Above 1200 Sq/FT Restored 1930's Auto Shop

[BigDaddyUSMC]

Y MANIFILD GANG
I guess we are OFFICIAL now.... My daughter Haley designed race team shirts for us... She kept it under wraps, Haley & our wifes suprized us with a special dinner & gave us our shirts

See you at the salt

 

[BB767]

ratman2, now that I'm back home, here's the information you requested about the floor tile.

I would advise keeping some spare tiles when you are done. You never know when you might need or want to replace some of them. Think years and years down the road. Especially since they are so easy to replace individually.

The black tiles were pattern # 51910 and my lot number was X097A but you shouldn't need the lot number.

The white tile was pattern # 51941, lot # X079A. The tiles are 12" X 12" X 1/8" thick or 305 X 305 X 3.2 mm for you metric fans out there.

They are Armstrong "Imperial Texture", Standard Excelon Vinyl Composition Tile, VCT.

Another thought would be to cut some extra small tile pieces for use...

... under shelving posts seen here or bench posts, different equipment that sort of thing. As long as you're renting the tile cutter it easy to have a few odd sized pieces cut up and on hand. I'd rather dent up these pieces than the a whole tile that's installed on the floor. Remember the tile has a "grain pattern" and you want to make sure you lay it with the grain running the same direction.

I hope all that's helpful to you. When you get done tiling your garage, post some pictures of your good work, OK?

Back in the USA-Thomas

 

[ratman2]

ratman2, now that I'm back home, here's the information you requested about the floor tile.

I would advise keeping some spare tiles when you are done. You never know when you might need or want to replace some of them. Think years and years down the road. Especially since they are so easy to replace individually.

The black tiles were pattern # 51910 and my lot number was X097A but you shouldn't need the lot number.

The white tile was pattern # 51941, lot # X079A. The tiles are 12" X 12" X 1/8" thick or 305 X 305 X 3.2 mm for you metric fans out there.

They are Armstrong "Imperial Texture", Standard Excelon Vinyl Composition Tile, VCT.

Another thought would be to cut some extra small tile pieces for use...

... under shelving posts seen here or bench posts, different equipment that sort of thing. As long as you're renting the tile cutter it easy to have a few odd sized pieces cut up and on hand. I'd rather dent up these pieces than the a whole tile that's installed on the floor. Remember the tile has a "grain pattern" and you want to make sure you lay it with the grain running the same direction.

I hope all that's helpful to you. When you get done tiling your garage, post some pictures of your good work, OK?

Back in the USA-Thomas

Perfect....TY tom

 

[BB767]

Project PDR

At times I like to present a project here once it's completed because sometimes the project takes a while and posting it all at once gives it continuity. For my project Portable Dirty Room, PDR I don't think it will take all that long from beginning to end so here's some start material and a preview.

I like to keep the shop as clean as possible and while doing fabrication work, welding and grinding especially, involves some pretty dirty procedures. Up till now I've been setting up a work area under the car port to do this, keeping all the nasty grinding grit outside. I've decided to create a means of doing this much easier, a Portable Dirty Room if you will that can easily be moved in and out of the shop keeping it much cleaner.

I made a cardboard template to gauge it's size and then set various pieces of equipment on it to try it out. I settled on 3' (.9 m) X 5' (1.5 m). This seems to be a nice size that will maneuver in and out of the fab room, even if a car is parked in there but still provide a good size work surface.

My present welding bench, even though it has casters, is pretty wide and moving it around is somewhat awkward. More importantly the main purpose is provide a means of doing grinding work outside.

I own 5 grinders of various sorts but these two have never had a permanent stand of any sort so they will be used on the PDR.

At present I plan keeping them on the PDR...

...but they will be mounted on a removable base to provide flexibility as needed.

The heart of the PDR will be this steel plate, 3' X 5' X ...

...3/4" (1.9 cm) thick. That will give mass to the work space (the steel plate alone weighs 460 lbs- 209 kg) and rigidity to the work surface.

The legs will be 4" X 4" (10.2 cm), 1/4" (.6 cm) thick...

...with 1/4" thick angle used as shelving. Esthetics are important so as it proceeds I'll be mindful of it's appearance. This the beginning basis that is still developing. Watch this space for more on Project PRD. Thanks everyone.

