ALUMINUM FUEL TANK BUILD 45 GALLON HOW TO FABRICATE IT

In this video I will show you how to build an aluminum fuel tank with mounting plates and fittings. Feel free to ask any questions about the process and I would be glad to help.

[@riverzdad5366]

Clean work! I dig that torch!

[@flamingo5898]

Great work! Great idea. Thank you.

[@PranaTech]

Thank you for your kind words! 🙏😊

[@TurkiAlsubiee]

Great and well done work, your follower from Saudi Arabia

[@PranaTech]

Thank you my friend for your kind comment! 🙏😊

[@user-uv3vm2hp4s]

Absolute awesome work

[@PranaTech]

Thank you Chris! I really appreciate that! 🙏😊

[@1HotRodHudson]

Always great videos & insightful ideas shared are simple but definitely a game changer for me! Again great job!!

[@PranaTech]

Thank you! I really appreciate that! 🙏😊

[@haf-oq3vt]

Hi dear Don. Very good welding. I enjoyed that ❤

[@PranaTech]

Thank you my friend! I appreciate your kind words very much! 🙏❤️

[@jackbodenmann7379]

Hello My Friends I think some notches in the top of the baffles might have been a good idea. Jack

[@PranaTech]

Hi Jack! I don’t know if it showed up in the video, but I did leave about a 1/4” gap at the top for air and fuel to move across the top of the tank. Your idea is great too though! Thanks for your comment.👍😊

[@thomasking2081]

GREAT VIDEO DON, I'M LIKING THAT SLIDING RAIL SET-UP, WHICH WELDER ARE YOU USING?

[@PranaTech]

Thank you! My main Tig now is an Everlast 325 EXT. I use the Yeswelder 250 amp Tig for mobile welding. I’ve had the Everlast for a year now and it has been a great machine. Very consistent welds and more power than I had for thicker aluminum jobs. 😊👍

[@steveh8724]

Agree, that sliding hand rest was a great idea, along with the adjustable support bracket! While using a linear bearing setup might indeed be overkill from a precision perspective, it certainly meets the functional requirements and with the proliferation of DIY CNC projects, they are now less expensive and much more readily available.

[@basirdurr7184]

Excellent craftsmanship don! What do you charge for a job like this?

[@PranaTech]

Hi Basirdurr! Thank you for your kind words! From memory, the aluminum was $310 and all the fittings and hardware were about $140. My labor was about $500 so just under a $1000 out the door. I’m retired though, so my labor is about half what fabrication shops here in town charge. 😊👍

[@driventowin]

Nice video, thank you. Where do you buy your aluminium bungs from?

[@PranaTech]

I buy from fueltankparts.com They have the highest quality stuff for reasonable prices.😊👍

[@tallyman15]

What model Everlast? I recently purchased a yeswelder Tig 250 AC/DC and so far it is working great. Are you still a fan of yeswelder?

[@PranaTech]

Tallyman, Yes, I’m still a huge fan of the Yeswelder Tig! I use it as my mobile Tig welder in my business and it still works flawlessly. It is so light and easy to carry with me wherever I need to weld. The Everlast is the 325EXT. I purchased this last summer for a big project for a commercial company and I needed more amps than the Yeswelder could handle. It is also a great welder that I’m very happy with. 😊👍

[@treyrags]

Nice work. What filler material did you use? Some claim the 5356 has more tendency to crack.

[@PranaTech]

Hi Trey! I do use 5356 and I had never heard of any cracking issues with that rod before you mentioned it. It is one of the recommended rods for this grade of aluminum. The metal is 1/8” 5052 marine grade aluminum and is quite soft compared to 6061. I guarantee my tanks for life and I’ve never had one come back. This one is bolted to a horseshoeing rig that will spend most of its life bouncing down dirt roads, so of all the tanks I’ve built, this one would be the most likely to test my warranty. 😁👍

[@treyrags]

@PranaTech yes many times I prefer the 5356 over 4043. I just seem to get better wetting and a prettier finish with it. I'm sure it's the correct alloy for the 5000 series aluminum you're using. And you can't go by what you hear. Just checking your personal experience.

