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[Bduck]

My boat only had 2 factory downrigger mounts welded to the rail on each side at the stern area. I had 2 mounts that I had made years ago for another boat that I kept. What I wanted to do is eliminate my 2 homemade mounts and add 2 similar factory style mounts so I bought a 2'x4'x 1/8" 5052 aluminum sheet. At first after cutting the right size plates I proceeded to use my bench top vise to bend an 90º angle. By using a large 15" crescent wrench for leverage and a ballpeen hammer to assist in the bend my brackets looked a little too crude with hammer markings and teeth marks from the vise. While this did work I wasn't happy with the way they looked. Since I had plenty of aluminum I decided to approach this differently. I went to my shed where I store spare pieces of metal and from the scraps I made a brake for bending metal. Now after making new angle brackets again the new angles looked cleaner and more like the factory style. Next I prepped area for welding on top of stern but at rear of transom to the rail. Yesterday 12/12 I had my new angles installed. Only thing left now is dressing around welds, put a coat of etching primer over the bare metal and await spring to blend in paint that I had left over from previous painting the stern & gunnel.

    
           Before                         Prep                           Welded                DR Installed     

[Kent]

Looks really nice.

[Tin-Can]

My boat only had 2 factory downrigger mounts welded to the rail on each side at the stern area. I had 2 mounts that I had made years ago for another boat that I kept. What I wanted to do is eliminate my 2 homemade mounts and add 2 similar factory style mounts so I bought a 2'x4'x 1/8" 5052 aluminum sheet. At first after cutting the right size plates I proceeded to use my bench top vise to bend an 90º angle. By using a large 15" crescent wrench for leverage and a ballpeen hammer to assist in the bend my brackets looked a little too crude with hammer markings and teeth marks from the vise. While this did work I wasn't happy with the way they looked. Since I had plenty of aluminum I decided to approach this differently. I went to my shed where I store spare pieces of metal and from the scraps I made a brake for bending metal. Now after making new angle brackets again the new angles looked cleaner and more like the factory style. Next I prepped area for welding on top of stern but at rear of transom to the rail. Yesterday 12/12 I had my new angles installed. Only thing left now is dressing around welds, put a coat of etching primer over the bare metal and await spring to blend in paint that I had left over from previous painting the stern & gunnel.

    
           Before                         Prep                           Welded                DR Installed     

That's some good looking welding. 

[RILEYFISH]

Looks great Rog. Should be much nicer.

[Bduck]

That's some good looking welding. 

Forest I found a place in West Haven just off of 1900 & then off of Midland Dr. They do welding, Pipeline, mechanical field service, construction. The guy that did the welding for me a professor teaching welding at Weber State and does sides jobs at his sons business, ATS Welding.

[Tin-Can]

That's some good looking welding. 

Forest I found a place in West Haven just off of 1900 & then off of Midland Dr. They do welding, Pipeline, mechanical field service, construction. The guy that did the welding for me a professor teaching welding at Weber State and does sides jobs at his sons business, ATS Welding.

   Is that all on aluminum ?  Was wondering if that was Tig or Mig.    Me, I took  about half a welding course way back in Georgia at Valdosta Tech in 1998.  Never made it to the Tig type, was only medium fair at Mig and my stick arch welds, well it's amazing how good they looked (after alot of slag chipping and finish grinding)  they were B.S.U welds   (big, strong, ugly)   
 

[jjannie]

Looks great! It's always extra nice when you can make something from all your 'saved' scraps isn't it?

[Bduck]

   Is that all on aluminum ?  Was wondering if that was Tig or Mig.    Me, I took  about half a welding course way back in Georgia at Valdosta Tech in 1998.  Never made it to the Tig type, was only medium fair at Mig and my stick arch welds, well it's amazing how good they looked (after alot of slag chipping and finish grinding)  they were B.S.U welds   (big, strong, ugly)   
 

This is an aluminum boat. The welding used was TIG, I use a Lincoln 225 arc welder that I have had for 30yrs. It does it job for the common metal used but it leaves slag behind and my welds are UGLY sometimes. I'm learning about the different grades of aluminum. The angles I used is from grade 5052 which is same for a lot of boats built. It is easy to bend this grade depending its thickness and the type metal brake used, I use 1/8" and bend with the grain not against it. Another grade that is used is 6061 which this grade is sold at Home Depot or Lowes, this is a tougher grade for bending but can be done using a torch to heat the metal again depending thickness. I have some 6061 flat stock from HD that is 1"x1/8" thick. I tried bending this in my vise and it broke at the bend. Putting a torch to it heating it not quite to its melting point allows a better bend to form at 90º.