Dependent on the shape you are trying to achieve I have typically done a batten method. Use a sharpie and free hand your line or use a thin flexible straight edge. Sharpie pens work awesome and erase with acetone. I do the side sheets the same way and do the cutting with a skill saw in place. It will seem sketchy holding the saw up and cutting length wise down the boat but it works.
Hey Jesse nice looking boat! Your wire size is .47 or 3/64 and in my experience is the best size. Try 5356 wire alloy. Your hull alloy and side sheets should be 5086 if you can get it. Higher rigidity and corrosion resistance in 5086, bent flanges and interior components are typically 5052 because it is a softer alloy less susceptible to cracking when bent. I work for an aluminum boat manufacturer that primarily sells to homeland security and military, often times the contracts specify that 5086 is the only material allowed even extruded alloys have to be 5086. Keep in mind 6061 becomes degraded significantly once it has been welded on and tensile strength is reduced. For your project and mine it shouldn't matter just food for thought. Also the air grinder I use is an MSI pro with the same size blade that is on your Dewalt grinder you will just need to put the Dewalt arbor on the air grinder or custom order the blade. Try a higher tooth count on the 4.5" blade and you will be happy.
Thanks for the reply Ryker. I would have loved to use 5086, however, no one stocks it around here and shipping would kill me. I don't plan on exposing this to tons of stress such as jumping sandbars, bouncing off boulders and such, so I think I'll be okay with the 6061 extrusions like you had mentioned. Thanks for the heads up on the air saw.
Hey Jesse one other nice option is a mini air grinder from Chicago Pneumatic part number CP7500D use a mini saw blade on this tool as well. A suggestion on the hull gap you have. Use a U shaped pad eye as tall as your girder and temporary tack it to your hull put a pry bar through to the girder and pry your hull plate up tight so you don't weld gap into the bottom of your boat. Any questions I'd love to help out
I'm gonna start to build one very similar I like how yours turned out. I have many questions lol. I'm going to buy that same welder this week and figure out where I'm gonna start.
Thank you for all the info! No negativity here, I love the free info! I want to be where you are with a couple of smaller aluminum projects first to get my feet wet, then maybe something bigger! Want to build my wife an aluminum horse trailer down the road also. I want to find out if there is a happy medium in machines like one that will do steel and aluminum, or would I have to either buy the spool gun or do like you did and go heavy with a new liner. I don't mind that, I like to build heavy myself, and use my boats in the salt and heavy offshore, and possibly a riverboat, getting an itch for one of those now too. I'm just sick of fiberglass and all the maintenance and the issues, rather have a powerwash type boat! Anyway just want to say thanks for the info, and hope to see more on your progress.
thanks for the comment. I would like to but don't want to spend the money, or go through with the labor. I would also be afraid of the dumb stuff I would try......
Here's several ideas for constructing boats: Allow plenty time. Use ready made boat blueprints. (I read about these and more from Denelle Boat Builder website )
so glad i found your video's, I reckon i have watched 300 other vid's on Ally boat building just grabbing snippets of info along the way. I must admit i sort of raised my eyebrows at some of your methods, but then I thought,...well hang on a minute, heres a guy that is actually doing it (Not like me and just dreaming of doing it) so well done to you sir. on the other hand you have also answered a lot of questions that have been buzzing around in my head, but regarding your welder, is the gun a "push-pull" handpeice???? and is the miller a single pulse, double pulse,...?? single or three phase? here in Australia, the cheapest welder I can find (new) goes for about $3,500, plus another $1000 for the push pull gun. Second hand stuff like that not as available here. Happy days mate.
What are all the measurements for the front like how far did you have to cut down the middle to bring the bow up I know you went over 4" on each side but I'm curious on the middle cut
Hay im a welder haha only stick on steel and id love you to teach me how to weld i need to start welding aluminum sounds like u def are starting to know your stuff im cert in stick and inershield. And so need your skils
honestly no-one should be allowed to sell those saw blades for angle grinders. they're a menace, and using them without the guard is just... well, you know how dangerous it is.
thanks for the comment. I would like to but don't want to spend the money, or go through with the labor. I would also be afraid of the dumb stuff I would try......
Seeing that blade after the injury you sustained gave me chills, hope your arm has recovered good
Great video. I really appreciate your honesty and things you've learned.
Thanks for providing material info and welder setting info! So many videos fail at this. Go figure.
Nice job.I see you have some chew on the bench you forgot to mention.Very important.
Dependent on the shape you are trying to achieve I have typically done a batten method. Use a sharpie and free hand your line or use a thin flexible straight edge. Sharpie pens work awesome and erase with acetone. I do the side sheets the same way and do the cutting with a skill saw in place. It will seem sketchy holding the saw up and cutting length wise down the boat but it works.
