New guy here, got a question!

[frank_a]

Good morning all, or at least it's morning here on the east coast in the states. Got a question for ya, but first, a bit of background.

I'm 60. I learned to weld years ago on a 220 AC/DC buzz box. A buddy of mine was retiring, and I bought out his shop maybe 15 years ago, and as part of the deal, got a top of the line Lincoln 120V MIG welder. Because I do mostly heavier stuff (not sheet metal), I switched it from .023 wire to .030 (I use Ar/CO2 gas for flux), and never looked back. I sold the buzz box.

Over the last few years, I have hardly used the MIG. Now I have a project, so took the MIG to my friendly local welding shop to be tuned up (it wasn't feeding well), and now I need some advice.

What I want to do is build some tubing to slide in 2X3 rectangular tubing with a 3/16 wall. The inside dimensions are 2-5/8 and 1-5/8. It seems to me that I want to cut my 3/16 sheet to 2-1/4 and 1-1/4, and the corner welds will essentially be the radius that fills the corners and fits into the 2X3 tubing.

Does that make sense? Certainly I will play around with this before making the final product, but I would very much appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks!

Frank

 

[mike 109444]

Welcome Frank .
Not sure what length these tubes will be. As you say you want the tube to slide into a 2x3 tube does that mean the 2x3 is already part of the job/assemble? if not namely you are making up both the 2x3 length and the 2-1/4 x 1-1/4 tube to fit inside then get enough 2x3 for total needed and cut to lengths required. Then cut the corners of the pieces that will slide inside to create what will look like angle iron. If you cut it with a wide enough (correct size) disc, it will remove the amount such that when you weld it back together it will be smaller and fit inside the 2x3. Hope that makes sense! Have done similar with smaller tube. Note tube like this will have a welded seam down one side and not all the corners will have the same radius so look carefully and best fit when assembling

 

[edd]

Go metric dude!

 

[mike 109444]

This pic might make more sense.
The yellow arrows point to where the radius may vary from corner to corner.
The green line indicates where there maybe a weld seam.
The Red lines are where to cut.

 

[frank_a]

First of all Edd, they tried to do metric here back when I was a kid, but it never worked out. I sure wish it had! All the steel I buy is in inch and foot dimensions.

Mike, sorry if I didn't explain well enough, but here's the deal: I'm doing this to extend the frame of my hot rod so I can fit supercharger pulleys in front of the motor. As I built the frame years ago, there is not enough room. Actually, read that no room at all! Once I have the tubing made, I will z-cut the frame and have an amount of tubing on each side of the splice equal to the length of the splice. I.e., I will make up 12" of tubing to slide in for a 4" frame extension. I'll clamp everything in place, and put a number of plug welds in, plus of course weld the z. I have other work to do too, but this fabrication of tubing is just something I thought maybe I could get some suggestions on, as I've never done anything like this. Other stuff I need to do is easy, or is stuff I've done before. This little exercise will get me back in practice!

Everything you've said, and the diagrams you so generously supplied make good sense. I'm fashioning the tubing to fit the piece I have for the extension, understanding it may not be exactly right when I cut the frame. Still, it needs to fit the short piece I have anyways, that will be the tubing I make the extensions from. And yes, an interior weld seam is something I need to work around.

I'm a very cautious and methodical person when it comes to welding, it's just been probably 6 or 7 years since I welded anything. My last major project was learning how to "do" fiberglass, as I bought an old tunnel hull speedboat racer that had been wrecked and rebuilt it. That was an interesting project!

My hot rod is completely apart in my shop, and the frame is up on jack stands just now. I'm also putting in a new transmission mount for an overdrive tranny to replace the old 3 speed. I need to make that bracket up, as well as some new radius rod brackets. Once this stuff is done and everything smoothed out, off to the powdercoater the chassis goes. And because I have more time than money, I'm never in a rush! Actually, I hope to start this work tomorrow, after looking at it and thinking it threw best I could last night.

Thanks for the help and tips, it is much appreciated.

