Above 1200 Sq/FT Cleaning Up My Shop

[bolensboneyard]

Andy looking good. The shorts would be nice I could make some pins for the cabinets I plan to build. like your idea for dowel plate; i'll have to make a small one to try. I had planned to angle them in but am concerned not to melt the aluminum. Whatever you advise. If they need to be removed when shut off I will plan for that. thanks Bobby

 

[RickP]

Hi Andy, wow this thread moves fast! I'm finally caught up again after getting several months behind on your casting (and other) adventures.

That black walnut turning looks beautiful - almost too good to use for a casting. I've always liked the grain patterns of black walnut and would never have thought to use it for that purpose, but now I see how well it worked out. I guess if you've got it on hand, and you're trying to clean up your shop, why not use it, right? ;-)

 

[Guster]

Thread is tooting along. Took almost a day to catch up. Happy new year Andy!

You did a great job on the brass dive pump cap and that cross-member came out looking awesome! Great progress and some nice new projects for the new year.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Andy looking good. The shorts would be nice I could make some pins for the cabinets I plan to build. like your idea for dowel plate; i'll have to make a small one to try. I had planned to angle them in but am concerned not to melt the aluminum. Whatever you advise. If they need to be removed when shut off I will plan for that. thanks Bobby

Thanks, Bobby!

How short can you use in the walnut? And what diameter dowels are you thinking?

If temperature is a problem I can make them brass. I made my first one out of steel and because of the air and propane it stays cool, but is horizontal. The thing to do would be try it and if it gets hot when you shut off we can change to brass or aluminum bronze.

Hi Andy, wow this thread moves fast! I'm finally caught up again after getting several months behind on your casting (and other) adventures.

That black walnut turning looks beautiful - almost too good to use for a casting. I've always liked the grain patterns of black walnut and would never have thought to use it for that purpose, but now I see how well it worked out. I guess if you've got it on hand, and you're trying to clean up your shop, why not use it, right? ;-)

I love to turn black walnut. It's like turning butter. It is really not the best for patterns, but I have it and it works ok. It really needs to be painted to make the surface slick. I've got lots of it under two feet long so it's not really furniture material.

Thread is tooting along. Took almost a day to catch up. Happy new year Andy!

You did a great job on the brass dive pump cap and that cross-member came out looking awesome! Great progress and some nice new projects for the new year.

Hey Guster! I was just thinking about you, wondering what you were up to.

I'm trying to keep from being bored, but we are having rain after rain and the ground is soaked so I'm spending extra time taking care of the cattle.

I was able to get in the foundry today. Placed the drag pattern face down with a settling basin and runner and rammed sand in the drag, then flipped it over and put the cope pattern, sprue and gate in place and dusted them with parting compound.

Then finished off that mold. Started another in the flask I used for the brass caps. And burned it. The charred wood really does not affect it's utility. Here the flask has been separated and patterns pulled, ready to close.

I reloaded my fuel tank with 20 gallons of old motor oil and bad gasoline. Full it's good for 35 to 40 heats, all free

Got both flasks poured, but missed the hole at the start on the right hand one. I got lucky, no spill.

Both poured well.

The 5 mm lettering came out well for being sand cast. It's readable.

Ready for machining.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Here's the intended assembly. The left end of the manifold will be turned down to fit into the tube. Air holes are in the tube, and the MIG tip (not pictured) will just clear the holes to the left.

The finished burner will look like this one which had the manifold lost foam cast.

Just a fancy tee to hold the nozzle. And call ducks.

 

[dchance]

Andy, the castings look good. Have you got web feet yet?
I enjoy the rain but it is soggy

Dwight

 

[shortykorte]

New burner looks interesting. On the lettering, I don’t recall you showing us how you do that. Would you give us a quick how-to?


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[1/2 Cup]

New burner looks interesting. On the lettering, I don’t recall you showing us how you do that. Would you give us a quick how-to?


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

Andy I am impressed with the lettering, it looks real sharp

 

[Vieux]

Andy, you're a God in metal casting.

