Starting this Garage build with all 10 fingers...

[acronate]

man I just spent an hour going through this thread. Great projects and great ideas. As far as your welding try speeding up a little bit to get a smoother bead or slow the wire speed. Looks like just a little extra wire, but practice, practice, practice. You will get better without a doubt!!

 

[aggierailroad]

LOL on the end tables. That's what you get for doing a good job..

You've inspired me to make my own to "match" the cube table I built. I'm going to put a little bit of a radius on the wood to see if it will "flow" a little bit better. Also will be a rough trapezoidal shape to fit between the angled chairs my wife has in the living room. Thanks for making more work for me!

 

[madison069]

But the worst part was I looked at the fire and looked over at the extinguisher on the bench then back to the fire then back to the extinguisher and thought man these extinguisher are not cheap and I decided to get it outside on the driveway and stomp it out....

I thought that was funny, and I understand the price too. But in reality I would have done the same thing you did cause that's a pretty small fire.

 

[kyle@hcb]

The tables look great!

 

[Hot Chop shop]

Loving the furniture, especially the combination of the steel and wood work. Giving me some good ideas!

Thanks... I agree they do play nice together.

Cool thread [start to finish] HCS. I am enjoying it with you. I want a welder someday and you're doing it the right way - just learn as you go. I'm no weld expert but your groove weld and others look pretty good. Better every time.

What's the word on the new house? Are you trying to get a short sale or something - otherwise it seems like you'd know faster, right?

Hey thanks... Welding is a real craft and art that people go to school for and spend years to obtain certs in... I would be real presumptions *** to think its easy... But with this forum and the welding web forum and welding tips and tricks website there is plenty of information out there to get the basics then it's all about just practice practice practice...

The house search has slowed down for me it's a crazy market in Las Vegas at the moment there are as so many cash buyers that have come in and offer $10-20k over asking price... So after putting in several offers and getting beat out I am taking a break for a minute, and while I took this break prices have started going back up such is life

man I just spent an hour going through this thread. Great projects and great ideas. As far as your welding try speeding up a little bit to get a smoother bead or slow the wire speed. Looks like just a little extra wire, but practice, practice, practice. You will get better without a doubt!!

Hey thanks for the tips I'll try both
I am always playing with the settings wire speed,volts,gas and the prep to try to achieve my life long goal of getting that stack of dimes look and not having to grind so much

LOL on the end tables. That's what you get for doing a good job..

You've inspired me to make my own to "match" the cube table I built. I'm going to put a little bit of a radius on the wood to see if it will "flow" a little bit better. Also will be a rough trapezoidal shape to fit between the angled chairs my wife has in the living room. Thanks for making more work for me!

Oh no I'm sorry... There goes your free time for awhile.... Your design looks great! I wanted to put a second piece of wood at the bottom but I ran out of wood... Maybe down the road or for version 2.0

I thought that was funny, and I understand the price too. But in reality I would have done the same thing you did cause that's a pretty small fire.

My reaction time was soooo slow....I just kept debating back and forth I'm just glad it was little and isolated.

 

[Hot Chop shop]

The tables look great!

Hey thanks!

I need to go back to grinding them but my hands keep going numb...

 

[Hot Chop shop]

So finished the end tables to go with the coffee table... Took lots and lots of grinding to get the pitted distress look...

Went through a few of these wire cups and way too many hours of grinding.

But all done and on to the next project.

Thanks for looking!

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[cagullett1]

These turned out awesome!

 

[aggierailroad]

Are you welding the legs and cutting the notches to fit or the reverse of that?

 

[Hot Chop shop]

These turned out awesome!

Hey thanks!

Are you welding the legs and cutting the notches to fit or the reverse of that?

Well that's the question....ummm I tried to do both at the same time but it didn't workout well...
So I joined the wood so I knew how wide it would be.
Then took a marker to draw around the square of the wood then made the x on that square then just laid down the 10 feet pieces of steel tubing and marked them then cut them... Not the best idea should have kept the wood square then made the legs then cut the leg knotches then once I knew it fit perfect then take it away and finish the sanding and stain... But i trusted the measurement and with some shrinking and distortion there was one gab in the corner that I ended up with that I'm not happy about that I'll stare at for a few weeks until I snap and pull them back into the garage to fix it.

The gap I was talking about:

 

[admranger]

Wow! Just read the thread from front to back. Really nice work all around. You have more patience and perseverance than I do!

