Topic: building an alloy fuel tank

[bucky katt]

if i dont end up getting my welder sold soon, i'm going to start my most ambitious project with it. i want to build a fuel tank like the cr750 tank but something that will fit with a stock length seat, higher capacity than the stock tanks 3.5 gallons. can i even use my mig welder set on the lowest voltage settings? i dont own and wont likely own a tig welder for many years (until i get approved for my ssi disability) if at all. i have used and can do parts in fiberglass but i dont feel safe running a fiberglass tank on the street, and theres no way i can afford to have one built (which i would do if i could) i have decent sheet metal skills and the time to do this little by little (one can only watch so much television or read so much) the welder i have is a 3 year old Lincoln Pro Mig 140 that can be dropped to 25 amp output at its lowest (it can be used with aluminum) i have welded aluminum before but that job was welding up large channels/supports for fuel rods in a small nuke plant here in columbia (1/4" thick aluminum plate) i have a tank of 75/25 argon/CO2 as well as a tank of 100% argon

[ColinMc]

Can you get a spool feeder for it? Where it mounts the spool right at the gun? The only problem i've ever had with welding aluminum is that my welder can't use one of those so the wire tends to feed unevenly through the gun.

I've only ever done brackets and stuff where looks/leaking aren't important lol but it's worked fine for me.

Not sure what gas ratio I use...I just have the tank in  my garage with "ALUMINUM" written on it, one with "STAINLESS" and one with "MILD STEEL"

Just make sure you are using the right wire too...probably small diameter too for what you are doing? A trick I used that makes mine work better with small aluminum wire is using one size larger tip on the welder so it doesn't jam up as easily. But if you can get a spool gun that is a moot point.

[Uncle Ernie]

There are some good resources here.  I wonder if your library would have any tapes or books with this info, also?   Seems like you need something called an English wheel, but I have no idea what that is.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/metalshapers/

[manjisann]

Also check out Ohio Cafe Racers website, he has a couple vids he made of how he does his tank. I found it very helpful when I made mine.

Brandon