Has anyone tried expanded steel

[Mighty Thor]

I have been reading about people sucking up rocks and stuff into the pump and was wondering if anyone has tried to use expanded metal grating as a means of keeping some of the flak out of the jet. The stuff I use on the Demo Derby car seems like it would flow all the water you could want but would still keep quarter sized stuff out of the system. It would probably plug up with heavy plants but I figure that stuff would goof the jet anyhow. \
October is here in Montana and Walmart sold 3000 gallons of winterizing antifreeze in 2 1/2 days. I have never ridden in a jet boat and it looks like I will be tinkering and dreaming all winter. I better get boat parts for Xmas or someone around here is gonna get replaced.

[Bow Tie Omega]

That is actually a pretty good idea, my only question would be flex issues with using 1/2" or 5/8". But cutting a piece that small on second hand, it probably would not be an issue. Are you just planning on welding it to the intake? H20 should flow without a problem. ANd it would be alot easier to pull junk off of the bottom then it would be to untangle it from the inside, even with a hand hole. Maybe paint or powder coat it for corrosion purposes and use 6011 rod for welding it. Once again, good idea

[Wally_Gator]

My concern with expanded steel would be cavitation. The high speed water flowign around the steel could induce bubbles along all of that steel surface. Alot of disturbace of the water flow there...

[Aluminum Squirt]

On the white water boats we just use a rock grate. Anything that can get through, just gets processed through the pump and pushed out the back. My impeller doesn't look like any sort of new detailed impeller or anything, but I haven't noticed any drop off in top speed or cavitation and I have sent many a rock through and numerous sand bars-Aluminum Squirt

[steelcomp]

I want to see someone weld steel to aluminum. :hammerhea
You'd interrupt flow more than you think, and it would probably hurt the performance.

[Mighty Thor]

Well, proformance on a 20 foot Glastron might be an Oxymoron I don't know yet CAUSE I CAN"T GO BOATING! Lets face it this is definitely not an idea for those seeking 70 + MPH. For those of use who don't even own a loader yet it was an idea I been kicking around. I would probably weld it to the factory grate that came with my CVX. I know you can get aluminim as well as steel so that would solve the steel to aluminum problem. I suspect you might be right about cavitation at some speed but I wonder whether it would really be any different than the grates that hang in the intake already. Thats why I was wondering if anyone had tried it already.

[Bow Tie Omega]

I want to see someone weld steel to aluminum. :hammerhea
You'd interrupt flow more than you think, and it would probably hurt the performance.
First of all, there are steel and aluminum grates genius....Hello Mcfly, are you in there? :hammerhea . Since he has said he is running a glastron, i would assume he is not looking to break 70, much less 60, thus the assumption of him having a steel vs. aluminum grate, but that would largely depend on his pump as well, my assumption was obviously steel. Obviously you are a few brain cells short this evening to not realize that. Are you saying that 6011 can not be used to weld steel to steel? OK there brain child, do you even know what 6011 is? by your response, I am assuming not. The guy was asking about adding a grate for the protection of his pump, I tried to help him out and give some ideas, as that is what he asked in posting the article, and for the simple fact that I use expanded metal and weld it in my line of work atleast on a weekly basis, I figured I could give him a few pointers. Obviously, you can not weld aluminum to steel, for the first reason that they are two different products with different melting points, I can break down the exact composition of each if you wish, as well as melting points of each also, and as of late, I have not seen many people arc welding aluminum with 6011 Insulated steel welding rod. Anything else genius? Do you even have a jet boat?

[berk]

OK there brain child, do you even know what 6011 is? by your response, I am assuming not. The guy was asking about adding a grate for the protection of his pump, I tried to help him out and give some ideas, as that is what he asked in posting the article, and for the simple fact that I use expanded metal and weld it in my line of work atleast on a weekly basis,
if youre so smart why are you welding expanded metal as a line of work? last time i checked that was a PRETTY SHITTY JOB!!

[ssanddemon]

WTF, Berk? Let them sort it out!
I have thought about a screen of some type, but cavitation probably would occur. A screen will kill your performance and get full of crap right away. A normal- sized loader with a couple extra bars should stop anything big enough to cause real problems without causing a huge restriction. I know a few guys who run their tin boats across gravel bars occasionally with modified loaders, doesn't do damage to the impeller unless you are under big power. They just get a head of steam up and coast over.
Final thought, Thor.- Make sure to get the water out of your block before it freezes hard up there in the Woolly North. And pulling the block drain plugs only works if someone has recently flushed the sand acummulation from the block. It will hold that water and end up splitting the block. Been there, done that!

[steelcomp]

[QUOTE=Bow Tie Omega]First of all, there are steel and aluminum grates genius....Hello Mcfly, are you in there? :hammerhea . Since he has said he is running a glastron, i would assume he is not looking to break 70, much less 60, thus the assumption of him having a steel vs. aluminum grate, but that would largely depend on his pump as well, my assumption was obviously steel. Obviously you are a few brain cells short this evening to not realize that. Are you saying that 6011 can not be used to weld steel to steel? OK there brain child, do you even know what 6011 is? by your response, I am assuming not. The guy was asking about adding a grate for the protection of his pump, I tried to help him out and give some ideas, as that is what he asked in posting the article, and for the simple fact that I use expanded metal and weld it in my line of work atleast on a weekly basis, I figured I could give him a few pointers. Obviously, you can not weld aluminum to steel, for the first reason that they are two different products with different melting points, I can break down the exact composition of each if you wish, as well as melting points of each also, and as of late, I have not seen many people arc welding aluminum with 6011 Insulated steel welding rod. Anything else genius? Do you even have a jet boat?[/QUOTE
Damn...and here all this time I thought I was on to somethin'.
You know,
Some guys just don't need any help showing what a dumb ass they are. You're one of them. What do you do...make bbq's?
No, I don't own a boat :notam: ...I can't see myself being associated with someone like you.
BTW...when you can weld two beer cans together, come talk to me, stupid.
f***in' stick welders!