Self Made Battery Box

[64 SRT8 Dart]

Started this project something like 8-12mo ago and finally just got some time to finish it up. The main box has been built for that long, just needed to make the lid, put holes and latches on it. Used 3/8-16 all-thread with washers welded on bottom for the hold down studs.
Material is 1/8" 5052 alum tigged up with 5356 rod.
Will prob put a vent in the lid before it goes into the car.

Dim are 15.25"L x 9.25"W x 10.5"H

Sanded with 180grt paper to give the finish. Just too many scratches from stuff at work to polish it...well without putting too much time into it. I think it looks fine with a "brushed" look. lol

 

[64 SRT8 Dart]

More pics.

 

[64 SRT8 Dart]

More pics again,lol

 

[frederick_76]

Nice work!!

 

[64 SRT8 Dart]

Thanks!

 

[txtopcat]

Looks great! Isn't DIY a blast?

 

[64 SRT8 Dart]

Yep, definitely. Nothing like saying..."I built this." lol
Next I'm going to try to build my own oil pan...small block, lol. We'll see though.

 

[txtopcat]

LOL. I know the feeling, when I got my first TIG machine I was welding things I had absolutely no use for at all. But it sure was fun. I especially enjoy the "no spatter" factor. Keep it up, look forward to seeing your oil pan.

 

[fishmens67]

very nice battery box. great work!

 

[crackedback]

Good work.

 

[Abodybomber]

Nice job,great choice to learn Fab work on.

 

[67Dart273]

Ok, so NOW I'm jealous, LOL.

But offhand I'd say "you've done this before." ??

 

["Dart67"]

Nice job...

A battery box is my next project. Whenever I get the fuel tank finished.

Herb

 

[memike]

Very nice job :shock::cheers: and well thought out 64 SRT8 Dart :cheers:

 

[64 SRT8 Dart]

Ok, so NOW I'm jealous, LOL.

But offhand I'd say "you've done this before." ??

Lol, not the battery box thing but just fabrication in general.

7yrs ago I started out at my place of work as a Weld1/Fab1. As of now I'm a Weld2/Fab2 but was informed this month that next month (my review month) I'm going to be bumped to a Fab3, which also comes with a decent pay increase...or so I'm told. lol.

As a Fab3 I'm required to be able to fit up: pressure vessels/tanks, pipe/flanges, etc. Doesn't mean I'll have to just yet, but have the knowledge and skills to be able to. Most of what I do now requires fit-up to be within .030" +/- of dimensions after weld out. So, have to know what heat characteristics are and what it does to the materials we're working with.

I'm weld certed in a lot of materials/thicknesses....can't remember them all, lol. Which includes MIG and TIG. Alum is one of them. Will be certing on chrome moly TIG and MIG tomorrow actually, lol. They need me to do that for a pipe job for a well company that is late. The cert test is on 3" pipe with 1/2" wall. Have to heat it to 300* then put in a TIG root and TIG hot pass, then cover it up with MIG Spray process. Once done, it goes into a rod oven at 250* for 48hrs to bake out any hydrogen to keep from forming any cracks and it actually inreases the tensile strength of the weld deposit by a couple thousand lbs. Fun stuff.lol At least this will be done in position on a rotater as opposed to 6G (out of position) lol.

Thanks everyone as well,