Above 1200 Sq/FT 86's 20HP shop

[86turbodsl]

Nope. Nice try though

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[ClappedOutBport]

Engine stand.

 

[86turbodsl]

Nope. Ill releive the suspense. Topside creeper

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[bimmer1980]

are you using the topside creeper yet?

 

[86turbodsl]

haha, i wish. i'm still figuring out the mechanism. I want it to fold up and store against a wall. It will be too big to store if i dont. Then once that's working i have to get the injectors pulled on the truck.

 

[Strouty]

I bought one when it was on super special sale from Amazon, they are great, but make sure you make it so your legs can be out straight, superman style. If not, it hurts the knees after using it for a bit.

 

[86turbodsl]

Yes, exactly. When i did the injectors last time, it destroyed my back and knees. I am not doing that again. I looked at the cheap ones available for less than 300 and don't like the design. I like this one:
https://www.redlinestands.com/catal...vator-overthetop-topside-truck-creeper-p-2195
But not at that price. I think i can replicate for a reasonable investment in time and materials i have on hand.

 

[Strouty]

That is a nice looking design, the one I bought was $139 delivered and it was the original topside creeper, for that price I didn't complain too much.

 

[86turbodsl]

I wanted to work on it last night, but i finally got a "round-tuit" [TM] and pulled my spare pallet rack out of the leanto and shortened it to 12' so it can go in the shop. I want to finish the walls first, but not sure i am going to. I have quite a lot of **** sitting on the shop floor that needs to get put away. Pallet rack will let me do that. BUT the pallet racking is pretty beat up and rusty. There's 8 of them, and probably 4 need some work to the uprights. I think i'm going to splice some of the parts i cut off to replace the bent sections. These won't be holding up engines and heavy stuff, since they are only 2' deep, they will be mostly storing boxes of car parts or whatnot.

So need to get injectors done to drive truck again, but have **** to get out of the way to get truck in, so sorta chicken and egg problem. But gotta keep moving on it, if i want the shop functional again.

The topside creeper, i will order some pins for quick release today and hope to finish up some of the more prickly design elements so i can make some more progress. Getting the placement of the hinge point right will determine how well it folds up.

 

[Strouty]

Are you topside yet????

 

[86turbodsl]

I wish. My holdup is the two verticals need to telescope. Normal square tube is seam welded, and the question is how to remove the weld seam from 3 feet of square tube. So i found a couple of ideas on youtube/interwebz and am moving forward with that. I just got a 1/4" bearing yesterday to hold the rotary rasp so i can pull that through the tube. I need to make a block to hold the bearing though. I will probably wish i just ordered the 1200 dollar tool by the time i'm done...

 

[Strouty]

Or bought some seamless tubing.

 

[86turbodsl]

I've never seen seamless square DOM. I know it exists, but probably special order. I'm a bottom feeder remember? Lol.

 

[Strouty]

I come across it from time to time, but probably in larger sizes than you could really use. Fireball tool on YouTube had a pretty interesting way to remove the seam.

 

[rattle_snake]

local steel yard has telescopic hole punched square tube in a few sizes, similar to street signs.
That said, any street signs in your area that can be 'deprecated'?

Else you can grind a groove in the inner tube to clear the seam on the outer one.

 

[86turbodsl]

Around here, street signs use u shaped channel. Never seen anything like telescopic dom at the steel yard.

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[macgyver37]

Is making it non adjustable an option just to get on to the next urgent project? Maybe give the part a heavy tack weld and use it, then make it like you really want it later..

 

[Strouty]

I know it is overkill, but maybe you could find some receiver tube, that would allow for another tube to slide in and out. Maybe you could find the really small size, 1” or something like that?

 

[bimmer1980]

I agree. Get the height close enough for your truck project. Heavy tack weld and get on with it.

Perhaps later you can make it will all the bells and whistles, but for the moment, just get it workable.

It doesn't need an Instagram worthy weld either.

But that's just my two cents....

 

[86turbodsl]

Ok, i think you guys have convinced me. I'll see about making something just good enough, against my normal urges.. stay tuned.

 

[86turbodsl]

Incidentally, i just checked my normal steel supplier. A 24' stick of 2x2x11ga square tubing in plain steel is now going for 270 a pc. That's 3.70 / #.

 

[86turbodsl]

Ok, i think i have a gameplan. I cut the horizontal board to size, routed the edges, it's exactly my size (small) so it won't pinch my arms. The end of the board is at my hip joint. I will cover it with a pad and some vinyl for comfort. I cut some 1" square tubing to make a frame that will attach to the vertical. For now, i will use the inner of the telescoping tubes and attach the horizontal as intended. Once that's done, i'll tack the vertical to the base and build the ladder. Then i will have to come up with the leg horizontals. I'll attach photos when i get further along.