Thomas

 

[landroversforever]

I'm sure everyone is thinking the same Thomas... what colour powdercoat?

 

[oberst]

I'm sure everyone is thinking the same Thomas... what colour powdercoat?

Don't know about powdercoat, but that half finished rear-end housing with the ladder bar brackets makes me wonder if T is going to go drag racing in a class other than pure stock in the future!

 

[markviii]

Doubt it. (that would be sooo out of character, don't you think??)

Chris

 

[Omphaloskeptic]

Well Thomas, now that you've whetted our appetites, we hope to see the 'P.D.R.' 'P.D.Q.'!

With a Stout Top Plate (S.T.P.), would it possibly be in your 'Design Paradigm Envelope' (D.P.E.) to fab up two motor base plates hinged to the bottom of the S.T.P.? The base plates' depth such that they flip (one - left & one -right) and hang vertically between the Hefty Base Legs (H.B.L.). The motors with attachments would nestle between the legs, ever ready to be swung up onto the S.T.P. for immediate Dirty Duty Trials (D.D.T.). Not to forget the Auxiliary Illumination Pod (A.I.P) attached to top of the Dust Containment Shield (D.C.S.) which (of course) would also be hinged to the bottom back edge of the S.T.P.; I'm thinking of the Coleman camp stove's wind screens.

And, while I'm on a roll here, don't miss the opportunity to incorporate the Shop Vacuum Hanging Hood (S.V.H.H.) which would obviously mitigate the Nasty Airborne Debris (N.A.D.).

As always Thomas, I'm sure you will add some 'tweaks and touches' to the P.D.R. which will draw applause, oohs, and aahs from us, your loyal followers.

P.S. - I vote (if I had a vote) for a Powder Coated Finish (P.C.F.) color to match the P.D.R.'s motors.

P.P.S. - If you like any of the above ideas - that's great; if not - please excuse the above as more of Omphaloskeptic's Inane and Insane Drivel (O.I.I.D).

 

[BB767]

I'm sure everyone is thinking the same Thomas... what colour powdercoat?

I'm pretty sure of the color right now (take a big guess ) and of course powder coating will be the order of the day. I've already reserved a time slot will Rick for it. At present my estimate of the PDR weight will be in the 700 lbs (318 kg) range. Rick tells me that handling it won't be a problem for him and I don't need to install any lifting rings or anything of that sort on it. He's a pretty resourceful guy and this won't be a problem for his crew to powder coat it. I'll take it to him inverted on a pallet and he says that'll be good to go. I won't coat the top surface of course but for now I plan on doing the edges of the top on down. Grounding projects on the top surface when welding shouldn't be affected if the top is bare metal, the bottom can be coated.

Oh BTW I almost forgot. There is a connection between the PDR and Johnson's Welding and Repair of the 1950's and 60's that you'll see shortly, promise. Stay tuned.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

Well Thomas, now that you've whetted our appetites, we hope to see the 'P.D.R.' 'P.D.Q.'!

With a Stout Top Plate (S.T.P.),.....


.....Shop Vacuum Hanging Hood (S.V.H.H.) which would obviously mitigate the Nasty Airborne Debris (N.A.D.).

As always Thomas, I'm sure you will add some 'tweaks and touches' to the P.D.R. which will draw applause, oohs, and aahs from us, your loyal followers.

P.S. - I vote (if I had a vote) for a Powder Coated Finish (P.C.F.) color to match the P.D.R.'s motors.

P.P.S. - If you like any of the above ideas - that's great; if not - please excuse the above as more of Omphaloskeptic's Inane and Insane Drivel (O.I.I.D).

Just wonderful Omphaloskeptic, well done indeed! Clearly you have put some thought and effort into this. Welcome to my world of acronyms at work.

These two manuals contain the flight manual for our Boeing 757 and 767 fleet. We're trained on all versions of them that we operate; the 757-200, -300, 767-200, -400 and soon the -300.

Contained in them is how to operate those aircraft.

They even have line drawings of some of the equipment panels.

There are approximately 2,400 pages, double sided, thin paper, small print, chocked full of ....

