How do you hold a gusset in place?

[mhorowit]

Having successfully made a fishmouth joint, I'm thinking of fitting it with a gusset. How do you hold a gusset in place while you tack it? - Mike

[Guest]

Re: How do you hold a gusset in place?

Magnets, get em at a welding supply

[hangarb7]

Re: How do you hold a gusset in place?

HI Mike,

Here is what I do when adding a gusset to a joint...

About half way up one leg of the triangle, I preheat the part at that point, then melt off a tiny blob of filler rod onto the side of the edge.

Then, holding the gusset with vise-grip, needle-nose pliers, I hold the gusset in position with one hand (arm resting somewhere) and tack weld the blob to the tubing with the other.

Puddle it nicely into the tubing, and it is strong enough to bend it precisely into position after cooling. Then tack the opposite side of triangle and go to work finish welding. If the first positioning wasn't where you wanted it. Bend and break off the tack and start over.

The magnets are good but usually too large for small gussets and other stuff.

Careful on those triangle tips; they burn away quickly. Add filler there but concentrate your heat onto the tube and move the flame quickly up onto the gusset tip to move the puddle.

Practice, practice. Look at a well done airframe, then practice until your welds look the same.

Jack Dernorsek
N44057

[mhorowit]

Re: How do you hold a gusset in place?

Excellent - thanks Jack - Mike