Aluminum Handrails

[William McCormick Jr]

I made these over the past couple of weeks, and installed them today. We had a lot of fun. A lot of work though. I put some time in on them here and there. So I could do other things, and get more time in on the rails.

I made all the handles solid, so that water would not build up in the handles.

http://www.Rockwelder.com/GeneralCadd/projects/lodge/mas6.jpg

http://www.Rockwelder.com/GeneralCadd/projects/lodge/mas7.jpg

http://www.Rockwelder.com/GeneralCadd/projects/lodge/mas8.jpg

http://www.Rockwelder.com/GeneralCadd/projects/lodge/mas1.jpg

http://www.Rockwelder.com/GeneralCadd/projects/lodge/mas4.jpg

http://www.Rockwelder.com/GeneralCadd/projects/lodge/Billtryingtofitin.jpg

This last one I obviously had to much time on my hands. I thought being masons that a pointing sack, might get me in good with the group. Somehow, I think they thought I was a bit strange. None of you guys think I am strange do you? Ha-ha.

Actually I know a fellow who belongs to the lodge and the members are extremely normal individuals. Very smart, helpful and intelligent. Nothing strange at all about them. I don't think they wanted me as a member. Ha-ha.


Sincerely,


William McCormick

[geezer]

Nice job, I like the appearance. Did you bend the top rail yourself? I would like to know a little more about the material type. thanks for posting

[farmersamm]

Mr. McCormick...........you make it worth comin' back to the site!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't believe I've ever not enjoyed one of your posts.

Solid ends..........nobody thinks about that stuff. Water collects everywhere even if you thought it might have been sealed.

I don't mean to hijack, but the following pic seems to show trapped water inside a piece of square tubing that expanded when it froze. Weep hole at base of tubing is in order.

LOVE THE HAT MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :cool2::cool2::cool2:

If I had a lodge, you'd be a charter member!!

:waving::waving::waving:

[William McCormick Jr]

Nice job, I like the appearance. Did you bend the top rail yourself? I would like to know a little more about the material type. thanks for posting

It is standard 60-63 handrail. 1.90" wide I believe. I welded the "U" channel that I believe is 60-63 along the whole length of the rail.

And on the ends I welded in flat aluminum. 50-52 H-32 3/16" material to make it look solid. It is almost solid. Because I also added in a piece of 1/8' material between the 3/16" flat plate and the handrail, to keep the crown from collapsing. The crown will collapse a lot more if you do not add in a solid piece. At least while bending.

You have to heat the handrail, very hot with an oxygen and acetylene torch, to get it to do that round end. You have to weld the handrail to an aluminum pipe to get it to roll like that. And then cut it off the pipe. I lose one every now and then. Or I collapse a crown, and have to cut it off, and add in more filler.

The lambs tongue starts out like a snakes tongue, you just cut out a "V" the length of your handle, from the handrail, and then close the "V", weld it together, and grind. I just free form that.



Sincerely,


William McCormick

[Powerstroked]

Very nice and clean work:)

[7A749]

They look good.

Really good.

Nice job. All DC welding, I take it? :D

[William McCormick Jr]

Mr. McCormick...........you make it worth comin' back to the site!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't believe I've ever not enjoyed one of your posts.

Solid ends..........nobody thinks about that stuff. Water collects everywhere even if you thought it might have been sealed.

I don't mean to hijack, but the following pic seems to show trapped water inside a piece of square tubing that expanded when it froze. Weep hole at base of tubing is in order.

LOVE THE HAT MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :cool2::cool2::cool2:

If I had a lodge, you'd be a charter member!!

:waving::waving::waving:

Hijacking, is not real to me, that is a great picture. It even got me to thinking, about the small space left in those rails. I know the power of ice. It is amazing. And we have seen and heard railings suck in air as the sun goes down. Any moisture condenses as it bubbles through the water already in the rail. But you could actually hear this one rail suck in water. It was almost comical. We were painting them we did not make them.

Many guys do not know about it.

I sometimes create things that later make me wonder. But so far I have had good rails. Some jobs require weep holes. Especially with splices.

Sincerely,


William McCormick

[castweld]

Nice job, I used heat to bend aluminum a few times- kinda tricky.
Peter

[William McCormick Jr]

They look good.

Really good.

Nice job. All DC welding, I take it? :D

Thanks.


Actually a combination. I found that leaving the high frequency on in DC makes for an easier slightly cleaner weld. The DC is much faster then AC. And penetrates anything.

The 5/8" bars are hard to do in DC, the corners are a problem. But I am getting very good at it. I use Argon/helium 20/1 cubic feet an hour, and AC on the 5/8" bars.



Sincerely,


William McCormick

[William McCormick Jr]

Nice job, I used heat to bend aluminum a few times- kinda tricky.
Peter


The 6061 T6 511 will not anneal. Like the old 6061-T6. So you cannot bend 6061 T6 511 with heat, it will crack. But the 6063 turns to putty. As long as you do not get it to hot, or bend it too much.

