Show us your welding projects

[harley jim]

Last fall my broom handle broke. Wait, that's not accurate - the Chinese pot-metal threaded doohicky broke, rendering my broom much less useful than before. So, I made a replacement using bits from around the workshop, because why buy it when you can make it? 11ga plate and 3/4 SCH 40 pipe.

I got the main bracket done today and started to bend some repurposed flatbar straps to triangulate the broom head like a heavy-duty industrial broom. Was running 120 amps and pedal to the metal with 1/16" filler rod. Had to go down to a #6 stubby cup with over 1/4" stick-out to get into the deep valley. I can glue metal together all day long, but I am not a fitter/fabricator by any means, I'm surprised how flat it came out.

Fun fact: since my TIG machine is in my basement I don't have a dedicated weld table and I noticed that my "mobile" cheapo vice was missing a jaw screw and since the only screw I had that matched the thread was way too long I decided to make it my ground point - worked great!

I think it got enough penetration for a push broom Didn't bother to clean the mill scale off the back side and it bubbled-up. One tiny bit of burn through so I think I had the heat dialed in nicely.

Next was time to drill a cross-hole and I had a 5/16-18 carriage bolt and wing-nut to secure the handle. My "drill-press" is a 1950's Shop Smith 10ER set-up in vertical mode. Really need to find or make a speed reducer. Filing that hole to square was an exercise in patience since the pipe only allowed for about 3/4" stroke on the file.

There you have it! The longest post ever about a tiny little weld project that isn't even done yet

VR6ix, sadley this is where it starts, first it's the broom handle, then a wall hanger to put the broom on, then a new boot scraper and before you know it you have a one or two welding project a day habit. Guys like me fell down the hole really bad and cant go a whole day without welding something.
Great fix on the broom sir.

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[Old Man Roger]

VR6ix, that may be the most beautiful, over engineered broom attachment ever—I love it! You’ll want to keep and re-use it when you finally replace the broom head.

I feel like he could’ve threaded it..lol

 

[Mr.N]

VR6ix, sadley this is where it starts, first it's the broom handle, then

I am confused... you say this like it's a bad thing.
Can you please explain?




.

 

[harley jim]

I am confused... you say this like it's a bad thing.
Can you please explain?




.

It was a joke, sorry to have confused you.

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[Jayman17]

I’m going to mentally file that broom handle fix so when my Chinese pot metal threaded handle breaks I can fix it.
I think we all know it will break it’s only a matter of when...

Jay

 

[TTMotorsports]

Started on a 3" exhaust tube to rectangle turbo flange adapter today. a nice 12 bends per half to get it from rectangle to round. Luckily it's common in HVAC so I found lots of examples online to draw it and cut it out on my Plasmacam cnc plasma table. Also got the engine cage started on my 1968 Ford Prerunner Project.

 

[txvwnut]

Started on a 3" exhaust tube to rectangle turbo flange adapter today. a nice 12 bends per half to get it from rectangle to round. Luckily it's common in HVAC so I found lots of examples online to draw it and cut it out on my Plasmacam cnc plasma table. Also got the engine cage started on my 1968 Ford Prerunner Project.

You should check out Ron Covell’s YouTube channel, he just did a series called rollation where he showed how to form exactly what you just made.

 

[shortykorte]

You should check out Ron Covell’s YouTube channel, he just did a series called rollation where he showed how to form exactly what you just made.

Ditto. He did a couple of videos on this.


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[bigmaq]

What's the ground wire on the vise?

 

[LXCam]

What's the ground wire on the vise?

I'd imagine to make certain current only flows thru the static part of the vise as well as it keeps his ground clamp out of the way.

 

[sqznby]

Started on a 3" exhaust tube to rectangle turbo flange adapter today. a nice 12 bends per half to get it from rectangle to round. Luckily it's common in HVAC so I found lots of examples online to draw it and cut it out on my Plasmacam cnc plasma table. Also got the engine cage started on my 1968 Ford Prerunner Project.

Is that for a T4 or T6 flange? Very creative way to go about doing it.

Happy to see you're back at it and looking forward to seeing more of your work

 

[SteveH-CO]

My Yamaha Grizzly ATV rack was missing the backstop piece - it snapped off during the PO's rollover (or some event).

So, I fabbed a heavier one from solid steel rod, welded it on, added a center support, and spray painted it with a Rustoleum textured spray paint that perfectly matched the OEM finish.

 

[TC Moto]

Here’s a rolling stand I built for my tubing bender




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[lis2323]

Here's a rolling stand I built for my Swag tubing roller




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[ez-duzit]

Rolling cart for pipe bender. Hydraulic pump motor pokes through the back for cooling. Dies store in rack on bottom.

 

[lis2323]

Rolling stand for my belt grinder




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[ez-duzit]

l--nice equipment.

 

[zmotorsports]

Very nice tool carts both ez-duzit and lis2323.

 

[lis2323]

Very nice tool carts both ez-duzit and lis2323.

Thank you, z! [emoji16]


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[VR6ix]

Thanks for the kind words gents!

Here's the silly broom project update. It was based on the same idea as heavy-duty industrial brooms, but fabricobbled in my basement. Trying to bend the outriggers was a pain in the ***, so many compound angles and then trying to mirror-image the other side, I just wanted a broom that works!

