Thumper--a new 1 3/8" bore i.c. engine

[Art K]

Brian,
I think I'm glad you're making that flywheel instead of me. But then again I'd probably tried to make it from solid. Those ragged edges would make me nervous. But then again the non hot glued nut while turning my crank probably did the same for you, I guess we're even. Looks good though. My inclination would be to weld the fins to the hub and turn the OD to fit the rim.
Art

[Brian Rupnow]

Hi Art--Glad you're looking and commenting. One last and final concentricity test before I start cutting "blades". I have this "sweep indicator" that I seldom use, but this is a set-up that best suits it. First sweep the hole in the center of the faceplate and move the mill bed until I get a zero reading all the way 360 degrees around the faceplate hole. Then move the "finger" up to the inside diameter of the tube and sweep again, tapping the tube a little bit this way, a little bit that way, until I get a zero reading on a full 360 degree sweep. Good to go now, today I will cut blades to suit.  Unfortunately, the 1" blade width, as purchased is just a bit wide. I have to take about .035" off one side to get the exact width so that the blade will not extend out beyond the edges of the hub. I will probably put all 6 blades in the mill vice and mill them all at the same time. I have been doing everything I can in the machine shop, where it is warm, but I can't put the welding chore of any longer. So--later this afternoon or maybe tomorrow morning, I will move my act out into the garage. I am going to make up about 10 different "practice weldments " until I get some experience with my new TIG, and then I will tackle the flywheel.

[Brian Rupnow]

So, after almost a full day dicking around and getting things as perfect as I can, we have number 1 flywheel ready to weld. I have tried to space things out so that the warmer weather got here before the need to weld. It was 58 degrees F here today, which is not exactly as warm as I would have liked, but you work with what you've got. You will notice that the corners of the fan blades have all been chamfered about 3/32" x 45 degrees. That gives me room for a little bit of filler rod, without any of it sticking out past the edge of the flywheel. So---Tomorrow morning I practice my tig welding, tomorrow afternoon I weld the first flywheel. Wish me luck!!---Brian

[Johnmcc69]

 
Excellent! Good luck!
 

 John

[Art K]

Brian,
Well I guess we're ahead of you a bit, as it's 73 degrees here today. And may the force be with you, while welding tomorrow.
Art

[Brian Rupnow]

YOWZAHH!!!--I tig welded something!! Okay, I know it isn't impressive, but it is my first weld with my new tig welder. The documentation and instructions that come with this unit are worse than horrible. It's not Chinglish, but whoever wrote it, English was certainly not their mother language. The two actual "welds" are fusion welds at 125 Amps, with a 3/32" 2% thoriated tungsten. No filler rod was used.  I have already figured out that I don't care for the foot pedal control. My machine has a "high tension start" function, with a push button on the actual torch head to start the arc going. I am amazed at how hot the arc gets, so quickly. I have been watching "How to tig weld" videos from Weld.com, and they are very informative and well done. I have also started a binder in which I write down everything  I learn or discover about the tig welding process. I think I need more than half a days practice before welding anything that is going to be visible, like the flywheel/fan blades. I had hoped to get more practice in tomorrow, but the high temperature for the day is going to be only 2 degrees Celsius. I don't want to freeze to death learning to tig weld.

[Brian Rupnow]

This morning was the first time I actually installed all of the required hoses and lines to the welder. The damned thing is like an octopus. I spent the rest of the morning fabricating even more brackets on the welding cart to hold all the various wires and hoses. Then I went for my walk, then I actually dared a practice session with the welder. The weld you see was done at 125 amps and bypassing the foot pedal, which would have been fine with my old Lincoln buzz box stick welder, but seemed unreasonably hot with the tig. At a full 125 amps, everything gets so hot so quickly that it is scary. I realize that if I had the foot pedal hooked up I could ease up on it and cut the amps down to a more controllable level. Learning--learning--

[Art K]

Brian,
I have to say that my grandfather was a welder. My mom used to tell stories about moving to Quincy, Massachusetts during the war, while her dad was to old for military service, welders were in high demand. I don't know which shipyard he worked in but he (to the best of my knowledge/memory) worked on the carrier Hornet and some destroyer. one of the stories mom used to tell is that they had a flat and while dad was patching the inner tube she was walking along the gravel and found a coin. She was terribly disappointed when it was only 2 pennies worth and not a nickel. Later back in Wisconsin he started a welding business & had a reputation for being able to weld anything from any position. One of the stores on the capitol square used to call him to work on their elevator paying him double time to come in on a Sunday. I now release the soapbox for the next person.
Art

[MMan]

Hi Brian,

I think about my TIG torch as a tiny tiny gas torch - heat just flies out of the end but to a tiny, tiny area. Weld pool will be only 2-4mm across so a lot of energy in a small space. The foot pedal does help but it takes a while to connect it up in your head so that it becomes instinctive. I tend to use it unless I am moving about zipping up box section where the settings don’t change and moving the pedal is a chore. Keep at it practice makes good.

All the best,

Martin.

[Brian Rupnow]

This morning I made a run for it---Put on my mask, Purelled my hands, and drove to the wine store.---Wine store was closed. Decided to get points and condenser for the new engine, went to PartSource, and it was closed. I have conflicting information about tig welding. One YouTube spot has a man saying how very important it is to wear gloves to protect your hands from harmful rays. Another YouTube site has guys with bare arms covered in tatoos  giving instruction on how to tig weld. Having suffered some bad ray burns from arc welding in a tee shirt, in my youth, I decided to stop at my welding store and buy some tig gloves. Gasoline is cheaper right now than it has been in 20 years, so I filled up my truck with gas.---$53 to fill the tank.--It usually costs about $88.  I don't feel a lot like working today, so other than a bit of tig practice I'm going to have a lazy day. Good wife has decided to accompany me on my "Fat mans walk" now that all the glaciers have retreated from my wood trails across the road. She took this picture of me yesterday on our walk.

[MMan]

You do need to protect against the UV. The. The burns sting for ages. I ended up getting a polo neck just to cover the gap below the helmet. No idea how the pundits get away with it.

All the best,

Martin

[awake]

I have never, ever welded without gloves ... and with all the sparks and hot bb's of stick welding, I've never welded without leathers or at least a heavy cotton long-sleeve shirt or sweatshirt.

But I do have to confess to doing "just a quick TIG weld" wearing short sleeves - TIG is so much less messy that it is tempting to think it will be fine. Gloves protecting my hands, and of course a helmet - I absolutely shudder when I see videos of folks doing even tack welds without a helmet!! - but nothing protecting my forearms. I am happy to report no permanent damage that I know of, but I sure did have quite an odd-looking sun burn ...

[Art K]

Brian,
That looks like a very nice woods to walk in. I must say that with the beard you look much more like Santa than when I saw you last summer.
Art

[Roger B]

I have got an inverter welder and have thought about getting the TIG accessories for it. I will be watching your progress with interest     

[Brian Rupnow]

The music never stops---TIG practice is going slowly. I decided that I had sufficient material to make up a fixture to hold the second flywheel/fan for welding, so I did. There is a fellow one of my forums calling himself "Tungsten Dipper". Lets just say that with my TIG progress, I have a full understanding of his name now!!