Aluminum storage container

[jakeru]

Hi all - I built from customer's plans a storage container, which is thankfully now completed and delivered.

Specs:
10" diameter x 27" tall cylindrical container, with an easily removable, gasketed lid

welded handle constructed from miter-cut tubing (6061, .065" thick, 5/8" OD)

5052 aluminum main barrel (.065" thick) and end plates (.080" thick)

TIG welded with a rock-solid reliable, 3 year old Everlast Super200P and 3/64" 5356 filler rod

The completed barrel is so strong, with it laid down sideways on the floor, I could stand on the open end without it deforming at all. (The lid would still make a perfect fit afterwards.) That said, the thick, strong barrel was a *real PITA* to form into a cylinder!

[jakeru]

[everlastsupport]

Looks nice Jakeru. I saw it on weldingweb this AM.

What are they going to store in it? It should be safe in there. How much 5356 did you use on it? I really like the mitered handle look.

[jakeru]

Thanks, Mike. The customers apparently live in a skyscraper apartment building, with two dogs. Big time dog mess issues apparently... going all over their floors and carpets, etc. So, their plan is that they are going to train their dogs to piddle on some specific matts, and then when they are soiled, store them in this container. They were talking about keeping the container filled with water (to "mellow" the soiled matts I guess?) I don't know if they are going to do that or not, because it would make them really heavy (fully filled = 80 lbs water!) and I'm not sure how they'd empty it. They were really adamant from the beginning that the container hold water without leaking, and that the lid and gasket be air tight. I didn't get the whole "high rise condo lifestyle" story about until they picked it up. (Originally, it was just a container for storing "water". ) Anyhow, I hope it works for them.

I don't know how much 5356 I used, I just kept pulling coils off the spool until all the weld beads were done. I welded the large round weld around the lid in just 3 or 4 welds! It was a perfect joint setup for doing that, so I made sure to have a plenty long length of filler wire ready in my left hand ready to go for those lid beads.

I welded the inside of the long barrel seam also. That was a bit tricky, reaching deep into the barrel with both hands. That was when my filler rod feeding hand's glove kept wanting to work its way off!

[everlastsupport]

Thanks, Mike. The customers apparently live in a skyscraper apartment building, with two dogs. Big time dog mess issues apparently... going all over their floors and carpets, etc. So, their plan is that they are going to train their dogs to piddle on some specific matts, and then when they are soiled, store them in this container. They were talking about keeping the container filled with water (to "mellow" the soiled matts I guess?) I don't know if they are going to do that or not, because it would make them really heavy (fully filled = 80 lbs water!) and I'm not sure how they'd empty it. They were really adamant from the beginning that the container hold water without leaking, and that the lid and gasket be air tight. I didn't get the whole "high rise condo lifestyle" story about until they picked it up. (Originally, it was just a container for storing "water". ) Anyhow, I hope it works for them.

Hey, if it works for them. 80lbs of water is a lot of weight, add the container too. They might be back for a shorter one in the future. Or to have it cut down, unless these are some big dogs.

I don't know how much 5356 I used, I just kept pulling coils off the spool until all the weld beads were done. I welded the large round weld around the lid in just 3 or 4 welds! It was a perfect joint setup for doing that, so I made sure to have a plenty long length of filler wire ready in my left hand ready to go for those lid beads.

I do that with 4043 sometimes. Thinner, sure goes fast.

I welded the inside of the long barrel seam also. That was a bit tricky, reaching deep into the barrel with both hands. That was when my filler rod feeding hand's glove kept wanting to work its way off!

That can get a little warm. Did you use the short cap or swap our torch out for a smaller one?

Looks like it's not going to leak or bend, will last them a long time, and lighter than stainless too.

[everlastsupport]

With no handles on the sides, it will be a little work to handle it, if heavy. But if just storing the mats in there, might not be that heavy and they can roll it like welding gas tanks.

I've seen those mats on TV. Not sure if they really work, either way, my dogs are old and losing it, sure it would not work for them . Shocked they find their way home most of the time when to let them out.

[jakeru]

Hey Mike -

I left my WP-17 torch (the original... everlast supplied) on there with the full length back cap, for the inside cylinder weld. Reached in from one side into the middle with both arms, welded towards the outside. Then flipped the cylinder around, did the same through the other opening (before I welded on the end.) With a small amount of "push" angle on the torch, the back cap was not interfering with anything, but the end of the handle was limiting the range of motion, so I had to hold it "just so". Here it seems like a "flex neck" type torch would have been handy to move the handle into a better position. Or better yet, a CK "Flex-Loc" (I have been kind of salivating over one of those...)

I usually leave the long back cap on the torch if I don't need to remove it due to an obstruction, because I like having extra parts of the torch I can grab which don't get all that hot. Kind of like an "alternative handle" I also prefer full length tungstens over really short ones. (easier for me to handle, grind, store, find, etc.) But if the welding situation calls for it, I will put on th short back cap and cut up a tungsten without a second thought.

[wruehl]

Some customers can be down right strange, but as long as they pay in a timely fashion, they can have whatever they want...

[ScratchStart]

so let me get this strait.... you took all the time to build an awesome looking aluminum "storage container", and they paid good money to put soiled(i assume this means the dogs go #1 and #2 on them) mats in to store them???

did you laugh all the way to the bank?

[jakeru]

Um, yeah, pretty much.

I bet the high-rise condo they were living in was pretty posh.