Re: ground screw on vice... I don't have a welding bench. I have a couple wood benches, but they don't like welding projects so much. I've got a little scrap of expanded metal that I use as my welding platform for small jobs and hang it off the edge of the bench so things don't start burning. For this job I wanted to use a vice to reposition the main weldment multiple times and as I set-up I found the missing jaw screw and thought - "gee, why not just grab a screw that fits and ground off that?" There was zero good reason to do so. It's a cheap China vice so no worries given.

Up next is a grinder & paint, to make up for the welder I ain't! Will drill another screw lower-down from the first one as well. It makes the broom heavier and if i were to do it again I'd use aluminium instead, and make a clamping collar instead of drilling thru the broom stick for the outriggers up top - that might be the new weak-spot on this set-up.

 

[Old Man Roger]

Rolling stand for my belt grinder
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considering your avatar, the axle nut is very fitting LOL

 

[zippy97]

Rolling cart for pipe bender. Hydraulic pump motor pokes through the back for cooling. Dies store in rack on bottom.

Ez you aught to be building more of those and selling them. That's a great looking cart

 

[ez-duzit]

Ez you aught to be building more of those and selling them. That's a great looking cart

Thanks. I built a heavy duty steel frame with ball bearing wheels and casters, and repurposed an ancient Kennedy rolling tool chest, which I modified to house the electro/hydraulic power pack and store all the dies. The JD Square model 32 bender mounts on the column, swivels 360-degrees and locks, if necessary.

 

[lis2323]

considering your avatar, the axle nut is very fitting LOL

Yeah, I had better change that avatar. You would be very disappointed if you saw me. LOL[emoji23]


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[lis2323]

Thanks. I built a heavy duty steel frame with ball bearing wheels and casters, and repurposed an ancient Kennedy rolling tool chest, which I modified to house the electro/hydraulic power pack and store all the dies. The JD Square model 32 bender mounts on the column, swivels 360-degrees and locks, if necessary.

I especially like the circular cutout for motor fan cooling. Great attention to detail [emoji481]


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[ez-duzit]

l--thank you. The overall length of the assembled electro/hydraulic power pack was just a tiny bit larger than the inside width of the old Kennedy cabinet. So my solution was to allow the motor's end bell to just poke through, leaving room so I could close the door front without striking the hydraulic fluid reservoir, and allowing excellent air flow while operating.

I wired it to a switch mounted outside the cabinet for easy access.

 

[harley jim]

I finished my shopping cart.
Now I need another welding project

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[Old Man Roger]

Came out sweet Jim, now we're waiting for the tricked out trailer..lol Since you made the upholstery so nice, I think some nice stained wood with some chrome slats for the trailer bed would fit nicely.

 

[zippy97]

Cart looks real nice Jim

 

[harley jim]

Thanks guys, I have a couple other jobs to get finished before the trailer!

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[bczygan]

A printer stand. My design.

Bent SS plates and 1 1/2" square steel tubing painted black.

Lower shelf for paper.

Polished out the weld discoloration. Need to find plastic end caps for the tubing.

View media item 111670
Bill

 

[BukitCase]

Bill, if your 1-1/2" tubing is .120" wall, these fit nice and tight for me;

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MYL443W/?tag=atomicindus08-20

they're a pretty snug fit, almost don't wanna go - I put 'em in with a smallish dead blow hammer... Steve

 

[bczygan]

Bill, if your 1-1/2" tubing is .120" wall, these fit nice and tight for me;

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MYL443W/?tag=atomicindus08-20

they're a pretty snug fit, almost don't wanna go - I put 'em in with a smallish dead blow hammer... Steve

Steve,

Thank you for the info!

I just tried measuring with my finger micrometer but they aren't calibrated properly, so I'll get my calipers and check the wall.

Bill

 

[BukitCase]

You're welcome Bill; those caps should also work pretty snug with 0.109 walls, probably NOT with anything thinner than .109 or thicker than .120 - Quality of that brand seems pretty decent tho, if your "battery powered fingers" measure different I would probably stick to the brand while looking for the range of I.D. you have... steve

 

[Honch]

Shop stool I worked on over the last two weekends:







The seat height is adjustable between 20"-30" on a 1" acme screw. There are two acme nuts in the vertical tube to keep the shaft movement to a minimum. All the tubing is 12" pieces that are 2"x2" 11 gauge. The bolts are aircraft engine mount bolts 1"x3' on the jamb nut and 1"x6" on the legs

 

[txvwnut]

Very nice.

 

[TTMotorsports]

You should check out Ron Covell’s YouTube channel, he just did a series called rollation where he showed how to form exactly what you just made.

yeah I watched his videos and a few others to get the conecpt.

 

[larry4406]

Honch - very nice job on the bench stool! I like the hot wire setup to cut the foam.

 

[shortykorte]

Ditto on stool. At first I thought that was a wire cutter powerful enough to cut steel plate then moving down to other pics realized it was foam.


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[king nero]

Ditto on stool. At first I thought that was a wire cutter powerful enough to cut steel plate then moving down to other pics realized it was foam.


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I had to do a double take too