AluminumAlloyBoats.com

Just a topic to get the discussion going about foaming aluminum hulls/voids in hulls. FULL DISCLOSURE: I'm a No Foam builder, having never put anything but air or bottled gases into voids in any hull I've built. So appropriate amounts of "salt" (or salty language) should be liberally used ...

peterbo3, very nicely done fit out, sure are a lot of very nice design details in the metal work. The builder either owns or has access to extrusions that make for a nice strong build and very clean finish, they looked very nice along the counters and gunwales. I'd like to mention to everyone at the...

giddy, I'm glad you're getting something out of our back and forth, but I do this so that others can avoid the countless mistakes I've made in the past, my memories of having questions and no answers is still vivid even after these three and some decades. welder has to pay to mount and maintain the ...

giddy, OK its not MIG but it looks like it! not that skilled of a welder all things considered. But.... bending over, kneeling down, working below the knees is not exactly the best position to try to TIG weld in this condition. I wouldn't have attempted or accepted the job like that. I'd have insist...

giddy, 5200 is a double edged sword. yes its good glue and should seal pretty well, but it often takes heat to 'let go' when an removal is planned; perhaps not the best technique for removing a tank? Foam is not the best bedding material- as you've found out. It almost automatically forms corrosion ...

This book by an ex- Naval officer and marine designer that is considered the ultimate on long distance cruising under power. http://www.amazon.com/Voyaging-Under-Power-4th-Edition/dp/0071767339 This guy traveled the world in a 'small' boat under power, and was pretty much the first to do so, now the...

chaps, can you imagine someone who'd even discuss anchorage "time limits" the Sound of Prince William? yeah, it's probably true it would only work here. The old country is pretty settled and the crowd has to have rules..... I do have ideas for a trailerable displacement type cruiser but......

This topic is an opening to discuss the overall design of welded aluminum boats, without assuming they're all planing hulls. I'm not trying to find fault with planing boats, they're almost all I've build my adult life- but they're not all I'd like to build. Why do we all assume our boats are planing...

jj225, the question is not quite an apples-to-apples question because you'd need to do some isolation (like your last sentence ) to be able to compare the two (or other) alloys. First, you can look up the properties (search the 'www/i'net' including reading what the definitions of each mechanical pr...

giddy, I'm sorry to hear the hull had such deep corrosion that your tool pierced the hull- but on the 'glass is half full side' - it happened on the trailer; not afloat. That's where a hole in the hull can happen and just be frustrating and not 'overly exciting' like wondering if the bilge pump will...

giddy, I'd say that printing my ideas and showing it to the welder is maybe ' counterproductive '? I think they'll find the idea of someone telling them how to weld " less than appealing "? You could just review the concept and hope for the best but I'm concerned that you may offend your s...

giddy if you put a cutting burr in the pits, there is no need to acid wash, until after all cutting welding sanding is done the last, very last step before leaving the boat bare, or painting is etching. The welds look huge for TIG but they may not understand the most effective technique for repairin...

giddy , if it were mine I'd strip her down, turn her up and TIG overhead but then I have the facilities to get that done so its very easy to say and very hard to get done. The pits and MIG welds you show are going to be a problem the scale of the welds is way out side the needed weld, but all that c...

giddy I doubt the welds will work if not done with TIG and to facilitate that I'd use a carbide burr for non-ferrous metals (long flutes without cross hatching used for steel and ss) an or a drill bit and 'bottom' the craters. This will leave a shiny liner of fresh uncorroded metal to weld. the weld...

giddy, I didn't realize your use of the terms about the 'foamed in' tank. I was expecting the usual poured in foam totally encompassing the tanks' sides but it sounds like your tank will work just replace the foam with something firm and plastic and that will drain downward. The corner brackets weld...

giddy I know what you mean about tank welds, I've had one go up so I'm not advocating it unless the welders are willing. But... foaming the tank in is just asking for future deterioration. You can make a tank saddle/bed/brace/cradle in the bilge like a couple of frames with the shape of the tank rec...

giddy, this is where mail order is the best so you can get a 'kit' of the needed sizes, unless your local store has some reason to have a super wide selection of bushings and washers on hand? I keep a kit of the correct bits and bushings with TefGel and Locktite white thread paste to install. The fi...

giddy, the best way to install SS hardware/bolts/screws is to use an isolation bushing where the aluminum is over-drilled to the OD of the plastic/nylon isolation tube (bushing). Then the SS is lined by plastic instead of TefGel which helps but is not the best practice. Nylon washers and bushings ar...

Wilynily, hand cutting is fine but he actual cutting is not where the time is saved in NC patterns of 'boat kits'. The time is saved in going from the PC/3D model of the boat to the final cuts in a very short time compared to learning to do the layout. Layout is not hard but is not too fast; yes, yo...

wilnily, first welcome to AAB.com and please understand there are too many opinions on boat building in welded aluminum to give you hard answers. If you'd asked if aluminum can be welded ; hard and fast answer. If you'd asked if welded aluminum was strong; hard and fast answer. But asking questions ...

giddy, pits in the hull are just that; "the pits". First you have to clean them out to evaluate them, then if they're "too deep" you have to repair them but if you leave them then they need left so they don't get deeper and hole the hull. Blasting with soft white sand (water filt...

giddy, 120 is kind of light to begin your work, think 80 grit to take off the paint remnants and junk in the blige and scratches outside.
Even 60 is Ok for a first pass, then go to other grits and end up @120

Cheers,
Kevin Morin

giddy, aluminum oxide is initially formed to about 2 mils in a few seconds, the other couple of mils of depth of older oxide takes days or weeks. But oxide formation stops about 3-4 mils deep and that's one of the properties that makes this the Miracle Metal; it heals it self- if allowed. The surfac...

giddy, do the buffing first then etch, follow with a rinse and leave the metal to oxidize. Buff patterns will show, I'd suggest using a belt sander with ScotchBrite (tm) type abrasive belts if possible? [this tool requires a fairly high level of planning and effort] OR you can use a 7", 5"...

Tom, how are things in the land of "oranges & almonds" ? I'd think you were looking to immigrate to some more work oriented piece of geography with all the crazy things in the news there? The job is a new college simulation lab to train oil and gas operators and instrument technicians....