...acronyms!, sometimes for as far as the eye can see!! This is just a random page and it uses acronyms about 80 times on this one page alone.

When I first started training on the aircraft over 12 years ago I started a note book and wrote down every acronym I came across while studying the flight manual. I gave up when I had filled over 20 sheets, 30 lines per page and I had barely started. I instead concentrated on the main ones that are in use on a regular basis and not some of the more obscure ones.

My use of acronyms here throughout the thread has been a private joke of mine (much like yours), a little poke at the engineers who thought reducing everything to capital letters would be just a swell idea. I know it's practical and all but still.....

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for a Wonderful Day Brightener- WDB. I will closely study the information it contains and see if any of it might be incorporated into the PDR.

Thankful Thomas

 

[charlief1]

Well fine then Thomas. SOBDD and SAFU as well as FUBAR and SNAFUBAR.. Granted that these are military in origin but it's pretty much the same after all.

 

[tkbowman]

Thomas, I found another contender for the Center of the Universe: Wallace, ID. They even have manhole covers with the inscription. I'll post a picture of commemorative Tshirt in a day or two.

Tim (still questing for the center of the universe).

 

[Omphaloskeptic]

Thomas, knowing you to be a Boeing pilot, I thought you might find my efforts a bit humorous and a WDB! I suppose that after doing my bit on the 757, 767, B2, and F22 Design Teams, the 'tech-speak' and 'acronymbecilic discussions' tend to become both second nature and laughable at the same time.

Good luck on the PDR; we'll be watching and waiting for yet another finely crafted creation from the R.1930A.S.!

 

[Vernmotor]

Why do you have a dana 60 mopar housing with ladder bars brackets on it. and that is a car one to. Has pinion subber bolt holes.

 

[BB767]

Don't know about powdercoat, but that half finished rear-end housing with the ladder bar brackets makes me wonder if T is going to go drag racing in a class other than pure stock in the future!

Why do you have a dana 60 mopar housing with ladder bars brackets on it. and that is a car one to. Has pinion subber bolt holes.

You guys spot anything and everything in the background don't you?

That rear end you see belongs to a long standing friend of mine and is having some work done on it. He's an old, old school drag racer who is pretty well know in Midwest drag racing circles from the '60's up to and including the present. Charlie Smith who back then was better know as "Crazy Charlie".

Here he was giving me a hand when the L79 was first being installed in the Chevy II a few years ago. He loves coming to the shop and claims he comes for the soda pop and stays for the music. He was a contemporary with some of the Johnson boys, 'back in the day' and got in more than a few races with them over the years.

I'm a Pure Stock kinda guy and Charlie just can't understand why I don't put slicks and headers on the Chevy II and do some serious terrorizing on the track. 'Cause that's the way you break things Charlie, that's why.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

Before I update the latest on the PDR I had a request for more pictures of a red car that was partially seen in the foreground of the picture of the 1958 Scarab (seen in the background).

It was an Allard, a 1992 model J2X-C...

...and I really don't know much, more about this Allard, just the ones from the 1950's.

It did catch my eye as a wicked fast looking car though.

A bit modern but still wicked fast. I admit to being a little more partial to...

...more classical or traditional race cars.

PDR update next.

Thomas

 

[charlief1]

Love the Allard Thomas. Still miss the old GTP cars which I was a huge fan of. Even had the Porsche and the Corvette GTP car posters, try and find them now. The were at the top of their game back them and wish the series was still out in the open but it's gone now.

Make sure to tell Charlie hi from another Charlie that's trying to break a world record, hopefully one of these days.

 

[BB767]

The main plate for the PDR had one side that was better than the other so once that was identified the layout process started.

The only thing that will be bolted to the top surface will be a vise. I have several to choose from and decided to use my fathers old Samson swivel, machinist vise which dates from the late 1930's. He bought it new and took great care of it. It's very tight, has smooth jaw movement and has only seen light, careful use these last 70 years. A nice vintage piece. I'll disassemble it, polish all the machined surfaces and then have the body powder coated black, it's original color. It has survived not being damaged by me in my childhood and it has survived Cameron's as well so I think it deserves a thorough spruce up.

