Above 1200 Sq/FT Cleaning Up My Shop

[dreamingmuscle]

Sams club has LED shop lights for $35. Even had a sale on them Saturday for $25.

 

[Guster]

Whoa... Not bad for your first unsupervised go, messing around with TIG!

As usual I’m late to the party… definitely had the look of contaminated gas or welding in a breeze. Good catch on the leak though. I accidentally touched my torch to the hose while resting my hand and punctured the gas hose with the hot tungsten electrode. Same symptoms. Few wraps of PVC tape and everything now has a leather sleeve.

Always good to practice on an offcut of the same material if aesthetics are critical. I also prefer welding hot and fast with TIG. Most of my problems start when I loiter around too much. Though grinding is always a good 2nd option if that fails.

Now that part of the tractor looks good you will have to do all the rest!

 

[oldironfarmer]

More tractor work today. The tractor came in my shop with no kill rod. You had to get off with the tractor running to kill it. Less than desirable. It just needed a universal choke cable, but the clip on the injector pump end was missing. It seems a piece of plate with a groove slightly smaller than the cable was in order. New cable measured 0.192", so half of a 3/16" hole would be ideal and bite into the cable housing. I could mill a 3/16" groove but it is quicker to drill it between two pieces of plate. A good center punch gets the drill started.

You don't get long curls when drilling two pieces,

Then tap a No. 8-32 hole to match the existing screw

And it is secured and works great

The angle of the cable is set to compensate for the arc the lever travels through.

One more small job. Also made a blanking plate for the power steering pump and trimmed the hood so it would fit better.

Hope to start on the Studebaker tomorrow!

 

[oldironfarmer]

Sams club has LED shop lights for $35. Even had a sale on them Saturday for $25.

That would be about as cheap as fluorescent. I just checked Sam's site and it advertises two 4,500 lumen fixtures which use 40 watts. If I'm reading correctly that's 20 watts per bulb for 2,250 lumens per bulb. That's better than I've seen. The lamps I've been buying are 2,960 lumens at 32 watts. So the LED's are 112.5 lumens per watt while the fluorescent are 92.5 lumens per watt. I've held off buying LED's because I don't want dimmer lights and the ones I saw were not only fewer lumens, they were less lumens per watt as well. I realize they should last a lot longer, and I planned on buying the replacement LED bulbs. I need to shop around and start buying some for future use. Thanks for the help!!

Whoa... Not bad for your first unsupervised go, messing around with TIG!

As usual I’m late to the party… definitely had the look of contaminated gas or welding in a breeze. Good catch on the leak though. I accidentally touched my torch to the hose while resting my hand and punctured the gas hose with the hot tungsten electrode. Same symptoms. Few wraps of PVC tape and everything now has a leather sleeve.

Always good to practice on an offcut of the same material if aesthetics are critical. I also prefer welding hot and fast with TIG. Most of my problems start when I loiter around too much. Though grinding is always a good 2nd option if that fails.

Now that part of the tractor looks good you will have to do all the rest!

Thanks for the advice. I am paying attention

I can understand hot and fast, which takes good control.

Thanks for stopping in!!

I want to paint the tractor, but really don't want to take the time. Unless they ask

 

[Guster]

Hot and fast within reason I guess. With thin material I like to focus on getting a good fusion weld, keeping the heat affected zone small and localising the shrinkage to a small spot that I can plannish to stretch out a bit. This means often means doing little spot-welds 30-50mm apart to let material cool before doing the next one. I also take a bit of care when grinding the weld flat to keep from reintroducing localised shrinking by getting the material too hot again, grinding in the same order as the welds.

Good fit-up, weld backing(were needed) and good clamping also makes all the difference. Curved sheet metal is especially frustrating to keep aligned without those little sheet-metal clamps.

I still have years of practice ahead of me...

 

[Vieux]

Andy you're a welder. I bow before your talent!

 

[oldironfarmer]

Hot and fast within reason I guess. With thin material I like to focus on getting a good fusion weld, keeping the heat affected zone small and localising the shrinkage to a small spot that I can plannish to stretch out a bit. This means often means doing little spot-welds 30-50mm apart to let material cool before doing the next one. I also take a bit of care when grinding the weld flat to keep from reintroducing localised shrinking by getting the material too hot again, grinding in the same order as the welds.

Good fit-up, weld backing(were needed) and good clamping also makes all the difference. Curved sheet metal is especially frustrating to keep aligned without those little sheet-metal clamps.

I still have years of practice ahead of me...

Thanks for the advice. I do have some little sheet metal clamps, but aren't there yet.

