Danger! Welding on aluminum boats

[IRGuy]

I realize nobody has an aluminum B31, but some of you guys are into fabbing stuff and might want to remember this info...

The THT poster was asked to weld a pad eye onto the bow of a sealed chamber aluminum boat..

http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-for ... sions.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mike ohlstein]

Always drill a hole first. You can weld the hole shut at the end.

Air expands quite a bit at those temperatures.

[Bruce]

There are welders and then there are welders who understand the science of welding.

[Bertramp]

"Ironically, burning Muslims smell like pork"

Bruce .... Oh so "incorrect", but oh so funny !! .... shame on me

[Harry Babb]

A friend of mine (I know the guy and the story personally) had a slow leak on the right front tire on his 4 wheel drive pickup. This happened several years ago. So he added air and a few days later the tire was low once again. The tire continued to leak so over time he added "Fix A Flat" and more air and more "Fix A Flat" continuing to get the same results....LOW TIRE

Do you guys remember the old "White Spoke" wheel that were popular back in the 70's and are still popular on small boat trailers?

He had the "White Spoke" wheels on his truck and one day he noticed that the leak was actually a crack in the wheel itself.

So he figured why not weld it.....When he struck an arc the wheel blew up right in his face. It blew part of the tire off of the rim, smashed his welding shield into his face, cut off part of his chin, busted both ear drums, detached one retina and knocked him unconsious.

Now we know that "Fix A Flat" is pressurized and propelled with PROPANE! ! ! ! ! which made his tire a bomb. My friends father was dove hunting in a field on the other side of a 40 Acre patch and he heard the blast....and immediately knew that it came from his barn.

My hunch is that this Aluminum Boat Explosion actually came from something inside of the pontoon that turned into an explosive gas when heated..............I have welded holes in gasoline tanks.....risky business......the trick is to purge the tank for a while with Argon or CO2 before starting the weld.

hb

[Carl]

Harry--your friend got away lucky.

My friend John went to service a SS Dairy Bulk tank he sold to a friend of his...service paperwork indicated a modification to valve was required, unit was not used since delivered..tank was cleaned prior as part of the refurbish work. So we assume he took the word of his friend and didn't check for himself...last thing anyone saw was him starting to grind on the valve, tank exploded sending him across the building killing him.

[Rawleigh]

Everyone:

NEVER EVER WELD OR HEAT A TIRE RIM WITH THE TIRE ON IT, EVEN IF THE TIRE IS DEFLATED OR THE BEAD IS UNSEATED!! THIS INCLUDES HEATING LUG NUTS.

A chemical reaction called pyrolosis happens in the rubber because of the heat that causes them to spontaneously off gas so fast that it can re-seat a tire bead and explode. Removing the valve from the stem won't help. it gives you NO WARNING.

This is well documented and all of the tire manufacturers warn against it. The scary part is that in larger tires the reaction can take place quickly or as long as 22 hours later.

Watch this video from Bridgestone. Over 1400 degrees and 300 psi in less than 3 minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBUVzgCHHuA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNZ4siYG ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Lets be safe out there"!!

[CaptPatrick]

Damn Son, that's an eye opener. Or closer as the case may be....

[Charlie J]

holly sh&%

[Carl]

Huh...I have to pass this info on. Thanks.

[Rocket]

just sent it to all my maintenence staff, thanks for posting. HOLY CRAP, I am sure we have unwittingly dodged bullets in the past.

[Harry Babb]

Wow.......what an eye opener......and all this time we were thinking the explosion was the result of using "Fix A Flat"

Thanks for the "EYE OPENER" Rawleigh.....

This is very very good stuff......and remember folks......you seen it first right here on Bertram 31...dot...commmmmm! ! !

hb

[DanielM]

"This is very very good stuff......and remember folks......you seen it first right here on Bertram 31...dot...commmmmm! ! ! "

Really the only web site you actually need.

[Rawleigh]

I just want everyone to be safe! I was completely surprised when I first heard it too!

[Chanse]

Wow! Great info, Now I think I finaly understand what happened to a guy i was watching
messing with a tire on a aircraft starter jeep. A huge explosion, a flying tire, rim
and the guys arm!

[Mikey]

Had a good friend who owned a hotel in the Caribbean. He used to do lobster on the grill on the beach.
He used 55-gal. drums split in half.
When his usual source of drums couldn't supply he found another source.
He then got out his torch to split the drums but forgot the all-important sniff test.
The last content of the drum was highly flammable.
R.I.P. old friend.

[Goober]

Been in the welding and fab business since /70 welded on everything from boiler tubes to baby carriages but never saw a rim blow up had a buddy blow a 10.00/20 up but that was alcohol related diesel and hydraulic tanks are easy with a purge gas or most chemicals is a death wish This is a wake up call for me because I have cut hundreds of lug nuts of trailer axles thanks for the. Info. BR Goober