 

[bolensboneyard]

Andy I am just thinking about what Zoeller said about keeping the nozzle up out of the firebox a certain amount to keep it from damage. He had his angled in from the top. Probably just apples and oranges as both are only in my head right now not on paper. As you are familiar with what you are doing and what he has done whatever you think could be problematic, if anything, I wanted to mention possibly keeping you from having to do something over. I respect whatever you decide. I am planning on using the gas feed from my furnace supply. I may have mentioned that. Still have to plumb it.

As for the shorts, quarter inch dowel pins and other plugs to hide screws or use instead of would be the main purpose. 3/8 would be the largest I would guess. Other than that I would use for inlays etc. Thanks Bobby

 

[bolensboneyard]

Actually my head is spinning every time I try to follow your work as my mind is rarely on this subject. Beautiful job as it looks so professionally manufactured I have to shift my brain cells in order to figure out what end is the business end! Please don't install any electronics. I would then have to get the kid next door (he is a computer IT) to help me install it. Great work, good friend. Bobby

 

[drivesitfar]

Andy: as others have already said your skills and engineering are amazing. WELL DONE SIR!!

is the other part sitting there a handle you made for maybe the Studedakota or Coke machine from all it's use or do tell?

sorry to hear it's raining down in your part of the world cause after our stormy weather i bet it was close to 60 degrees here yesterday and sunny so i grabbed this picture since you don't get a chance to see a lot of water.

keep up the great work and enjoy your SATURDAY!!

 

[oldironfarmer]

Andy, the castings look good. Have you got web feet yet?
I enjoy the rain but it is soggy

Dwight

Thank you! Casting is getting easier.

I'm not growing web feet yet, but I put on my Muck Boots for every trip to the barn. Deep and sticky mud. The Bobcat makes deep tracks.

New burner looks interesting. On the lettering, I don’t recall you showing us how you do that. Would you give us a quick how-to?


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

That was new plastic lettering. I bought them from a place in the UK that specializes in model railroad sign supplies. They are very well made. These are 5 mm size and the sand did pick them up well. I was elated by the results. I rolled a little white glue on the pattern, wet my finger to pick up a letter, then placed it on the glue and straightened with a toothpick. Rather tedious. The results made it worth the effort.

I prefer embossed lettering rather than raised, when I get some time I'm going to get my 3D router set up for engraving on curved patterns.

Later.

Some time later.

Andy I am impressed with the lettering, it looks real sharp

Thanks, Steve! The lettering supplier was recommended by guys on the casting forum (probably one of my British friends). I supposed somebody in the US makes them, but the Brits do some stuff well.

Andy, you're a God in metal casting.

Hardly a god, but thanks for the compliment. It is great fun. I especially liked making the nozzle blend in to the run. It's not like me to make the bead on the end just for decoration, but I'm trying to learn. I had an old British friend once say "Don't worry about culture, Andy, you get it from yogurt". I try to remember.

Andy I am just thinking about what Zoeller said about keeping the nozzle up out of the firebox a certain amount to keep it from damage. He had his angled in from the top. Probably just apples and oranges as both are only in my head right now not on paper. As you are familiar with what you are doing and what he has done whatever you think could be problematic, if anything, I wanted to mention possibly keeping you from having to do something over. I respect whatever you decide. I am planning on using the gas feed from my furnace supply. I may have mentioned that. Still have to plumb it.

I prefer stepped nozzles rather than tapered. A nozzle is necessary to make one of these burners work outside a firebox, but in a box you just stop the end of the burner at or near the exterior edge of the box. Then you make a stepped nozzle by providing a larger diameter hole out of refractory. Paint the refractory with a couple of layers of Satanite and it's ready to use. I'll send you some Satanite to use. It's cheap and I have plenty. I need to play with the burners a little to determine the best step size. The flame will set at the end of the step, the interior of the firebox.