Good fitup has always been my downfall. So I learned to weld across gaps. We'll see whether I can mend my evil ways.

Seems every thing I do includes years of practice yet ahead of me. But I've got nothing but time>

Andy you're a welder. I bow before your talent!

Ummm, I own a welder. I'm just learning. Thanks for the kind words.

Thanks for all the visits, and comments too!

 

[jbmatth]

Doing much better with the TIG Andy, I would have been embarrassed to show those first welds. Looking forward to more work on the Studebaker.
JB

 

[oldironfarmer]

I wasn't as embarrassed as I was trying to find out what I was doing wrong. I wasn't getting it that I didn't have argon coming through in sufficient quantities. If fact, I was quite pleased I did so well without argon

 

[Rex_A_Lott]

I wasn't as embarrassed as I was trying to find out what I was doing wrong. I wasn't getting it that I didn't have argon coming through in sufficient quantities. If fact, I was quite pleased I did so well without argon

You're not the first person to ever do that...why do you think everybody recognized it so quickly? The old rigs had a manual valve you had to turn on, forgetting meant an "Oh ****", and out came the grinder on the weld and a resharpening of the tungsten.
At least next time you will recognize it right away.

 

[oldironfarmer]

You're not the first person to ever do that...why do you think everybody recognized it so quickly? The old rigs had a manual valve you had to turn on, forgetting meant an "Oh ****", and out came the grinder on the weld and a resharpening of the tungsten.
At least next time you will recognize it right away.

You can't learn much if everything is going well, but I feel like I had a slow start.

When I was a young engineer I was on a scaffold up about sixty feet watching some guys fit up return bends on a heater. One of the welders stared at me for an extended period. I finally asked him if there was a problem, and he said he would start welding when I got off the green hose (argon lead). He was kind about it and I learned. Back when the eight pack welding machines were on the ground and you had to radio, signal, or shout amperage changes, or send somebody down. And if there are twenty welders on the shift, and 32 welding machines, there are lots of opportunity for screwups.

I'm getting several pieces of tungsten sharpened.

Thanks for stopping by.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Red letter day today, finally got the Massey Ferguson tractor finished.

It's been dogging me all summer. Put the hood on, wired up the dash and installe dit and the battery, bent the battery access panel so it would fit, and installed the blanking plate where the power steering pump was.

I'm hoping the sell the power steering pump, it's good, and some of the other components which aren't needed with manual steering.

Positive battery cable end was bad so I cut it off to replace with a new style, all brass, screws together. Had to spread it to get it to fit the battery post.

Dang! The package only said brass, not brass plated aluminum or pot metal. I had bought two, and the other did not need to be spread as much. Nice design, wish it was all brass.

Then pulled off a rear wheel to see what the brakes look like.

Big flathead keeper screws holding the brake drums on. First one came off with my old shop made screwdriver. Second one was not coming out. Used a flat punch and heat. Time to make a big flat screwdriver. Thought I'd try a piece of tool steel welded to an old extension. It's just 0.010" too thick

I know it's brittle but it won't take long to make, and maybe welding will soften it enough.

Welded with E309, usually a good material to weld dissimilar steels with. That's on a 3/8" socket extension. Weld came out ok, but made the tool steel piece a little short and melted the center from both sides. Still, that's not the load bearing part. It took a good load but broke before the screw Forgot to take a picture.

Decided before I welded a nut to the screw I'd forge a sucker rod one out and weld it to the extension. Ground off the tool steel and then found a piece of 5/8" sucker rod with pin and box, with the big square I can use a large crescent wrench to put the hurt on it.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Fired up the forge and used the trip hammer to flatten the piece of sucker rod. It needs to spread just a little. Just about five blows from one side and it was done.

I must admit I love running a trip hammer. Then since it was good and hot, turned around and put my mark on it.

Ground the end to fit the screw snug. That's hand press in and holding against gravity.

Tip is ground in a curve to fit in the milled groove in the screw head.

15" Crescent wrench and a good press with my knee and the screwdriver had a good bite on the screw head. Tractor was in gear but I started turning the engine, so I rocked it back and forth and snapped the screw right loose. Brake drum came off easily, and the brake shoes were in great shape. Put everything back together and adjusted the brakes. Spent a lot of time to get the brake drum off but now I have a good heavy duty screwdriver for future use. Guess I need to paint it.

Tractor is complete for all the repairs I'm going to do. They had promised to bring me the rest of the sheet metal but they didn't, so they get it back this way.

And the modified sheet metal fits in, I'll bet they don't notice the modification

Thanks for looking in. Now I have no excuse to not work on the Studebaker.

