High Quality Chainsaw Bars Husqvarna Toys

Tig welding magnesium advice

lehman live edge slab

Live Action
Local time
6:18 AM
User ID
3953
Joined
Sep 2, 2017
Messages
3,369
Reaction score
11,643
Location
Mn
Country flag
just looking for input on tig welding magnesium and even some on aluminum. I’ve done aluminum tig, spool gun/push-pull and aluminum stick but by no means am great at it.
 

lehman live edge slab

Live Action
Local time
6:18 AM
User ID
3953
Joined
Sep 2, 2017
Messages
3,369
Reaction score
11,643
Location
Mn
Country flag
065E2FA0-0AC1-4AEE-8B6B-8290C65504C0.jpeg
First project for the new tig welder is putting new skeg on my 150 mercury. Found rock pile last weekend cost a skeg and a 4 blade aluminum prop.
 

lehman live edge slab

Live Action
Local time
6:18 AM
User ID
3953
Joined
Sep 2, 2017
Messages
3,369
Reaction score
11,643
Location
Mn
Country flag
Ok, what do you do for the chance of fire? Weld it outside with a pile of sand near by if it’s a small piece. Catches fire bury in sand to snuff it out ?
 

srcarr52

Shop rat, backyard slice cutter.
GoldMember
Local time
7:18 AM
User ID
522
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
3,920
Reaction score
25,883
Location
Iowa City
Country flag
Ok, what do you do for the chance of fire? Weld it outside with a pile of sand near by if it’s a small piece. Catches fire bury in sand to snuff it out ?

Use lots of shield gas with a big nozzle.

Be ready to bury it in foundry sand or glass beads if it's an expensive part. On the stuff I normally weld I'm ready to knock it on the floor and roast marshmallows.

Fortunately, I've only caught my filler wire on fire before.
 

lehman live edge slab

Live Action
Local time
6:18 AM
User ID
3953
Joined
Sep 2, 2017
Messages
3,369
Reaction score
11,643
Location
Mn
Country flag
There is a prop shop about 60 miles away last prop was 80$ to fix and a skeg was like 125$. But I was thinking I can weld it myself and the skeg blank was like 30-35$ only. I have a 2013 150 four stroke mercury that from what I’ve read has the same gearcase as a 250-300 verado.
 

lehman live edge slab

Live Action
Local time
6:18 AM
User ID
3953
Joined
Sep 2, 2017
Messages
3,369
Reaction score
11,643
Location
Mn
Country flag
I’m using aluminum prop for the reasons seen here, known two many guys that have lost the whole lower unit due to a stainless prop. Running an alpha 4 18 pitch because the stock 3 blade black max 21 pitch would only get barely into the wot running range had bad hole shot and would blow out in the corners. Now it performs way better everywhere but top end which I dropped about 4-5 mph
 

Dustin4185

Pinnacle OPE Member
Local time
7:18 AM
User ID
2032
Joined
Oct 25, 2016
Messages
1,295
Reaction score
3,680
Location
East TN
Country flag
I’m using aluminum prop for the reasons seen here, known two many guys that have lost the whole lower unit due to a stainless prop. Running an alpha 4 18 pitch because the stock 3 blade black max 21 pitch would only get barely into the wot running range had bad hole shot and would blow out in the corners. Now it performs way better everywhere but top end which I dropped about 4-5 mph
Working through a propping issue on a patrol boat now. They were surplussing it and I grabbed it before it went to Nashville. The motor was mounted WAY to low and had a 3 blade 17P on it. I raised the motor and it kept hitting the limiter. Tried a 19p/3b and still too small but 21p/3b was too much. Settled on a 19p/4b Proptech SS. Trimmed down 5200, up 5600 RPM. Not a whole lot of rock here, but my river boats all run AL props!
 

lehman live edge slab

Live Action
Local time
6:18 AM
User ID
3953
Joined
Sep 2, 2017
Messages
3,369
Reaction score
11,643
Location
Mn
Country flag
My boat is a Lund 1875 impact and the motor was factory rigged at the dealer. As far as mounting hight I’d hope that mercury would have the mounting correct since Brunswick owns mercury, Lund, crestliner, Lowe and a bunch more brands. And I realize props are always a compromise but the factory one was useless in all my uses but top end that I don’t care much about. Does 43 with a boat full of people and gear pops right out of the water and runs 5500-5600 at wot.
 

Dustin4185

Pinnacle OPE Member
Local time
7:18 AM
User ID
2032
Joined
Oct 25, 2016
Messages
1,295
Reaction score
3,680
Location
East TN
Country flag
My boat is a Lund 1875 impact and the motor was factory rigged at the dealer. As far as mounting hight I’d hope that mercury would have the mounting correct since Brunswick owns mercury, Lund, crestliner, Lowe and a bunch more brands. And I realize props are always a compromise but the factory one was useless in all my uses but top end that I don’t care much about. Does 43 with a boat full of people and gear pops right out of the water and runs 5500-5600 at wot.
This is a Triton that was old school built in TN. Most our boats around that time were low bid, from dealers and setup there. All of these boats this style had motors mounted way too low. They are stepped hulls. We had some Brunswick Trophy's that were decent boats and the newer Whaler LE boats are bad a$$, but they quit making them.
 

drf256

Dr. Richard Cranium
GoldMember
Local time
7:18 AM
User ID
319
Joined
Dec 29, 2015
Messages
9,334
Reaction score
61,418
Location
Strong Island NY
Country flag
Is that skeg aluminum or Mag?

I have found that pulse helps me with Mag. I never use pulse on aluminum unless it’s thin and I’m by an edge.

I personally like 2% lanthanated tungsten for everything. No worries about radioactive dust either, like thoriated. Also, thoriated always gets little “fingers” on the tip on AC for me. The 2% lanthanated just forms a nice tiny ball at the tip.

I always use a gas lens, not sure why anyone wouldn’t want to. If Mag ever goes on fire, just smother it with shielding gas. I’ve been lucky and haven’t had an issue, but I always keep a pair of pliers around to grab it and walk it outside should it ignite.

The hardest thing I see for your job is keeping it all straight. Unlike steel, you can’t really tack and bend aluminum. It has to be on the money before you mash the pedal.
 

lehman live edge slab

Live Action
Local time
6:18 AM
User ID
3953
Joined
Sep 2, 2017
Messages
3,369
Reaction score
11,643
Location
Mn
Country flag
Lower unit is cast aluminum from all I’ve been told or read. New blank is like 35$ guy at works like just bring it in aluminum is to hard to weld. Said not that bad to weld and why give 150-200 for that when I can just buy a blank and repair myself. The prop on the other hand needs to go in because I don’t have a way to form them or set pitch
 
Top