Above 1200 Sq/FT Cleaning Up My Shop

[Ole Slewfoot]

Yes, the Lincoln has step power settings (voltage I believe) and variable wire feed. I don't know enough about MIG yet to understand when the setting is not ideal. The machine has a pretty good chart inside the box cover plate and I've just been going by that.

If you are not, try some 0.025" wire (and matching tip) for sheet metal.

 

[oldironfarmer]

I don't have an personal experience with planishing welds but did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once. From what I have read once you get your gaps in the panels set and begin to make tacks as the welds cool they start to close the gap ever so slightly. You would planish them after each tack in a consistent manner so as to not open up the gap but also enough to bring the gap back to original. MP&C's thread has a lot of great info on this as I'm sure there are many other resources on the web. Hope this helps, and if not my advise was worth what I charged.
JB

Thanks for the comments. I started out reading MP&C's thread and never got all the way through it. He does great work! Wish I could find time to read more.

I have stayed many times in Holiday Inn Express, earned lots of credentials.

Pretty much what JB mentioned. When spot or dot welding the weld shrinks the material relative to its surrounding material creating a pinching effect and planishing flattens the bead to push it out again. In effect reducing the rippling effect you get when **** welding patch panels as a series of interleaved spotwelds. A patch like the corner of a larger flat panel might also cause it to tin can and this is supposed to help reduce that.

Making great progress on the Studebaker Andy... wish I had a few more Saturdays like that.

You mentioned Harbour Freight... what did you buy?

Thanks for the additional comments! I always used to try to pound the weld back flat with gas on sheet metal, with some success.

Thanks for the kind words! I made a little progress today.

I bought two more die grinders. At $14 each you may as well minimize changing tooling. Specifically, I've been using a 3" cutoff disc in one and when it gets worn to about 1" I wanted to leave it on a grinder for working in tight areas rather than using it up and putting a new disc on. So now i have a 3" and a 1" disc die grinder.

Andy: your welding skills and the information on this thread are improving almost daily.

hope you are 100% again or still under the weather with a cold/flu?

so having your NEIGHBOR'S bull service your cows while your bull with the bad foot heals? sounds like a WIN WIN and happy you didn't buy the one that had you in his sites at the sales barn.

hope you are enjoying your SATURDAY!!

It's easy to improve when you have so far to go

I'm back to 100%, such as it is, a little nagging cough.

The neighbor's bull is not the genetics I would select, but a calf is better than no calf.

Every Saturday has been great!!

If you are not, try some 0.025" wire (and matching tip) for sheet metal.

I started with 0.030" wire. I decided to order some 0.025" wire today and it is expensive. Relatively. So I saw some 0.023". 2 thousandths doesn't seem like much until later when I realized 0.030 is just 5 thousandths bigger. It is ER-70S-6. I hope my 0.025" feed roller will feed it. I assume if it will feed it should be a good as 0.025".

I have been fighting with the purchased box brace that goes under the running board. Either is was misfabbed, my truck is out of whack, or or I screwed up the elevation of the running board. After studying it for too long I decided to just alter the brace to fit.

That's the box brace tacked in place. I cut 1/4" at the near end and down to 1/8" a foot back. That was after straightening the running board. I had to do this to get the brace to touch the front door pillar. Then when I pulled the flange down to the running board I had a pretty good gap. Some success at tacking across the gap without making a mess.

The outside of the brace welds to the running board. Originally spot welded, I think I'm going to skip weld it.

The running board had a bow in it so I did a bit of shrinking to get it straight (er). That's the discoloration.

With the brace in place I got the old hat section pieces fit and painted. I decided to finish the hat section in place.

I wire brushed the glass off the welds on the inside of the brace. I'm pleased with them. Pretty sure I got good penetration.

With any luck at all I'll get a hat section in place tomorrow. I did test fit the door yesterday and it looks like it will fit good. After the hat section goes in I should be ready to put the skin section on the rear quarter and make a new floor pan piece. I'm finally seeing some progress. I hope the other side goes quicker.

Thanks for bearing with me.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Well done Andy.

It looks like you are getting the hang of the MIG..

Regards

 

[bolensboneyard]

Andy you control your heat with MIG by spot tacking in various areas then filling in as necessary. If the parameters are set right you will have plenty of penetration and very little if any distortion. Your heat is controllable with TIG but your wire must be fed by hand (power feeds are another discussion). This does not lend itself to imperfect fit ups either.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Well done Andy.