 

[Kev442]

A nice win. Got to practice lots of skills and it's out of the shop for good!

 

[oldironfarmer]

A nice win. Got to practice lots of skills and it's out of the shop for good!

Thanks!! I've really struggled to get the tractor finished. It's hard to work on your own stuff when you have somebody else' stuff broke down. Thanks for stopping in!

I did order 8 LED T8 bulbs today. The existing ballast has to be disconnected and that may be a challenge on the shop lights (ballasts are integral with the end cap and sockets) but they are bright 3,000 lumens, 22 watts. At $8 per bulb they are an economical way to fix fixtures with bad ballasts.

 

[dchance]

Andy,
Good to see the tractor ready to go. Now you can practice welding on the studebaker.

How many days till it has to be ready?

Looking forward to the work and the solutions that you come up with to solve the problems.

Dwight

Are you going to cast your own brass fittings for future cable connections?

 

[Guster]

It's hard to work on your own stuff when you have somebody else' stuff broke down.

I second that remark. (That's one for a signature quote!)

I bet you are just like me in that regard of dropping everything else to get it done and out of the way as you hate owing people or having them wait on you. Despite them saying there is no rush etc.

Still, you did good and made use of the time to practice new methods and getting the kinks out of others. Paid for some insulation too if I recall. Least you'll be cozy TIG welding on the Studebaker in the coming months!

 

[bolensboneyard]

Looking good Andy. I do not take in jobs anymore as I don't have enough time for my own fun projects. Good practice though.

 

[dlcwent]

AA. again you've come through with flying colors. Nice to see all the things you get accomplished. Just stopped by to keep you on your toes. I know what a slacker you'd be if I wasn't keeping my eyes on you.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Andy,
Good to see the tractor ready to go. Now you can practice welding on the studebaker.

How many days till it has to be ready?

Looking forward to the work and the solutions that you come up with to solve the problems.

Dwight

Are you going to cast your own brass fittings for future cable connections?

238 days, but why do you ask But that's only 204 Saturdays

Thanks for your kind words!

That's a nice idea, a little block, even of aluminum, with the grooves matching a cable cast in would be a nice pattern to have. Must write in notebook...

I second that remark. (That's one for a signature quote!)

I bet you are just like me in that regard of dropping everything else to get it done and out of the way as you hate owing people or having them wait on you. Despite them saying there is no rush etc.

Still, you did good and made use of the time to practice new methods and getting the kinks out of others. Paid for some insulation too if I recall. Least you'll be cozy TIG welding on the Studebaker in the coming months!

Yeah, hate owing people, hate being late even when i know others will be late.

Got some good experience, but they didn't want to swap labor so I paid for the insulation project. And I only charged them cost for parts and no labor since I took so long. It doesn't hurt me and does help them.

Looking good Andy. I do not take in jobs anymore as I don't have enough time for my own fun projects. Good practice though.

I don't take in jobs either, I just volunteer sometimes and then kick myself for weeks. This all started when they said their tractor would not lift their brush hog. I figured it was the relief valve and would be an easy fix. I was wrong, so very wrong.

AA. again you've come through with flying colors. Nice to see all the things you get accomplished. Just stopped by to keep you on your toes. I know what a slacker you'd be if I wasn't keeping my eyes on you.

Thanks for watching me, I was just about to think you had forgotten and I could relax.

Thanks for the visits, guys. My other dilemma, I want to loan Bob out to my son, but in a few months I have to feed hay, so along with fixing the Studebaker I really need to get the old Dodge back together before time to feed hay in November. Getting the Dodge out of the shop does two things, not only can I use it, it is taking up two parking spaces: I can park a car on the Bendpak and another under it which leaves room to put the Willys in the shop to start on it

 

[jbmatth]

Nice job on the screw removal, which reminds me I need to put a small forge together in my free time. Also I wasn't knocking your welds, you may notice I never show mine for good reason.
JB

 

[power wagon]

I also don't take jobs in any more, try to stay away from vol. jobs also those are the ones that always have problem, but some times iam just a sucker for punishment, just to much to do here

 

[oldironfarmer]

Nice job on the screw removal, which reminds me I need to put a small forge together in my free time. Also I wasn't knocking your welds, you may notice I never show mine for good reason.
JB

Thanks! The main reason I have the forge is to make tools as required, where a forged piece works best. Need I remind you I have forges to loan?

You weren't knocking my welds, you just said I should be embarrassed of my work.

And I wasn't.

I also don't take jobs in any more, try to stay away from vol. jobs also those are the ones that always have problem, but some times iam just a sucker for punishment, just to much to do here

Great truck!! I'm trying to learn to not offer.