 

[Strouty]

Tube has been really pricey for a while, but $3.70 a pound is ridiculous.

 

[bimmer1980]

How are you doing on the top side creeper?

Anything else happening?

Hopefully it's warm enough in the shop... LoL

 

[86turbodsl]

It's been a while since i've posted. Lots going on, i'm going to post a big update when i'm ready. A few days yet probably. And yes, it's plenty warm...lol.

 

[86turbodsl]

Ok, i'm basically at the end of my time window and it's been a long time since a proper update, so i'll fill you in on the details.

It's been a whirlwind couple of months to say the least. In late May, i was told i would need to get my mother's 54 Ford convertible tuned back up so she could drive it this summer. It was my late father's car, they have owned it for 25 years. Dad passed about 2 years ago and it's been languishing in the shop at Mom's house with a dead battery ever since. This is right about the time our last child, my daughter was going to be graduating. Since she was the "covid" class, and spent her entire senior year pretty much sequestered at home, the school started a new policy of a town parade with each senior featured downtown. Somehow the suggestion was made to drive her in the convertible. As her Grandpa would not be able to come to her graduation, i said this was the closest she was going to get to him. She teared up and said "go get the convertible".

Sooo, i took off on a Thursday night and rode down to mom's house and got the convertible running. Then drove it the 65 miles back home in time to be ready for the graduation on a Friday night. On the way back i noticed quite a few things that the car would need to be right for mom. The battery was held down by zip ties to the alternator. No good. And the hood latch didn't work. It was on the emergency catch all the time. Also no good.


We did the parade with my daughter and her boyfriend in the backseat and i chauffeured since neither one knows how to drive a stick. After that i got the car in the shop and on the lift and serviced everything. Built a battery bracket/holddown, fixed a few little things and got the hood latch working again by building a proper length spring.

At that point, buyers started coming out of the woodwork and the car was finally sold after 2 years of advertising. I think it's weird how that suddenly happened, but the timing worked out well as i was able to service it just in time and take care of the shipping part. It shipped right from my house instead of mom's house.

Now that was out of the way, i was able to get my daughter's car serviced and put in a new starter. Which was super easy due to the lift. How did i ever live without one all these years? Mind boggling.

We also have planned my daughter's graduation party for August 7, and i've been feverishly brewing beer to have ready for the party.

This week i also took the week off work to work on the shop. Now it's been pretty cluttered with all the work that's been going on, but i realized it wasn't going to get any better with multiple unfinished projects in the shop at the same time, so something had to give.

So i started by cleaning out the center and moving a bunch of things off the wall so i could paint and finally erect some more pallet rack. i decided not to prepaint the racking because that process takes way too long and would burn all my time. So i have been working on putting it up and i'll clean and paint it in place.


I took the time to paint the walls first as it would be real hard later.


Getting the pallet racking on the wall in the right spot was critical as that corner by the welding area needs access for the electrical box as well as clearing the 3 phase panel that needs to go in that corner as well. AND access to the bottom of the wall where the A/C lines will come in for the A/C.

while i was working on the racking, i realized that this particular brand would support a right angle takeoff. So what happened is i could add another section right above the door and use that space too! And nothing would be in the way. Can still get to the electrical panels, and the wall mounted plc stuff. Also gives me a place to hang coats or something like that.

So here's where it sits right now, just about ready to put the welders back and the welding table. I also gained some places to hang things like welding cables and such. Pallet racking is so useful.

To top it off, i also purchased but have yet to go pick up a forklift. That is waiting on the truck to be completed. Which needs to happen ASAP. Then the focus will return to the party until that's done, then back on the the shop and closing out the summer.

I also need to finish welding up the new boiler before winter. LOTS to do.

And bear with me as i learn new picture processing with tapatalk gone now. It's a bit of a process.

 

[Bob Heine]

Sooo, i took off on a Thursday night and rode down to mom's house and got the convertible running. Then drove it the 65 miles back home in time to be ready for the graduation on a Friday night. On the way back i noticed quite a few things that the car would need to be right for mom. The battery was held down by zip ties to the alternator. No good. And the hood latch didn't work. It was on the emergency catch all the time. Also no good.

86, that's a beautiful first year ohv Ford convertible. Aside from the '57 Dodge Lancer hubcaps was it stock? If a car from that period doesn't have its original hubcaps, the lancers were the next best (or in this case better) choice.

 

[86turbodsl]

I don't know all the details, but 292V8, T5 transmission with adapter plate. Everything else was stock to my knowledge.

It was a somewhat duplicate of my dad's first car, which would have been astonishingly valuable these days. From what i remember, he bought at 16 in 1957-ish, it had power steering, power brakes, power windows, power seat, and don't quote me but i think he said A/C also. AND convertible. A purple unicorn for sure.

