ALL WELDED Fishing Boat Built from Scratch - Time Lapse

My entire adult life I've wanted to learn how to weld aluminum...probably so that I could build myself a boat. Working on pontoon boats full time it became necessary for me to learn to weld aluminum. I've been welding a little less than a year and had some spare time at the shop so I figured now was my chance. Plus it forced me to spend hours and hours welding, and that was huge for learning! It took me about a month in between other projects, and sometimes full days of welding. I used the MIG 170 and TIG 200, both by Titanium, and both from Harbor Freight. All welding was done on 110 power and the material thickness was pretty much all 1/8" or .125.
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[@tritownnow]

Interesting work, I’m doing a pontoon Resto and had hired someone to fix a leak in the toons, said it is not easy working with aluminum. You make it look easy. I am enjoying your channel, came to get tips on pontoons and watched you build a boat from scratch! A talented craftsman…

[@tomspontoons]

Thanks for watching!! I’ve only ever welded aluminum and I’m still a beginner…needed to practice on a bigger project I could sink some time into, so that’s why I did this!! Old aluminum (like pontoons) is super challenging because they’re oxidized, dirty, and temperamental. Definitely possible to weld on though!!!

[@remialain2459]

Wow! You're the living proof that"Dreams never die, just the dreamer". It looks awesome, congrats!

[@tomspontoons]

Just having fun with all things boats!!!

[@brianpolocoser1937]

Extremely talented.

[@tomspontoons]

Thank you for the kind words, and for watching!

[@andyb7754]

Very, very nice project!!

[@tomspontoons]

Thanks!! I’m working on another build right now!

[@wahoo3279]

Great job! Wish I could do that. Nice boat!

[@tomspontoons]

Thanks! I just closed the tunnel on it and put a 25 Jet on the back. I'll have to share that update soon. I'm proof that it's never too late to pick up a skill, hobby, trade, etc. because I didn't start welding until about a year ago! I'm getting better but have tons of room for improvement.

[@chuckgym]

Great job Always wanted to learn to weld. Especially aluminum.

[@tomspontoons]

Thanks! That’s how I felt!! I had to learn to weld aluminum to work on leaky pontoons and modify them for my business…being able to build a welded fishing boat exactly the way I want it is just a perk.

[@Mad.Man.Marine]

Anyone else trying to do this for themselves. Couple tips. First off. Call ryerson metals and order sheets in the length you actually want instead of welding two sheets together. It’s not much more money at all and you won’t have to deal with the mega warpage. Secondly try not to have any flat panels unless absolutely necessary. If the panels even have the slightest curve/bow in the design it really helps to keep from (again) warpage. A flat panel wants to shrink in multiple directions as the weld cools and shrinks. So you end up with a really wavy boat. If it’s curved the stresses kinda just make it a little more curved instead of going anyway they want. 😮😮Third would be to not have any overlapping aluminum anywhere. Don’t use square tubing for stringers. Use angle “iron” if possible or channel like he did on his boat. Anywhere it’s overlapped will rot through much faster. Last but not least. Have a professional build the boat for you 😂. Just kidding. Do it up. If anything you’ll Learn a lot in the process. Plus we need more fabricators and builders in the world Not more uses less gender studies diplomas. 🤦‍♂️

[@tomspontoons]

Great info! I’d never heard of Ryerson, good to know they sell sheets up to 20’ long. I’ve got some more builds coming, last one is lap jointed, worked way better, but I can’t wait to get working with my full sheets on my next few builds! This project was a blast and taught me so much about boat building, the series of steps to keep things true and straight, and so much more. Stay tuned for more builds!

[@J.Tufts24]

If I wanted to build my own 25 foot Jon Boat how hard would it be to do that?

[@Cyph3rX]

Great job 👏

[@tomspontoons]

Thank you, and thanks for watching!

[@davidescobar5759]

Super nice build.

[@tomspontoons]

Thanks! Check out the other two I built after this one and see what you think!!

[@wayneeden98]

That's one hell of an idea, with the aluminum sheet metal and your own personal welder, but I'd rather have the bigger 18/20 footer, it's crazy, this only goes to show you that you can do unlimited ideas with a aluminum boat , Aluminum sheet metal being the key factor

[@tomspontoons]

I sure hope you subscribed because I’m building an 18’ with 78” bottom and all the bells and whistles this summer. Getting a 140 Suzuki with a jet pump.

[@maxyboy87]

Wow wow wow

[@tomspontoons]

Glad you like it!

[@BBKConstruction]

I want to catch a salmon!!!!

