Question for you welders out there

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Hello all.  I am a wannabe welder and saving up for a new machine.  My interest is in TIG welding as I have aluminum boats for hunting, etc.  Anyway, I have a new project before I really know how to weld!  (My Father-in-law was a certified welder all his life and can help teach me.  That said, he didn't do a ton of TIG.)  So, this boat might be a mixture of a Pro doing the stuff that people can see and us tackling the stuff that will be hidden and doesn't need to be pretty.  In advance of all that, I am curious about what you would do here:There are a few ribs of the boat that are cracked on the very ends.  (Maybe a 3/4" corner cracked off of 4 of them.)  I will have to replace some of the rivets, but not all of them.  Main question: Do you think it can be fully repaired as it sits in the boat, or should I pull the whole rib up and have it repaired that way?  (Obviously, I still have a lot of cleaning to do.)  I have the opportunity to do it right now, but don't want to create extra work.  Thanks for your help!KRSPS - I have thoughts of "extending" the ribs in the middle of the boat to go up the sides.  This could come into play as well.
Reply:That boat is corroded all to heck. It is going to be nothing but a nightmare even for a pro Tigger. Sounds like your father-in-law will be no help. As a newbie I think a good mig machine with a spool gun would be a better option. Several weldors here use that option.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:save money and headache, buy a new boat.
Reply:Use the money from aluminum scrap for down payment on a new boat, labour cost to repair will cost almost as much as a new boat...imhoMeasure with a micrometre, mark with chalk,  cut with a torch.Never force anything...just get a bigger hammer.RoyOld Airco buzz box approx 1974Lincoln mig pack 15Lincoln 175 square wave1954 9" south bend lathe
Reply:Wasn't quite expecting these responses, but thank you for the feedback.  (Don't mean that to sound bad.)    Anyway, this boat and trailer new today is $5-6K without a motor and I don't have a kitchen pass on $12K right now!  (I already have a fully functional boat similar to this.)  I paid $550 for this boat and considering it platform for welding training.  Yes, there is some corrosion, but it is not too far gone.  A lot of what you see in the pic will be removed (He's got some goop in the rib ends.) and it certainly will look better after pressure washing.    I have seen plenty of guys bring boats worse than this one back.  Anyway, worst case I replace the leaking rivets, put a floor and front deck on it and sell it.  I will keep you posted either way.  Thanks all!KRS
Reply:A lot of those riveted boats are put together with seam sealer. Besides the heavy corrosion and thin material, the sealer will play he11 with trying to get decent beads. By the time you disassemble everything, clean and replace the poor materials, you'll still have a high chance at a mediocre repair as the sealer wicks out of the joints as soon as things heat up.Rivets are really the way to go. As far as tig, thin alum tig is pretty hard to pick up. Poor materials will only cause more frustration. I wouldn't recommend trying to learn tig alum on anything thinner than 14 ga, 1/8" would be better. Expect to spend a few hundred hours getting to the point you can weld alum below 16ga with tig, if you are lucky and dedicated to putting in the time required for practice. Otherwise it's an effort in futility. I also wouldn't recommend diving in on alum to start with unless you are leaning with someone who is really good to guide you. Steel is a lot easier o learn on your own, and once you get the basics down, you can transition over to alum with less problems.Shovelon does a lot of work in alum and I'd have to agree with his suggestion that tig would be a better choice for someone just learning to accomplish something like this..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Don't get discouraged, Buy a tig or a mig welder with spool gun and start learning because everyone has to start somewhere. Keep in mind that the welder is going to cost way more than what you paid for that boat and it can only get more expensive unless you're planning to buy an import machine which could be a headache in its self. Don't cheap out on the welder ! Another route Put in new and extra rivets and if you have any holes patch it with bondo aluminum filler, that stuff is expensive but amazing when mixed correctly.  I have used it in the past and once its cured its a pain in the a$$ to sand or form because its so tough, You could also braze cracks and get a decent repair.
Reply:All of the above except ninjaray's comment, no offense bud. When you trace crap you get crap, and when boats get to that point with seam sealer, mold, mildew, paint and all that they are a nightmare for anyone. Buy your machine, practice like crazy and when the time comes and your ready, build a whole new john boat. That's my advise, but don't practice on a project, you will know when your ready. Simulate your practice to the task and that will go a long way.I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:Thanks Ninja.  I am close to pulling the trigger on the 210 that you have.  I could get a diversion 180 now, but will wait a few months and get the 210.  Yeah, I am not going to go crazy on the boat and I will get rid of it if it goes down hill.  Once I realize it is a solid boat, I can put up to $2K into it and I will be ahead of the game.  But like some of you pointed out, it's a time investment for sure.
Reply:As long as you are not in any hurry to make it useful and safe just play with it on land. You could change your mind if it opens up a can of worms. Sometimes trying to salvage a gem you find out you should have buried it. You can only aggravate yourself for so long. Good luck.
Reply:The impression left from your pictures is that this is a john-boat but the cost of replacement and the amount you are willing to invest don't add up.  I suspect this is a heavy duty skiff.  What is the length and beam of the boat?  Depth?  Where and how used in the past?  Aluminum can tire out and will only stand so much flex and stress.30+ yrs Army Infantry & Field Artillery, 25 yrs agoMiller 350LX Tig Runner TA 210, spool gunLincoln 250/250 IdealArcESAB PCM 500i PlasmaKazoo 30"  vert BSKazoo 9x16 horiz BSClausing 12x24 lathe20T Air Press
Reply:Originally Posted by KRS62Thanks Ninja.  I am close to pulling the trigger on the 210 that you have.  I could get a diversion 180 now, but will wait a few months and get the 210.  Yeah, I am not going to go crazy on the boat and I will get rid of it if it goes down hill.  Once I realize it is a solid boat, I can put up to $2K into it and I will be ahead of the game.  But like some of you pointed out, it's a time investment for sure.
Reply:2K into something like that? Lots of luck.REAL TRUCKS DON'T HAVE SPARK PLUGS
Reply:Originally Posted by KRS62Hello all.  I am a wannabe welder and saving up for a new machine.  My interest is in TIG welding as I have aluminum boats for hunting, etc.  Anyway, I have a new project before I really know how to weld!  (My Father-in-law was a certified welder all his life and can help teach me.  That said, he didn't do a ton of TIG.)  So, this boat might be a mixture of a Pro doing the stuff that people can see and us tackling the stuff that will be hidden and doesn't need to be pretty.  In advance of all that, I am curious about what you would do here:There are a few ribs of the boat that are cracked on the very ends.  (Maybe a 3/4" corner cracked off of 4 of them.)  I will have to replace some of the rivets, but not all of them.  Main question: Do you think it can be fully repaired as it sits in the boat, or should I pull the whole rib up and have it repaired that way?  (Obviously, I still have a lot of cleaning to do.)  I have the opportunity to do it right now, but don't want to create extra work.  Thanks for your help!KRSPS - I have thoughts of "extending" the ribs in the middle of the boat to go up the sides.  This could come into play as well.