New truck body pics

[HMW]

Aluminum cause I wouldn't have to paint it. Also I just wanted to make something out of aluminum and it'll look cool. I seldom ever get to build something out of aluminum, most aluminum jobs I get are repairs. Its Light too, but that is not a big issue. Also she works at the beach, even though alum corrodes it might hold up better than paint

[HMW]

Finally got the deck all on and put it on the truck. Flipped it upside down and welded the deck from the bottom so no welds on top. Cut in the rear and side lights, still need to cut in back up lights. Tried the 5356 but didn't like it. Did not seem to be as fluid or flow as nice as 4043 or maybe it was me, Also seemed to be alot dirtier weld. Switched back to the 4043 and did good except for the typical bird cage and welding itself the the tip. Anybody else have that trouble with their spool gun. It usually does it as soon as you pull the trigger although a couple of times it did it during welding a bead. Cant figure out if its me or the machine.

Well I was going to post some pics, but now I remember why I dont from home. Takes forever. I'll post them Monday from work.

[ZTFab]

That's gonna be a really nice piece!! Can't wait to see the updated pics.

The 5356 didn't feel as "fluid" due to it's magnesium content. That's also why it feeds nicer in the spool gun...it's a physically harder wire. It will also give the "smut" that you talked about.

4043 is a silicon based wire and flows well but the silicon is also what turns black when it's anodized.


- Paul

[HMW]

Your right you can tell the 5356 is harder. One problem is the 4043 on my machine will weld thicker material than the 5356. The side band is 1/4" and the deck is 3/16". Using the 4043 i had to turn the machine up to its max setting for 4043 to get a good weld. The welder is a Millermatic pulser. Basically a 210 with pulsed spool gun. Everything I've welded with it in the past has been thinner than this. It welded nice with the 4043 but used about 8-10 tips in the process. At $1.59 a tip that sucks. It seemed sometimes the arc would strike then not feed enough wire to keep it from burning back to the tip. Or maybe it would birdcage, then of course not feed so it would burn back. Hard to tell because it happens in a split second. I tried different distances form the weld with no difference. Frustating to say the least to have to keep stopping, change the tip, get the old piece out, if I could and clean out the birds nest in the gun.

[m.k.swelding]

The body looks good. I like the way you fit it all togather.

[59halfstep]

The body looks good. I like the way you fit it all togather.

Check the date on this one. I wish he would have showed the other pictures of the finished job.

Charlie