jeepinerdeep's shop fab n project thread.

[jeepinerdeep]

Hey Guys,

I've made a few threads that were essentially wrecked in the PB blowout, so I thought I'd like to have a place to collect my work and shop projects.

I am an OEM Field Service Engineer in the heavy powertrain industry by day. Metalwork is my hobby, but there was a 3 year period where I had a CNC table for a side hustle. Here you will find fab, shop stuff, some minor Jeep stuff, a guitar build, pork products and the occasional dead tree carcass.

I hope this works out and I can discuss ideas with the hive all in one place.

My shop is 25x35 with 2 floors, block construction with steel I beam supports. It was built by my family in 1972 to house my grandfathers welding rig and supplies. I bought it when he retired, approx. 14 years ago. I have cleaned, painted and done basic things to keep it maintained. It has it's drawbacks, but it's a block from my home and it's zoned IND.

Here's a few random inside shop pics. I'm going to refrain from a lot of outside pics. I'll spend the rest of the afternoon bringing in pics and projects from the last few years.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Here's a few pics from building rolling stands for my grinder, hand plasma, portaband and belt sander.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Looks like a nice shop! Looking forward to more pics of your work.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Here's a few phone pics putting together my welding table and workbench

 

[LXCam]

Looking great bud. I know I'll be watching jeepinerdeep's deepindaheeps progress.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Here's a few shots of my finger brake I built for bending. It handles 12" of 3/16, mostly with a 85 degree heavy gooseneck punch but I also have a smaller gooseneck punch for 14ga that yields a tighter radius. The bottom is just a 2 way die made from 1214.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Here's a few of me trying to make 2 junkyard Listas into 1. I wanted the bottom edge to match a factory mobile cabinet, and a HDPE top I got from my steel supplier of all people. I am amazed that I fit 2 cabinets worth of shop supply stuff in here. I did shaller bins for my smalls but apparently forgot a pic.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Here we have a mobile handtruck I adapted for my new ESAB Rebel, a custom cart for my Tig200 and a shop stool.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

I picked up a used mag drill a few months ago for a future project, and had the plan in mind to build a stand for it to get max use out of it.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Looking great bud. I know I'll be watching jeepinerdeep's deepindaheeps progress.

deep in the trash heap, it feels like somedays!

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Here's an old hospital linen cart I converted for my wood butchering implements. I also made a tote. It could be better.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

I built this bass from Warmoth parts in about 2014. Its a freaking hammer. Its build almost exactly like a Sadowsky NYC save for the Aguilar pups. I am so pleased. Assembly done by me, final fretwork done by Lattanze Guitars in Bridgeport/ KoP, PA. Wood is Black Korina.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Here is Part 1 of flatwork I did for clients with my CNC.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Here is Part 2 of flatwork I did for clients with my CNC.

 

[LXCam]

Here is Part 1 of flatwork I did for clients with my CNC.

Those are cool. How long does it take you to create a program for cutting those. Is it as simple as outlining a photo? I know how stupid that comes across but I honestly have no idea what any of the software allows you to do. All my programming experience is ladder logic based. And I've been thinking about getting a 4x4 table for far too long but I plan on pulling the trigger in the very near future.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Here is some combo work done for clients.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Those are cool. How long does it take you to create a program for cutting those. Is it as simple as outlining a photo? I know how stupid that comes across but I honestly have no idea what any of the software allows you to do. All my programming experience is ladder logic based. And I've been thinking about getting a 4x4 table for far too long but I plan on pulling the trigger in the very near future.

My final product came out better than 75% of side hustle guys, and it was mostly because of the time spent on the drawing.

You can buy drawings, trace and fix, make combos out of purchashed elements etc. It really ranges from 20 mins to 8hrs on the design. You do get better fast, and it becomes easier.

The Arclight table comes with Inkscape and Solid Edge. Both are free and I downloaded them 3 months ahead to get started. I recommend that. Sheetcam will kind of reject a bad drawing. It took 12 months to hit my stride.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

I worked with a wood guy and we built these tables for demo's. Some were for shows, some were for shows then "us". One of my projects for later this year is to build myself a pub table, and I'll be repurposing that striped top.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

A few fire pits for clients, with my personal one being patina with satin ceramic clear.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

OK that about brings me up to date. I'm going to use this as my home thread.

If anyone gives a **** about anything I posted, I can answer questions no problem.

2019/2020 Project List Highlights:

1) Pub Height Dining Table and Benches
2) Another Lista conversion or bench build TBD
3) Fix the slow/jumpy hydraulics on my ACCO press
4) Start fab work for fall/winter steel stair build at the shop

 

[fiftyv8]

I'd really like to read your detailed account of how you built that CNC unit.
It is something I'd like to consider, but am not sure if I have the right aptitude for it.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

I'd really like to read your detailed account of how you built that CNC unit.
It is something I'd like to consider, but am not sure if I have the right aptitude for it.

My CNC plasma table was not built, I bought it turnkey. Arclight was the brand I chose, stateside of course. I was 98% pleased with it. If I had to buy another one it would be Arclight vs. JD Squared

 

[fiftyv8]

Cool, thanks for the info.
Nice well equipped workshop you have there.

 

[bluebolt]

That is some nice work!

