Finally got some time to start the mini. Welding jig for Y frame.

Looking good there clemco. I hope you are not going to use that rusty pipe in the jig, or do you figure you will wreck the yacht before it finishes rusting out.

The drawing is great but I couldn't see where the angle between the centre tube and rear tubes is defined in the side elevation, ie the angle of the wooden wedge on the jig.

When welding it together would you weld the rear tubes together first and then weld the spine tube to them?? That would seem the easist method and avoid too many complicated angle cuts for notching of the pipes. Cheers Cisco

There is enough info on the drawing for anyone who wanted to build one IMHO
The builder has to do some thinking on these things thats the fun part
Cheers Hiko

Just wondering whether (and if you are, why?) you are doing the steering the same as in your plan? From my experience with the same setup; the conventional LLF mini steering is better on all accounts (manufacture, simplicity, cost, performance). Looks to me like the steering head angle in your plans would be perfect to mount the pedals directly to.

Thanks for penning in the angle clemco. I notice you have a container of building fluid in the background but I can't quite make out the brand name.

Great build Clem. one of the advantages I have found by building a Y frame is that the front and rear axles can be extended or withdrawn to fit in both class2 or 3 minni, somthing that would be very dificult with a T framed yacht. (mainly in the tuning area) I will be leaving mine as a class3 for the moment
Cheers
aus230

The 100 amp welder should be just fine clemco. You will only be running it between 60-80 amps. For 1.6mm tube I was using CIGWELD Ferrocraft 12XP, 2mm rods on a faily low amperage (about 65 from memory).

Smaller diameter rods tend to have a hotter arc and blow holes in the material.

Practise the type of join you want to make on some scrap material first to get your hand in. Your welding helmet (helmet, not hand held shield) should be adjusted on the hinges so that when you nod your head the face shield will come down to the right position. A helmet leaves both hands free.

The helmet should have a clear plastic lens on the front, a spacer washer, then the shaded lens, another spacer washer and another plastic lens at the back. Keep the lenses clean so you can see what is going on in the arc. A No. 10 or 11 shaded lens should be about right for welding in the workshop.

If you have a spare $200 you can buy a self shading helmet from your local welding supplies shop. I hear they are good but I prefer my 30 year old fixed front nodder helmet.

Welding supplies shops are better than Bunnings, Mitre 10 and the like to buy your gear from. It is where the professionals shop and the electrodes tend to be fresher.

You need to keep your rods dry and if they a bit old you can dry them out in you oven at 150 degrees for a half hour or more.

Happy building and keep us posted.

Edit:- Spring Tide building fluid!! How appropriate!!

A Gas-less MIG welder should do the job well, I have one (gasless MIG) and use it often, mine has 4 step settings and I run .9mm wire. And for that job would use #3
As a setting sugestion run Hi current and a med/fast feed rate, and work fast. The LO setting may not give enough penetration into the metal. The feed rate you will work out easily when you get welding. BUT try it on some scrap pieces first.
Gas-less MIGs actually work better than gas fed MIGs on Galv. steel.
When you get up and welding with good results a whole new world will open up to you !!!!

Hi Andy and welcome.... WOW a compact class5, when your ready post some pics we would love to see them.

Spent a couple of hours today doing test welds. Did a T joint and an L with some 38mm tube. Not as easy as I thought it would be. Joins were pretty ugly but learnt heaps about my welder. Had to re-thread the wire 3 times when I burnt it down to the nozzle and the wire jambed at the feeder. Figured out the right tension to set the feeder wheels by the 3rd time. Couldnt find the right distance to hold the nozzle from the metal being welded, and the speed to feed the wire. This skill will take a bit if time and practise to master. I will have another go tomorrow.

Clem , I was shown somthing the other day that I was not aware of with my mig. The wheel below the tension wheel has two groves in it for diferent wire thickness. I had mine set on the wrong one and the wire did not feed proply Hope this helps
Cheers
AUS230

Clem.
Yep, practice practice practice!
I have been fiddling around with welders since I was about 14 (my father owned a metalwork/blacksmith/fab shop) but I don't consider myself an expert welder. I just don't do it enough, plus I work in an office these days, they don't let me weld the computers [}:)]
Some pointy nosed side cutters are your friend when welding. Mine sometimes melts back (rarely as I am used to how it feeds these days - mine does not allow feed adjustment) and I just use the side cutters to grasp the tips of wire left and pull it out a little and keep welding.
Aus230 - yeah, noticed mine was the same when i first changed the wire. Two different grooves with tighness adjustment. Use the wrong groove and it will constantly slip and play up. I actually modifed my feed spring to provide a tighter grip on the wire - no more problems.

Brett

Reminds me of the one about the panelbeater who straightened out a dent with one hammer blow and when questioned on the price of the job said
Ten percent is for the hammer blow and 90 percent is for the knowledge of how hard to hit it and where and with what
Cheers Hiko

I've found when welding in the shed I prefer a flip down (because it's clear until you flip the front lens down), if outside I use the auto-darkening (which prior to striking the arc is like dark sunglasses and be hard to see detail in low light situations)

what happened to the clemco mini

Remember "One flash and your Ash"

For grinding off try using flap wheels in your angle grinder (a wonderful invention)