Very impressed!

 

[Hot Chop shop]

Wow! Just read the thread from front to back. Really nice work all around. You have more patience and perseverance than I do!

Very impressed!

Hey thanks! I still dream of having a setup like yours one day.... but this will do have to do for now... Just trying to enjoy it before the 120 plus temperatures come back around!


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[coma13]

Cool stuff. I couldn't live with that gap either... It's staring right at me!!!

 

[Hot Chop shop]

Cool stuff. I couldn't live with that gap either... It's staring right at me!!!

It haunts me every time I walk past it...

Just want maybe I more week of a clean garage before I figure out if I will go the saw dust route or the metal dust route to fix it.


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[Hot Chop shop]

Little update
I have been wanting to learn to powder coat for awhile... Cause its suppose to be more durable etc but mostly cause I hate how bad I am at spray painting I tend to be on the last coat then I get a run.

Gonna start off small and use the toaster oven to test it out but not sure what will fit in this bad boy? Maybe a vise? Well see...
If all goes well I have some scrap sheet metal I might try to bend into a box and insult it then take the guts out of the toaster oven and put them in the box... (It was $10 bucks so if I break it I break it) Not sure how big a box this little guy can heat maybe 4square feet "should work".
I know an old oven would be better but I don't have 220volt plug in the garage so I'm limited to the 120volt world (for now)

Game on.

 

[188slo50]

You might aswell start looking for a bigger oven cause once you get it figured out you will want to do everything. My buddy's always want stuff done so I charge them a few dollars and make them buy the powder so doing my stuff doesn't cost me a dime anymore.

 

[Hot Chop shop]

You might aswell start looking for a bigger oven cause once you get it figured out you will want to do everything. My buddy's always want stuff done so I charge them a few dollars and make them buy the powder so doing my stuff doesn't cost me a dime anymore.

Yeah I figure the toaster was a good starting point...

I wish I had the space to have a massive oven.

 

[Hot Chop shop]

So had my first welding job today...
A friend asked me to weld one spot on his smoker that he is building... And I tried to talk him out of it, since I do not consider myself a welder.
I asked if it was aluminum? He said no. I said damn cause I can't weld aluminum. I asked if it was stainless steel? He said no. I said damn cause I can't weld stainless steel. I asked if it was thick metal? He said no. I said damn cause I don't have 220volts set up in my garage to weld the thick metal. I asked if it was really thin metal? He said no. I said damn cause I can't weld thin sheet metal I tend to burn through it.

So long story long I couldn't talk him out it and I ran out of excuses...

So he brought over several different thicknesses of metal that was from a bed frame and a weight bench; all different gauge steel and all powder coated and very thin stuff...

And I don't know the fist thing about smoking meat. No clue what temps this metal would heat up too or what is safe to eat off of and the big part how to build one. So I thought he would have a plan on how to build it maybe done some research online on some type of forum with a step by step process. Nope. He handed me some random scrap metal and said what did you think we should do? I said go buy one.. amazon has them pretty cheap. But after scratching my head starring at it for a while I realized I only had a few hours before the wife got home so better start tacking it together... It ended up extremely hard to weld cause the powder coating and different thickness of tube...
So after it was done it was extremely wobbly and I had some metal set aside for another project but I decided to cut it up to make extra support. I wanted to immediately scrape the first part and start over; we'll clean steel tubing and do it the right way but he said it was fine the way it was... I made him promise not to tell anyone that those weld beads were mine cause they were the worst I have done yet. It seemed impossible to get a good ground I should have stripped more paint off the tube for the placement of the clamp...

Here's what he brought over...

Had to beef it up...

Well here's how it turned out...

Nooooo up close pics of the welds!

 

[JasonJ]

What are you planning for a new workbench HotChopShop? I saw your current HF Work Bench setup listed on craigslist.

 

[Hot Chop shop]

What are you planning for a new workbench HotChopShop? I saw your current HF Work Bench setup listed on craigslist.

Whoa whoa whoa Jason I thought we talked about you staying off Craigslist in Las Vegas ? There's not enough vintage vises and tools for both of us....

I love the current bench and had no plans to replace it. The plan was actually to add a receiver hitch and possibly a hose reel to it but I had a lead on a Lista counter height cabinet that would have made a perfect bench. But the wife said I have to sell the one I already have first... Chicks man....