As for the shorts, quarter inch dowel pins and other plugs to hide screws or use instead of would be the main purpose. 3/8 would be the largest I would guess. Other than that I would use for inlays etc. Thanks Bobby

OK, so two or three inch long scraps would be of value to you?

Actually my head is spinning every time I try to follow your work as my mind is rarely on this subject. Beautiful job as it looks so professionally manufactured I have to shift my brain cells in order to figure out what end is the business end! Please don't install any electronics. I would then have to get the kid next door (he is a computer IT) to help me install it. Great work, good friend. Bobby

So either end is the business end, it's just a tee. The long one was designed to go into the burner tube and put the end of the MIG tip just past the air openings. Here it is with a loose sleeve damper and a cylindrical pipe for a stepped nozzle to operate it outside.

It still needs a set screw to hold the burner tube on, and maybe a friction damper since you plan to install on an angle.

Normally people put the gas in the end, but for your application I thought coming in the side would work well. You can do it either way. I like a gauge right on the burner as it lets you know exactly what is happening.

Andy: as others have already said your skills and engineering are amazing. WELL DONE SIR!!

is the other part sitting there a handle you made for maybe the Studedakota or Coke machine from all it's use or do tell?

sorry to hear it's raining down in your part of the world cause after our stormy weather i bet it was close to 60 degrees here yesterday and sunny so i grabbed this picture since you don't get a chance to see a lot of water.

keep up the great work and enjoy your SATURDAY!!

Thanks, Drives. The handle is to clamp around my oil burner tube to lift it with. It's modeled after an older refrigerator handle. I've yet to drill and install it. Thanks for the pictures.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Managed some shop time today. After careful consideration I decided to shim the burner manifold with OSB scraps. It is compressible so I just kept cranking on the jaws until it was centered.

Faced off the end then turned it 0.002" under the burner tube bore. A nice slip fit.

Same old stuff. Center bore.

Drill 2" deep with a No. 3 twist drill, 0.2130", (for 1/4" 28 TPI tap)

Plenty of drill left.

Tap and install the MIG tip.

Yes I did chamfer the square edge.

Rinse and repeat on the other end, but drill 7/16" and tap 1/4" NPT.

Move to the mill and clamp between Vee blocks to drill

And tap more 1/4" pipe threads.

Time for FIRE!!

 

[oldironfarmer]

Just takes a few minutes to screw in some fittings and light it off. Here's an 0.023 MIG tip, 1 psi of propane

The teal or green flame is slightly rich. Good for avoiding scaling on carbon steels. Just a bit more air and the flame will turn blue.

An 0.035 MIG tip give a little larger flame.

The halo shows up because of diminishing ambient light.

This was still a green flame but the light caused the camera to show a bright spot.

0.4035, almost neutral flame

And an 0.045 tip with more pressure.

The burner would only burn stable in a very narrow range of pressures because the nozzle has almost no step. The burner tube is only 0.049" thick and the nozzle is a slip fit on the OD. I'll make a larger step and demonstrate the range of pressures it will burn.

Definitely a hot topic tonight.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Andy nice one, real nice in fact..

 

[Grizz1963]

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[drivesitfar]

Andy: you made that very usable tool from a piece of scrap in a few days. WOW!! and thanks for the great pictures and how you made it too.

 

[BBChevro]

Wow.
The finished product looks amazing Andy.
[emoji106]

Sent from my SM-G950F using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[jblnut]

I'm not growing web feet yet, but I put on my Muck Boots for every trip to the barn. Deep and sticky mud. The Bobcat makes deep tracks.

Good to hear about another Muck Boot wearer !! I'd be lost without mine. This fall I picked up a pair of tall Artic Sports and am enjoying my feet being almost too warm. Down in the deep South where it rarely freezes hard I'd doubt you'd ever need them but up here in the land of frozen lakes they are an amazing thing to have.

Do you leave Bob the Cats tracks on year round ??

It's good to see you're sticking to the theme of your thread and cleaning up your shop by turning old treasures into new treasures. The best part is when you decide to clean up again you can mention them back into whatever you want

 

[bj383ss]

That is pretty damn cool Andy. Or is it hot?