Frank

 

[octo0072000]

Go metric dude!

yanks don't use metric most still use inchs

 

[octo0072000]

have a word with Langy on here he builds rods

 

[frank_a]

have a word with Langy on here he builds rods

Thanks, but I believe I have this figured out, it's just a matter of execution. What I'm doing is not an original idea, it's been done by other folks. If it wasn't going to show, I'd fishplate it, but that is not an option. The rod is only making about 375 hp now anyways. I want it to be able to handle 600. Having said that, the possibility of me getting a blower in the future is dim, but a remote possibility if all the planets align...

By the way, if I went into a steel shop and asked for metal by metric dimension, they'd look at me like I was daffy!

Frank

 

[mike 109444]

I see now what it is you are looking to do. I think you can get seamless tube but not sure about box, probable expensive if available. With a 120v mig would you get the power into the weld to get full penitration.
Just had to use the calculator in windows to convert 3/16 to metric ! I've spent toooo long away from machining. Still don't come home smelling of coolant oil.

 

[frank_a]

I see now what it is you are looking to do. I think you can get seamless tube but not sure about box, probable expensive if available. With a 120v mig would you get the power into the weld to get full penitration.
Just had to use the calculator in windows to convert 3/16 to metric ! I've spent toooo long away from machining. Still don't come home smelling of coolant oil.

Thanks Mike, I think it will work fine. And trust me, I got the base line rectangular tubing when I bought the steel for the chassis. It was back in the late 90's just before the price of steel took off. I don't remember for sure, but do believe that tubing had an interior seam. That was 15 years ago.

I'm gong to do the new internal tubing and drill the holes, and a master welder will perform plug welding magic with a much heavier duty machine (maybe TIG?) than my little MIG. Final welding will all be done in his shop. He's all set up to do stuff like this, but I save a bunch of USD setting everything up.

Here's a few pictures of my hot rod. This would be just before I tore it down completely. For all you mates in England, it has a Jaguar independent rear suspension (thanks to an old '70 sedan).

 

[the snooper]

nice, it needs chrome pipes

 

[frank_a]

nice, it needs chrome pipes

Not chrome, will get jet coated ones in bright silver. Run cooler, look great, never rust. Chrome isn't always the best, and stainless is too expensive. Looking at these: http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Small-Block-Chevy-Classic-T-Bucket-Headers-AHC-Coated,34431.html

Here's a pic of the bare frame. Hope to get working on it today.

 

[skotl]

That looks fantastic, Frank! Very jealous

Are you allowed to drive that on the highway, or track use only? No way that we would be able to drive something like that on the highway in the UK without all sorts of type-approval tests...

 

[octo0072000]

lots of rods in the uk run like that called fenderless there are ways

all the links are for uk hot rod site Langy on here builds rods runs his own shop


http://www.nsra.org.uk/

http://www.uk-hotrods.co.uk/

http://www.homegrownhotrods.co.uk/

http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/

http://www.ukstreetmachines.com/

 

[frank_a]

That looks fantastic, Frank! Very jealous

Are you allowed to drive that on the highway, or track use only? No way that we would be able to drive something like that on the highway in the UK without all sorts of type-approval tests...

Thanks Skotl!

Yes, I have been running it on the road for thousands of miles/summer since I finished it in '01. In fact, it was easy to get on the road. You have to understand that each state in the states has different motor vehicle laws, sometimes very restrictive, sometimes not. When I finished the hot rod, we were living in Vermont, which at the time had recently adopted a Street Rod law that allowed you to register a vehicle for the year it imitated, as long as a Street Rod inspector passed it. You had to meet 8 requirements, like turn signals, seat belts, electric or vacuum wipers, stuff like that. So the only problem I had was the ratio of the tires front to back. I was way off the stated reg, but the inspector winked at me and passed me. Once I had it registered in Vermont, it was easy to transfer the registration to New York State when we moved here. It's registered as a 1923 Ford Model T truck with a V8 engine...

Couldn't get at the chassis over the weekend, had electrical work to do, in part to get my garage ready for this work. I'll keep y'all posted!

Frank