It uses 3 mounting holes on the base and I wanted to make sure they wouldn't interfere with the PDR legs. Working with the plate upside down the vise was placed into position on the bottom of the plate and the vise base was outlined in chalk and the mounting holes were center punched. Then a leg was positioned where it will be installed to check for any interference with the vise mounting holes. The leg outline is circled in red. As you can see the rear vise mounting hole, circled in yellow, is right in the center of a leg which is not a problem because the leg is hollow and...

...the vise mounting nuts will welded to the bottom of the plate so I don't need access to them from below. Drilling 3/4" steel took some time but with a 1/2" drill, patience is a virtue and that's now done.

This wood base a was a quick, temporary mounting surface years ago but this is how I made a permanent base plate. I want flexibility so by mounting all the grinders on bases that could be clamped into place, it allows me to move them around easily as necessary if I want to use more of the top plate for a work surface or clamp them to a pedestal stand I modified.

I selected 1/4" thick aluminium plate as base material. It has the strength I need, but doesn't add much weight to the grinders when I move them. They are heavy enough as it is.

Since they will sit flat and be clamped in place I used...

...allen head flat head screws which...

...were counter sunk so the head is flush with the base surface.

The big grinder used 4 mounting screws...

As you can see there is plenty of the aluminum base plate material to use a small C clamp on, in front, left or right or in the back. I've now mounted 3 grinders on aluminum base plates and also have a modified pedestal which can also accommodate them which gives me the flexibility I wanted.

More to come........

Thomas

 

[magnusk750]

Use of acronyms to the extent as in the Boeing manual must be counterproductive. Learning a fraction of them by heart is impossible and without them the manual is pretty much mumbojumbo. I thought todays aviation was based on psychology and some kind of intuitive learning, like an iphone or something like that?

 

[BB767]

Use of acronyms to the extent as in the Boeing manual must be counterproductive. Learning a fraction of them by heart is impossible and without them the manual is pretty much mumbojumbo. I thought todays aviation was based on psychology and some kind of intuitive learning, like an iphone or something like that?

magnusk you would think it would be intuitive but you'd be wrong. Surprisingly enough you can learn many, many acronyms but it takes much time and effort. The more you do it the easier it becomes but at times it still can be daunting. I understand our newest aircraft, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is better at some of it's systems integration with pilots being in on the ground floor development but still....

Anyway its part of the job so you just do what you need to do to learn it.

Being able to see views like this from my office is great motivation. (Sao Paulo, Brazil)

The PDR is loaded in the van...

...and it's way to the powder coater tomorrow! I'll do my best to get an update of details on here. Very pleased with it so far.

Thomas

 

[magnusk750]

I totally rely on you, sir!

 

[markviii]

Is it a disease, affliction, new category for the DSM-IV? Acronym-phobia or COTU-itis or PC-obsession --- I don't know, but he has it bad. But you all knew that already!

Chris

 

[BB767]

Rick and his crew got thier first look at the PDR this morning.

I had less than an 1" clearance on either side but it fit. I'm still puzzling out how to remove it from the van once it's coated without damaging the finish. First I need to remove it and second I need to turn it over. It's sitting on top of a small pallet here. I don't have a fork lift or access to one at the shop, just the bucket on the John Deere.

PDR is being taken to the sandblasting area prior to powder coating, all 700 lbs (318 kg) of it.

Thomas

 

[hobbitss]

Rick and his crew got thier first look at the PDR this morning.

I had less than an 1" clearance on either side but it fit. I'm still puzzling out how to remove it from the van once it's coated without damaging the finish. First I need to remove it and second I need to turn it over. It's sitting on top of a small pallet here. I don't have a fork lift or access to one at the shop, just the bucket on the John Deere.

PDR is being taken to the sandblasting area prior to powder coating, all 700 lbs (318 kg) of it.

Thomas

New Project!!! Forks on the John Deere Bucket...
Submit design proposals here...

And, Don't forget to powder coat them...

