Bockscar 2.0

[ronnieroadster]

Ugly Ronnie!  :x :x

Pete

Well not if your good at it. Picture book welds are possible and strong.   

[WOODY@DDLLC]

Handy little buggers here...

A stupid question... what are these things?

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

Some pix here Neil: https://shop.chicagobrand.com/products/123/14pc-Tubing-Snap-Collar-Set

[kiwi belly tank]

I've built a lot of headers over the years including some snake pits but I tack it all together first then take it apart & fully weld the primaries then put it back together & weld the ends. I never have any welds I can't get to.
  Sid.

[Speed Limit 1000]

Dennis Murray did the exhaust on the Bockscar. When Stainless and I went to visit him he showed us how he gas welds the inside of the collector. Dennis is a true artist and a good guy to work with.   http://murrayexhaust.com/

John

[Peter Jack]

I've built a lot of headers over the years including some snake pits but I tack it all together first then take it apart & fully weld the primaries then put it back together & weld the ends. I never have any welds I can't get to.
  Sid.

I did the same for years Sid. The welds that look impossible when you start seem to happen toward the finish. 

About 15 years ago I spent some time in a shop that specialized in building headers for Indy cars and sports prototypes. That's where I learned about the oversize front ends for tig torches. It makes a big difference in the ease of welding and I always consider easier to be better. 

Pete

[Rex Schimmer]

Stainless,
Not sure what your welding situation is but I have had a number of times when there is a section that I can't get a small lens into and need to do a long "stick out" what I have done is to make a small chamber using card board and racers tape that will enclose the seam that need welding but leave me room to stick in the torch with the tungsten stuck out far enough to make the weld. As Jack says you need to turn up the argon and then I like to strike the arc a couple of times to let the post weld gas flow fill up the chamber and then have at it. Works for me.

The most impressive difficult weld I have ever seen was one on an off road lower front control arm, the guy had to reach inside a section of the control arm and make a weld while looking at it in a mirror! I have enough time trying to weld with my left hand much less using a mirror to see what I am doing.

Rex

[krusty]

Stainless - My friend Mike "Dog" Furick manufactures the gas lens and cup you need to flood the area to tig with a "stuckout" tig tungsten. Go to his site <DOGFAB.com> and you'll see what PJ and Rex are talking about. Made here in NC by a professional fabricator who supplies a lot of the world's best fabricators. A "Furick Cup" is the standard for getting into tight spots.

vic

[floydjer]

jeeeez Bob...I cannot believe you would let the completion of one aspect of the build prevent you from buying another tool.............

[Stainless1]

Jerry, I must refer you to post 1 of this thread... to refresh your slipping memory.... I didn't want to spend half of my retirement building/rebuilding this car... only willing to go 30%.... don't want to cut into my beverage budget.... already have a couple of tools on order, but I am willing to accept non tax deductible donations of dark malt beverages and/or really good whiskey.   Ryes on par with Great Lakes Distillery Repeal Reserve or Menominee Valley Single Batch are always welcome. 
Almost any distilled spirit with a hand written bottle number is completely acceptable.   

[floydjer]

ahhh....Therein lies the rub...Mrs.Floydjer is much happier w/ me since I ended my intense love affair with alcohol

[ggl205]

Jerry, I must refer you to post 1 of this thread... to refresh your slipping memory.... I didn't want to spend half of my retirement building/rebuilding this car... only willing to go 30%.... don't want to cut into my beverage budget.... already have a couple of tools on order, but I am willing to accept non tax deductible donations of dark malt beverages and/or really good whiskey.   Ryes on par with Great Lakes Distillery Repeal Reserve or Menominee Valley Single Batch are always welcome. 
Almost any distilled spirit with a hand written bottle number is completely acceptable.   

Dang, Stainless, your description of libation is more technical than research papers I have been reading lately.

John

[Stainless1]

Jerry, I try to be a low volume high quality consumer... generally successful with the high quality.....   

John, understanding what you like makes it easier to bypass the stuff you don't... 

[ATS, Inc]

Take a look at these guys, they make everything you might need.
http://www.ckworldwide.com
Hope it helps you, and your car is looking great. I am always in awe of what we landspeed racers are able to build!
Sterling

[Stainless1]

Well progress is being made, slowly.... I bought a large gas lens, Pyrex nozzle and turned up the gas... I would like to say it really looks pretty, but I won't lie to you.  It is all welded, it will not fall apart. 
The remedy for an ugly weld may not be weld over it with more ugly weld... 

But it is welded in and the short brace tubes are also welded in... I also added another vertical and diagonal bar going forward since I had them cut.

I guess the next plan will be make the brace bars between the hoops... wanted to have everything welded in there before I block access to the area.  Or I'll keep making the side diagonals and verticals while I think about if anything else goes in there.

So here's a couple of pics just to prove I've been doing more than drinking good whiskey and eating Bon Bons

[Stainless1]

So.... the frame is starting to get a little heavy when I rotate it to get better position to weld... been using a 2x4 to gain a little advantage... 
Then I started thinking that the flywheel on one end was there for a reason... so I ordered a 10 dollar Bendix from Advance and took it apart for the gear.  Then I noticed the issue that the old one must have had, the hole on the gear end was wallowed out.  I put the stabilizing legs down, pulled the end off, threw it in the mill and re-sized the hole with a bushing... Made a shaft to weld the gear to, then tried to decide what I should put on the other end to drive it.  Remembered I had a 1/2 to 3/8 drive that twisted off... and I saved the pieces since it was a Craftsman.... Probably voided any chance of returning it when I welded it to the end of the shaft.   
Way easier to rotate the frame on the build table now.