Level joints for aluminum angle?

[KenG]

OK, so I seem to be having a mental block.

I want to use aluminum angle to frame the deck supports for my 1648 jon, but I can't think of a way to make the pieces go together so that the top surface is level.

I can't even sketch what I am asking in 3D. But, I want to join an upright to two stingers that are themselves at 90 degrees.

Anybody know of a book or website that could help me understand how to make these joints?

Thanks, Ken

 

[crazymanme2]

If you can post a pic of what your trying to do I may be able to help.I've been a welder fabricator for 35 years.Welding aluminum is my specialty.

 

[Ranchero50]

Agreed, need some pics or a better idea of what you are doing. Welding? Bolting?

Usually doing a T (upright to a horizontal) weld setup I'll lay the edge of the horizontal on the side of the vertical to mark how to cut the vertical so it will lay flush with the face of the horizontal. Use a bandsaw or jigsaw to cut the contour and weld them together.

 

[KenG]

Thanks for the responses.
Here are a couple of pictures I took of the joint I want, using colored index cards. I want the green and pink surfaces to be flush so I can mount my deck on them.

https://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t277/65admin/AngleIronjoint001.jpg
https://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t277/65admin/AngleIronjoint002.jpg

I would like to bolt the angles together, since I don't know how to weld. I saw HTS2000 online so maybe there is hope I could braze the joints, but I'd rather not.

Perhaps I am in over my head. I wanted to use aluminum to frame my boat but wood seems a lot easier...

Or, am I too much of a perfectionist? If I use angle that is .125 inch thick, will it matter than my 0.10 aluminum decking has a .125 gap underneath before it hits some of the supports?

Ken

 

[Ranchero50]

If using .100" decking sheets you can just trim off the top of the green peice (under the red) so it sits level with the red and bolt through the side of the green to orange upright and then screw the decking to both section near the joint for mutual support. I take it this is the front edge of a rear deck or rear edge of the front deck?

Jamie

 

[KenG]

Jamie:

Thanks, I think I got it!
And, yes it is the front edge of the rear deck.

It seems like a lot of work to cut each angle as noted, but I guess that is the way it is with Al angle.

Would welding reduce the amount of work?

Do the brazing materials like HTS2000 work as well as welding? It seems that they would let me "weld" with the propane torch I already own.

I also need to figure out what size Al angle to use. Would 1 x 1 x 1/8 be strong enough if used on 16 inch centers to support the deck?

I will start new threads for each of the above topics.

Ken

 

[Ranchero50]

Ken, it's easier to keep the answers on one thread. If you have the metal, block a section with 2x4's and put weight on it to determine the joist spacing for the floor, .100" I'd think @16" centers out of 1x1x.125 angle would be nice. You'll still have to have risers 3-4 per rib to support the verical loading to keep it nice and stiff. Welding requires nice fitment, especially aluminum so the work is the same only it lasts longer and you don't have to worry about bolts coming loose. Look at some of the pics on my Seadoo build.

Sit in the hull and make motor noises before even starting the project so you have an idea where you want the seats, the storage compartments, how are you going to move around in the boat etc. Think about it a lot and it will come out better than just rushing into the metal work (kept me from redoing a lot of stuff just by being patient).

Jamie

 

[Wildman]

After burning through 3lbs of HTS-2000 let me tell you that the hand torch you have isn't enough. I finally went and got my dad's cuting torch and after getting that aluminum really good and hot, and tinning the aluminum first, I am getting joints that I would put up to welding. The rods are ones that you have to learn the properties of the aluminum and practice (I have had it with my build). The problem that you are going to run into is just that "run". The rods will run if not brazed on a level or semi-level surface. What I did was "tack" brazed my angle in and then when I put my boat on the sides I can braze up the rest of the joints at level. I still pop riveted for double safety.

 

[Brine]

bassboy explains an option here that seems very solid

Got it....other than he decided to use a plywood deck

Ah, well, the exposed rivets pose less of a problem there, as they will squish into the plywood.

Anyway, here is the answer to the question of how that can be done with angle. I grabbed a few pieces out of the scrap bin.
Say this is how you do your legs. The piece in the vice is the leg, and the pieces I am holding are your horizontals. One piece (top one) can extend both ways, making a T. If you need to make an X, or lower case t (depending on how you look at it :lol: ), you will need a second leg, or a different method.

That works, except now you have an eighth inch height difference in the two angles. Solve that by putting a piece of 1/8 inch flat bar in the low places. If your angle is 1.5 inch, the bar needs not be more than an inch wide.

Obviously the piece I grabbed isn't the same thickness, or width, but I didn't feel like digging further, or cutting a piece down, so that should get the picture across.

Don't put a rivet in your spacer until it comes time to put your deck down. Then, rivet all the way through it. Same goes for the tops of the corners, where my thumb is. Put rivets in the side, but then have the top one go through the deck into both layers, after you get your deck installed. Will lock everything together, and keep things from flexing.

Obviously there is more than one way to skin a cat. This is just my method. Cheap and easy works just fine for most people, but for me, I am building the boat just as much for the sake of building the rig as I am to have a boat the way I want it to fish out of. Since building it is more than half the fun of both building and fishing together, at least to me, you can bet I will go for overkill, especially when it comes to playing with aluminum.