Surthrival Trailer Mark 1 Update #22

Good Evening my fellow Steemians!

Tonight I have a new update from my Surthrival Trailer project. I have been working on welding the frame for the solar panels that will be attached to the roof of the trailer.

I started by laying out the steel on my temporary welding surface of 7 pallets. I had to shim and level the pallets to ensure the frame will be square during welding.

I used 2 pieces of 1" angle steel in the center of the frame @78.5".

I measured the diagonal on both sides to make sure I had the frame square @ 175.75"

I started by welding the perimeter of the frame using 6011 electrodes and setting the stick welder to the low setting @70amps.

Using 3/4 plywood blocks with 2 screws I fixed to my temporary welding surface to hold the frame in place while welding.

Some welds I had to go back over, I used a thick wire brush to clean the weld before going back over it.

After completing one side I returned the next day to finish welding the other side of the frame.

I tested my welds by beating on them with the claw side of a hammer.

Here is the view of the completed welded frame. The two pieces of 1" square tube in the frame were set at 39" from the end of the frame.

After transporting the frame home I cleaned each weld by spraying the area with simple green to remove any additional flux. This was a tip from a friend of mine that is a master welder.

Using my angle grinder with a sanding wheel I grinded down the welds to have a smooth surface for mounting the panels.

Thank you for your time if you gave my project update a read!

Yours in liberty toward a brighter future, May the great creator bless you and may you find peace and joy within your hearts, Greg @makinstuff