CHS...thats the one i couldnt remember heh...simple though it be in my own defense i did say "etc" after the RHS...

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Bling me up Scotty!
"wait till it grows into a plant...then bunny rabbit THE PLANT!"

1966 Morris Mini DeLuxe FOR SALE

I used 2.3m wall thickness 35mm ID CHS for my subframe. I think 3mm is probably more than sufficient and 4mm is just overkill and in some ways with the thicker stuff unless you are using welding system that is good for thick steel (eg stick) then you can actually have less penetration and thus a weaker subframe. This should now create a whole discussion by itself

Cheers

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225hp atw on 14psi. 1/4 Mile no idea. Take one 1971 Mini Clubman, one Starlet GT Halfcut, Simmer over a warm MIG Welder, and Voila Minstar! www.mpdesign.id.au

i have heard that mig really isnt that great above 3mm (for penetration reasons as stated previously and by you minstar) hence why i am leaning more toward a thicker gauge (coz i love the stick )...in my experience stick is pretty tricky when you get too far below 3mm...plenty of holey 2mm plate and RHS in a crate under my mum's house to prove it too high amperage and too thin steel = a bloody mess

_________________
Bling me up Scotty!
"wait till it grows into a plant...then bunny rabbit THE PLANT!"

1966 Morris Mini DeLuxe FOR SALE

I'm reading this with interest, because my old ARC welder gave up on me last weekend. ($50 at a garage sale years ago!) The adjusting knob has seized solid at the lowest setting. I found I could weld 1.6-2mm metal with it without blowing holes if I was careful.

But now I have to replace it I'm leaning towards a Gas and Gasless type MIG. It sounds like I will still be able to weld up subframe mounts etc with it.

I've never used a MIG before, but I'm told it's a lot easier than Arc? Yes/No?

(Sorry for stealing the thread!)

Cheers,

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Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

Easier, yes.

Also easier to put down a weld that looks OK but lacks any real penetration.
Once you think you have your settings right, weld a fillet with a couple of pieces of scrap & then snap the weld with a BFH. That will show you if you are getting a sound weld.

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Too many cars, and too little time.

Thanks, will do. Same as what I did when learning Arc.

Watto just bought a MIG and his wife told me he's been practising by making all these gardening tools.

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Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

According to the engineer I'm useing 2mm wall thickness minimum for any
tubular subframe
I'm useing 26.9od 2.3w CHS AS1163 C350 lo

Blue

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Keep shiny side up

So am I, apparently......

Yes

Blue

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Keep shiny side up

ok, look i would recommend MIG, and doing a tafe course to boot. I've played with a fair bit of chassis stuff on minitrucks, and can tell you that the mig gets great penetration. i have a 190 amp sitting here, wich will look after the 1/4" plate we were using for plating frames and notches, a mate even Xrayed some at work, just for bragging rights...

mig
quicker
easier
better

IMHO

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http://www.minisport.com.au
the guys there are dead set champions

i wanted to do mig too...but i have to do a tafe course or it would end up looking and working like a crap-sandwich...unfortunately the only tafe course that does mig stuff is full so i'd have to wait till august to get enrollment :S which is too long i'll just use beefier RHS and hit it with the stick...

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Bling me up Scotty!
"wait till it grows into a plant...then bunny rabbit THE PLANT!"

1966 Morris Mini DeLuxe FOR SALE

Would you quit it with the RHS stuff.

i have actually decided to go with RHS...that VTEC frame i showed ya uses RHS for everything...should be able to adapt the design and make it work for the 4efte...thats the plan anyway...we'll see how it pans out

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Bling me up Scotty!
"wait till it grows into a plant...then bunny rabbit THE PLANT!"

1966 Morris Mini DeLuxe FOR SALE

RHS, CHS, SHS... doesn't matter what you use if you're welding is sh1t

And on the topic of CHS I have seen CDS (Cold Drawn Seamless) posted a few times. IMO it's not really necessary to use seamless tube. Is this what engineers as specifying must be used???

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Metal to burn, sparks to fly...

No. They are happy with any suitably sized structural member.

I think they suggest CDS to keep weight down & so the uninformed do make a subframe out of water pipe

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Too many cars, and too little time.