It looks like you are getting the hang of the MIG..

Regards

Thanks, Steve! I'm liking the MIG a lot.

Andy you control your heat with MIG by spot tacking in various areas then filling in as necessary. If the parameters are set right you will have plenty of penetration and very little if any distortion. Your heat is controllable with TIG but your wire must be fed by hand (power feeds are another discussion). This does not lend itself to imperfect fit ups either.

Thanks, Bobby! I'm thinking I really need to make a small angle to bridge the gap where I obviously cut out too much material. However it's a good place to practice welding across a gap so long as I don't warp the running board.

 

[dreamingmuscle]

Finally some stude ****!

 

[oldironfarmer]

Finally some stude ****!

Finished welding up the seam with the wide gap. Little if any warpage.

Started welding the pieces of hat section in place. Pretty wide gap between sections.

Decided to weld across the gap. MIG did really well. Here's a shot of the back side of that weld. Full penetration but not a lot of extra metal inside.

Cut a patch piece to fit between the far side gap, and then cut a plate to go between the sides. The throatless shear curved it quite a bit, and it turns out it is a pretty good match

But since I had the pieces used to form the sections one of them made a convenient form.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Andy, done well...

 

[oldironfarmer]

Finished welding up the section.

As a reminder, here's the other side. There's just not enough to patch, had to make all the pieces I didn't buy.

I'm hoping the other side will go quicker. I was really feeling my way on this side.

Smoothed the welds down a bit. Not really pretty but it will be strong.

Put some primer on it. It would look better with bed liner.

Thanks for the visits!! The rest of the driver's side floor pan is next.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Andy, done well...

Thanks again Steve. I'm hoping by the time I get to exterior panels I can minimize the body putty needed to hide my welds by improving the welds. But the MIG is working out well. I didn't buy it for sheet metal, but wish I'd bought one earlier. It seems people I know with one can't ever use it because they are always out of gas. That was one of my concerns, and the poor performance I had many years ago. But this is working very well.

Since you've been here I'd better count DeWalt tools

Thanks for the visit.

 

[drivesitfar]

Andy: nice looking fab work and welding. WELL DONE!!

No questions today cause it's finally SUNDAY so enjoy your rest day.

i would have grabbed a Coke, but not drinking pop/soda so just left some for others that needed one. saving my calorie intake for PIE, cookies and ice cream

cheers

 

[bj383ss]

That corner looks great Andy. Put some seam sealer on all the welds and the spray it with undercoating and you are done.

Bret

 

[jimreed2160]

Put some seam sealer on all the welds and the spray it with undercoating and you are done.

"Oh, yah. You're gonna want that undercoating, fer sure. You betcha."

 

[dreamingmuscle]

Ooooohhhh paint!!!!!

 

[jbmatth]

Great progress Andy and I'm really impressed you were able to fill that gap with weld.
JB

 

[dchance]

Great progress.

Dwight

 

[dlcwent]

Great progress Andy and I'm really impressed you were able to fill that gap with weld.
JB

Really JB. You're talking about Andy. Is there anything he can't do?

 

[bj383ss]

Andy I thought I would share some cab floor motivation.

Before with 50 years of **** and new floor pans and rockers welded in. Plus 35 miscellaneous holes welded up.

DSCN8404 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

Clean

DSCN8418 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

Primer and seam sealer.

DSCN8468 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

Undercoated

DSCN8473 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

That is all.

Bret

 

[jbmatth]

Really JB. You're talking about Andy. Is there anything he can't do?

I doubt there is, but would like to see him peal an apple and only have one peal.

I don't know why I thought of that but now remember it from an episode of The Andy Griffith Show I believe.

JB

 

[Farmall450]

I doubt there is, but would like to see him peal an apple and only have one peal.

I don't know why I thought of that but now remember it from an episode of The Andy Griffith Show I believe.

JB

He'll pull a homemade knife out of his pocket and get right to it.

 

[Guster]

He'll pull a homemade knife out of his pocket and get right to it.

He'd forge that homemade knife from a scrap piece of high carbon steel, taken off an old farm implement for sure.

PS. I'd bet Studebaker leaf springs make great knives!

