aliminium jointing

[wadsworthj]

hI there.
I wish to construct an aluminium folding bridge for a bridge layer/tank I am thinking of scratch building
on a dak base.
Can anyone tell me what is the best way to join all the pieces together ?
soldering, bolts ,rivits, glue ? what have you.
it is a puzzle if you have not dealt with ali before !!
Many thanks.
Cheers John W.

[ALPHA]

hI there.
I wish to construct an aluminium folding bridge for a bridge layer/tank I am thinking of scratch building
on a dak base.
Can anyone tell me what is the best way to join all the pieces together ?
soldering, bolts ,rivits, glue ? what have you.
it is a puzzle if you have not dealt with ali before !!
Many thanks.
Cheers John W.

There is a Scratch built Churchill bridge layer on the board somewhere...you might want to try the advanced search to find it Wads ...it might give you the information that you need

ALPHA

[wadsworthj]

Hi Alpha.
Thanks for the info , I have checked the build, and it seems to be mostly plasticard. as metal would need a lot stronger
set up, to lift it in one piece, over the tank.
mine will be very simple, needing only one hand to do the job, and nothing electricall to go wrong.
and made in metal to give the base weight. so it looks like cryo, or very small rivets.
but thanks for the help.
Cheers Wads.

[ALPHA]

Hi Alpha.
Thanks for the info , I have checked the build, and it seems to be mostly plasticard. as metal would need a lot stronger
set up, to lift it in one piece, over the tank.
mine will be very simple, needing only one hand to do the job, and nothing electricall to go wrong.
and made in metal to give the base weight. so it looks like cryo, or very small rivets.
but thanks for the help.
Cheers Wads.

Oh...so you are definitely going with metal..... then I would suggest using tinplate from canned goods... worked great for me when I did my travel lock and little bits on my L70...very easy to work with... you can solder rivet or glue it... and you can mix media with it as well...integrating copper as well as plasticard into the structure ...for rivets you can use either HO track spikes...or brass brad nails cut to length then hammered ...or peened as the term goes

Good Luck Wads

ALPHA

ps...personally I would stay away from aluminum ... it has a lot of limitations... you can't solder it... you can glue it but there is a high probability that the glue will separate from it...you can rivet it...but you have to make sure the gaps are flush

[wadsworthj]

Hi Alpha.
Thanks for all the advice. but I still come down on ali, because it comes on handy two foot strips and all sorts of shapes, that it gives me all the scope I need to make up the decks etc, out of my head .and it has great strength .
I think that I will try a mixture of cryo/rivets, and do a test piece,
if I can hang outside my first floor window on a 6" strip glued to my mother in law, I know it is ok
to carry on.
Once again thanks, for the advice,
cheers wads.

[ALPHA]

Hi Alpha.
Thanks for all the advice. but I still come down on ali, because it comes on handy two foot strips and all sorts of shapes, that it gives me all the scope I need to make up the decks etc, out of my head .and it has great strength .
I think that I will try a mixture of cryo/rivets, and do a test piece,
if I can hang outside my first floor window on a 6" strip glued to my mother in law, I know it is ok
to carry on.
Once again thanks, for the advice,
cheers wads.

Hey...just suggestions on my part... If you have a plan ...go with it ...it's the best thing to do...I'm kind of the same way when I build something...field for ideas... but if they don't fit...stick with what I have
So Stick with Aluminum .... it's going to be harder work...but in the end should be something to take in

hope you do a build thread so we can see your progress

ALPHA

[jarndice]

Might I suggest you hang your Mother in Law outside and you do the watching from a safe distance so if it fails there is always plan "B". shaun

[wadsworthj]

Hi Shaun.
You forgot to say, dig a large hole, under her, if it fails. then bury the evidence.
its a good job no mil are reading this post !!

[ALPHA]

Think I missed something during the commercial break.... MIL problems???????????? ....is that what the bridge is for


ALPHA

[wadsworthj]

Hi Alpha.
No disrespect. but if I knew what you were talking about,
I might be able to answer your query>
Although matts photo run through, is excellent, I still find the process ,far too fussy to bother with.
so all my build photos will be available to all on photobucket, under the name of.WADS1937.
Cheers Wads.