Stainless - Temporary Tack ‘Non-Welds’.

[Nasher]

Apologies, I really didn’t know how to title this question.

I’m fabricating and fitting a twin-tube Stainless A frame to my boat.
The rear legs will bolt to the transom with welded on pads, but the plan for the front legs involves them having mounting pads welded up the legs a few inches, and the legs passing through the top of the cockpit moulding into a locker.
The main reason being to route the various cables from the equipment on the frame, down through the tube and into the locker, rather than have it cable tied to the outside of the tubing and passing through a gland somewhere.

The welded on pads will then bolt down to the top of the cockpit moulding with some sealant underneath covering where the tube passes through the moulding.
The pad will be an oval stainless plate @20mm wider than the tube in it’s short dimension, with a hole in the middle slightly larger than the tube.
The problem I have is that the tube will pass through the moulding surface at an angle in all directions.

If I was doing this with enough power available, I’d slide the pads up the tube, chock the A frame into position, slide the pads down so they fit flat to the cockpit moulding then tack them in place in the correct orientation with my TIG.

As I can’t get enough power to the boat to run my TIG, and don’t really want to rent a gas set or a big generator, I’m considering other ways to temporarily fix the pads in the correct position before removing the frame again and welding it back at my workshop.

Any method needs to be strong enough to withstand the frame being removed and transported.

So far all I can think of is a couple of blobs of epoxy or ‘liquid metal’ that I’ll have to grind off after I’ve tacked them properly with my TIG.

Any suggestions will be gratefully received.

Thanks

Nasher.

 

[Skipper_Christoph]

why not mark the position of the pad with a marking pen. A simple felttip marker will do. Or use an etching pen.

 

[davidpbo]

Do you have access to mains on board? If you do could you not borrow a small stick welder that will plug into a 13a socket for the purpose of tacking?.

 

[Gary Fox]

Tack them with a small invertor and 2.5 rods, run off a generator or mains extension, messing about with glue won't work.

 

[Nasher]

Thanks guys.
I did think about just marking it with a pen, but would rather it was held in place.

Unfortunately I've got no power anywhere near the boat at the moment, and nowhere to plug in a long extension lead.
It's on land in a yard, but all I have is my small generator.

As mentioned I don't want to hire any gear just to do this, and stupidly don't just happen to have an inverter set in my pocket, silly me.

I'll work something out I'm sure.

Nasher.

 

[GHA]

Did slightly similar recently making a bimini frame, just put a little tack weld on then went back to the boat and bent the 2 pieces into place , then back to the welder for a full bead.

 

[PCUK]

How about these new cool welding sticks that weld with a blowlamp. I don't know what they are called but they provide a hugely strong weld. I've seen them on You Tube.

 

[PCUK]

I often have the same problem with stainless fab' and only thought of this solution after writing the above reply. I will be ordering some of these rods this morning.

 

[SvenH]

I used epoxy putty to fix a similar plate to my "to be made" stainless exhaust.
After curing I took it to a welder who tacked it and then complained about the smell .

I removed the putty by applying heat, then took it to the welder again.

 

[Nasher]

Thanks all, glad I'm not the only one.

I've got some low temp rods for Aluminium, which are a Soldering technique, but despite being great on Aluminium when I tried them on stainless it just formed blobs on the surface.

I have some 'repair putty' in the garage which might work, the two colour strip stuff you mix together to start the cure.

I think I'll have a go with that.
I suppose even if it doesn't stick properly at least I'll have a moulded lump that holds the plate at the right angles.

Nasher.

 

[Neeves]

Set up your frame as it will be when finished, with the plates on the legs. Have a jubilee clip (hose clamp) on each leg, mark the position of the plate. Clamp the plate from one side only, with the hose clamp. The hose clamp, I assume, will be at an angle.

Take apart, carefully. If you do not move the hose clamps you now have a mark for reassurance but the turn the frame upside down and the plates should be where you want them. tack weld from underneath, remove the hose clamps and weld properly. If you want extra securement and have room, use cable ties in the space in the fibre glass hole in the deck for when you take the frame home.

Jonathan