[@tomspontoons]

Better go fishing for them!! They’re out there!!

[@timmyller7168]

Need this in Germany. I would name it Tink

[@tomspontoons]

What a perfect name for a cute little boat!!!

[@hendrizabrik3171]

God job

[@tomspontoons]

Thanks for watching!

[@RHEC1776]

🤣🤣 Love it. Dude seriously said 💩 I don't have a boat to fo Salmon fishing because I sold my boat. Eehhh🤷🤷 F it I'll just build one with the stuff around my shop. Love that attitude 💪💪

[@tomspontoons]

Thank you!!! And it all worked out, had some serious snags and challenges, but turned out better than expected!

[@gerlanaraujo1527]

Sensacional demais 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏. Parabéns pelo projeto ficou da hora, fantástico 👏👏👏👏👏👍💪🙏✌️🔥❤️

[@wheresthetren1262]

What settings did you use for such thin gage aluminum for the spool gun, been thinking about welding braces for my floor and takes the seats out

[@tomspontoons]

1/8" isn't so bad with the spool gun for most joints other than a butt joint. Every machine is different, and this one welds differently when running on 110V versus 220V power. I think I'm usually around 18 or 19 volts for most stuff on 1/8" if I remember correctly. With wire feed speed pretty much maxed out. That's all that machine shows for info. My new YesWelder YWM-211P is outstanding for thinner stuff as it has Pulse and double pulse settings. Check out those videos I've shared recently welding with that machine!

[@timcope3115]

I can tell you were not planning on any leaks, no drain plug. LOL

[@tomspontoons]

The funny thing is that it does leak a tiny bit! There are drain plugs on the outside of the tunnel, just a plastic screw in style, but they work great! Starting a new build soon to replace this boat...it's too heavy to push it with a small outboard jet motor, two anglers, and gear. Stay tuned for that build!

[@zafrankhan1169]

Wow: great job. Please inform me what guage have you used? Also lenghth and width ?

[@tomspontoons]

0.125" sheet and extrusions. Boat ended up 13' long with a 48" bottom, 76" beam.

[@PopPopJoe]

Why are you using both spool gun/mig & Tig. Why both?? Just wondering I have a mig machine a Millermactic 211 it can except spool gun. I was shopping that's why I ask. Great video.

[@tomspontoons]

My standard MIG setup doesn’t watertight things as well be cause I don’t have settings to crater fill and more…so it leaves tons of pin holes. I currently use MIG for structural and bigger welds, and TIG for anything that needs to be watertight. Hopefully my new pulse MIG setup will allow me to not need to TIG some of those seams. Otherwise I just use TIG for aesthetic items (providing good structure) where I want pretty welds. I’ve got a couple more builds on my channel since this one!!

[@peter572]

Awesome! Would it make sense to cut the transom out of a thicker material?

[@tomspontoons]

Sometimes you'll see a thicker transom sheet, but with the tubing added where the motor is bolted and gussets it takes care of the needed strength to hold the motor.

[@motoxman541]

Great job. Can you give me a rough estimate of how much your materials cost was? ( sheet aluminum, and other aluminum).

[@tomspontoons]

The sheet was darn near free as it was headed to scrap. I think I had another $1200-$1500 into c channel and other aluminum.

[@user-xz1ig2zw9p]

Salam dari Indonesia... Mister

[@tomspontoons]

Thank you for watching all the way from Indonesia.

[@samuelblanks7185]

What was the thickness of aluminum that you used for the frame work? I'm making my own boat and cant figure out how thick I need to go for the framework'.

[@tomspontoons]

I used 1/8” sheet all around, and reinforced it with 1/8” C-channel that was 1”x3”. For the transom I used 1/8” walled rectangular tubing for a little added support. I’ll be building an 18’ coming up in the near future with a little different design. I hope to time lapse that build too!

[@charliewilder9398]

Great video. What alloy is the bottom plate.

[@tomspontoons]

Thank you! Bottom and sides are all 5052, 0.125”

[@rad2304]

Thanks for sharing? It’s my dream to build my own boat. Did you meant 110Volt of power?

[@tomspontoons]

Thanks for watching! I’m building my second currently (watch for a video in the future). I’ve got 220v now, but this was all welded on 110v (yup, I misspoke in the video). 220 is a million times easier to work with because it can get hot and working faster.

[@ryantuck843]

How difficult is it to weld that aluminum ? And what machine are you using that is 110v and welds aluminum ?

