You certainly could TIG weld the chromoly or the stainless fine but you would either have to weave your bead to get some cross section or run multiple passes. I would guess weaving would be better. For the chromoly material preheating before welding and peening after welding might offset some shrinkage too.
What price did you get on a complete strut ?
I would do all the machining after the fabrication. As I stated in the previous post the machinist I used put the end of the strut barrel in the chuck and turned the whole strut in a lathe.
Thanks Unchained. What kind of cross section are you talking about? (dimensionally)
I don't have the numbers written in fromt of me, but if I remember, the chromoly was $1300 or more, and the stainless was near $2000.
I built several struts for my 'Racer' about 10 years ago. for a 1" prop shaft I bought 1 5/8 x .188 wal DOM . and used 1/2" cold rolled flat plate for the blade on 3/8 " stock for the base. And as I recalled I Mig welded it. It wasn,t shiny or plated, but neither is the one on my boat now. The ID of the Barrel was perfect for the standard 1' strut bushing. YMMV Flyer
With chromoly not only do you get the strength you need after heat treating but it also has a higher resistance to water corrosion as opposed to cold rolled steel.
You certainly could TIG weld the chromoly or the stainless fine but you would either have to weave your bead to get some cross section or run multiple passes. I would guess weaving would be better. For the chromoly material preheating before welding and peening after welding might offset some shrinkage too.
What price did you get on a complete strut ?
I would do all the machining after the fabrication. As I stated in the previous post the machinist I used put the end of the strut barrel in the chuck and turned the whole strut in a lathe.
I would run multiple passes, just to try and keep the part from getting to heat soaked and wanting to draw one way or the other, also it's probably a good idea to weld a few inches, then immediatley flip the part and weld the same area on the opposite side, this will also help it's natural tendency to shrink and draw when cooling.
I don't have the numbers written in front of me, but if I remember, the chromoly was $1300 or more, and the stainless was near $2000.
I've had my life depend on fabrications I've made MANY times before and certainly things with a lot more stress on them.
Here's a 185 ton load hanging from a hydraulic gantry I built in 1983 when I had a machinery moving business. It's the crown to a 2000 ton stamping press.
http://www.childsdale-ind-prop.com/pressmove.jpg
I've had my life depend on fabrications I've made MANY times before and certainly things with a lot more stress on them.
yeah I agree. if your smart enuff to build the damn thing, then your smart enuff to know if you should. Scott knows what he's doing here, and I wouldn't pay those prices for something I could fab either. Why put your life in someone else's hand's you never met, says he will use the right stuff, heat treat it correctly etc etc then find out it was made in CHINA!!!
Hey Unchained, post a vid of that strut in the lathe. I'd think you'll be slightly breaking the no more then 3X diameter out of the chuck rule. And then the base hanging off there to boot. Oh my
I'd clean it up on a horizontal mill myself.
Hey Unchained, post a vid of that strut in the lathe. I'd think you'll be slightly breaking the no more then 3X diameter out of the chuck rule. And then the base hanging off there to boot. Oh my
I'd clean it up on a horizontal mill myself.
I didn't watch him do it, he told me how he did it and it was right on so that was all I really cared about. This shop has many CNC mills and boring mills too so there was no lack of available machines.
Hey Unchained, post a vid of that strut in the lathe. I'd think you'll be slightly breaking the no more then 3X diameter out of the chuck rule. And then the base hanging off there to boot. Oh my
I'd clean it up on a horizontal mill myself.Ya know, I was thinking the same thing. I just couldn't get a visual on that whole thing, but I wasn't going to say anything. I guess if the barrel was long enough, you could chuck one end, and steady rest the other end and indicate it in?? I just can't see hanging the entire barrel out there with the fin and getting any kind of concentricity on the other end.
:idea:
I built several struts for my 'Racer' about 10 years ago. for a 1" prop shaft I bought 1 5/8 x .188 wal DOM . and used 1/2" cold rolled flat plate for the blade on 3/8 " stock for the base. And as I recalled I Mig welded it. It wasn,t shiny or plated, but neither is the one on my boat now. The ID of the Barrel was perfect for the standard 1' strut bushing. YMMV Flyer Thanks for that flyer. I don't intend for mine to be anything but raw material, whatever I make it out of. That way it can, and will be regurlarly inspected.
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