 

[oldironfarmer]

Andy: nice looking fab work and welding. WELL DONE!!

No questions today cause it's finally SUNDAY so enjoy your rest day.

i would have grabbed a Coke, but not drinking pop/soda so just left some for others that needed one. saving my calorie intake for PIE, cookies and ice cream

cheers

No questions?

What did I do?

Thanks for the nice comment

That corner looks great Andy. Put some seam sealer on all the welds and the spray it with undercoating and you are done.

Bret

I didn't know about seam sealer. Need to get some on order.

At least we are started now.

"Oh, yah. You're gonna want that undercoating, fer sure. You betcha."

I can remember working on cars with undercoating sprayed on everything after the car had been delivered. What a mess.

Ooooohhhh paint!!!!!

Paint, paint, paint!!!

Am I done yet?

Great progress Andy and I'm really impressed you were able to fill that gap with weld.
JB

Thanks!

I know you're a good welder, I've heard of JB Weld all my life and was privileged to meet you.

The MIG is a lot easier than I expected. So far so good. The few welds I've ground flat were sound. More practice is certainly in order.

Great progress.

Dwight

Thank you!

Really JB. You're talking about Andy. Is there anything he can't do?

Which Andy?

Thanks for the kind words, however

Andy I thought I would share some cab floor motivation.

Before with 50 years of **** and new floor pans and rockers welded in. Plus 35 miscellaneous holes welded up.

DSCN8404 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

Clean

DSCN8418 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

Primer and seam sealer.

DSCN8468 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

Undercoated

DSCN8473 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

That is all.

Bret

Chevy ****

Nice! That is motivating

I doubt there is, but would like to see him peel an apple and only have one peel.

I don't know why I thought of that but now remember it from an episode of The Andy Griffith Show I believe.

JB

He'll pull a homemade knife out of his pocket and get right to it.

Hmmm, not sure if you're laughing at me for using home made knives or making fun because you know I never peel apples. If you try to make the peeling the same width for the whole apple it takes a bit of time and the apple turns brown. So I just eat the unpeeled apple rather than do a sloppy job. More fiber anyway.

Thanks for all the visits and comments, guys!!

 

[oldironfarmer]

Yesterday I had a lot of farm work to do but got a floor plate cut out, and made a pattern for rolling the edge of the floor.

Made two profile patterns for the cone and beat it out on the shot bag. Deceptively easy.

Took it to the brake and put some creases in it and it is close.

Thought I'd work from the middle out because I wasn't sure how much the cone would shrink the overall piece. Turns out it wasn't much.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Then started forming the stiffening ribs. The home made jig works pretty well.

After the top die I use a round nose punch to set the corner in and make the radius on the ends.

Everything seems to be spaced right.

Turned the flanges to line up with the front floor pan. Realized at this point I didn't have enough flange material on the right end.

Then formed the rounded part on the left end. It was a challenge but in the end came out alright.

Cut out the floor and determined I needed to remove the flange on the left side to make everything fit. The floor was warped because of being used after it was rusted through so it was a bit of a job to pull it back but three panel clamps worked (after they were abused a little).

Didn't have quite enough material on the left end.

Oh well, I can always add in a small patch plate. I had to remove extra on the other end, guess I didn't get the cone in the right place. It's tacked in part way now.

If I paint it am I done?

 

[oldironfarmer]

He'd forge that homemade knife from a scrap piece of high carbon steel, taken off an old farm implement for sure.

PS. I'd bet Studebaker leaf springs make great knives!

Hey Guster!!

You sneaked in when I wasn't looking.

Now I'm embarrassed to tell you how I make knives. I use section guards off of mowing machines. They are made for cutting and made for impact so they make pretty good knives. And the material can be water quenched. As a bonus, they are consumable. They get bent and broken so I have buckets full of used ones. Sometimes I find one full of cracks but for the most part they are just raw material ready to go.

Don't know what section guards are? I'll get some pictures.

Thanks for stopping in!!

 

[dreamingmuscle]

Paint, paint, paint!!!

Am I done yet

Unfortunately no, you have more sanding to do.

Glen

 

[Farmall450]

I was complimenting you for having the skills to make your own knives! (agreed on the leaf springs/blades, btw).

 

[drivesitfar]

Andy: I think you missed a day of actual posting so maybe Sunday really is a rest day for you?