Bret

 

[bolensboneyard]

Andy three inch pieces are ok as I have 36 one inch by 1/4 dowel pins to make for the cabinet I am planning. This will give me enough to chuck up and for waste from cutting. It's for my tools but if Ginny decides she wants some like it in the kitchen I'm in trouble.

Great tutorial on the burner.

 

[1Garageman]

Got some

Action on this invention!

 

[oldironfarmer]

Andy nice one, real nice in fact..

Thank you, Steve! One of the primary purposes to try foundry work was to make turning stock. Buying a 1-1/2" round of aluminum would be dear. But making one of old window frames and soda cans is a blast.

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Andy: you made that very usable tool from a piece of scrap in a few days. WOW!! and thanks for the great pictures and how you made it too.

Thanks, Drives!! This stuff is so easy, I try to post along so others who have the inclination to try it might gain a little confidence.

Wow.
The finished product looks amazing Andy.
[emoji106]

Sent from my SM-G950F using The Garage Journal mobile app

Thanks! Glad to see you come around!

Good to hear about another Muck Boot wearer !! I'd be lost without mine. This fall I picked up a pair of tall Artic Sports and am enjoying my feet being almost too warm. Down in the deep South where it rarely freezes hard I'd doubt you'd ever need them but up here in the land of frozen lakes they are an amazing thing to have.

Do you leave Bob the Cats tracks on year round ??

It's good to see you're sticking to the theme of your thread and cleaning up your shop by turning old treasures into new treasures. The best part is when you decide to clean up again you can mention them back into whatever you want

I only wear the Muck Boots when it's wet. Used to have just plain rubber boots and my feet would just about freeze in 25F slush and mud. With Muck boots I don't even know it's cold.

The tracks add stability, flotation, and they never spin unless you're getting in real deep in which case it's time to abandon the load and push yourself back. We have quicksand around here, even on hillsides where shallow subsurface water will wet fine sugar sand. I stuck a TD-18 one time after pulling a lime truck out that had bogged down. After he got out I back drug the tracks (in a field I cultivated) and the second pass it had turned to mush and the tracks dropped two feet BAM!!. A bear to get out without additional equipment. They were about $2,000 and are supposed to last 2,000 hours so really not a high cost for the utility. McLaren.

My fear of running out of scrap is causing it to accumulate faster than I'm melting it...

That is pretty damn cool Andy. Or is it hot?

Bret

Thanks, Bret! I can't tell the difference between opposites. Hot/cold, up/down, etc. Going cold turkey is a hot idea these days. We had a business here shut down, or close up, I don't know.

I do have a burning desire to make cold hard castings.

Andy three inch pieces are ok as I have 36 one inch by 1/4 dowel pins to make for the cabinet I am planning. This will give me enough to chuck up and for waste from cutting. It's for my tools but if Ginny decides she wants some like it in the kitchen I'm in trouble.

Great tutorial on the burner.

OK, I'll save some scraps. You might try a dowel cutter for a drill press. I don't have any but I think they work pretty good, just a hollow bit.

The stuff you make is so nice you are always in trouble.

It's gratifying to pass along what you've learned when you see other people take it and do much better with the knowledge. Everyone has their part to add if they will try a new craft.

Thanks for the comments, guys. I'm off to Houston for cancer checkup. Hershey will watch the shop.

In other news, I may be experiencing some frustration. I have a gas line that runs across my property. Produced gas, but it's pretty clean. years ago they wouldn't sell me any but now sell to a neighbor. I have determined another piece they cross they do not have legal access. I've mentioned it to them over the years and now they have decided it might be a liability and have offered me a farm tap in exchange for giving them right of way. A traditional farm tap was offered to farmers in lieu of right of way compensation. They would set a valve with no meter and the farmer could use what he wanted. The value of the gas is low, it's the pipeline and delivery that costs. So after a little negotiations they have offered me all the free gas I want.