But no luck so far I know I am asking a lot but the cost of the metal for the frame and the steel top and feet wasn't cheap just trying not to take to big of a hit on it... I think I might have better luck removing the cabinets and putting them back on castors and selling them individually that way I can keep the steel to make the new one.


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[JasonJ]

No no no I don't think that that discussion ever took place. I am just looking for a bench grinder still, That's it.... Really.

 

[cagullett1]

If I lived in Las Vegas, I would buy that HF bench in a heart beat. Especially after reading how much work you put into it.

 

[Hingebird]

Yes, you are right. I got adicted to them

 

[Hot Chop shop]

No no no I don't think that that discussion ever took place. I am just looking for a bench grinder still, That's it.... Really.

just a bench grinder that's it? Then your done. I don't believe it. There is always another tool that you might not need today but you gotta have it, just in case 20 years from now you might need it.

If I lived in Las Vegas, I would buy that HF bench in a heart beat. Especially after reading how much work you put into it.

Hahaha hey thanks a lot... Shipping should only be a few grand let me know

But seriously...I think I sold it on Saturday well see the guy is looking for a trailer to be able to pick it up. but the lista cabinets I was looking at fell through so now it might be a while till version 2.0 gets built.... so if the guy doesn't get it I'm pretty okay with it cause when looking at other replacements nothing really can hold as much as the two HF cabinets for the price... Plus a few years from now if I have the space I'll probably regret selling it when maybe I'll have more wall space for it... And more drawers space makes it a lot easier to grow your tool collection and stay organized.

 

[JasonJ]

HF has a new roller out now.... 72" long. (nudge nudge)

 

[Hot Chop shop]

HF has a new roller out now.... 72" long. (nudge nudge)

I found the thread about the 72 cabinet with pics it's nice but I think with the price you would still do better with two of the 44s... But I guess you would do even better with two of the 72s....???

 

[Hot Chop shop]

I said good bye to a dear friend today...

And it left a hole in my heart and in my garage...

 

[Hot Chop shop]

Started a wood project today... (And missing my main bench and the organization that came with all that drawer space)
Can you guess what it is?

If you said Giant Jenga then you are correct!
It would be easier if I had a table saw to make the cuts instead of my circular saw and a bench sander instead of a handheld sander but I'm not allowed to purchase any new tools (or vises) till after the wedding... So I'll have to make do.

I don't even recognize the garage these days, I have been helping my fiancée make center pieces for the wedding and now a Giant jenga for guest to play with... I was hoping she would find something she wanted made in metal to weld but no such luck.


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[Hot Chop shop]

I feel like my garage has turned into Santa's workshop... minus all of the little helper elves...

So this giant jenga(s) has been probably the most time consuming project to date....
My biggest mistake was not doing more research on the wood before I walked into the store. I explained what I was doing to the guy at Home Depot and he told me to use the stud wood that was onsale and I knew I should have gotten something a little nicer but he laughed and said I was making more work for myself. So I guess for wood that is made to be blocks and fall down what could go wrong?

The wood i got is complete garbage and should only be used as firewood. In fact I would like to go find one of these types of trees and punch it or at least let my dog piss on it.
Anyways it has lots of holes and pressure marks on it from the straps that held it into piles and splinters at the very touch...so I thought 1 light sanding would do it, then cut it and stain and poly... Yeah right. so I tried to start at 120 grit(highest grit Home Depot carries for my belt sander) then the plan was to do a quick final sanding after it was cut on my orbital sander at 220 and call it a day... Well the wood is so brittle that it destroyed about $20 worth of sandpaper in the first hour tearing it apart... So I had to jump down to 50 then 80 then finally to get it back to semi smooth I could use 120...

And all this fun sanding burned up my little skills orbital sander... Which ***** cause I bought it a few years back and never used it and this job was too much for it... But i bought it before my GJ days so I didn't read multiple reviews and get the smart guys feedback on it. So I went old school and did a few blocks by hand sanding them then I said F this and ran out and got a new one so at least this project meant that I was allowed to get a new tool out of it! Although I wish I could have gotten a large table sander with a billion amps to be done already but this wedding budget is cutting Into my tool budget.

So here's pics

Started by doing 1 board at a time.

Then got tired at how long it was taking so got out the pipe clamps to streamline it

Then made the cuts (too soon should have done all the sanding while they were nice long pieces of wood but I thought they were smooth enough)

Then I had to invent a new tool for sanding the bevels into the wood... (I'll be contacting SWAG off road to see if they want to market my design.)