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Cool, thanks for the info.
Nice well equipped workshop you have there.

Thank you. I wish I could have kept the CNC, but when I decided not to do work for the public, it had to go for space and funding. Maybe someday again, hopefully lasers are cheap by then !

That is some nice work!

Thanks for looking.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

A little Valentines Day tool upgrade arrived today. I'd been hemming and hawing over an upgrade to my 2x42 Dayton sander. Decided on this Kalamazoo BG248 Belt Grinder, and ordered some Norton Blaze for it. It shall live in the dining room until the weekend when I can test it out.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

A little Valentines Day tool upgrade arrived today. I'd been hemming and hawing over an upgrade to my 2x42 Dayton sander. Decided on this Kalamazoo BG248 Belt Grinder, and ordered some Norton Blaze for it. It shall live in the dining room until the weekend when I can test it out.

Bitchin! Please follow up with a review as I've been looking at one myself.

 

[rattle_snake]

Interesting projects, nice execution and attention to detail.
Now I'm shopping for a belt grinder again damn you.

 

[LXCam]

A little Valentines Day tool upgrade arrived today. I'd been hemming and hawing over an upgrade to my 2x42 Dayton sander. Decided on this Kalamazoo BG248 Belt Grinder, and ordered some Norton Blaze for it. It shall live in the dining room until the weekend when I can test it out.

Momma always said life wuz like a box of grinding dust

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Bitchin! Please follow up with a review as I've been looking at one myself.

Interesting projects, nice execution and attention to detail.
Now I'm shopping for a belt grinder again damn you.

Yeah will do on the belt grinder review fellas. My goals are to handle plasma edge cleanup, rounding and chamfering. Just fab work, no knife making. My Dayton 2x42 was just not up to the task. This seems like the correct tool. I deliberated for a while and landed here.

It's still on my dining table, but the cord/cord clamp offended my sensibilities every time I walked past it. It was on backwards if you ask me. I flipped the whole box which also put the switch in a better position.

I've got a few rubber feet left over from my mag drill stand build, and then it's time to ruin some metal.

 

[pcmeiners]

Wow you do some nice work, that guitar is smok'en

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Wow you do some nice work, that guitar is smok'en

Thanks, it's a freaking beast to play too. I couldn't imagine wanting for anything else. Lattanze does killer fretwork and props go to Warmoth, they did the body finish, which I learned is well worth it when I did my first build. Makes for a lot of masking tape when you drill and mount, but still worth it.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

The initial verdict on the Kalamazoo BG248 is 2 thumbs up.

I intend to do something different with all my benchtop sized machines later this year, but for now I set aside the riser and bolted to my existing rolling stand that is pair with my portaband.

Machine is smooth, tracking is simple and everything mostly exudes industrial quality. ( After I switched the J Box 180 ) The work rest is a 1 hole unit, but I understand why it was built that way. The additional belt speed is noticeable even with an import ceramic test belt.

Power is good. You can still choke the speed down on the flat platen, but that's a pinching motion, lots of friction, so no surprises there. I drew a line on some 1.5x3/16 flat bar and it ate 3/32 off with ease.

Where this thing really shines is the big 8" contact wheel. The mechanism will lay back flat so you can be just looking at the contact wheel. I tested that, adjustment solid and easy with a 9/16 wrench. They way this sits on my stand, I can access the wheel and the work rest platen area without making any changes. I really like this contact wheel, I can put a nice radius on a plate very smoothly in seconds. That's an upgrade from the sander style IMO.

Slack belt, well there only seems to be 3" of slack belt area, but I don't foresee needing that.

Everything is a compromise, but I believe this was the right choice for me.

 

[Boosted1]

Lots of cool projects in this thread.
Nice work.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Lots of cool projects in this thread.
Nice work.

Thank You.


Not much to report lately, the Kalamazoo is great. I have CNC cut plywood parts on order, its cold and I'm on the road for the day gig. I've got a dining table started, but due to the fact it will be patina, I need to wait for a semi warm day to clean-weld-patina-clear all in a row. All the parts are cut though.

Over the last 6 weeks or so I rounded up a few new air tools.

A used SO PDR3A to replace a real POS Aircat
A SP Air Right Angle Die Grinder to replace another POS Aircat.
A 3M Belt File
A Sioux 4.5" Extended Grinder that I have a wire wheel edgewise on.

All super great to the extent I've tested them out.

I'm kind of on the hunt for another Sioux ( a shorter one ), a straight SP and maybe a new shear/nibbler. Been kinda looking towards Astro Onyx on the shear/nibbler but maybe used Chicago is another option.

 

[bigguns69]

Nice work.

 

[burninghXcsoul]

Nice work, where in SC PA do you live? I live in Shippensburg.

 

[Revolutionary]

Here's a few pics from building rolling stands for my grinder, hand plasma, portaband and belt sander.

I really dig these ideas!

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Been chipping away at this project that has been sitting around. Pub height table and benches. Table base is patina steel with satin 2K clear. Benches are 1" plywood base. Tops are spalted maple and cherry. I'm not a woodworker.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=881023&d=1554597806

 

[LXCam]

Those are cool bud, great job as usual. What's the dimensions? They don't look all that big.