So with gas to heat the shop, do pottery, foundry melting, pre-heating, heat treating, forging, emergency generator, etc. I see frustration coming on with no value in economizing. I'll suffer and bear up somehow. I would like to have a single cylinder oil field engine to turn a jackshaft to run the trip hammer. Maybe a steam boiler for steam cleaning and a steam turbine generator...

 

[jbmatth]

That is great Andy, I mean that must be frustrating, now think of all of the projects you have to come up with to maximize the gas usage. No more need for a wood stove, just burn gas. No need to save used oil, just use gas. No need to have electricity, just run a generator. Oh the problems you will now face, I feel for you I really do.

JB

 

[Finallygotit]

That is great Andy, I mean that must be frustrating, now think of all of the projects you have to come up with to maximize the gas usage. No more need for a wood stove, just burn gas. No need to save used oil, just use gas. No need to have electricity, just run a generator. Oh the problems you will now face, I feel for you I really do.

JB

 

[Craptain]

Free gas! The temptation to use it for everything is great. But I see Andy continuing to burn oil just "because".
It does open up many possibilities though.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

 

[dreamingmuscle]

I think they're gonna get the short end of the stick on this deal.

What kind of pressure do you expect to get out of the line. Residential in Stillwater only gets 2 to 5 psi. Will that be enough to fire a foundry?

 

[tym]

So how long until we have an entire line of Andy-forged bottle openers, keychains, and other sundries?

 

[don long]

Andy
I turned down a free forge the other day
But I did think of you while saying no thanks .

 

[realvc]

Will you be installing a glass blowing section in your shop?
Prayers for your Houston visit.


Vince

 

[RickP]

In other news, I may be experiencing some frustration. I have a gas line that runs across my property. Produced gas, but it's pretty clean. years ago they wouldn't sell me any but now sell to a neighbor. I have determined another piece they cross they do not have legal access. I've mentioned it to them over the years and now they have decided it might be a liability and have offered me a farm tap in exchange for giving them right of way. A traditional farm tap was offered to farmers in lieu of right of way compensation. They would set a valve with no meter and the farmer could use what he wanted. The value of the gas is low, it's the pipeline and delivery that costs. So after a little negotiations they have offered me all the free gas I want.

So with gas to heat the shop, do pottery, foundry melting, pre-heating, heat treating, forging, emergency generator, etc. I see frustration coming on with no value in economizing. I'll suffer and bear up somehow. I would like to have a single cylinder oil field engine to turn a jackshaft to run the trip hammer. Maybe a steam boiler for steam cleaning and a steam turbine generator...

That does sound incredibly frustrating - I mean, how can you possibly make progress cleaning up your shop when you have to start accumulating things like a generator, oil field engine, and steam implements? I do feel for you, I really do...

Hey, do you have enough room for all the new equipment? Does this mean you might need to start on another shop expansion? Now that might help ease a bit of your frustration!

 

[xtremek]

Sounds like another tough hurdle to clear.

 

[drivesitfar]

ANDY: best of luck on your trip to Houston and prayers sent.

interesting now that you don't have any rentals the powers at be think that you need FREE GAS. I suppose that would save me in my little home about $2-3,000 per year on our heating and hot water bills and since you are so thrifty with your firewood and oil heating i bet not so much. that said I think it's time to maybe put some effort into making some RR tracks out to the back 100+ acres and getting some more train pieces to have a gas powered train.

as you say it might be EASY STUFF you post pictures of with your melting and fabbing cool tools, but EASY to you might be a bit tougher for us regular humans.

safe travels!!

 

[Guster]

Hey Guster! I was just thinking about you, wondering what you were up to.

Lot of running around and social obligations. In dire need of a good kitesurf but slowly getting back to my shed projects. It is very hot this year and my shed is a bit of a hotbox. The high UV index in NZ means working outside is not much of an option. Getting more done now I have a shop-fan tho.