 

[Amitygravel]

Hello Thomas !
This ones easy. Surely you have a couple good sized scrap pieces of ahem, FRP.
The PDR gets loaded into the van on its legs on top of at least a couple layers of F R P
on account its slick when layered.
Using the JD and its attached bucket,lift and pull the end of the PDR out of the van and Gently set that end down. Now run a strap to the opposite end of the PDR ,pull back just enough to take the weight of the PDR. Then just pull the van away from the PDR and then ease that end down to the ground.
From there , getting it to where its going should be a piece of cake.

Craig

 

[SiGmA_X]

Thomas - No forklift at home? Whhhat!? I am shocked! Forks on the tractor sounds like a good idea.

 

[charlief1]

If one of your friends has a hay spike you might be able to adapt it to the front bucket Thomas. We'd had to do this when the tractor we use for hay broke down. Worked pretty good but in your case you might be able to use it to lift one end of the table and put some plywood and plastic sheets under the plywood. That would give you some slip factor to pull the table out as well.

 

[BB767]

New Project!!! Forks on the John Deere Bucket...
Submit design proposals here...

And, Don't forget to powder coat them...

Hello Thomas !
This ones easy. Surely you have a couple good sized scrap pieces of ahem, FRP.
The PDR gets loaded into the van on its legs on top of at least a couple layers of F R P
on account its slick when layered.
Using the JD and its attached bucket,lift and pull the end of the PDR out of the van and Gently set that end down. Now run a strap to the opposite end of the PDR ,pull back just enough to take the weight of the PDR. Then just pull the van away from the PDR and then ease that end down to the ground.
From there , getting it to where its going should be a piece of cake.

Craig

Thomas - No forklift at home? Whhhat!? I am shocked! Forks on the tractor sounds like a good idea.

If one of your friends has a hay spike you might be able to adapt it to the front bucket Thomas. We'd had to do this when the tractor we use for hay broke down. Worked pretty good but in your case you might be able to use it to lift one end of the table and put some plywood and plastic sheets under the plywood. That would give you some slip factor to pull the table out as well.

You hardly ever need a fork lift and they take so much space but boy are they handy at times. Don fabricated a set of forks for the bucket on his back hoe. We used them to transport piles of brush to the burn pile and they work like a champ. I've often considered fabricating a set for the Deere but haven't convinced myself they'd be used all that often. The key to making them really useful is being able to adjust the spacing on them. Don's were set up mainly for brush pick up so they're wide apart and non adjustable, they bolted to his bucket.

Craig, I'm thinking along those same lines. If I can load the PDR right side up, sitting on it's feet using Rick's crew to do so, then I only have to remove it from the van once I'm at the shop. The trick there is getting it the van right side up without damage. There's a design feature you haven't seen yet that makes loading it somewhat challenging. Inverted, no problem, right side up...........not so much. While we're waiting for the powder coating on the PDR I'll post a couple of other projects I just finished and had powder coated. Rick came through again.

Thomas

 

[Amitygravel]

Hello Thomas !
Say now isn't Gus a truck with a bed ?
Hmm. Maybe you should fab up a small trailer to have the boys powder coat and bring
the PDR back on it !

Craig

 

[babaluba]

Not sure how you are set over there, but here in Europe we have a few different standards for tractor attachments, both front and rear. Of course there is the three point hitch, but also we have a few quick attach standards, mainly for front end loader work. And guess what, pallet loader forks are widely used on tractors here. So just to bump you in the right direction, here's an image of a set of quick-attached adjustable forks.

This one is rated at 1,5 metric ton. So something along these lines should suit your little tractor plentyful... Go ahead, just make one! Once you have it, you will wonder how you made it through the day without.

 

[GGB]

Hello again, Thomas-

I'd just about bet that if you got a set of pallet forks that you'd wonder how you ever got along without them. I got mine mainly to move brush and noŵ use them more than the bucket.

Mine are the JD 1210A, which are very well built but heavy, which cuts down the capacity on my JD 2210 tractor. If I had known about the Artillian Pallet Forks (www.artillian.com), that's what I would have bought. They have a very well engineered frame which saves quite a bit of weight, giving your loader a larger lift capacity.

I don't know whether your loader would handle your new project's weight, but regardless, I think you'd get a lot of use out of a set of forks at your place.

GGB

 

[IMCA38]

Thomas
How about using the enclosed car trailer to bring the PDR home?
Get 10-12 friends to surround the thing and just walk it in and out of the trailer. You know, kind of like that pyramid thing several hundred years ago...