Hey Jesse nice looking boat! Your wire size is .47 or 3/64 and in my experience is the best size. Try 5356 wire alloy. Your hull alloy and side sheets should be 5086 if you can get it. Higher rigidity and corrosion resistance in 5086, bent flanges and interior components are typically 5052 because it is a softer alloy less susceptible to cracking when bent. I work for an aluminum boat manufacturer that primarily sells to homeland security and military, often times the contracts specify that 5086 is the only material allowed even extruded alloys have to be 5086. Keep in mind 6061 becomes degraded significantly once it has been welded on and tensile strength is reduced. For your project and mine it shouldn't matter just food for thought. Also the air grinder I use is an MSI pro with the same size blade that is on your Dewalt grinder you will just need to put the Dewalt arbor on the air grinder or custom order the blade. Try a higher tooth count on the 4.5" blade and you will be happy.
Thanks for the reply Ryker. I would have loved to use 5086, however, no one stocks it around here and shipping would kill me. I don't plan on exposing this to tons of stress such as jumping sandbars, bouncing off boulders and such, so I think I'll be okay with the 6061 extrusions like you had mentioned. Thanks for the heads up on the air saw.
I'm starting 2 10' mini jets mid october.
Hey Jesse one other nice option is a mini air grinder from Chicago Pneumatic part number CP7500D use a mini saw blade on this tool as well.
A suggestion on the hull gap you have. Use a U shaped pad eye as tall as your girder and temporary tack it to your hull put a pry bar through to the girder and pry your hull plate up tight so you don't weld gap into the bottom of your boat. Any questions I'd love to help out
Thanks for the part number. Any advice on cutting the front vee into the bow? Obviously little by little.....
I'm gonna start to build one very similar I like how yours turned out. I have many questions lol. I'm going to buy that same welder this week and figure out where I'm gonna start.
Paul Ohoilan . Email me with questions. jessehart05@gmail.com
Thank you for all the info! No negativity here, I love the free info! I want to be where you are with a couple of smaller aluminum projects first to get my feet wet, then maybe something bigger! Want to build my wife an aluminum horse trailer down the road also. I want to find out if there is a happy medium in machines like one that will do steel and aluminum, or would I have to either buy the spool gun or do like you did and go heavy with a new liner. I don't mind that, I like to build heavy myself, and use my boats in the salt and heavy offshore, and possibly a riverboat, getting an itch for one of those now too. I'm just sick of fiberglass and all the maintenance and the issues, rather have a powerwash type boat! Anyway just want to say thanks for the info, and hope to see more on your progress.
Please put a guard on that grinder with that sawblade!
thanks for the comment. I would like to but don't want to spend the money, or go through with the labor. I would also be afraid of the dumb stuff I would try......
Here's several ideas for constructing boats:
Allow plenty time.
Use ready made boat blueprints.
(I read about these and more from Denelle Boat Builder website )
looks good for a hairlip
Hello. Do you have any sort of plans for this. Great boat and great work. It's a credit to you. Well done and thanks for sharing
Paul Ohoilan . No plans. I just did similar measurements to the wooldridge Alaskan XL
TheJessehart05 good job thanks. I'm gonna build one
great vid
so glad i found your video's, I reckon i have watched 300 other vid's on Ally boat building just grabbing snippets of info along the way. I must admit i sort of raised my eyebrows at some of your methods, but then I thought,...well hang on a minute, heres a guy that is actually doing it (Not like me and just dreaming of doing it) so well done to you sir. on the other hand you have also answered a lot of questions that have been buzzing around in my head, but regarding your welder, is the gun a "push-pull" handpeice???? and is the miller a single pulse, double pulse,...?? single or three phase? here in Australia, the cheapest welder I can find (new) goes for about $3,500, plus another $1000 for the push pull gun. Second hand stuff like that not as available here. Happy days mate.
very cool.
Best DIY video on UA-cam and I've been combing through here for at least a year. Do you plan on UHMW?
Jesse very nice boat. How's the boat turning out? What state are in?
What are all the measurements for the front like how far did you have to cut down the middle to bring the bow up I know you went over 4" on each side but I'm curious on the middle cut
patrick evans . I don't have this boat any more. But it was 10 foot sheets. Look at the weld seam and figure it out. Thanks
Did you finish your boat yet?
Hay im a welder haha only stick on steel and id love you to teach me how to weld i need to start welding aluminum sounds like u def are starting to know your stuff im cert in stick and inershield. And so need your skils
When your All done how much $ do you have just building the boat?
Travis Houser I'm guessing about 4-5 grand
watch my other videos. thanks
honestly no-one should be allowed to sell those saw blades for angle grinders. they're a menace, and using them without the guard is just... well, you know how dangerous it is.
Get well, do your PT and back to work Sir...
I've been studying building boats and found a great resource at Denelle Boat Builder (check it out on google)
thanks for the comment. I would like to but don't want to spend the money, or go through with the labor. I would also be afraid of the dumb stuff I would try......