Small Aluminium House / Kids School Project:-

[carlos420uk]

My little one has been given a project to do for school. It can be anything, but has to involve light and electricity, so she asked if we could make something with the welder.

We decided to make a simple house from 1.6mm aluminium sheet.

I let her do all of the marking out on card for templates, then she transfered them onto the sheet for cutting afterwards. I cut them out in the bandsaw, and them we tacked up and welded the majority last night.

This was my first Alu sheet project, and I was quite pleased with how it welded. I used aluminium box section as a backer and guide piece to clamp at right angles and it really helped to stop the heat getting out of control.

We will weld the floor and roof pieces on later

 

[chunkolini]

Bonkers in the nicest way possible.
Good to get the sprogs involved.
Lets see the finished project.
It would make a great lunch box or bid box when finished.

 

[Dev]

Cool. Looks just the right size for a moneybox.


If kids have money boxes nowadays and not iTunes vouchers or bitcoins or linden dollars or whatnot.

 

[carlos420uk]

Ha ha, yes it is a bit bonkers. Her class mates will be coming in with cut up cardboard cereal box's sellotaped together and there she will be with her sheet aluminium Tig welded house Excuse my ignorance, but what's a Bid box?

She's only 7, but does like to come and see what her dad's doing in the garage, so I try and encourage her to be creative whilst also teaching her a few skills where I can. She even has her own welding helmet (my old one, set to the darkest shade) and mini gloves, but obviously just for spectating.

Good call on the money box, she's got a few of them I think i'll cut a slit in the roof and hole saw a piece out of the bottom before welding up. I'd have had to cut a hole to stop it blowing out at the end of welding anyway (learnt that one the hard way!). Think I've even got a little rubber bung that will work too for filling afterwards.

Finished pictures, later on or tomorrow as needs to be done for Monday.

Cheers.

 

[chunkolini]

but obviously just for spectating.
Spectating? no spectators allowed. my boy was welding at that age.

 

[carlos420uk]

Well she has asked to have a go, but I just thought it was a bit iffy as she tends to get carried away and not listen properly sometimes. Maybe I'll let her have a go when she ask's again.

I think boys are a bit different though at that age, their more interested sort of thing and want to have a go. Mine just likes to watch more so, and gets frustrated if she can't do something straight away.

Kids for you though ay

 

[chunkolini]

Too young? naaah.
Here is Chunko Jr when he was that age. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4XdFjHkc9M
I think when small people know something is hazardous they are inclined to listen.
My social worker brother was horrified about me letting him do this. Pillock.
Ok Jr was holding the torch a bit far back from the workpiece but a good start. He then dove me mad for a month or so wanting to go welding. Now he could not give a stuff. Ho Hum

 

[strada]

Nice little project.
My daughter try`s to get involved too.mainly going round the garage hit things with the hammer

I`d be tempted to cut in some windows and install a little battery run LED,maybe it could be her new bedside light.

 

[carlos420uk]

Too young? naaah.
Here is Chunko Jr when he was that age. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4XdFjHkc9M
I think when small people know something is hazardous they are inclined to listen.
My social worker brother was horrified about me letting him do this. Pillock.
Ok Jr was holding the torch a bit far back from the workpiece but a good start. He then dove me mad for a month or so wanting to go welding. Now he could not give a stuff. Ho Hum

The little dude was moving that Mig torch like a Pro!
That's always the case with kids, they have their fads.
I think I'll start her off with some no-filler tig beads, with me controlling the pedal to see how she gets on with that. She gets a bit scared of the sparks from Mig.

 

[carlos420uk]

Nice little project.
My daughter try`s to get involved too.mainly going round the garage hit things with the hammer

I`d be tempted to cut in some windows and install a little battery run LED,maybe it could be her new bedside light.

That would be nice also - a bed side light, but might not get the time to do it as need to crack on with other projects I've got going on tomorrow. Maybe that can be a mod for next Sunday instead of a money box....we'll see what she wants.

Mine also loves to play the hammer game

 

[chunkolini]

The main thing with kids and this stuff is to make it as safe as possible, any accidents and you will be in the dog house. Never had any problems but best ne careful.
I had to talk to my boys teacher and tell her that he was in fact welding last night.
her face was a picture.
Kids in workshops is great fun, start them young.

 

[carlos420uk]

Yup got to make it hazard free for them, after blowing my old laptop up at xmas she's not allowed drinks anywhere near my garage!

Ha ha I bet the teachers face was a picture. I agree with letting them do stuff young as we live in too much of a "Nanny state" nowerdays.

The only worry I've really got is if she pulled the trigger or pressed the pedal without her helmet down and got a flash, or picked up a hot piece without a glove on. I'd like to think I'm responsible but I've done both on more than one occasion Not the end of the world, but you know what I mean.

She wants me to let her "Help" me tack up the roof and floor tomorrow, I said she can have a go on some scrap steel sheet first.Well see how she gets on melting it with no filler, and go from there.

Pics to follow.

 

[wheresmejumper]

aluminium?talk about throwing her in at the deep end!!

 

[TAITSIE]

I think its good to get your kids involved in what you are doing, my eldest son was always watching me when I was working on cars and now he builds rally cars as a hobby.

 

[carlos420uk]

Ok so the project had to be in yesterday, along with it's accompanying literature and photographs to explain what TIG welding has to do with Light, and Electricity.

I got the roof all tacked up, and then went to run a fillet along the inside edge of the roof over hang.
This didn't go too well and I just nipped the edge off in a few places doing so. It was at this point I decided to just run lots of beads, one after another all over the roof (Simulating roof tiles), and then run edge welds all around the perimeter to tidy it up afterwards.

I must have used 10 2.4mm filler rods doing this, but little one was happy with the outcome and sat there taking pictures as we progressed.

Either way here is the finished project with it's weld bead roof!
I know ity's not the best welding in the world, but I'm still quite proud of it for my first sheet aluminium job

 

[chunkolini]

Nice work and a nice story.
This could cost you a packet.
Do they make pink Speedglas helmets?
Any reports on what Teacher and class mates said?

 

[pedrobedro]

I would have left the tacks holding the roof on, they looked like House Martin nests Nice project for you and the littl'un.

 

[carlos420uk]

Nice work and a nice story.
This could cost you a packet.
Do they make pink Speedglas helmets?
Any reports on what Teacher and class mates said?

Ha ha, no I don't think they do Pink Speedglass, but they do - do Pink paint, and I can tell you it's a dam sight cheaper

Teacher was very impressed with the house and literature, and also her understanding of the process (She had to explain what we had done). Class mates were all impressed too, so an all round success!

I really enjoyed welding this is up, and doing all the beads on the roof was good practise for me.

 

[carlos420uk]

I would have left the tacks holding the roof on, they looked like House Martin nests Nice project for you and the littl'un.

Yes I think I'd agree, as I'm still learning I tend to over weld some things

Thanks mate.

 

[sm-]

Ha ha, no I don't think they do Pink Speedglass, but they do - do Pink paint, and I can tell you it's a dam sight cheaper

Teacher was very impressed with the house and literature, and also her understanding of the process (She had to explain what we had done). Class mates were all impressed too, so an all round success!

I really enjoyed welding this is up, and doing all the beads on the roof was good practise for me.

Well Speedglass actually has a pinkish one in their 100 range.
http://www.rapidwelding.com/dynamic/DisplayItem.aspx?c=3M-752020&zl=3