Thread: Wheelie Bin Cyclone?.

Aluminium is a possibility.... I've worked with it before so it doesn't scare me in that respect.

The last boat I built was a 16 ft barra -punt from one of CDMs plasma cut kits.

I released all the panels from the flat sheet and took the bits that needed folding (gunnels and rod pockets etc) to a engineering shop with a press brake.

Because it was Mig welded it had to be a min 3mm thick sheet and for marine use the sheets were all 6061 T6 - which means it doesn't bend well without cracking so all the 90 degree beds had to be radiused into a 50 x 50 mm V block with a 25mm dia bar press brake to avoid cracking.

It wouldn't be necessary to use 6061 T6 for a cyclone cept maybe for the hardening temper (T6) where the sawdust first hits the cylinder if wear would become an issue.

Aluminium all polished up would likewise look good and probably be MUCH less work....

BUT if I were to buy a CV1800 cyclone - that too also does look cool... and who knows what cost compared to the production of a alloy one...even if its plasma cut and I weld it myself.

Rolling it could be 'interesting', I've bent & folded it before but not rolled it.... so to speak... you pull bends into it across the frames and stringers in a boat, using clamps and tack welds to hold it... but rolling one cylinder and cone without frames to support them... might be a engineering shop task - which adds to the cost of course.

I don't consider myself an expert alloy welder... I get there in the end but I make a lot of aluminium dust in the process and wear out a grinder or two.

Aluminium mig welding is not has hard as some make out IF your metal surfaces are 100% clean (use stainless steel wire brushes so you don't contaminate the weld joint with steel particles) and IF you keep the argon gas shield up and If your wire feed & wire diameter are right.

Lastly tack a lot and only weld 2 inch strips at a time - on a boat going opposite side to opposite side to avoid warping. being a white metal you don't see any color change before it melts thru so a little bit at a time is the go....

The skip weld process (weld 2 inches, skip 2 inches, weld 2 inches tends to help prevent heat build up. Fillet welds are tougher to do (vertical) for the transom. You go backand wire wheel again (and grind the lumps at start and stop) then weld the 2 inch skips - and just keep switching sides...to avoid warping.

Its not fast - although the Migs a lot fatser than TIG its not as neat (well at least when i do it).

The River runner kit was a fun task... from a pre plasma cut kit - came with full plans : -

















I don't see why cyclones couldn't be pre - cut and supplied in kit form - but it would have to be cost effective to make it worthwhile, compared to just buying a CV cyclone for example.

I need to have a sit down chat with the now retired naval architect who designed the alloy boats kits to see what his thoughts are about a cyclone kit based on BP's designs...

He knows the materials properties and how they handle certain bends etc far better than I do.

Might be something - you take the plasma cut file to any alloy stockist and they supply the sheet pre - cut for you! (Saves shipping completed cyclones around the country)... download the files and take them to your alloy sheet supplier on a memory stick.

Just thinking outside the box here about logistics of getting them all round the country.

This way your not paying for shipping empty space inside the cyclone and cylinder.

But how many people would be prepared to roll and weld their own from a kit?

Lots of things to consider.