I just got my Pro, but it will be spring before I get it up and running. For projects that you are new at I’ve always been told to build it as designed and get it up and running before you start modding it.
In this case the split water table, I assume, is a requirement for shipping rather than a design feature. I know someone that can TIG weld so should I just have the two halves welded together before assembling the table?
Are there any downsides to doing this?
Definitely. I had several leaks until I finally fusion TIG welded my tray.
Prior to the welding, I used a 4" cutoff wheel and trimmed out the slots where the bolts are supposed to pull the halves together. I was having difficulty getting my electrode down in the little troughs where the bolts go. I just "V"ed out the troughs so they were about 1-1.5 " wide where my tungsten had plenty of clearance.
If your guy is a good TIG welder that may not be necessary. I’m beginner level TIG.
+1. Weld it! Even if you have to pay less likely to leak.
I had no issues with using the silicone Langmuir sent but my table sat for 3 months before I got to use it so the silicone was fully cured.
If your decent with your TIG skills you can weld it and also make sure you check the corner seams the factory welds aren’t the best
For those of you who welded the seam. Did you weld it with the pan attached to the table frame? Seems like you would be more likely to have a good outcome doing it this way?
Myself I don’t have that skill yet. Just getting into tig welding.
I used PL marine sealant. I had used it in the past to attach aluminum panels to an enclosed trailer wall framing when doing repairs. It works great and is super strong. I think it is what Langmuir sends with the XR tables.
Going on two years with no leaks. So you don’t have to weld it… but if you have the ability then it is the best option I suppose.
Nope what I did was put about half the bolts in staggered of course. Then ground out the areas that needed to be to make it easier to get in there. Started welding small areas at a time. The remove the bolts and repeated the welding. No water not warping all worked for me.
I did mine on the welding table, before assembly. I bolted it together and fusion welded the sections between the bolts. Then I removed the bolts and ground the bolt slots into a “V” with a carbide burr(wear gloves and eye protection). Then fused the V sections and went over the inside corners with some er312 filler, where they looked suspect.
Great TIG skills are not necessary, since most of it is done without filler. Just make sure both surfaces are touching and melt them together. Just take your time and do short sections and move around to minimize the heat.
Welding the seam from the top is the easier way to go and will be fine at 45 amps. I did mine from the bottom as I had already blown through the top of the seam when cutting 1/2" at 65 amps. I ended up with a potato chip, but I got it bolted back down and it has been working ok.
I plan to eventually make a mild steel pan with no seam and at least 4" deep, but this it working well enough for now.
I did mine bolted to the table. No water in the tray. I jumped around a bit to avoid heat buildup. As I said above, I cut out the areas where the bolts had been installed.
Like @ds690 said, you don’t need to be a great TIG welder. It’s just fusion welding, no rod. Just watch how the puddle is reacting and nudge it along.
this is the stuff i used; it’s special sealant Toyota uses to seal the coolant system parts on engines, it’s also heat resistant. it has worked great on my table. i think the key with using the sealant is to keep the bolt torque even, and start with a good bead of sealant between the halves, then to use a few steps when bolting the two halves together- first put all the bolt/nut combo’s in all the holes, then bring the nuts down snug and make sure sealant slightly extrudes from all the joined surfaces, then torque down (but don’t overtighten) the bolts so as to not warp the sealing surfaces.
i totally destroyed my eater tray tring to tig it. 220.00 for new trays. Used gorilla ultra adhesive on the new trays,no leakage
Is there a reason not to use the marine sealant that Langmuir supplies now?
I used it with no issues at all but my table sat for like 3 months so the sealant was well cured before it ever seen any water.
I’ve been running it for couple months now with no leaks. I do recommend to check factory corner welds and seal those as well
That’s my experience as well. That’s by I’m wondering why people keep trying something else to glue the pieces together.
I think the big issue is everyone want to get them up and running to make sure they work since they are build kit so they kinda rush it.
I do recommend to follow the directions to a T when building your tables.
I was under the impression that the early pro tables weren’t shipped with marine sealant? It wasn’t supplied with mine back in 2021. At the time they were sending marine sealant with the newly released XR tables. I went and bought a tube because I had prior experience using it to re skin enclosed trailers I had rebuilt. My first one I called the manufacture to ask what they used and after some cajoling they told me…
I recall someone asking why they didn’t ship it with the pro tables and they replied they were having a hard time sourcing enough for the XR tables. Glad they have started sending it with the Pro tables.
Was yours shipped with marine sealant? You were on the first run of pro tables weren’t you?
100% do it from the get go. Major design flaw from the factory in my opinion was the 2 piece water table. I understand from a shipping POV, but what a headache. And the drain system…
Use plenty of clamps while you work along the seam to keep the pieces together while you base-metal-fuse-weld them together.
Also, I fabricobbled some 90 degree brackets and welded them to the underside of my water table to bolt it to the front/back of the support frame, instead of the “itsgonnaleak” holes and sheet metal screws they supply you with from the factory.
I don’t have a pro, but what I would do is throw the little water table in the scrap. Have a shop bend you a one piece 4" deep table. Then make brackets to raise the gantry to the maximum height allowed by your torch setup. I have no clue why LS made their gantry so short. I can fit 6" tube under mine and I could have got just a tick higher if I wanted to.
I thought that I had been successful with my build without the marine sealant but three weeks later it was leaking. Got some of the marine sealant. No more leaks.
It wasn’t supplied for mine either in Nov 2021.