I hope you are felling almost 100% again and i do like all this welding and fab work you've been doing, but wondering if you are missing cooking aluminum and making little pies out of them. are you or are you on a mission to get this StudeDakota to your grandaughter sooner rather than later?

how's the BULL?

any pie left over cause I know i'll be hungry in a few hours?

cheers and keep up the great work!!

I'll be back tomorrow (SATURDAY) to check back in on you and hope you enjoy your Saturday today.

 

[charleyw]

Clever work using the c-clamp to form the ribs. If you have a fairly large Arbor press it goes a little faster. My $.02

 

[don long]

Nice work Andy
The bottom of the cab looks great.
Your home remedys are quite creative as well as informative

Thanks

Don

 

[bolensboneyard]

Great job Andy. "There is nothing so sweet as to succeed in the face of adversity."

 

[oldironfarmer]

I was complimenting you for having the skills to make your own knives! (agreed on the leaf springs/blades, btw).

I know, and thank you.

It is hard for me to be complimented, easier to be laughed at in good fun. I need to be a little less cynical.

I'm sure you know but for those who don't know what a section guard is, here's a picture. The triangle cutting pieces are sections and the fingers between them are the guards. The sections and the bottom of the guards are the two cutting edges. The sections oscillate back and forth quickly to cut grass.

Here's some of my stock of new ones

And a stack of used ones

And parts of one cut up to be forged. These are small pieces but large enough for a moderate sized knife

And a couple of knives

This one has a 3-1/2" blade. If you cut the guard right you can get a larger knife but this is usually the size I make.

Andy: I think you missed a day of actual posting so maybe Sunday really is a rest day for you?

I hope you are felling almost 100% again and i do like all this welding and fab work you've been doing, but wondering if you are missing cooking aluminum and making little pies out of them. are you or are you on a mission to get this StudeDakota to your grandaughter sooner rather than later?

how's the BULL?

any pie left over cause I know i'll be hungry in a few hours?

cheers and keep up the great work!!

I'll be back tomorrow (SATURDAY) to check back in on you and hope you enjoy your Saturday today.

I've been busy with farm work lately. The bull has been turned out with the cows and he is trying to breed. I think he is being successful.

I really am missing aluminum melting but I need to stay focused on the Studebaker.

Thanks for the visit!

Clever work using the c-clamp to form the ribs. If you have a fairly large Arbor press it goes a little faster. My $.02

The C-Clamp was just holding the work. There is a male die under it and I have a female die I hammer down over it.

I do have a fly press which would do the job nicely (5 ton) but I didn't take the time to make the dies fit into the press.

Thanks for your 2 cents. It's a start!

Nice work Andy
The bottom of the cab looks great.
Your home remedys are quite creative as well as informative

Thanks

Don

Thank you!!

Home remedies because I'm a novice with no training so I'm just trying to figure out what to do.

Any advice always appreciated.

Great job Andy. "There is nothing so sweet as to succeed in the face of adversity."

Thanks, Bobby!

 

[Farmall450]

The knives look good Andy. And yes, I'm familiar with a sickle bar

 

[oldironfarmer]

Unfortunately no, you have more sanding to do.

Glen

Sorry I missed your comment! I'd better stay on it until you tell me I'm done.

The knives look good Andy. And yes, I'm familiar with a sickle bar

Thanks!

I knew you would be. That's a semi mounted IH mower off a Farmall C.

Yesterday I had to make a forming mandrel for the large bead at the end of the floor pan. I decided to try out the MIG and like the results.

Welded out the floor pan

One more to go

Today spent a little time grinding the welds. The good thing about being a poor welder is you gets lots of grinding practice

Thanks for stopping in!

 

[drivesitfar]

Andy: looks like more good progress on the StudeDakota. are you really down to fixing/repairing the last rotted out rusted area on the cab?

great news about your Bull and maybe a little action is what he needs to get his foot feeling 100%.

so i know it's early, but i'm wondering what kind of pies you are going to make for the Christmas dinner? do you usually have everybody over to your place or head to one of your kid's homes?

since we were in California for Thanksgiving with our son who isn't married yet and all the other kids were at their in laws we'll probably have 20-30 people at our house Christmas eve and maybe a few for Christmas day.

keep up the great work and i'm crossing my fingers all the welds hold especially after you grind them down like you are and that your doors fit nicely back on your cab when you are done.