The new burner assembly looks great and good to see you have it nicely dialed in too. How long does the mild steel nozzles last? I've been holding out on getting some 1" SS SCH40 to make nozzles for mine but haven't had much luck acquiring any offcuts yet. I can easily get some mild steel pipe and machine a drift to push a little flare into it if needed. Otherwise I just plan to smooth the bore out a little on the lathe.

All the best with the check-up!

 

[oldironfarmer]

Got some

Action on this invention!

Thank you, sir! A few months ago I didn't know who that was.

That is great Andy, I mean that must be frustrating, now think of all of the projects you have to come up with to maximize the gas usage. No more need for a wood stove, just burn gas. No need to save used oil, just use gas. No need to have electricity, just run a generator. Oh the problems you will now face, I feel for you I really do.

JB

My life is so sad...

JB think she's so funny.

I do too.

Free gas! The temptation to use it for everything is great. But I see Andy continuing to burn oil just "because".
It does open up many possibilities though.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

You understand my frustration. It's like suddenly inheriting great wealth. That would remove the need to figure out how to do stuff. Lots of rich people are unhappy for that.

I think they're gonna get the short end of the stick on this deal.

What kind of pressure do you expect to get out of the line. Residential in Stillwater only gets 2 to 5 psi. Will that be enough to fire a foundry?

I thought residential was usually 1/2 psi, or 7" W.C. Usually large users like apartment complexes can get 2 psi or 5 psi.

I asked them to consider a high pressure regulator like 10 psi or even no regulator and let me provide regulators to drop to what I want the drop it on down to 5" W.C. to go into the building for a heater.

That being said my foundry is not very large, and I don't expect to run an industrial operation. But I'm liking the idea of free gas.

So how long until we have an entire line of Andy-forged bottle openers, keychains, and other sundries?

Not long! Plan is in the work to come out with a line of beautiful paperweights made of dross.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Andy
I turned down a free forge the other day
But I did think of you while saying no thanks .

At least you thought of me.

A free forge?

Will you be installing a glass blowing section in your shop?
Prayers for your Houston visit.

Vince

Funny you should mention that. Of course I've always wanted to blow glass (who hasn't?) but I understand the furnace has to be kept how around the clock. I never thought I would want to pay for that fuel...

That does sound incredibly frustrating - I mean, how can you possibly make progress cleaning up your shop when you have to start accumulating things like a generator, oil field engine, and steam implements? I do feel for you, I really do...

Hey, do you have enough room for all the new equipment? Does this mean you might need to start on another shop expansion? Now that might help ease a bit of your frustration!

More of the frustration, I fear I'll have to expand my shop to give more room for additional facilities which now become economical. How much will free gas cost me? Better go see the banker.

Sounds like another tough hurdle to clear.

Thanks for your support, I fear some are making fun of my dilemma.

ANDY: best of luck on your trip to Houston and prayers sent.

Thanks, Drives. I had a great trip and got to see the guy I worked with closest down there, we had a nice dinner. (I bought the Bobcat from his dad).

interesting now that you don't have any rentals the powers at be think that you need FREE GAS. I suppose that would save me in my little home about $2-3,000 per year on our heating and hot water bills and since you are so thrifty with your firewood and oil heating I bet not so much. that said I think it's time to maybe put some effort into making some RR tracks out to the back 100+ acres and getting some more train pieces to have a gas powered train.

Of course my rentals were 30 miles away so would not have been affected by local gas price. But you're right, I don't use much propane ($600 per year, or so) so at best it's worth $1,000 per year to me with expanded usage. That still adds up over the years.

as you say it might be EASY STUFF you post pictures of with your melting and fabbing cool tools, but EASY to you might be a bit tougher for us regular humans.

safe travels!!

OK, serious topic here, this is easy stuff, all you have to do is try. So my hope is that someone will see that I can do it and realize they can too, if it's something they have an interest in.

Thanks for your kind words.

Lot of running around and social obligations. In dire need of a good kitesurf but slowly getting back to my shed projects. It is very hot this year and my shed is a bit of a hotbox. The high UV index in NZ means working outside is not much of an option. Getting more done now I have a shop-fan tho.

