Fabrication Methods

[Descolada]

I am currently working on a couple of projects that require some fabrication (An airhorn installation, a tool tube and an over the dials GPS/Accessory mount. I am using aluminum for these projects.

It would be fair to say that it has been many years since I last involved myself in fabrication jobs on a motor vehicle of any type - most likely the last would have been replacing sils on a car (which dates me somewhat).

I have stuck to paring saws, Dremel tools etc but realise that I may be hopelessly out of date with my methods and the tools available to perform such work.

So I am throwing this question out to the more experienced sheet metal/fabrication minded among you in the hope that comments and feedback may provide insight into easier methods of fabrication.

I would like to avoid the obvious "just go out and buy what you want instead of messing about" sort of answer, so have offered it up here myself in advance.

Any takers?

[Firestorm]

You could literally spend hundreds on this - I know I could! However, being on a budget as I am, I've had fair success with the following in the Garage. There is some expenditure of course if you are starting from nothing.

Small Pillar Drill and vice - (drill Press or whatever they are called) with a half inch chuck. Worth its weight in gold with some GOOD quality drills
150amp electric arc welder. Mig would be better as welds thin steel easier.
that's the big stuff.
Hand tools.
Variable speed 1/2" chuck hammer drill
Decent Jig saw with plastic, steel and aluminium/copper blades
4"angle grinder with discs and sanding pads.
Hacksaws with GOOD quality blades. If they are £1 a thousand on the market you'll soon find out why!
Tinsnips
G clamps in a range of sizes
Obviously hammers - steel, copper, hide and nylon.
Centre punch
Set of drifts
GOOD quality taps and tap wrench. Buy these individually in the sizes you need. Generally you can get away with buying '2nd' taps rather than taper, 2nd and plug.
Dies. As above. only buy the sizes you need.
A range of flat, round and half round files.
A good 6" vice.

I'd really like:
A small lathe and a power saw but room and finaces exclude these so I farm out turning, drilling large holes and either sweat using a hacksaw  or when I buy larger steel take a cutting list and if I chuck a fiver in the tea fund the blokes will cut to length for me.

Using the above I've managed to make Sidecar Chassis, leading link forks, Gates, bit of wrought iron work, numerous clamps and all manner of brackets and plates for the bike.

Hope this helps and someone else will be along with a list of kit I'd die for I suspect

[Descolada]

Outstanding!

Thanks for that information - I assume your welder is for steel, I know that aluminum is a real sod to weld. While I would get a welder if money was no object I am not able to justify it now. The drill press is on my list right now.

[mjc506]

Aye, I wouldn't worry about the welder for now - you'd want an AC tig machine for alu. Best bet is to 'prototype' with pop rivets or double sided tape, and then find a local welder if/when needed

[Firestorm]

+1 for what mjc506 said.
Yes, my welder is for steel and was bought second hand years ago. Worth having if you stumble on one but unless you are fabricating with thickish steel fairly regularly don't bother for now.
Drill Press is the No 1 item on the list that cost a fair bit in one purchase but it is well worth it. You can cut big holes if necessary by chain drilling and filing  but for thin stuff, particularly Ally, a set of hole saws does a good job and is worth having (I forgot those on my list along with a Dremel!). Ally welding I farm out on the very odd occasion I need it, but careful riveting (with the right rivets) can look fine and does the job. Just made a battery box/toolbox for the sidecar out of angle iron and Ally sheet and have riveted that. Doesn't look like I bought it but does the job fine.
In my humble opinion it's always worth buying decent kit a bit at a time from a good supplier/manufacturer - particularly taps, dies, drills and blades and getting just the sizes you need.There's always a reason a great big box of stuff is cheap - and its usually stuck or broken off in your job pretty soon!

[jabmotorsport]

Following on from pop reivets, rev nuts are a clever idea.

Using a rivet gun pop the rev nut into the hole, this then gives a captive nut held in place without the need for welding.

[Hugo Magnus]

aluminiumrods.co.uk
HTS 2000 brazing rods are great for sticking aluminium together

[Descolada]

The HTS 2000 brazing rods look really interesting and could be a valuable addition to a toolbox. I am a little cautious over some of the claims however, in particular the video where it is being used to repair a cylinder head. I would assume that one of its key properties, the low melting point, would work against it in a situation where it was exposed to such an area of high temperatures.

You have used these rods yourself?

EDIT:

Looks like this stuff goes by many names. There is a YouTube video here where it is referred to as "Durafix Aluminum Welding Rods ".

[Descolada]

Following on from pop reivets, rev nuts are a clever idea.

Using a rivet gun pop the rev nut into the hole, this then gives a captive nut held in place without the need for welding.

I tried to look this up as I'm not familiar with them, are these 'self-tapping' or some such?

[Hugo Magnus]

Yes we have used HTS 2000 and have beaten five bells out of a joint made with it, it's impressive!

[Descolada]

Did you use a MAPP torch to get the right temperature, I have seen comments on other reviews commenting on a problem getting it to the correct temperature?

[Hugo Magnus]

No, just a propane torch.

[Gassoon]

Des - I think josh meant 'Riv' or rivet nuts, not rev nuts!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivet_nut

[jabmotorsport]

Yes I did mean riv nuts sorry about that, was trying to do too many things at once and was thinking about bikes, hahaha rev nuts!!

Right ill start again. Riv nuts, pop them in with a rivet gun just like a normal rivet, but they have a captive thread inside so when they are popped on you have a captive hole

[greywolf]

You can do a lot using aluminum and epoxy, pop rivets, drills, taps, and screws.

Shelf support and GPS mount.





Different GPS mount.



Brass or copper and solder is another alternative. Here is a vacuum line junction for a vacuum operated cruise control. The two lines on the right can also be freed for doing a throttle body sync.

[Gassoon]

Nice neat, durable work there Pat! Good to see you back, too!

And I just realised, now I actually have a bench, I can get myself a drill-stand!

[greywolf]

I wasn't away. It's just been a while since there was a post where I had an experience or knowledge to share.

[Jacko]

Can't you just pitch in with some meaningless bullshi... now and again? It's OK, really.

[greywolf]

There are already too many people who think half the stuff I post is meaningless.  

[Locky]

I liked your posts on your ex wives Greywolf