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I'm starting my Bearhawk Patrol tail first, and in The Bearhawk Patrol Book, it says to make the ribs from .031 mild steel (1018), or .025 4130A. I found a source for 4130A, but was wondering if 1018 will be easier to weld since the thickness is a closer match to the wall thickness of the tubing the ribs will be welded to? Also, it seems like a good idea to orient the grain perpendicular to the length of the rib to prevent cracking. Is that what everyone is doing?
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If you can, bending perpendicular to the grain is always preferable. But, in this case the bends have such a large radius it probably wouldn’t be a factor.
As far as the thickness goes, it really depends on your welding skills and what method you are using. There are many places in the project where different thicknesses of materials are welded together. As a general rule, the closer the thickness is of the materials welded, the easier it is to control heat. But, where you are welding it won’t make a whole lot of difference in using the thicknesses you are talking about. You will be welding a small edge of sheet metal perpendicular to a long tube and it will be a bit tricky not to burn away the edge regardless of which thickness you choose. This is one area where the precise heat control of a good TIG machine really shines. I ended up using .032 4130A for the ribs in my 4 place. I did a video series on forming the ribs if you haven’t seen it already that may be of help. Good luck! -
Thanks for the response, I ordered material today. I ended up getting a 24" x 24" sheet of .025 4130A. That way I can arrange the grain either way. I am going to be TIG welding my Patrol. I have a pretty good welder which should give me plenty of control so hopefully I don't blow holes in anything.
I did see your video on YouTube. Thanks for posting it! You seem to be the only one that posted one about forming the tail ribs. Luckily I have some 1 1/8" thick oak boards that I can use to make forming blocks. I also need to make the bending dies.Comment
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