The new burner assembly looks great and good to see you have it nicely dialed in too. How long does the mild steel nozzles last? I've been holding out on getting some 1" SS SCH40 to make nozzles for mine but haven't had much luck acquiring any offcuts yet. I can easily get some mild steel pipe and machine a drift to push a little flare into it if needed. Otherwise I just plan to smooth the bore out a little on the lathe.

All the best with the check-up!

You really need a window unit in your refuge. I mean shed.

I don't use mild steel nozzles. And don't use flares, like I mentioned to Bobby, it's best to use refractory stepped nozzles. For use outside a furnace or foundry you do need a nozzle, and carbon steel nozzles last pretty well. They scale a bit but they don't get all that many hours of run time.

My first propane burner was carbon steel and was stuck into the furnace. It blistered and scaled but didn't lose much wall. My current oil burner is carbon steel as well but the leaf blower keeps it cool. I'm only using the 1" SS because I have it, otherwise Bobby would be getting a carbon steel burner tube.

Glad to have you visit.

 

[Guster]

You really need a window unit in your refuge. I mean shed.

I don't use mild steel nozzles. And don't use flares, like I mentioned to Bobby, it's best to use refractory stepped nozzles. For use outside a furnace or foundry you do need a nozzle, and carbon steel nozzles last pretty well. They scale a bit but they don't get all that many hours of run time.

My first propane burner was carbon steel and was stuck into the furnace. It blistered and scaled but didn't lose much wall. My current oil burner is carbon steel as well but the leaf blower keeps it cool. I'm only using the 1" SS because I have it, otherwise Bobby would be getting a carbon steel burner tube.

Glad to have you visit.

You had me at free gas. Is the pressure suitable or do you need a siphon pump to collect and store at something more consumable?

Window AC units are a bit uncommon in this part of the world. Can get them but it but expensive. Portable AC units seem to be more cost effective unless you plan to invest in a split system heatpump like 1/2 Cup did. 2nd problem is raising the roof and insulating the shed as having internal radiating hot sheetmetal box is very ineffective to try and cool. Alternatively re-cladding the whole business... all options requiring funds earmarked elsewhere. So like most budget PC's designed around the same issue I will have to live with active ventilation for now.

My question was for an application outside or other than a furnace. I'll pick up a little black steam pipe from the local steel guy in the morning and give it a go. I need some flat bar to finish another project if time allows for it anyway. At least once the yard work and sundry other honeydo's are seen to.

My dad mentioned his neighbor across the road is having a clear-out and may have an anvil that is apparently "hard to carry". I will eagerly need to go investigate before it is being disposed of. My dad was happy to drag it over to his place for me but I'd like to at least offer the guy something for it.

 

[drivesitfar]

Andy: I'm happy to hear you had a safe trip to Houston and as a bonus you saw an old friend to share a meal with.

you come up with some great words of wisdom and this line you wrote replying to Craptain's post is another gem:

"You understand my frustration. It's like suddenly inheriting great wealth. That would remove the need to figure out how to do stuff. Lots of rich people are unhappy for that."

you might not have heard of McGyver, but you sir might be a lot like the guy with all your good thinking and work you do. my little girl (she's 30 now) used to watch McGyver when she was 3 years old 2 times a day and I still can remember her asking for us to put it on cause we tried to limit the TV watching and video games in our house especially during the day. she to this day is not afraid to try anything (she just got certified as a diver a month ago and she's starting to learn to snow ski cause some friends of hers invited her on a ski trip to Switzerland in a couple months). and while she's a girly girl and would always allow her hubby to do the harder work she's not afraid to do it if needed.

i hope you enjoy your making plans for a new building fully gas heated that has a glass blowing shop and plenty of other ANDY homemade items coming out of it.

cheers

 

[bolensboneyard]

Thanks Andy. I will have to say that MacGyver was the guy who made me feel for the first time that being innovative was not only convenient but cool. Before the original show (the remake is a joke) I just believed I was poor; or cheap (I guess because I was?)