Went old school for about 20mins too long

Picked up new one

And now I have this many left to finish today.

I say it a lot but I'll say it again I hate wood... It doesn't speak to me. It's also the mess that it leaves behind everything is covered in saw dust. If it was up to me I would have welded up all 110 blocks that would have been amazing practice time under the hood.

Ok done venting about this but it's been a long week to do what should have been an easy project if I would have spent a few more dollars on the right kind of wood.
So I have to sand like 30 more blocks at 120 then sand them all again at 220... then wipe them all clean then lay them out to stain them and then poly them...

Not sure how I'm going to lay out 110 blocks to stain and poly? Or what I should set them on to be able to cover both sides and have them dry? Maybe 110 baby blocks? Any ideas are always welcomed!

Thanks for looking!












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[Bob Heine]

Not sure how I'm going to lay out 110 blocks to stain and poly? Or what I should set them on to be able to cover both sides and have them dry? Maybe 110 baby blocks? Any ideas are always welcomed!

Thanks for looking!

When it's that many pieces I would use plastic medicine cups. Any drug store should carry them and price for 100 should be in the $3 range. You'll need 440 if you use one on each corner or 220 if you balance them on just two.

Here's a link to Walgreens: http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/me...6757&sst=1d62301f-e722-65c9-3b48-00002adab4aa

 

[aggierailroad]

Sorry to hear that you're hating on wood lately. I don't intend to be a jackass, but I believe a lot of your woes are from technique, rather than material. You'll find your way with it, just ask lots of questions (before you start!) and things will get easier with time.

The blocks look great!

Here's a tip, floor sanders typically can start with 36-50 grit sandpaper... Starting with rough pine or fir or equivalent from the Depot, don't be scared to start with 50 grit on the belt sander. You won't put insane scratches in the wood or ruin it. You're right though, hardwoods are much more fun to work with than yellow pine, but also more costly. Let the paper do the work, work through the grits. You'll find that you will spend less time total by starting rough and working your way up the ladder! I typically stop at 180 - 220 for "fine" work and only go higher depending on wood variety and finish quality.

Do you have the ability to spray a finish? Consider your finish materials before you start. With so many pieces, you will want a quick dry time between coats to stay motivated!

Hang in there! Your guests will love it!

 

[Hot Chop shop]

When it's that many pieces I would use plastic medicine cups. Any drug store should carry them and price for 100 should be in the $3 range. You'll need 440 if you use one on each corner or 220 if you balance them on just two.

Here's a link to Walgreens: http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/me...6757&sst=1d62301f-e722-65c9-3b48-00002adab4aa

That's actually a great idea thanks!

Sorry to hear that you're hating on wood lately. I don't intend to be a jackass, but I believe a lot of your woes are from technique, rather than material. You'll find your way with it, just ask lots of questions (before you start!) and things will get easier with time.

The blocks look great!

Here's a tip, floor sanders typically can start with 36-50 grit sandpaper... Starting with rough pine or fir or equivalent from the Depot, don't be scared to start with 50 grit on the belt sander. You won't put insane scratches in the wood or ruin it. You're right though, hardwoods are much more fun to work with than yellow pine, but also more costly. Let the paper do the work, work through the grits. You'll find that you will spend less time total by starting rough and working your way up the ladder! I typically stop at 180 - 220 for "fine" work and only go higher depending on wood variety and finish quality.

Do you have the ability to spray a finish? Consider your finish materials before you start. With so many pieces, you will want a quick dry time between coats to stay motivated!

Hang in there! Your guests will love it!

Oh Aggierailroad I knew you would take the wood side of the argument and blame the inexperienced human.

Nice hat!


But seriously I completely agree I have spent too much time reading everything I can find on welding tips and tricks in pursuit of a pretty weld bead and haven't done enough homework on wood. I tried 50grit but it was making trench marks into the wood which I thought was going to make way more work for me to correct... Probably my technique of how I am using the sander pushing too hard into the wood instead of letting the sander do the work...Let's be honest I think I know which way the grain is going but I'm sure I get that wrong too.

I'll never get better at wood if I don't keep trying and posting it hear to get feedback on how to improve.

