What next???

[Aviatordave]

Ok, so the barn is built, the floor is poured, the walls are mostly covered and about half the electrical is run. The rest is alllllll going to be hobby. I'll get it done when I get it done. (The barn is 40x80 with 40x40 of it being shop space. 200a service installed)

I'm a wood worker. Have been for a long time. Have all the shop floor tools for wood working. (Well, most of them. Can never have all of them, right?).

A while back I got the bug to pursue knowledge in welding. Signed up at the local community college and took close to a dozen welding classes. (Just couldn't stop!)

I'm pretty well practiced and learned on mig, tig, stick, plasma and lots of theory.

I don't own a welder. Yet . . .

That will happen soon.

That said, I've been watching lots of videos of different fun things to build and am hot to start building something. In the videos, everybody seems to have their own favorite way of doing things. Some get by with simple solutions, others have some pretty nice equipment to make their lives easier.

My question to all of you, is that once I buy a welder, what do you think should immediately follow that purchase to help facilitate welding projects? (I have all the PPE . . . Helmet, welding jacket, gloves, etc, and plenty of C clamps, speed squares, framing squares, etc.) I'm talking about the next piece of shop equipment. A horizontal band saw? A pipe/tube Bender? A hand held band saw?

My jointer or planer or table saw won't be of use but I'm sure the belt sanders, angle grinders and drill press will get lots of use with metal. It goes without saying that I'll need a welding table. Beyond that, what do you think would be the next best tool or piece of equipment to aid in making stuff? (I can hear you asking; "What kind of stuff??) I agree. That would be a great question to know the answer to. I don't know. Every time I see a new project video, I think: "That would be really cool to build!)

At some point I'll build road warrioresque go kart for my kids. Beyond that the interests range from welding up metal insects from nuts and wire to making my own shop gantry or hydraulic press. Shop stools, jobs for friends, etc.

What should I get after I buy a welder?

-Dave



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[matt_i]

I started my shop with a 7x12 wellsaw, horizontal bandsaw (+ vertical if you sat on a pile of shop towels on the frame) and a 130A mig welder.

Keep your eye out for a Diacro or a Hossfeld bender. But then a lathe can build all of the tooling (at least for Diacro)....

.....you see how this can get started

 

[jimgood]

My question to all of you, is that once I buy a welder, what do you think should immediately follow that purchase to help facilitate welding projects?

-Dave

Steel. You know, that stuff you weld together.

 

[red61cj5]

an appointment book, you'll see why.

 

[ZipSnafu]

I think I would go with a plasma cutter. That should help you out on your metal projects.

 

[Aviatordave]

I've been thinking pretty hard about a horizontal metal band saw. Thanks for the tip on brands to watch for.
My wish list is pretty big, like any of us, I'd imagine. Reality dictates other plans however. Plasma cutter is there for sure.

Red61cj5: <Laugh>!! Right?! I'm guessing it's worse than getting a truck, once people are aware that you know how to weld and have the stuff. How bad has it been for you?



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[bczygan]

Benders, horizontal band saw, Ox/Acetylene setup, plasma table, disc sander, riveting tools, sheet metal tools, box and pan brake, vertical metal band saw, slow speed metal drill press, sensitive drill press, rollers, shear, anvil and forge, casting equipment, presses and punches, metal forming tools like an English wheel, trip hammer, arbor press, vertical mill, Super saver, lathe, buffers, horizontal grinder....

You want every possible tool that will allow you to make every material your *****.

All the above are on my list and some are in my garage.


You're just getting started!

Bill

 

[Playwme]

Cold cut saw. Especially if you'll be welding a lot of tube or RHS.

 

[Firebrick43]

First would be a good oxy/acetylene set up. From there what are you going to do? A guy fabbing tube frame race cars/Rock buggys is going to have drastically different needs than an antique auto restorer or someone fabbing farm/industrial attachments.

The all purpose heat wrench is the only tool that covers all forms and even it has different size heads and bodies depending on the scale of work.

If you are going to do sheet steel work don't discount your woodworking equipment. Bucks and forms are traditionally made of wood.

For bending tubing for a go cart a wood lathe can make the rollers/dies out of hardwood with metal cheek plates.

