Aluminum Chainsaw Storage Boxes

[Shipj0]

I had some extra aluminum lying around, needed practice on aluminum outside corners and wanted a couple heavy duty chainsaw boxes for 2 chainsaws I carry on my ATV so .... These are 1/8" 5052 aluminum, I scored the joints with my circular saw, bent them manually over a table edge, and then welded them with my Everlast 255EXT. Specs for welding were ~110a on outside corners (~125a to 130a at beginning then lowered as metal got warm), no pulse, 3/32" tungsten and 5356 filler, 3 sec upslope and 3 sec down using an on/off torch switch and slope to control heat. Handles were made with some tubing and a couple pieces of plate. Aluminum hinges were purchased and welded on. Fun project, lots of TIG seat time, welder performed flawlessly.

[John Bartley]

Nice work!!

[motolife313]

Those look like they came out nice! Should stay safe in the boxes when trees are falling

[Bradi007]

Very nice work!!

[Lindley]

Very cool! Tell us more about your sander/polisher. Never seen one like that.

[John T]

Nice job.

Is there enough room to keep a plastic bar cover on ??

If not, I'd be worried about the teeth making contact with the alum.

[Capt B]

Nice job I want to know about polisher also. I've seen them never used one.

[Weldordie]

Nice job.

Is there enough room to keep a plastic bar cover on ??

If not, I'd be worried about the teeth making contact with the alum.

Are you worried about the teeth or about the aluminum?

[John T]

[N2 Welding]

Nice work. My initial thought is how hard is it to get it in there then I noticed that the blade cover slips on the blade before stored in the box. So after that I looked closer. I was like I wonder if it has a tendency of the blade cover bending upward from the bottom. Do you have a clip that sits on the inside of the box to keep it from bending up?

[Shipj0]

Thanks for all the compliments in the chainsaw boxes. The surfacing tool is a SCT by Eastwood. Good price on the tool and the extra drums, way better than similar tools by other manufacturers . Comes with the Red surfacing drum, which works well for Aluminum. Eastwood also has a sanding drum with sandpaper and a stripping drum. I have not tried either with aluminum; I have the stripping drum but looks pretty course for aluminum. The only issue I had was shipping to AK was expensive, to States in the Lower 48 shipping is probably a lot cheaper.

http://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-contour-sct.html

[Shipj0]

When the chainsaw is in the box, the chain does not generally touch the aluminum. The clearance and angle was set up to keep the bar centered in the sleeve. There is not room for the plastic sleeve but I could cut up one of those flexible thin plastic cutting boards and glue it in if I thought it was needed. I am sure in a good hit or bump that the chain could contact the aluminum but figured the steel teeth would not be hurt by the aluminum. I will look for a photo of how the sleeve is held in place in the box to keep the sleeve from moving around. Basically, the bar sleeve has two plates spaced apart far enough to slide over the aluminum box that holds the sleeve from both sides. Thought through lots of options and this was the best I could come up with to make it easy to get the saw in and out. Was actually shooting for a narrower box but miss measured by about an inch. Decided to just leave it for now. Plastic box from Home Depot is $29.99, way cheaper and quicker if I didn't have spare aluminum lying around from another project but this was way more fun.

[Shipj0]

To make the box, I cut out the aluminum in a cross shape to the box size for the bottom and sides, scored the aluminum with a skil saw and then bent the sides over a bench to meet at the edges then TIG welded them together. This gave me lots of practice with outside corners, which was one of the goalS. I could have saved on some welding by bending the box instead of welding but would have had to have it done at a shop and the point was welding practice. Tops were done the same way. On one, I sanded off the welds, on the other, I left them. Not that I was thinking of it at the time but it lets me ID which saw I am grabbing without opening. Same saws but one has normal bar oil and is used for general cutting around the house, other has vegetable oil for bar oil and is used on moose hunts to cut camp wood and (with a little luck) cut up moose.

[Shipj0]

Here are the pix of how the bar sleeve fits the box.

[N2 Welding]

Looks great.

[Shipj0]

Looks great.

Thanks, appreciate it.