Lighweight Metal but easier to weld than Aluminum?

[RockerC]

Hey Guys,

So I've looked into getting to weld some aluminium, mainly chosen because I wanted a lightweight and strong metal for some frames I want to build and practice with, but found out a TIG welder costs a lot of dough.

Are there any other light(ish) metals that I can weld? or am I best just using iron?

Thanks

Chris

 

[Sean]

steel?

 

[Alfaman]

Yep, AC tig plant is expensive.

Yes, there are lots of lightweight metals you could use. Magnesium, titanium and inconel are all lightweight and strong, along with other properties.

What kind of frames are you practicing with, and what kind of 'iron' do you mean?

 

[Angusdog]

Although people think of aluminium as light weight, it's less strong. The rule of thumb I use is it's 1/3 the weight but 1/3 the strength. Items made from aluminium can be lighter if you allow for a greater cross section of the material doing the work, i.e. car 'alloy' wheels.

But Ducati still make their motorbike frames from steel and I don't hear any complaints. So the difference for your project would be minimal if it was efficiently designed in steel.

Maybe post a drawing of what you want to achieve. There's plenty of advice available here for just that purpose. The case for a telescope is a great example - the material has gone from 3mm thick to 1mm thick, making it much easier to fab.

 

[RockerC]

Maybe post a drawing of what you want to achieve. There's plenty of advice available here for just that purpose. The case for a telescope is a great example - the material has gone from 3mm thick to 1mm thick, making it much easier to fab.

You know its funny you mention telescopic, thats what I was after. Its for a bicycle trailer frame Im building as a learner project, and I didn't want to be lugging some heavy thing behind me on a bike.

I also want to convert a bicycle into a "Tricycle" by adding a rear axle, and needed the lightweight metal for that too. I have to make two "Thru Axles" and to do that I have to weld two disks to a spacer.. I have a disability you see which makes it harder for me to walk longer distances without pain and problems with balance.. hence the tricycle. I wanted to make a few other things in the future too. But they can wait! For now though.. I really need to be able to convert this bicycle so I dont fall off it by making the rear axle.

Any ideas?

Im not quite sure how to show you.. the only picture I have is in a PDF from a company called "Atomic Zombie" and Id be breaking copyright and forum rules uploading it here. I wish I could though.. would make this simpler! lol..

Yes, there are lots of lightweight metals you could use. Magnesium, titanium and inconel are all lightweight and strong, along with other properties.

Ive had a look at those 3.. all of which look suitable. Thanks! But maybe there's something else? I really dpnt know how much weight is going to be an issue.. Im a total newbie in need of some solutions.


Chris

 

[PhillipM]

Making it out of those will cost you more than the AC TIG plant, use some thin wall CDS or T45 steel tube.

 

[hotrodder]

Is it one of these and if so which one? http://www.atomiczombie.com/main.aspx?click=plans

If cost is an issue and especially if you're totally new to fabrication and welding then stick to (or at least begin/learn with) plain old mild steel as even high strength steels like T45 will cost a LOT more and be harder to get hold of. Mild steel tube is available in several flavours, ERW (Electric Resistance Welded) is the cheapest and easiest to get hold of. Something like CDS (Cold Drawn Seamless) is stronger so you could likely save a little weight but will cost a fair bit more.

 

[jugs]

Stronger than ALU,

Cheaper than carbon fiber,

Lighter & stronger than steel,

No paint required,

No expensive hi-tec equipment required


BAMBOO

see it in use for your aplication ->

Trailer > http://www.carryfreedom.com/bamboo.html


Bike > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erxjvLgxULo


edit = It's difficult to MIG or TIG

 

[madkayaker]

but easy to stick weld!









couldn't resist it

 

[jugs]

but easy to stick weld!









couldn't resist it

 

[ThermiteDisco]

Making it out of those will cost you more than the AC TIG plant, use some thin wall CDS or T45 steel tube.

+1

Im new to diy welding but am a pain for researching things and have looked at doing a roll cage on my landy, using cds, its strong enough to take crash/roll loads and still crazy light in comparison to the 2t of the landy. good luck with proj. been asked to look at a trike for bro in law as he has bad mobility wouldnt mind seeing how you get on

 

[RockerC]

+1

Im new to diy welding but am a pain for researching things and have looked at doing a roll cage on my landy, using cds, its strong enough to take crash/roll loads and still crazy light in comparison to the 2t of the landy. good luck with proj. been asked to look at a trike for bro in law as he has bad mobility wouldnt mind seeing how you get on

I'll message you when I get something together! Thinking maybe about modifying a normal bicycle with a real axle. It might well be cheaper for me to look at go kart parts or something and bolting things together rather than welding. It's one way anyway I guess.. and welding holds stronger too I guess.

 

[RockerC]

Is it one of these and if so which one? http://www.atomiczombie.com/main.aspx?click=plans

If cost is an issue and especially if you're totally new to fabrication and welding then stick to (or at least begin/learn with) plain old mild steel as even high strength steels like T45 will cost a LOT more and be harder to get hold of. Mild steel tube is available in several flavours, ERW (Electric Resistance Welded) is the cheapest and easiest to get hold of. Something like CDS (Cold Drawn Seamless) is stronger so you could likely save a little weight but will cost a fair bit more.

Thanks for the info. It's more like the TimberWolf delta trike there.. with a shorter front end. But the part Im after is like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Go-Kart-R...porting_Goods_Scooters_LE&hash=item256885629c

I'll drill holes around the outer disk areas and spoke them to the rims. There's something about issues with normal axles in the one PDF I bought from Atomic Zombie.. saying that because normal bicycle rims are usually supported from both sides and because the bike leans to one side as it turns.. it means the rims bend out of shape or something to that effect due to the pressures on them horizontally when cornering.

 

[hotrodder]

Hopefully they're talking/warning about bent/broken spindles (axles). As you say bicycle wheels are supported at both ends of the axle whereas with a trike they aren't. It's a single shear vs double shear thing.
What about hubs (or even complete wheels) from a wheelchair. Googling wheelchair hubs only got hits to fancy (read £££) flavours for racing/sports etc but i suspect your basic type are cheap enough. Another possability includes those rickshaw taxi/pedicab things

Admittedly i only scanned through the first paragraph or so but this looks like it'd be worth reading... http://www.ihpva.org/Projects/PracticalInnovations/BuildingStubAxleHubs.html

 

[RockerC]

Hopefully they're talking/warning about bent/broken spindles (axles). As you say bicycle wheels are supported at both ends of the axle whereas with a trike they aren't. It's a single shear vs double shear thing.
What about hubs (or even complete wheels) from a wheelchair. Googling wheelchair hubs only got hits to fancy (read £££) flavours for racing/sports etc but i suspect your basic type are cheap enough. Another possability includes those rickshaw taxi/pedicab things

Admittedly i only scanned through the first paragraph or so but this looks like it'd be worth reading... http://www.ihpva.org/Projects/PracticalInnovations/BuildingStubAxleHubs.html

Now that's pretty good suggestions thanks! I'd never even thought about wheelchair wheels.. that would be pretty easy to fit. That other hub mod site link you gave is awesome too. thanks a lot for that

 

[Alfaman]

I've got access to any number of complete wheels / hubs etc every month from defunct wheelchairs, so give us a shout if they might be of use to you?