GV10 Stop and Start Project

[Netpackrat]

Fun stuff. Was just checking out prices of pulse mig machines earlier, ouch. That's probably going to be out of my budget if I decide to upgrade to a multi-process mig for aluminum. The plans for an 11' aluminum dinghy that I kind of like recently became available again so I am giving it some serious thought.

[MikeyGnz]

Seems like you are getting all the joys of metal boat building You will get there but it is tough, hang in there.

Thanks Fuzz. It has definitely been a learning experience, mainly from working out how not to do it. Can't be far off finishing now.

[MikeyGnz]

Fun stuff. Was just checking out prices of pulse mig machines earlier, ouch. That's probably going to be out of my budget if I decide to upgrade to a multi-process mig for aluminum. The plans for an 11' aluminum dinghy that I kind of like recently became available again so I am giving it some serious thought.

From what I've heard pulse MIG is the way to go. I'm using an AC TIG machine and it is slow going.

[Netpackrat]

From what I've heard pulse MIG is the way to go. I'm using an AC TIG machine and it is slow going.

Yeah, I would be more likely to jump on one of the multiprocess machines that offer pulse mig, except they appear to be DC only, so I would still need to keep my TIG unit around for AC. Otherwise it would be nice to only have one welder taking up floor space rather than two. I have done enough aluminum with the TIG to know that I wouldn't want to weld a whole boat that way... I think it's possible to convert my existing MIG to take a spool gun for Al, but that unit's probably a little bit light for it. I will most likely end up with something in between; it would be easier to justify the $5k+ pulse mig if I were welding professionally.

[MikeyGnz]

From what I've heard pulse MIG is the way to go. I'm using an AC TIG machine and it is slow going.

Yeah, I would be more likely to jump on one of the multiprocess machines that offer pulse mig, except they appear to be DC only, so I would still need to keep my TIG unit around for AC. Otherwise it would be nice to only have one welder taking up floor space rather than two. I have done enough aluminum with the TIG to know that I wouldn't want to weld a whole boat that way... I think it's possible to convert my existing MIG to take a spool gun for Al, but that unit's probably a little bit light for it. I will most likely end up with something in between; it would be easier to justify the $5k+ pulse mig if I were welding professionally.

Yep Al with the TIG is slow going. The other issue is that some torches are lower rated for AC than DC and I'm running pulse TIG right at the limit of the torch. 2 Torch heads melted already. I'm thinking of upgrading to a water cooled torch if I melt another, especially if I go ahead with my next build.

I'm not a MIG fan. I know it is faster and easier but I have never got my hand in with wire speed and travel speed. MIG would have been a lot cheaper in argon though.

[Netpackrat]

Some more digging around and I found this...

https://store.cyberweld.com/miller-mill ... 07734.html

Still expensive, but given I have been looking at a $2k mig for aluminum, a $3k welder that adds pulse mig capability is not so much of a stretch.

[BB Sig]

https://www.everlastgenerators.com/prod ... eoEALw_wcB

Check out Everlast... ~$1500 for a lot of welder.

[Netpackrat]

I have been reading good things about the HTP welders (made in Italy). They offer a pulse mig unit for only a few hundred more than the non-pulse Lincoln I was looking at.

Edit to add; I asked advice from a friend yesterday who is a professional marine welder; he said get the pulse mig and don't even consider getting a standard mig unit for aluminum. He said with the pulse units you can make near TIG quality welds in aluminum. And from what I have been seeing online, the new computer controlled units are effectively self-tuning. If you are an experienced welder you can still tweak them to perfection with manual settings, but the auto-setting features will let a near-novice pick it up and make decent welds quickly.

[MikeyGnz]

I have been reading good things about the HTP welders (made in Italy). They offer a pulse mig unit for only a few hundred more than the non-pulse Lincoln I was looking at.

Edit to add; I asked advice from a friend yesterday who is a professional marine welder; he said get the pulse mig and don't even consider getting a standard mig unit for aluminum. He said with the pulse units you can make near TIG quality welds in aluminum. And from what I have been seeing online, the new computer controlled units are effectively self-tuning. If you are an experienced welder you can still tweak them to perfection with manual settings, but the auto-setting features will let a near-novice pick it up and make decent welds quickly.

I'm in New Zealand and I haven't seen HTP here. In general based on 200A AC/DC TIG machine prices, in NZ European brands start at $4.5k with most in the $6-8k range. Cheap made in China stuff starts at about $2k but doesn't have all the features. I'm using Cigweld which is an Australian brand owned by ESAB (European welder company) producing Cigweld branded ESAB machines and cost me $2.7k. American brands (Miller, Lincoln) are about $500 more than Cigweld.

Given I am more a hobby welder I like having the versatility of the TIG and can't rationalize a pulse MIG.

[MikeyGnz]

I haven't posted for a few weeks but I have been working on the boat. Lots of fiddly little bits where there is nothing really to show so I haven't bothered taking photos.

Big step this weekend was that I've finished all the welding. Only wooden seats and rub rails to go. I'll take some photos tonight.

Fathers day here yesterday so I took Dad for a jet boat run up the river. Interesting day out. Saturday night the river was looking good at 56 cumecs (cubic meters per second flow). Looks like there was a storm in the high country overnight because by the time we launched in the morning it was 102 cumecs but still boatable. An hour later halfway up the river it was 329 cumecs and still rising so turned round and went back to the trailer. Peaked at 655 cumecs at 18:10 last night.

Even at 300 (6 times normal flow) the river was very different. Pressure waves so big the jet unit was sucking air. Also a new experience to have to dodge dead cows and logs floating down the river instead of just the stationary rocks.