Machining Welding Adapter Porsche 9Electric

As your build progressed, I started to recognize the shape - it is exactly the same as the one on my VW Bus conversion. I scrolled up and saw Porsche in the title, and said ahh - all aircooled porche and VW use the same adaptor, athough different hubs for the flywheel mount. As a result, it is a standard adaptor available in many places, I bought mine from CANev for $870 delivered, including the adaptor for the bus.

Impressive machining - I don't have the skills or tools for most of what you did to make it, although I might give you a run for your money on the stick welds. :lol:

I am curious about the tradeoffs of buying it complete vs buying the hub/building the plate - excluding medical costs/injuries of course. How many hours did it take you, and how much did the Harbor Freight Lathe cost? How much did the taper-lock hub cost, and how hard was it to adjust? I got scared off by the taper adjustment process, so I was pleased to find my non-adjustable hub works perfectly.

-JD
 
Amberwolf: Many thanks, it's nice to give something back, I have learned so much from the web for my build.

Oatnet: It took me a long time, but there was design, measuring, buying my machine, learning to machine, buying a welder, learning to weld... I had to learn a lot to be able to do this. I had some machining/welding friends that were invaluable help. I'd guess it was about a week of full time work (spread out over weekends) for the actual fabrication. If I had to build a 2nd one I think I could do it in a long Saturday if all went right, say 2 or 3 to be conservative.

My machine was $600. I forget what the rotary table's price was when I bought it, but it is now $180 at Harbor Freight. The welder was about $1200 for a TIG, but a MIG would have worked and a good one would have been about 1/2 the price.

The taperlock was $250 from ElectroAuto. I put it on first, and then designed my adapter around that, so it was very easy to adjust!

I tell most folks to just buy an adapter. Here are my reasons for going the road less trod:
  • I've always wanted to weld and machine something since I was a kid, so this was a great project for that.
  • Race rules require I had a 1/4 inch steel scattershield, so my adapter is doing double duty for that.
  • I "saved" money, but this was a secondary reason for me.
  • The adapter fits my car perfectly.

The welder and machine have been great for other things:
  • Custom roll bar for my gas car, saved about $500 http://explodingdinosaurs.com/rollbar/
  • Custom sway bar brackeets for the gas car, saved maybe $50 http://explodingdinosaurs.com/camaroswaybarbracket/
  • Fixed my mower
  • Will put a roll cage in the 9Electric eventually, will save around $1000
  • Fixed my neighbor's ATV
  • Fixed my rear rubbing brakes (new axles were a little too long)
  • Welding in a new floor in place of where the gas tank used to be
  • I'll be making rear battery boxes soon

The machine and welder will easily pay for themselves, but that's not a good enough reason, you have to enjoy it! A secondary bonus is my teenage son likes welding now, he is better at it than I am.

I really like how Steve Clunn does his taperlock hubs http://www.grassrootsev.com . He bolts it onto the motor shaft, and then machines it using the motor itself as a lathe. This guarantees the taperlock hub is squared to the axis of rotation, so you are less likely to vibrate.

If you didn't do a taperlock, what kind did you do? Have you had any trouble?
 
DavidDymaxion said:
If you didn't do a taperlock, what kind did you do? Have you had any trouble?

And I thought I was bold :D , good for you for taking the project on and suceeding, it was definitely a win from a tools and experince perspective. I took stick welding night classes last semester, my wife and I are taking TIG this semester and loving it. Drooling over the home welder.

I have not had a whit of trouble. My flywheel bolted straight up to the hub, which bolted right onto the main shaft. When I did my research, I read electroauto's stuff about the taper and got concerned. Then I read a lot more people saying it just wasn't necessary, dozens of other products not using one, and took a chance. Here is a picture, and a link to the adaptor assembly/installation post.

-JD

http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=8012&start=15#p129086

file.php
 
It's pretty much just putting one foot ahead of the other, and eventually a neat product pops out!

I liked your build thread. I'm doing lead acid to start, but would like to morph over to high power lithium eventually. That's neat you can bolt headway cells together.

TIG is great stuff -- it is the choice of race car teams. You have a lot of control, and it does better welds. If it looks good, it probably is good (unlike MIG, where you can have a beautiful looking weld that has no penetration). The downside is a TIG welder costs significantly more (I've read more than once don't bother with a $200 TIG, you need to spend $1500 for a Lincoln or Miller). TIG welding is also much slower than MIG (although for one-off stuff, since much of the time is design and setup, it doesn't add much percent time). TIG welding is also harder to learn and takes more skill, and uses three limbs (torch hand, hand to feed rod, foot to modulate current pedal). I love my TIG but it'll take a bigger investment of time and money to get going with it.

Warning, the fumes from welding on your car are toxic! Be sure to grind off all the paint and primer first, and use appropriate ventilation. I built a fume sucker that has worked well for me:
http://ExplodingDinosaurs.com/9electric/noonoo
I use it if I can smell anything -- drying paint, when machining, and definitely when welding! I also use it on hot days to suck out the up high hot air in the garage.

2nd warning: A TIG is much brighter than stick or MIG welding -- you must use a special TIG helmet that has a darker window.

3rd warning: Since TIG is so bright, you can get sunburned very fast -- I got a bad sunburn in less than 2 minutes when my sleeve pull back by accident! You must wear leather, the rays will go right through regular clothing.

.
 
Yep, I used a #10 fixed lens (flip-up) hood for stick welding last semester. That instructor talked down auto-dimming helmets, so I didn't get one.

After seeing a few in use, I decided I really wanted one for this semester, and got the 3M Speedglas 9100XX, which has the widest auto lens made; I love it, and the removable sideshields over #5 glass on the hood itself. I would have done 10 times better at stick welding if I had it back then. I am only welding with 65 amps(440v) so I still use #10, but as we progress beyond 1/8" aluminum I'll probably go higher. My wife got a $100 auto-darkening helmet recommended by our instructer and really likes it.

The lab has a mix of massive water-cooled 440v millers and lincolns, including some old ones that are as big as me, and a few other old brands that don't seem so hot. The newer machines definitely make a difference, it is amazing. I have heard others say tig is hard with two hands and a pedal, but I find it easier than stick, although that might be because of the helmet. If you can hold a penciltip a really precise height over a surface you can make the weld. Dipping the rod into the weld pool is easy, it looks prettier if you do it evenly. Pedal control was easy for me too. I am playing with 90 degree angle welds these days, because you don't need rod - an overlapped edge provides the extra metal, so I just have to drag the 'trode along and it welds fast and nice. I like it almost as much as learning to use a cutting torch!

Like you, we were also taught to make sure we are covered up when doing any form of arc welding - the arc is equivalent to the sun, but without the ozone layer to soak up some of the bad stuff. Cotton too, no synthetics for slag to melt into your skin. And more than just paint is a concern - metal soaks up all kinds of things that turn nasty when superheated - gotta be wary of old piping etc.

Great Ventilation system! Wish I could make that work at home, but I am lucky to have access via my class. I'd recommend folks check their local community college to see if they have welding programs, it is cheap and you get to play with all kinds of cool stuff. Heck, even my wife likes it, I still don't know how I talked her into trying it.

-JD
 
You have to be careful you don't cover the photocell. If you do, the helmet doesn't darken, and you'll be seeing stars! You still get some protection, as the plate is around an 8 darkness.

That's awesome your wife is interested in welding. I know of 3 women that do TIG welding for art.
 
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