[@tomspontoons]

I've only ever welded aluminum. I learned from watching how-to videos on KZbin and TONS of practice. This is a machine from Harbor Freight in this video....however stay tuned because I'll be reviewing a comparably priced dual pulse MIG on my channel soon that I think is going to be a game changer for beginners!

[@rickysanford4383]

What saw did you use to cut the aluminum?

[@tomspontoons]

It's just my Ryobi 7 inch circular saw with a Diablo metal blade. I learned that it'll cut curves from another KZbin boat builder. The secret is that you have to set the blade as shallow as possible while still making the cut through the material. Works like a charm!

[@J.O..]

All said and done what was the cost to build vs cost to buy?

[@tomspontoons]

Oh man, great question!!! I got the sheet metal for scrap price, which is why it has a seam on the bottom and sides. I bet there’s about $2500-$3000 in retail priced aluminum. I had the motor and accessories from my old boat. Trailer retails for around $1400-$1500. The biggest thing is that there’s not really an option for a 13’ long boat that’s this wide so hard to determine price to buy a factory boat. I’ll do a better job documenting the breakdown on the next build!

[@DONdayce]

When did you decide to use TIG vs MIG and why?

[@tomspontoons]

I ended up MIG welding just about everything which led to a few leaks. I was in a hurry to get it done and wasn’t as practiced on TIG. The next boat I build I will TIG all of the outside seams in the center and where walls meet the bottom. I’ll MIG all the interior and stuff you don’t see. Plus MIG for most tack welds to get it started.

[@farmboydiesel4569]

Would love a price break down of what that boat would cost to build

[@tomspontoons]

I got the sheet so cheap that it skews the price, but if I bought it from the local metal shop it would have probably been 4 sheets of 1/8” 4x8, and then about $1500 in channel and other odds n ends stuff. So materials probably around $3500 as a rough guess. I’m going to log my hours on the next build to see what goes into it time wise

[@rodneyjacoby5788]

How long did ti take you to build the boat

[@tomspontoons]

It's hard to say because I worked on it here and there between pontoon jobs, sometimes just for an hour to tack stuff in place. If I built it again I could probably build one this size in a week...making some tweaks on the design, learning from this experience, and being better at welding now almost a year later. I'll be building a big 18' boat this summer, so stay tuned for that build. I will be documenting every minute that goes into that boat along with the costs of materials and stuff.

[@grancitodos7318]

I had a MIG 140 for auto body work, that I was told, would nor weld aluminium, but I kitted it and it worked for aluminium. I built two boats, one steel, and used it to make aluminium parts, and put pieces on my small boat to repair wear. What I really wanted to say, is I had a new riveted boat, and my brother destroyed it in 3 months, so I bought a welded one, and it lasted for years.

[@tomspontoons]

That's awesome! I've been pleasantly surprised with the MIG170. I would love to get into a push/pull or pulse MIG to speed things up and make the MIG welds look prettier, but that won't happen until I'm building more boats on a regular basis...at this point it's 1 or maybe 2 per year so I'll make do with what I have!

[@grancitodos7318]

@@tomspontoons I now have a 225 MIG, but have not used it much, it is not as easy to control as my I40, l also have a gas problem, my cylinders are international connections, and here they are US type, bastard threads.

[@tomspontoons]

@@grancitodos7318 Doesn't it just seem like there's always something that can go wrong!?!

[@trevor151515]

What brand of welders? Thnx

[@tomspontoons]

Titanium brand.

[@fabricehaesendonck196]

good work buddy but you should wear protective gear !if you know what i mean...

[@tomspontoons]

Thanks! Yes, I wear a respirator whenever I weld now, MIG or TIG, and always have the exhaust fan running right above me to move the air out. Gotta stay healthy to keep doing this a long time!

[@naufalardhani7401]

saya menyimaknya

[@tomspontoons]

Thanks for watching!

[@paulkurilecz4209]

Nice fabrication. A few questions, where did you get the plans?; Which alloys did you use for the plate and shapes? Tia

[@tomspontoons]

I literally start with a plan in my head and make it work from there. Learned a TON from this build. Stay tuned for my next build coming soon. Another small boat, but this time a lighter flat bottom for an outboard jet…and a lot prettier too! 5052 for the sheet. 6061 extrusions for the structural pieces.

[@calebh7868]

@tomspontoons did you use 4043 filler of 5356? Very cool build!

[@tomspontoons]

@@calebh7868 this build was mostly 4043, but my last one and current I’m using 5356 and I prefer it heavily over 4043 for both MIG and TIG. Apparently that’s not the norm, but I feel like it’s easier for me to work with and control.