 

[xclusivegarage]

You did a hell of a job! Thumbs up on your work!

 

[xclusivegarage]

You did a hell of a job! Thumbs up on your work!

 

[markviii]

Just for the record, I like IMCA38's idea even with all it's "hassle factor", but, on the positive side, Tom will get practice backing up the enclosed trailer! (The pyramid comment made me flashback to Tom "walking" the anvil across the yard...)

Chris

 

[BB767]

Thomas
How about using the enclosed car trailer to bring the PDR home?
Get 10-12 friends to surround the thing and just walk it in and out of the trailer. You know, kind of like that pyramid thing several hundred years ago...

Just for the record, I like IMCA38's idea even with all it's "hassle factor", but, on the positive side, Tom will get practice backing up the enclosed trailer! (The pyramid comment made me flashback to Tom "walking" the anvil across the yard...)

Chris

The enclosed trailer has a ramp that wouldn't support a fork lift with the PRD on it's forks so Rick couldn't load it at his shop. If he could load it and I got it to the old shop I suppose I could talk several, many, various, a bunch of friends into walking it off. Wonder if they'd still be my friends once we were done though? Hmmmmm......better not try to find out.

Interesting idea though.

Thomas

 

[csp]

Any friends with an open trailer?

 

[BB767]

Not sure how you are set over there, but here in Europe we have a few different standards for tractor attachments, both front and rear. Of course there is the three point hitch, but also we have a few quick attach standards, mainly for front end loader work. And guess what, pallet loader forks are widely used on tractors here. So just to bump you in the right direction, here's an image of a set of quick-attached adjustable forks.

This one is rated at 1,5 metric ton. So something along these lines should suit your little tractor plentyful... Go ahead, just make one! Once you have it, you will wonder how you made it through the day without.

Hello again, Thomas-

I'd just about bet that if you got a set of pallet forks that you'd wonder how you ever got along without them. I got mine mainly to move brush and noŵ use them more than the bucket.

Mine are the JD 1210A, which are very well built but heavy, which cuts down the capacity on my JD 2210 tractor. If I had known about the Artillian Pallet Forks (www.artillian.com), that's what I would have bought. They have a very well engineered frame which saves quite a bit of weight, giving your loader a larger lift capacity.

I don't know whether your loader would handle your new project's weight, but regardless, I think you'd get a lot of use out of a set of forks at your place.

GGB

OK you two are definitely on to something here. GGB I looked at the web site link you posted for Artillian Forks and low and behold they make one just for JD 70A loaders which is what mine is. In fact they seem to be very well engineered and I like the Cascade Fork Tine option also. At first blush I think this very well could be what I need (honestly Chris it's a need not a want. I wonder how I've gotten along allllllll this time without them, really. Why think how they might save me from serious bodily injury trying to lift something I shouldn't. Bet my doctor would heartily approve too, save my poor back from undue strain! You'll positively thank me for thinking of you when I get them. Well, that's just the type of loving husband I am, always thinking of and putting your best interests first. And did I mention they come already powder coated John Deere green?

Thanks babaluba and GGB for the terrific suggestion. Watch this space for some new equipment showing up at the shop. Just don't know if I can get them in time to help with the unloading of the PDR what with my flight schedule, Bonneville Speed Week and all.

Devoted husband Thomas

 

[mod600]

BB767 - I haven't had time to read thru this entire thread, I'm about 30 some pages in. Very cool though! For the wood benches you made back on page 17. Did you put any shelves inside them? If so, how did you go about it? After my shop is finished, I plan to build some benches similar to your design and was just wondering about shelving inside of them. Thanks!
mod600

 

[mdbeck1]

Hello Thomas !
Say now isn't Gus a truck with a bed ?
Hmm. Maybe you should fab up a small trailer to have the boys powder coat and bring
the PDR back on it !

Craig

At the expense of keeping you from getting some new forklift forks.....

How about just loading the PDR in the back of Gus? Then when you get home use one of the lifts as a hoist (place chain or boards between and under the PDR)?


However I do have to agree it would be good to have a set of forklift forks around...