Control torque tube - welding tip
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 11:33 pm
One of the most challenging welding jobs so far for me has been the two large washers on the torque tube - see sheet #18 in the classic plans.
I followed hints on other builder's sites, using 3/4" tubing as spacers, but I had severe warpage in between the supporting spacers.
This is what I ended up doing:
Cut (using the tube cutter, which allows for very precise length cuts) 8 or 9 pieces of tubing, and arrange them around the main torque tube, fasten with a duct clamp: Then with the clamp still fastened, went around and finish welded the joint: Came out much better. Live and learn! Cutting the spacers to the exact length was the challenging part really.
I followed hints on other builder's sites, using 3/4" tubing as spacers, but I had severe warpage in between the supporting spacers.
This is what I ended up doing:
Cut (using the tube cutter, which allows for very precise length cuts) 8 or 9 pieces of tubing, and arrange them around the main torque tube, fasten with a duct clamp: Then with the clamp still fastened, went around and finish welded the joint: Came out much better. Live and learn! Cutting the spacers to the exact length was the challenging part really.
I used a piece of 3/4" hardwood with a hole drilled in it for the tube, then the washers clamped either side. The wood burns a bit, gets split to come off, but I still had warping and it took a while to get it perfectly straight. This would have worked better.