No riding for me this week. I decided 2 week ago that I would teach myself to weld aluminum. So the first thing you need to do that is to spend some money on a Tig welder. Oxarc was more than happy to take my money. 15 hours of youtube videos and some very unsuccessful practice I decide last weekend that I would build a bin to hold my oil in the trailer.
It turned out okay. So this week I practiced some more on some 2 x .125 inch wide bar cut into one inch chunks. I could get a butt weld that looked ok but I could not do a fillet weld for the life of me.
With Bill being down this year I am really looking to see some new country this year. I hate pulling my 25 trailer when I it is just me but I hated my old sled deck because I couldn’t pull the big trailer without taking it off.
So yesterday at I went to lewiston with the wife. I made a deal with her, I would do light remodels on the two bathrooms and I got to build a sled deck. So a trip to Home Depot and to Gateway Materials and I was off last night on two projects.
By the way did I mention that I have never completed a successful fillet weld which is about 70% of the welds needed for a sled deck. Well I have to tell you determination and 1100 dollars worth of aluminum is a great motivator. Needless to say the first fillet weld got a “D-“and may have go ground out and rewelded later. After that things got better. Mass and the gas pedal is your friend with aluminum. I am not stacking dimes yet but I have made some pretty welds and even don’t get anxious about fillet welds anymore. Needless to say I ran out of Argon tonight but got a good start on the deck and have to install the new vanity in the the one bathroom and it is done.
