Look who's got the torch now! (Welding part 2)

I learned to use the cutting torch and cut part of the braces we used for the grey tank.

Last weekend (I'm posting about a week behind) we cleaned up the welds from the previous week and created a system of four brackets for the grey water tank. The grey water tank is the biggest of the two waste tanks and it will be the heaviest. Plus the black tank has some integrated supports that made it easier to manage. It won't need welded supports.

These 4 brackets took a lot of meticulous planning. We spent almost as much time measuring as everything else. Each bracket needed to be welded on at a different height and also needed a specific slope on the horizontal. The height/slope issue comes because the bottom of the tank is sloped from all 4 corners to the drain. We do want the waste water to drain! ​The top of the tank will be just below flush with the floor and level with it.

So Cory and I got each bracket clamped just right and Cory tacked it on a corner. Then we hammered on the opposite end while the metal was still somewhat molten and got the slope. Finally Cory tacked the other side, measured again, and finished the weld.

Six hours later, we were done!

One thought about the photo gallery below: I love the pic where the camera didn't auto-dim the light sensitivity on Cory welding. All the photos of welding make it look like there was only a tiny light because the camera adjusted; in reality, it was bright like the sun. I could only take the photos over my shoulder, looking at the camera screen.

This cut was my first practice cut.

This cut was for part of the support brackets.

This is a chop-saw for metal. It made quick work of the flat-iron cuts we needed.

Cory welding a bracket.

I like how this photo got the light right.

Welding. The camera auto-dimmed, otherwise it would look like the previous pic.

Measuring, measuring, measuring. Hope we got it right!

More measuring.