebest 0 luck
Reply:Be careful grindin them welds, aluminum will be a bitch to weld if you get contaminents in there... what process you using? im assuming the guy before you must of layed the rod down and just melted it on there with a torch!
Reply:Originally Posted by txweldertxBe careful grindin them welds, aluminum will be a bitch to weld if you get contaminents in there...
Reply:Originally Posted by DDA52Oh my, my , my.Any pics of the repairs?
Reply:At least there's no JB weld in it.Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.
Reply:I see those repairs done a lot. They think it is like steel. Turn up the heat and lay a bead right over the last one that cracked. It has gotten so bad some of the owners are starting to think you can't weld al. because it will just break. I have started asking how long the welds usually last then I will guarantee the fix to last twice as long(some of these have said it won't make the first day before it cracks again). Grind out or cut out the offending welds clean the area and weld in new material. They all b@#ch about the price but when it holds up they realize it was cheaper done right. It doesn't help that spoolguns are a fairly cheap addition to a mig welder.
Reply:Originally Posted by flatbustedbrokeI see those repairs done a lot. They think it is like steel. Turn up the heat and lay a bead right over the last one that cracked. It has gotten so bad some of the owners are starting to think you can't weld al. because it will just break. I have started asking how long the welds usually last then I will guarantee the fix to last twice as long(some of these have said it won't make the first day before it cracks again). Grind out or cut out the offending welds clean the area and weld in new material. They all b@#ch about the price but when it holds up they realize it was cheaper done right. It doesn't help that spoolguns are a fairly cheap addition to a mig welder.
Reply:Sorry I didn't get any finished pictures of this, this project was a sore topic for me, I gave the welding on this job to my buddy, and while the welds were fine, his work ethic and the time it took him to do these were a thorn in my side, not to mention i was floating the money for him to buy a lot of consumables for this project.  3 weeks for his 47 hours of work.I explained the situation to the farmers and they understood, then I spent about 3 hours helping them cut a blown tire off the semi and they tried to pay me but I wouldn't take it and told them I had to make it up to them for it taking 3 weeks.  They've got more work for me when they got the time to get it to me, my "buddy" will no longer be getting welding work through me.  We ended up in the end buying some aluminum wire for his Miller 251 and using that to finish after burning the torch up on his Syncrowave.So I got a call yesterday from another guy that's got 3 aluminum dump trailers that need repairs, I'm going to go to the bank and get a loan for a 350P with an XR, I'll get pictures since I'll be in a better mood and there's nobody but myself to tarnish my name lol.  I figure make the investment now and have a welder that will do anything I could ever possibly want to do.  Then I'll sell my other wire feed welders and between this job and what I can get for my welders I should be able to pay off at least 2/3s of the loan.