[@paulkurilecz4209]

@@tomspontoons One of the difficulties with 4043 filler is that you cannot weld vertical with it.

[@tomspontoons]

@@paulkurilecz4209 I think that’s one spot it shows more that it’s harder to work with…I can definitely still weld uphill and overhead with it, but it melts much easier and farther from my arc making it a pain to work with.

[@zachwalls4322]

Outbord jet motor?

[@tomspontoons]

I actually just closed the tunnel and put a 25 jet on it. Haven’t gotten to test run it yet but I think it’s going to be a great little setup

[@josejura5031]

How do you register it ?

[@tomspontoons]

When I build a hull for myself it can be registered as an "Assembled Hull" built with materials purchased. It's assigned a new hull ID # at that point.. Boat builders have a different process to register hulls that are made to be sold.

[@josejura5031]

@@tomspontoons is it some sort of licensing you have to have in order to get that ? As a manufacturer

[@tomspontoons]

@@josejura5031yes, licensing through the USCG to be a boat builder. If selling you’re required to follow their boat building requirements for flotation and weight ratings

[@bustershelton1608]

Can you go over you welding setups for this!

[@tomspontoons]

Super straight forward… Titanium MIG170 machine with a Titanium 150 amp spool gun. 4043 wire, 0.035 wire diameter. (Note: I prefer 5356 wire as I’ve welded more). Titanium TIG200 for TIG welds. Same 4043 filler rod. (Also now prefer 5356 filler). 3/32” diameter to 1/8”. Running everything on 110v power. 100% argon. This boat was 90% MIG welded. Not as pretty, but sturdy and functional. Current project has far more TIG and is turning out a lot prettier. Will post that video in the coming months as it finishes up. Then onto a BIG boat build that I’m pumped for!

[@paulkurilecz4209]

@@tomspontoons Since the plate is 5052, E5356 would be preferred over 4043. At least that is my thought.

[@tomspontoons]

@@paulkurilecz4209 the guys at the local weld shop suggested 4043 as an easier to use filler for 5xxx and 6xxx aluminum…I guess you gotta try it all and decide what works best for each application!

[@paulkurilecz4209]

@@tomspontoons Yes the 4043 is a bit more fluid than 5356. This is why 4043 is not used in the vertical position. The difference is (and this is a quirk of welding aluminum) that aluminum welds are always going to be weaker than the parent metal unless the parent metal is in the fully annealed condition. The 5356 has a higher yield strength than 4043 due to the addition of Magnesium. The 5xxx aluminum alloys are strengthened by cold work not heat treating. The plate that you obtained was probably in some sort of hardened condition for higher strength. I am sure you will get a long life for your boat and it is a nice fabrication job. Just keep an eye out for welds starting to crack in the higher load and stress areas such as the transom.

[@tomspontoons]

@@paulkurilecz4209 I’ve been keeping an eye on it like a hawk, and so far everything is holding up well. The next boat is lighter materials, but my welding is 100X better than a year ago, so hoping the lighter boat is as strong or stronger! Thanks for the information. It’s always great to learn some of the finer details. I’ve learned by welding and burn time, not a textbook, so those are things I don’t hear about on my own!

[@user-is7yz2nu1i]

有设计图纸吗？？

[@tomspontoons]

No drawings. Just rough sketches and then piecing it together cut by cut.

[@mateoborja05]

Weare is you located

[@tomspontoons]

West Michigan. Where are you watching from??

[@mateoborja05]

Chicago Illinois you work very good amigo congratulations and thanks for answering me

[@MaskatuPescaruAmator777]

I want it myself😢😢😢

[@tomspontoons]

Just have to pick up a simple welder, practice practice practice, and start putting it together!!

[@MaskatuPescaruAmator777]

@@tomspontoons I know what you're saying, but I don't have a workshop. I am now refurbishing my tin boat. Anyway congratulations

[@tomspontoons]

@@MaskatuPescaruAmator777 I completely understand that. I restored tons of fishing boats using aluminum with rivets or screws/bolts, and even with building stuff out of wood for seats, decks, and more. I’m sure your project will turn out great!

[@MaskatuPescaruAmator777]

@@tomspontoons Thank you very much! You're doing a great job

[@pushyeater1235]

seems should not line up like that ! buy the right size metal dude SMH

[@tomspontoons]

When you get free sheet and want to build your first hull you make it work to gain the experience. Now I’ve built 3 boats and am super grateful for what I’ve learned on each one. But yes, definitely not doing any more seamed boats!!!