Making Metal Panniers

[welder8uk]

A few questions about metal panniers.

I want to have a go at making some panniers. Ive done quite a bit of light metal fabrication but not much of it is alluminium. I dont have access to a TIG set, but I have Oxy Acet, MIG and stick.

Ive tried welding aluminium with the oxy acet with very little luck. But I know it can be done, I just know anyone that can help me at the moment.

Questions:
- Any one made set of panneirs out of mild steel, I am slightly concerned over the weight of the finished product? But this may not be an issue and I may be worrying needlessly.

- What thickness mildsteel would be best, i am thinking of using 1mm and using the Jesse type style.

- any one know of any good websites that describe how to weld aluminium with Oxy acet, I havent given up quite yet I have searched and havent found anything useable.

The bike I have already has the racks on it (I think they are Givvi racks) and I cant really justify spending £500+ on a set of pannires but I can get a sheet of steel (about £25)/ aluminium (2mm,£58) cheaply enough and my time wont cost anything
Steve

 

[Possu]

They'll be very heavy even if made out of 1mm thick steel.

Why not make them out of aluminium, rivet them together & if you're happy with them, get them welded elsewhere?

The ally will be easier to work with, especially bending the sheet material.

 

[Gecko]

I don't want to get you too excited but I have got a set of technical plans somewhere for making a set of panniers. A freind in Germany sent them to me a long time back - I'll have a search around and see if I can find them again. I was thinking about having some made up but in the end I got hold of a second hand set of Zega cases so never used the plans. I'm not sure where I put them but I'll have a look if you are interested.....

 

[BarcodeMan]

Thought you loaned them to Civil....

 

[toucan]

wood

i have also been thinking about making panniers, rivetted ali was my first choice. but i also thought about making wooden panniers. just because.

 

[DaveGSCymro]

I don't want to get you too excited but I have got a set of technical plans somewhere for making a set of panniers. A freind in Germany sent them to me a long time back - I'll have a search around and see if I can find them again. I was thinking about having some made up but in the end I got hold of a second hand set of Zega cases so never used the plans. I'm not sure where I put them but I'll have a look if you are interested.....

Would also be interested in the plans if you can find them.

 

[littleredrooster]

Takes a very deft hand to oxy-weld aluminium. Easier with butane/air - not so hot. Oxy tends to blow big holes every time it comes near ali, or at least in my hands it does! Hire the proper kit for the duration?

 

[Vern]

You can be told a million times how to gas weld ally,and still not be able to do it.If you're a welder with 20+ years of welding ally behind you,then you're probably going to have got the hang of it by now,but to start out as a novice,and expect anything but a really crap end result is pushing it a bit.

If you want one piece of advice when gas welding the stuff,then it's make sure it's clean,then clean it,when you've cleaned it,clean it again and again and again,and when you are sure it's clean,and I mean totally and uterly spotless,do it again.

The reason you end up burning holes in it is because you've got the wrong flame,and it's not clean enough.Ally oxide melts at between 2000-2250C,and ally melts at about 650C.So,you get the oxide up to it's 2000ish melting point,at which point,the ally underneath makes a quick getaway.

Have fun,and dooooooooo pleeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaze post the end results,I could do with a good larf.

PS any panniers you gas weld won't last very long,in fact,don't bother at all,it's really not worth it.

 

[luke scott]

Cue the civil thing with his desert box !

 

[welder8uk]

Thanks for all the replies, I have Tig'd aluminium with very good results. I just dont have access to a TIG set now and I havent ever gas welded aluminium. I also know that only certain alloys can be gas welded with the correct flame and the correct filler rod and the right skill.

Anyone know what a one of Jesse panniers weigh?

After giving it a lot of thought tonight at work, theres also fibreglass. The molds are easy enough to make, need to find a supplier that will mail order the resin and the matting. Think Ill make some calls tomorrow.

I would be very interested in the plans. I am pretty sure I have the design I am going to use finalised, but the plans may have better ideas than mine.

Vern, what makes you say that gas welded alluminium wouldnt last? At one time all they had was gas welding for aircraft (mind you most of them got shot out the sky). Not questioning your knowledge, just curious.

The choices so far are:

Aluminium, but I cant weld it at the moment, dont really want to use rivets(but it could be done, with a lot of sealant).

Mild steel, easy to make and weld, but heavy, just not sure how much heavier 1mm steel panniers will be over 1.5mm aluminium

Fibreglass, dead easy but smelly to do. Cost about the same as the aluminium (including making the molds).

Wood, thought of that and gave it up as a bad idea - really from a strength point of view, however plywood probably isnt much worse than fibreglass. Suppose you could always glass the corner joints, body fill the edges and feather them in, probably never even see the tape. Starting to convince myself that wood could be back in the running.

Steve

 

[littleredrooster]

Wood!! Well you deffo can't gas-weld that. You'll be needing a good old stick welder with Woodex rods.....



As my old apprentice master tried to convince me!

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

if i was at home, i would fabricate them from ally sheet and ally angle , using rivets and aircraft glue if i i was doing one set only in a garage at home.

If i was at work i'd draw them up, get them folded and welded

depends on your facilities, expertise and quantities ?

 

[Den]

Wicker pannies are the way to go.
Easily woven and strong but flexible enough to cope with a small tumble.
And so stylish. And environmentally friendly.

 

[wildbeeste]

Wicker pannies are the way to go.

Wont they catch fire?
I seem to remember that Edward Woodward caught fire when he was in a wicker basket

 

[Deleted account 220427002]

Wicker pannies are the way to go.
Easily woven and strong but flexible enough to cope with a small tumble.
And so stylish. And environmentally friendly.

 

[topper]

Why not rivet? Metal Mules rivet their panniers.

Do they weld them too? Certainly rivets all over mine, but I'm not at all technically minded and you seem to know what you're talking about.

 

[welder8uk]

Topper, any photos of the panniers?

I'm pretty much decided that fibreglass is the way I will go. Lots of different ways suggested mind, some of which i had thought about. Like the idea of the wicker basket, if I get the shoots i can grow them in a year or 2 and then a never ending supply of panniers. Once they get dirty I can throw them away........ na I'll stick with fibreglass.

Jsut been out and measured up, gonna do the mold for the a top box that will hold a helmet. However the design of the pannier racks is going to limit me a bit.

Steve

 

[Frisky]

Wood!! Well you deffo can't gas-weld that. You'll be needing a good old stick welder with Woodex rods.....



As my old apprentice master tried to convince me!

Rooster, did you by anychance work at Caterpillar when you did your welding?
Just bein nosey

 

[topper]

Best photos are on their website -will try to get my camera out but check these out and search this forum for loads of comments - good gear.

http://www.metalmule.com/prod02.htm

 

[Barrie]

Welder8uk,
Here is one way of avoiding the alloy weld problem: use rivits and expoxy resin or fiber glass gel to seal, both light and water proof, if you leave no gaps!
Here is a very tweaked GS owned by a German rider, I photographed it last year in the Alps, a good chap told me all the tweakes he had done which included fitting ready made alloy tool boxes which he had bought at a German automotive shop! Cheap, no welding! I have never researched such products in UK but you might have some luck if you look on line.
good luck,
Barrie.