# Alum flatbed truck side repair w/spoolgun



## aametalmaster (Mar 7, 2011)

I do about 35-30 of these a year for a local trucking company. The long alum angle sides on a flatbed truck get beat up pretty good by the drivers loading wrecked cars and running up against them. They can't have any weld on the outside or they won't fit in the rectangular hole and you can't get to the inside of the little channel unless you cut out the back brace with a bandsaw. Then they need cleaned because they smell of diesel fuel or are greasy. I just wire brush where the weld is with my grinder mounted wire wheel. I used a Miller MM185 and a Miller 3035 spoolgun with .030 5356 wire on this job. I preheat where i am going to weld because the angle is 3/8" thick. Then ipreheat some and set the part on and tack the inside. Then preheat some more. The weld flows like butter because by now its good and hot. Then i tack the back brace back on and weld it in. It doesn't matter how pretty or what welding process you use because they will get tore up. The factory welds look pretty but don't last long at all. All in a days play...Bob


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## Old Iron (Mar 8, 2011)

*Re: Alum flatbed truck side repair w/spool gun *

Nice job Bob, don't ya love those spool guns! I have one on my MM251 haven't fired up my Tig sense I got it been over 6 years now.

Paul


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## aametalmaster (Mar 8, 2011)

*Re: Alum flatbed truck side repair w/spoolgun *

Yes i really like this Miller 3035 gun. I have had a spoolgun since 1977 when i started welding. A few Millers and my dads old Westinghouse SG...Bob


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