Speaking of spring in Oklahoma how's the weather down there that time of year cause my bride and i might have to drive our daughter's Honda Accord back to her in Missouri and i might be able to convince my bride to stop by and see your Caboose if you might want a visit. not 100% yet cause she might fly up with her hubby so they can take another road trip and I'll keep you posted.

cheers

 

[Rex_A_Lott]

Good Progress on the Studebaker.
Tomorrow when youre taking a little break, here's something you might find interesting:

If you poke around a little , there are several videos about these machines, even a couple showing one taken apart. Pretty intricate for the time. Not really relative to the current project, but when you get back to blacksmithing, you could probably build one out of some old farm machinery.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Andy: looks like more good progress on the StudeDakota. are you really down to fixing/repairing the last rotted out rusted area on the cab?

Well, yes, there are two sides and I have the first side almost done...

great news about your Bull and maybe a little action is what he needs to get his foot feeling 100%.

Great news. Coming in to the corral this morning he seemed to be walking even better on his bad leg. It's still swollen, but that may persist.

so i know it's early, but i'm wondering what kind of pies you are going to make for the Christmas dinner? do you usually have everybody over to your place or head to one of your kid's homes?

Probably only pumpkin, since my son in law is limited to soft food after his throat cancer. But I'm going to make a pecan for my CPA next week. For several years we all meet at my sister in law/grandson's wife's house.

since we were in California for Thanksgiving with our son who isn't married yet and all the other kids were at their in laws we'll probably have 20-30 people at our house Christmas eve and maybe a few for Christmas day.

Wow! 20 to 30 is quite a group!! That's a big job And a lot of fun.

keep up the great work and i'm crossing my fingers all the welds hold especially after you grind them down like you are and that your doors fit nicely back on your cab when you are done.

Thank you. No defects showing up as I grind back down to the original metal thickness. Look's like sound welds. Keep your fingers crossed on the doors fitting

Speaking of spring in Oklahoma how's the weather down there that time of year cause my bride and i might have to drive our daughter's Honda Accord back to her in Missouri and i might be able to convince my bride to stop by and see your Caboose if you might want a visit. not 100% yet cause she might fly up with her hubby so they can take another road trip and I'll keep you posted.

That would be fun! Missouri is just right next door. We can drive to St. Louis in like a half hour.

Weather is fine here in the spring. You just drive around the tornadoes

cheers

Good Progress on the Studebaker.

Thank you!

Tomorrow when youre taking a little break, here's something you might find interesting:

If you poke around a little , there are several videos about these machines, even a couple showing one taken apart. Pretty intricate for the time. Not really relative to the current project, but when you get back to blacksmithing, you could probably build one out of some old farm machinery.

Very interesting hammer. Looks like good control, although it's a little disconcerting having it move with out the pedal depressed. A Little Giant is out of adjustment if the hammer wobbles like that. But those look like that's how they are made. I'm looking for the disassembly video. The clutch mechanism is not obvious to me.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Farm work yesterday, but today had a friend show up. I enlisted him to help make ductwork for the wood stove. Here's the start

I have a roll of galvanized flashing, 31 gauge, I think. We only had time to make two halves of one section, ready to screw together.

Then I had to go accompany our new pharmacist in a local Christmas parade. Left the Chevelle inside

A nice 1925 T pulled up behind me in line

Our pharmacist pushed a stroller with her two small twins and these two ladies walked the full mile with their mother, passing out candy along the route. Their father rode with me.

Big parade, the lineup was about 1/4 mile long

 

[drivesitfar]

Andy: it's SUNDAY finally a REST DAY!!

looks like a fun day yesterday in town smelling the roses and hanging with the city folk.

i like the new handmade ductwork and wondering how you attached it to the little stove. rivets or do tell?

have a great day and since it's sunny up here i'm going to get some more things done outside cause there will be plenty of rainy days to rest and ORGANIZE.

cheers

 

[Rex_A_Lott]

Here is another video of the hammer:

Its very old, circa 1930, and not very good. I have seen a better video, where they are taking it apart to restore it, but I couldnt seem to find it today.

Looks like you had a good time at the parade. Ours got snowed out this year. I believe that might be a first.