 

[Strouty]

The pictures are a bit tougher from a mobile device if you want to organize and caption them, I have gotten to the point where I will post them mobile, then fix them as needed later when I am at a computer.

Looking like you are making serious progress, love the right angle pallet rack setup. I don't have any like that, but I think I could make some custom stuff for future projects, so I have taken a mental note.

 

[86turbodsl]

Only way i have figured out to upload is from a browser on the phone. Its still a pita.

 

[Strouty]

It gets a bit better with practice, I couldn't stand it at first, now I use it through a browser as well.

 

[86turbodsl]

yeah it'll take some getting used to. It also doesn't help my phone has become soooo slow and my new one is still not shipping. Hoping that the new one speeds up this sort of posting. I hate typing on a phone so i usually just upload pics, then go fill in the text on a computer. New phone has a keyboard.

 

[bimmer1980]

Great progress!! You made some good choices on priorities to move the ball forward!

Pallet racking will be handy.

Keep it up!

 

[macgyver37]

Glad to hear you are getting a forklift, I have went overboard and now have 3, each has it's job. I honestly would not be able to do my work without one, at least not for more than a day or two. I use one everyday.

Would it be worth it to get a rollback to deliver it to your shop so you can use it sooner than later?

 

[ClappedOutBport]

Looks great 86! I haven't been keeping up with this forum so much after the new software change. Nothing wrong with it, just set me back some. But man! You've been doing lots and I've done jack-**** at my own shop. I just need my roommate to clear out then I'm gonna start in hot and heavy. At least that's what I've been telling myself...

 

[86turbodsl]

Glad to hear you are getting a forklift, I have went overboard and now have 3, each has it's job. I honestly would not be able to do my work without one, at least not for more than a day or two. I use one everyday.

Would it be worth it to get a rollback to deliver it to your shop so you can use it sooner than later?

I probably thought of a half a dozen more uses for one just on the way back from looking at it. More useful than my frontend loader i think and that's saying a lot...

I'm not sure a rollback would work due to height. That's getting up close to ~ 14' truck height. Plus the delivery cost would be breathtaking. I've looked at contract costs for delivery and they are all running about 1500. More than i want to spend with a dually diesel sitting in the driveway. Trailer rental is less than 100. If my gooseneck was done it'd be free. But i need the forklift to actually fix the gooseneck so it sorta makes sense.

The forklift is a rough terrain one so i will be able to use it outdoors but it should go inside also. It's kinda big though, so i'm also considering a tiny indoor one like a clark clipper or something that size. I think i could find a spot for that one. Buuuuut, the 4 post lift i have scheduled would be in the way of a little forklift on the other side. I'm considering ways to make the 4 post unboltable.

 

[86turbodsl]

Looks great 86! I haven't been keeping up with this forum so much after the new software change. Nothing wrong with it, just set me back some. But man! You've been doing lots and I've done jack-**** at my own shop. I just need my roommate to clear out then I'm gonna start in hot and heavy. At least that's what I've been telling myself...

Thanks. I hear ya on the forum software. I'm really not sure about it yet. Time will tell. As far as motivation, my end by date is getting closer... lol...

 

[ClappedOutBport]

I probably thought of a half a dozen more uses for one just on the way back from looking at it. More useful than my frontend loader i think and that's saying a lot...

I'm not sure a rollback would work due to height. That's getting up close to ~ 14' truck height. Plus the delivery cost would be breathtaking. I've looked at contract costs for delivery and they are all running about 1500. More than i want to spend with a dually diesel sitting in the driveway. Trailer rental is less than 100. If my gooseneck was done it'd be free. But i need the forklift to actually fix the gooseneck so it sorta makes sense.

The forklift is a rough terrain one so i will be able to use it outdoors but it should go inside also. It's kinda big though, so i'm also considering a tiny indoor one like a clark clipper or something that size. I think i could find a spot for that one. Buuuuut, the 4 post lift i have scheduled would be in the way of a little forklift on the other side. I'm considering ways to make the 4 post unboltable.

Man I tell ya. I'm not really in the market for a forklift (it would be useful) but I have a super low ceiling and 7' garage doors. So anything I got would have to be full free height lift and small. But man! I saw a 3000lb clark, propane, <7', on FB for $650! Looked good too. Sold before I could have gotten to it. I've never heard of the clipper, but after a quick google that would be perfect for me.

 

[Strouty]

It is nice to have an inside forklift and an outside forklift, you just can't make one do what the other can do. I am down to four forklifts from six (two separate locations), need to do some work on all of them, but they all will get the work done and I don't think I could do some of the things I do without one, at least not in a timely manner.

 

[86turbodsl]

I see little hard tire ones for 750 all the time. I dont care gas or propane. Gas is easier really and more common on the old ones. Transport is really the only niggle. Drop deck trailer is almost a necessity.