Sincerely,


William McCormick

[99trxrider]

Very nice. Wish I could do things like..I wouldnt know where to start.

[7A749]

Thanks.


Actually a combination. I found that leaving the high frequency on in DC makes for an easier slightly cleaner weld. The DC is much faster then AC. And penetrates anything.

The 5/8" bars are hard to do in DC, the corners are a problem. But I am getting very good at it. I use Argon/helium 20/1 cubic feet an hour, and AC on the 5/8" bars.



Sincerely,


William McCormick


I wouldn't mind giving it a try if I could score the gas without having to buy a full cylinder of it. I am under the impression you need Helium or a mix of it for DC TIG on AL. My LWS will swing deals & let me swap tanks for other gasses once in awhile. The smaller ones are never an issue. I will have to check into it, but last I knew all their Helium mixes were commercial size only & those are some coin to fill. Doubt they'll do a swap for one of those. Worth a look into tho.

Thanks for the info. They look fantastic!

[William McCormick Jr]

Very nice. Wish I could do things like..I wouldnt know where to start.


If you are young to a little old, find an iron shop open on Saturdays, or nights, and get some hands on.
You can pick up a few bucks, get some scrap metal for sure. And really make railings, basement entrances, burglar bars, fire escapes, wall mounted compressor and equipment shelves. Caisson's, containers, truck bodies, dump beds, tow truck beds, dump trucks.

Thinking about it, I miss the old iron worker I used to work on. It had gears. Ha-ha.

The reality may seem a bit harsh, in the iron shop, but after a while you realize that they are just humans. Because you will start to have these abilities. Some of these guys will lift a 600 pound "I" beam up and walk away with it, load it in a truck and not be breathing heavy. In my day I could lift over 400 pounds of beam over my head and set it in place. I crushed a few ladders, getting them up there, and I was standing at the sides of the rungs. Pretty funny to see actually.

My boss one time a black guy, Ray went to Grumman to an auction. The guys were cleaning up the plant. And there was a large bar of stainless steel, they asked if he would like it. It weighed in at about five hundred pounds. He snatched it up, and ran it to the truck. I called him Mr. Ray after that. Ha-ha. Na just kidding, I bust his chops every time I see him, but I am ready to run. He is also a black belt and Karate instructor.

You can learn more in two weeks time in an iron shop then in years in school. If you are interested. To be honest if you are not interested, neither school or apprenticing will help.



Sincerely,


William McCormick

[William McCormick Jr]

I wouldn't mind giving it a try if I could score the gas without having to buy a full cylinder of it. I am under the impression you need Helium or a mix of it for DC TIG on AL. My LWS will swing deals & let me swap tanks for other gasses once in awhile. The smaller ones are never an issue. I will have to check into it, but last I knew all their Helium mixes were commercial size only & those are some coin to fill. Doubt they'll do a swap for one of those. Worth a look into tho.

Thanks for the info. They look fantastic!

I use two tanks, one argon and one helium, two regulators. And a "Y" fitting. After the flow valves. The single line, from the "Y" fitting, goes into one hose that goes to the solenoid on the machine. It is seamless. Just remember to turn off the helium if you do not need it. It is getting a bit pricey. And it is no good for stainless.

You can use pure argon. But I have had some trouble on the newer machines. Until I left the high frequency on.



Sincerely,


William McCormick

[99trxrider]

If you are young to a little old, find an iron shop open on Saturdays, or nights, and get some hands on.
You can pick up a few bucks, get some scrap metal for sure. And really make railings, basement entrances, burglar bars, fire escapes, wall mounted compressor and equipment shelves. Caisson's, containers, truck bodies, dump beds, tow truck beds, dump trucks.

Thinking about it, I miss the old iron worker I used to work on. It had gears. Ha-ha.

The reality may seem a bit harsh, in the iron shop, but after a while you realize that they are just humans. Because you will start to have these abilities. Some of these guys will lift a 600 pound "I" beam up and walk away with it, load it in a truck and not be breathing heavy. In my day I could lift over 400 pounds of beam over my head and set it in place. I crushed a few ladders, getting them up there, and I was standing at the sides of the rungs. Pretty funny to see actually.

My boss one time a black guy, Ray went to Grumman to an auction. The guys were cleaning up the plant. And there was a large bar of stainless steel, they asked if he would like it. It weighed in at about five hundred pounds. He snatched it up, and ran it to the truck. I called him Mr. Ray after that. Ha-ha. Na just kidding, I bust his chops every time I see him, but I am ready to run. He is also a black belt and Karate instructor.

You can learn more in two weeks time in an iron shop then in years in school. If you are interested. To be honest if you are not interested, neither school or apprenticing will help.



Sincerely,


William McCormick


Thanks im trying to find a shop to do Co-Op in during this coming school year. Ill be a senior.

[SD_Lurker]

wow purdy....