 

[Kpaige]

Plasma is always nice an anvil and shaping dies also but this is my most used metal tool for metal by far
A portable Millwaukee band saw with home made stand

 

[LXCam]

You don't need a giant band saw. Get yourself a portaband and you won't be leaving much of anything on the table and if you get a plasma and angle grinder with cut-off wheels you'll have all your bases covered for cutting basically.

Now speaking as someone who went from wood working to metal you're going to hate this advice. Keep the two areas AND TOOLS completely separate from each other. They don't mix. Get a dedicated belt sander, drill press or anything you hold near and dear to your heart for finish wood work, basically replicate it for the metal side.

Please don't cuss me out just yet until after you've tried mixing the two. Also congrats on the building, that's a nice size!.

 

[Jeff Ivers]

In this order:

Chop saw
Cutoff tool (I like pnuematic with 3" wheels)
Belt/disk sander
4.5 inch grinder
Angle grinder with 2" sanding disks

The types of projects you listed can be made with these tools in addition to the hand tools you probably already have - files and such.

 

[rburke65]

Fire extinguisher! Just a thought......

 

[Cypherian]

Steel. You know, that stuff you weld together.

Jeff Ivers:
In this order:

Chop saw
Cutoff tool (I like pnuematic with 3" wheels)
Belt/disk sander
4.5 inch grinder
Angle grinder with 2" sanding disks

The types of projects you listed can be made with these tools in addition to the hand tools you probably already have - files and such.

I would add and some welders helpers magnets, and hold downs and A welding bench .

Cypher

 

[padroo]

A good venting system.

 

[Aviatordave]

These are all great replies! They're confirming my thoughts that metal cutting is the second most necessary thing after metal joining.

And LXCam,
I don't hate that advice. It makes perfect sense to me. I already have two belt sanders so one will likely become part of the metal area. I've already got the wood area separate from the metal area, at least as far as how I've laid it out in my head and how I plan to run outlets. (Higher amperage stuff for the metal area closer to the service panel and one of the overhead doors so I can work outside if I want.

rburke65, already have the fire extinguisher! Great minds think alike!

I've got some of the small stuff just from having taken classes. Magnets, 4.5" angle grinder, etc.
on that note, Cypherian, I think the chop saw may be the next tool. Cheap and easy way to cut.

Keep that advice coming! You're all helping me shape my shop in my head! Much appreciated!

-Dave


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[joe--h]

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Evolution-Power-Tools-14-in-Multi-Purpose-Chop-Saw-RAGE2/203633549

Although the vice is JUNK the saw is nice. Chop saw/abrasive saw doesn't compare for cut quality.

Joe H

 

[Pitalplace]

Saw dust, welding and grinding do not go together very well. I would work on separating the two areas. I have found that two drill presses are a must as the metal cutting one is way to messy to put good wood projects on. Cleaning cutting oil and steel bit shavings completely off is impossible.

 

[crewchief888]

my suggestions would be
110/220v welder in your choice of color
multiple 4 1/2" grinders
chop saw
abrasive or dry/cold cut you ask?
all depends on your budget,
for an abrasive saw i like my ridgid, it has a cast base vs the stamped steelmetal bases that most saws have.
i have no experience with cold saws, i'll let someone else chime in.
i do most of my cutting with either a chop saw or 4 1/2" grinder. i sold my plasma cutter after i found it was easier and cheaper to use the grinder/cut-off disk.


keeping wood and metal separated is the best advise i can give.
i try not to do any wood cutting in the garage, i have many more sparks flying than sawdust...

 

[Aviatordave]

I've got some pretty good dust collection for the wood shop but totally see the concern for avoiding spontaneous combustion problems as well as the overall mess issue. Oil and wood, etc. I've got a gated dust collection system with a chip separator as well as a dust collection unit that hangs from the ceiling to pull the ambient stuff out of the air. (Hate breathing it)

Speaking of chop saws, who has anything to say about an abrasive disk vs a carbide toothed blade? I watched one on a video that I thought was an abrasive model but turned out to have teeth on it. It looked like it ate through the metal really well. I don't know if they dull fast or how much they cost . . . Are they a better bet than an abrasive wheel? Looks like you can just bolt the blade up to the same chop saw unit that takes an abrasive wheel. Don't know anything about them other than they exist.

Great advice about two drill presses. I'm guessing a metal drill press has slower speed options as well.

-Dave


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