Nice to get a step by step First for those that have Never welded Aluminium ...

smitty88 wrote:
I've built some steel heart bars but I've never made an aluminum bar shoe. I think it makes sense to do some straight or egg bars before a heart bar. I don't have much aluminium around either.

Also the exspence side of it

I propose for the first class

Front
12 in of 3/8 by 1 aluminum 3/4 fullered . With four nail heads punched in the toe for wear.

Do you want to make pairs, or just a universal shoe?

I like this idea.

The 3/8 by 1 Alum sounds good. Being as I just ordered some. Also as long as some of you all throw out some tips for alum!

I figure they aught to be pairs

I think some using up scrap sounds good. Like jump welded Lat support hind/side weight kinda shoe using to small sections of 3/4 and 7/8 or 1, seems like a a good way to use up some odds and ends.

Agreed, how about pairs so that we can use them up.

My tip for aluminum is keep your tongs on the stock typically. I don't let is sit to long before I check with the handle of the hammer. when it leaves a line its good to work. Aluminum holds its heat a long time as well. Plan on rasping it as it will shoe lots of hammer marks.

I am sure that Smitty can give a lot more hints.

I can start a new thread for it here in a day or two. I say we give this shoe about three weeks or a month for the finish date

You can make paires but you only have to sumit one is that the idea? or sumit the pair

what about fit a steal insert at the toe in stead of nails

are the shoes to be cliped or not
how many nail holes

Could someone post a Picture of the Shoe First please?

Hey all

For me I'm up for almost any shoe. As long as someone is willing to post pictures or videos if necessary so I got a shot at it! lol

So like if you want to do a metal insert in the toe of the alum, I'd need some photos with the process cause I've never seen it done.
I understand the nails I think........

I would sugest going with the nails as a lot of guys don't have the tool set up yet for a wear bar.
I would like a pairs class. No time limit.
I will try to get a photo.

I think the pairs class would be best since we can't fit to a specimen over the computer, we can stack pairs to see fit.

OK the shoe
A pair of aluminum fronts 12x3/8x1
3/4 fullered punched for 7 nail
no clips
4 nails punched and riveted in the toe for wear (perhaps the next aluminum we can work on the wear bar. We can use this one for guys to just get used to aluminum).
safed inside heel
boxed lateral heel.

no time limit
lets look for a close date of Feb 7th.
I will try to get a new tread started with the rules for the class and a photo of a specimen.

Any one disagree? we can still make changes It should be a good shoe to make. Anything I'm missing.

It's not that I disagree but all I have is 3/8 X 3/4 so I'll probably just use that.