Thanks for stopping in, guys!

 

[oldironfarmer]

Tried to cook the coasters the ladies made. However one of the kiln coils did not come on so it did not get hot enough. I had never cooked my mud to this temperature (whatever it was) but instead of orange it came out brown (probably just hard mud)

However, none of them cracked. I left them closed in a cardboard box for a week or more to allow slow steady drying. It worked well, I've had 50% failure of this size disc.

So I tore into the kiln to see what was wrong. The coils tested with good continuity. All the connections were tight, so I took the switch apart. The black box in the middle.

Could not find the fault in the switch. Cleaned the contacts and tried it again. It can be replaced with two single pole switches. But for this heat I wired the two coils together and ran it off the PID controller built for the big kiln. Smooth and sweet.

Spent a little time cutting and forming a new patch piece for the tailgate lip. Bent it using a sharp bent piece of the same material on top to give it a bigger radius. This radius matches the tailgate very closely.

Went as far as I could straightening the tailgate earlier. It is fractured several places and those cracks were making it hard to straighten the edges as the cracks hang up and keep jumping back out of place. So I welded all four corners today.

This crack just had a little lip so I went back and added weld to be ground off but fill in to the edge of the lip.

Four cracks here, but I plan to cut out the edge so didn't mess with the one.

Part two to come...

 

[oldironfarmer]

Part two, sanded the welds smooth in preparation to straightening the cracked areas (pictures in the same order)

Back of the welds, reasonably good penetration.

Last weld part three

 

[oldironfarmer]

Part three (and we're done!)

Last weld, reverse side

I need a lot more practice but was glad I didn't burn through anywhere and think it's fused well.

Need some help here. The bottom roll of the tailgate has severe corrosion along the top edge. I can't roll a piece that tight, but could make small patch plates. Options seem to be maybe patch four or five places or find a matching piece of pipe and replace the entire bottom of the tailgate. suggestions and comments?

Started making patterns for the cab rear bottom corner. I thought this might be a good place to try making a patch plate. I've ordered new running board patch plates but am going to try to patch the fenders, door skins, and cab corners.

Then drove the Massey Ferguson home and helped the lady install her brush hog. I could have loaded it on Bob's trailer, but it was a great day for a drive in the country

Thanks for stopping by!!

 

[Farmall450]

Glad to see you got the mighty fart out and done. That was nice of you to not charge for labor - seems the only problem with that is it ends up being a one way street and taken for granted.

 

[tinker rick]

Find a piece of pipe for the tailgate it will be faster and stronger.

 

[Terrick down Under]

Depends on how fast you want it done...welding in patches will leave a distortion to relieve, a full new piece of pipe could be quicker but if it distorts under the roll it will be a nightmare to get straight again.
I would still go for the pipe tack it into position, then tack 1" and leave 4" then walk away for the day, then stich 1" and leave 4" gap, walk away for the day, stich the next 1" in each section and walk away. Slowly you will get a nice straight job. JMHO.
Use a heavy steel bench to work on so that it draws the heat out faster.

 

[xtremek]

That does look like a nice drive. Job well done on the old Massey.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Glad to see you got the mighty fart out and done. That was nice of you to not charge for labor - seems the only problem with that is it ends up being a one way street and taken for granted.

I'm glad to be shed of it too. Part of why I didn't charge for labor is selfish, it's harder for people to ask for a gift to be repeated, and I spent a lot more on labor than I should have. The lady was very appreciative, however, and very glad to have her tractor back.

Find a piece of pipe for the tailgate it will be faster and stronger.

Thanks for that vote!

Depends on how fast you want it done...welding in patches will leave a distortion to relieve, a full new piece of pipe could be quicker but if it distorts under the roll it will be a nightmare to get straight again.
I would still go for the pipe tack it into position, then tack 1" and leave 4" then walk away for the day, then stich 1" and leave 4" gap, walk away for the day, stich the next 1" in each section and walk away. Slowly you will get a nice straight job. JMHO.
Use a heavy steel bench to work on so that it draws the heat out faster.

Nice dissertation. I'm thinking any pipe I find will likely be much heavier than the original which shoudl facilitate keeping it straight.

Are you telling me I need to make a heavy steel bench?

That does look like a nice drive. Job well done on the old Massey.