Wish I had a sprayer I'm just going to brush on the stain (quickly) or use a rag and then move to poly. It's a bunch of blocks that will be thrown on the floor so it doesn't have to be perfect. But I still wanna make it so that I can keep it for future BBQs and force people to play it since I put so much time into it.

 

[DoghouseForge]

Well, I didnt realize you had a thread.
But....
Thanks to Aggierailroad and womans figure skating I have discovered it!


ill read the back log and get caught up soon.

weddings are fun.

Jp

 

[aggierailroad]

That's actually a great idea thanks!




Oh Aggierailroad I knew you would take the wood side of the argument and blame the inexperienced human.

Nice hat!


But seriously I completely agree I have spent too much time reading everything I can find on welding tips and tricks in pursuit of a pretty weld bead and haven't done enough homework on wood. I tried 50grit but it was making trench marks into the wood which I thought was going to make way more work for me to correct... Probably my technique of how I am using the sander pushing too hard into the wood instead of letting the sander do the work...Let's be honest I think I know which way the grain is going but I'm sure I get that wrong too.

I'll never get better at wood if I don't keep trying and posting it hear to get feedback on how to improve.

Wish I had a sprayer I'm just going to brush on the stain (quickly) or use a rag and then move to poly. It's a bunch of blocks that will be thrown on the floor so it doesn't have to be perfect. But I still wanna make it so that I can keep it for future BBQs and force people to play it since I put so much time into it.

Forego the stain and just clear it. Pine looks like **** stained... Unless the bride to be wants it.. Just clear it and hi light the wood or paint it. Save yourself a step!

 

[vovka]

wow lots of great projects here

 

[DoghouseForge]

X2... pine stained is nasty. It will highlight more flaws than pretty grains.

Poly will darken it to the coloring of the original jinga blocks. Semi gloss or satin because gloss will be to shiney. It is after all a thing you hate, not a boat deck.

Aggie, 130am?....You need to watch him Hot Chop, I think hes stalking you.

Jp

 

[Hot Chop shop]

Forego the stain and just clear it. Pine looks like **** stained... Unless the bride to be wants it.. Just clear it and hi light the wood or paint it. Save yourself a step!

Well the bride gave me this pic to go off of....

So I got 4 very different contrasting stains to try to mix it up the look. I didn't know pine was a bad wood to stain... Shocker i know. I got some test pieces to see how bad it looks stained if so I might just go with the semi-gloss poly.

wow lots of great projects here

Hey thanks!

X2... pine stained is nasty. It will highlight more flaws than pretty grains.



Poly will darken it to the coloring of the original jinga blocks. Semi gloss or satin because gloss will be to shiney. It is after all a thing you hate, not a boat deck.



Aggie, 130am?....You need to watch him Hot Chop, I think hes stalking you.



Jp

Haha I'm sure it's just a time zone thing but I'll watch my back just in case. It was my mistake to blame the wood.

Hey your knife making skills is pretty awesome and you have really stepped up the wood on your handles... I think its time to step up to making a sword.

 

[DoghouseForge]

make a sword!

im having a hard time keeping my 8"chef knife blades straight in the hardening phase... a sword!?! mabey a long sickle by the time im done butchering it.

Good luck man,

You have kids yet? if you do then nevermind...if not... this wedding is no where near as crazy as that woman is going to get...this is just a game your building...wait till its the nursery...



JP

I think Aggie went on vacation...said something about Vegas...Id keep an eye out for guys in black hats...

 

[rixtrix1]

(I'll be contacting SWAG off road to see if they want to market my design.)


Don't know if you're being sarcastic, but I like it.

 

[Hot Chop shop]

make a sword!



im having a hard time keeping my 8"chef knife blades straight in the hardening phase... a sword!?! mabey a long sickle by the time im done butchering it.



Good luck man,



You have kids yet? if you do then nevermind...if not... this wedding is no where near as crazy as that woman is going to get...this is just a game your building...wait till its the nursery...







JP



I think Aggie went on vacation...said something about Vegas...Id keep an eye out for guys in black hats...

Haha... Okay so start with a machete and work your way up to a sword... You'll never know if you don't try and we will never learn if you don't post your success and your failures.

No kids yet but maybe one day I'll weld him/her a very unsafe crib or stroller.

(I'll be contacting SWAG off road to see if they want to market my design.)





Don't know if you're being sarcastic, but I like it.

Always sarcastic
Just doesn't always translate here. (I'm sure lots of people have used their belt sander in a vise before?)