[@PranaTech]

Yes, my welds look so much better since I switched to 5356. It definitely wets out better and I think the smoother/shinier welds look more professional. 😁👍

[@staasguujaaw6651]

​@@PranaTechany reason you picked 5052 for the plate?

[@PranaTech]

Yes, it is marine grade aluminum and is the most common used for fuel tanks that are to be welded. It is stronger than 6061 after welding. 6061 becomes weaker than 5052 after welding. It is also easier to bend for making tanks because it is softer than 6061 and won’t crack when bending. 5083 and 5086 are even better but those alloys are not readily available here in the desert southwest. 😊👍

[@abdullahomar8092]

Great work. I'm on project to build three tanks how can I get in touch with you for more guidance

[@PranaTech]

Hello! My email is [e-mail] I’ll be glad to help you in any way I can. 👍😊

[@UttonPhotography]

Interesting to see TIG used for that size project. Why did you go TIG vs MIG

[@PranaTech]

Mig is certainly faster no doubt, but for an aluminum fuel tank, I always choose Tig. The welds need to be precise and clean to ensure proper penetration without any inclusions or porosity. Mig for aluminum is a pretty dirty process. Most of the time there is soot or smut around the welds unless you are very lucky. 😁👍

[@riverzdad5366]

Not to mention spool gun on a corner joint (minus baffles) with .120 wall, that's hard to not blow through. Decided to try repair for a client on a pontoon one time with a spool gun. Never again🤣

[@PranaTech]

That is very true!😊

[@RatFink100]

What type of material did you use, 6061, 5051 etc? I heard you say 1/8inch or .125 just wondering the material type.

[@PranaTech]

I used 1/8” 5052 marine grade aluminum.👍😊

[@franemilicevic5245]

Hi Don, greetings from Croatia 🇭🇷 ! I have a question, I want to build myself two aluminum tanks and as a novice im looking into double pulse Mig. Model is Spartus easymig 217 DP , would you think im on the right track?

[@PranaTech]

Hi Frane! Well, I’ll be honest and say that I can’t really recommend mig for building fuel tanks. I started out welding aluminum with a mig spool gun and because I wasn’t happy with the quality and consistency, I taught myself how to Tig weld aluminum. The pulsed mig is definitely way better than a standard mig spool gun, but in terms of consistent structural strength with aluminum, nothing comes close to Tig welding. The outside corner welds would probably be acceptable with pulsed mig, but the inside corners and corners where three pieces come together need a lot of penetration to insure a structural and water tight joint. This would be difficult to do with a mig even if it is pulsed. The starts and stops of mig aluminum welds can get pretty black with soot and it is very difficult to begin again after stopping with aluminum mig. That soot contaminates the weld and makes it very difficult to get a weld that is water tight and not leak. My advice is to buy an economical AC/DC Tig welder that is 200 amps and spend some time practicing and learning how to weld aluminum and you will be so much happier in the long term and your projects will be much higher quality as a result. I hope this helps my friend!👍😊Don

[@thedude6650]

What’s a tank like that cost? I just had one quoted for $1300. 1/8” aluminum. I’m in TN.

[@PranaTech]

Hey there “Thedude”! This one was made out of 1/8” and total cost with materials and labor was $935. I’m retired so my labor cost is much less than a fabrication shop. I charge $65 an hour and most shops that fabricate tanks bill out at $100-$125 an hour these days. So the price they quoted is pretty fair for a shop needing to pay employees and make a profit. 😊👍Don

[@thedude6650]

@@PranaTechthanks for replying Don, I appreciate the great info!

[@PranaTech]

Anytime!😊

[@bobbyfinley8145]

Hey Don would build me a gas commpress

[@PranaTech]

Hi Bob, thank you for your interest but I started a welding business now and I have so much work that I just don’t have any time. 😊

[@bobbyfinley8145]

@@PranaTech come on man make it a project for the class? U did in like 16 mins

[@PranaTech]

🤣👍