Thanks! It was a nice drive, a bit farther than I wanted but beautiful weather. It's about 8 miles from the house and the Massey road gear is slower than Farmall's I'm used to. About the same time to hook the trailer (I weld better than I back to hit the ball), load, chain down, drive, unload and stow chain if it had been a bit closer, but none the less a great day for a drive which I have been over by tractor many times over the years. Good therapy. But part way there I heard a tinkling, almost like a chain dragging. Don't hear well but no breakdown. After I got there I saw a headlight had come out of it's rubber socket and was bounding against it's housing. Went right back in. And she paid me extra.

Thanks for the visits, it's Saturday

 

[Rex_A_Lott]

I would suggest using tubing for the bottom of the tailgate. You can get ERW
mild steel tubing in .060, .083 and .120 wall thickness fairly cheap. Try a muffler shop or somebody that fools with race cars or offroad trucks. Inch and a half or 1 3/4 is common and looks to be about what you have. I'd try to use .083, just because its a LOT easier to weld than the .060, but what you have is probably close to the thinner stuff. Good Luck

 

[Guster]

Are you telling me I need to make a heavy steel bench?

You have to ask?

Thanks! It was a nice drive, a bit farther than I wanted but beautiful weather.

8mile drive... how do you get back? Surely one of the benefits of loading onto trailer that definitely outweighs the one-way 8mile trip on the tractor is surely not having to walk almost 2 hours.

I can't wait till Saturday!

 

[Terrick down Under]

OIF, well actually , I assumed you had a heavy steel bench.......and yes the heavier pipe would help!

 

[oldironfarmer]

I would suggest using tubing for the bottom of the tailgate. You can get ERW
mild steel tubing in .060, .083 and .120 wall thickness fairly cheap. Try a muffler shop or somebody that fools with race cars or offroad trucks. Inch and a half or 1 3/4 is common and looks to be about what you have. I'd try to use .083, just because its a LOT easier to weld than the .060, but what you have is probably close to the thinner stuff. Good Luck

I measured, and the existing is 1-1/4" OD. It is also the hinge sleeve so I'll look for 1-1/4". We have a local tubing mill that sells mill reject so I imagine I can find some easily.

You have to ask?

8mile drive... how do you get back? Surely one of the benefits of loading onto trailer that definitely outweighs the one-way 8mile trip on the tractor is surely not having to walk almost 2 hours.

I can't wait till Saturday!

Note to self: Buy one sheet of 3/4" steel to make a decent table.

I coordinated with the owner and she gave me a ride back.

I had a nice Saturday

OIF, well actually , I assumed you had a heavy steel bench.......and yes the heavier pipe would help!

I've only got my little welding table, 1/4" top. And it was in my fire, I split the aprons and rewelded them to take the sag out of the top but it is not flat. I use it almost every day but it is only about 20"x36". Might be time for a larger one.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Got the coasters fired, I love the orange color they turn into.

And glazed them on the bottom. That way the porous clay holds the condensation from cold drinks and the glazing prevents it from seeping through.

I did do a little actual cleaning, in 1/2 Cup's honor.

My storage cabinet next to the welding table has been a mess for many years.

I have not seen this top for years.

And you can now walk between the post and the cabinet and open the cabinet doors unobstructed.

Little jobs like that are satisfying!

Spent some time on the Studebaker, twisted off several bolts holding the front fenders on, and others have to be cut off. That's life with an old rust bucket.

 

[BUGTHUG]

I'd be looking on CL, always good metal tables on there.

 

[Kev442]

The only good thing about needing to finish up the Dodge is that when you get annoyed by the welding and busted bolts on the Stud e baker, you can go get something to drip in your eye instead for a while.

 

[oldironfarmer]

I'd be looking on CL, always good metal tables on there.

You were right. A 72" by 73" table with a 9/16" top (top not flat per ad) for $250. That would make two good tables. I'm thinking.

Thanks for the suggestion!

The glazing on the coasters fired nicely. No damage.

I had cut some profile patterns for the Studebaker passenger side lower rear corner. Taped paper over the patch area and split and lapped it to fit smoothly.

Trimmed it and checked the fit.

Then cut the paper along the split lines so it would lay flat and marked it out on a piece of metal.

Cut it out on the throatless shear. Simple and easy to use, nice tool.

I meant to grind the burs off the cuts but neglected to do that and started trying to shape the metal.

If I can get it shaped close to finished I'll weld the seams up then try to work it to final shape. This is the first time I've ever tried to do this, results may be variable.

Thanks for stopping by.

 

[oldironfarmer]

The only good thing about needing to finish up the Dodge is that when you get annoyed by the welding and busted bolts on the Stud e baker, you can go get something to drip in your eye instead for a while.

Excellent concept! I can also get grease in my hair and on the back of my shirt. I guess I had failed to recognize the positive points.