What welding projects are you working on? Are you proud of something you built?
How about posting some pics so other welders can get some ideas?
nathan
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Hell yeah, I'm interested in pictures!

At 90 a ton for scrap, I may have them ship me some down to Texas! How much would that cost? Lol

My scrap yards here were selling at 40 cents a pound about a year ago I have heard that it is around 25 or 30 cents now...

Here's my next question for y'all. I'm looking for a little guidance here:
I have two welders right now, along with a grinder and little porta torch, but that's it as far as fabrication equipment. I can use my little FCAW machine, but my stick machine is out of commission due to not having 220 in the new garage yet. Should I get the 220 running and get a tig setup for my stick welder, or should I tackle this press project first? I'm confident in my "little" wire machine, as far as penetration, weld strength, and my own ability. I have one potential customer that wants skid plates built, and I think that it would be awesome to be able to bend them with my own brake.
Instagram: @nathanppiatt

Owner/welder at Homegrown Metal Fab

Lincoln Weld-Pak 125 HD
Lincoln AC/DC 225/125
Lincoln Port-a-torch
30" 40 ton homegrown press brake
Northern Industrial1HP 3/4" chuck, 16 speed drill press
plain ol Bill
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Sam out where I live in the sticks we have very few scrap places and those send all of their stuff to China. Don't know of any that sell to the general public around here.
Tired old welder
CNC plasma cutter
Colorful shop w/
Red, blue, yellow, purple, and Hypertherm silver equip.
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I dug up some pictures of some simple tools I've made

Body file holder, the file lies on a "stump" used to shrink metal on
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Some various templates for recesses or dimples.
Some oak, jigsaw, holesaws and a wood router is everything needed
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They were used to make this
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Wood mallet I made from legs of the kitchen table :mrgreen:
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Tool for tipping edges (can be shimmed to take different sheet thickness)
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Tipping dies for the bead roller
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Some slappers, made of leaf springs
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Beater bag stand, made from an old water tank
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Last edited by AndersK on Wed Apr 29, 2015 3:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Continued, 10 attachments maximum...


Holder for stakes, fits the beater bag stand
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Some stakes, the smaller curved ones are coils from car springs
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Some tools, self made and modified
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pretty much everything used to make this
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http://forum.weldingtipsandtricks.com/v ... =10#p51398
motox
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anders
nice assortment of shapers.
craig
htp invertig 221
syncrowave 250
miller 140 mig
hypertherm plasma
morse 14 metal devil
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And nice assortment of projects done with said shapers!

Steve S
nathan
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That's cool! You doing hot work with them, or is it all done cold?
Instagram: @nathanppiatt

Owner/welder at Homegrown Metal Fab

Lincoln Weld-Pak 125 HD
Lincoln AC/DC 225/125
Lincoln Port-a-torch
30" 40 ton homegrown press brake
Northern Industrial1HP 3/4" chuck, 16 speed drill press
exnailpounder
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Wow. That stuff is amazing! You guys are geniuses in your own right!
Ifyoucantellmewhatthissaysiwillbuyyouabeer.
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Thanks gor the kind comments.

I mainly work cold but sometimes, like with the parts for the dragonfly, I need to anneal when it work hardens.
The size and degree of shaping would make them crack otherwise
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exnailpounder
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Anders...those dragonflys would sell like hotcakes over here. I showed the wife and I guess I have a new project to try...thanks buddy! :lol:
Ifyoucantellmewhatthissaysiwillbuyyouabeer.
nathan
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Is there a site or app that you guys use when calculating working load limits? I know my father in law has a book, but he is ill (out of contact most of the time) and lives an hour away (hard to make that drive for just a book). I am trying to see what size material I should use for this press.
Instagram: @nathanppiatt

Owner/welder at Homegrown Metal Fab

Lincoln Weld-Pak 125 HD
Lincoln AC/DC 225/125
Lincoln Port-a-torch
30" 40 ton homegrown press brake
Northern Industrial1HP 3/4" chuck, 16 speed drill press
nathan
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So, here's what's happening with this brake:

1. I got 250# of of structural shapes and brake dies for $80. Score. It is all 50ksi steel, and the best part is that 100# of it is a premade frame of C6X10.5 channel that is 36"X20" inside dimensions.

2. I figured out that the frame will take 50 tons. I used a calculator recommended by an engineer at work. I am going to use two 20 ton bottle jacks for my load. And I confirmed from the engineer that the whole of the load will not be on each horizontal part of the frame (20 tons will be upward pressure and 20 tons downward pressure). This puts the 40 tons within my working limit.

3. I sourced bottle jacks from my father in law who no longer needs them.

4. I'm sitting in my garage fitting everything up and I'm only going to have to cut one stick of I-beam, and it will all fit up within 1/8". How much luckier can you get with a pile of random scrap?

5. I even got a TIG torch, so I have gotten the bulk of my two biggest projects done.

I have no idea what to look for on craigslist now lol. I spend my free time sitting on the toilet searching craigslist and Facebook. Now I'm getting on here and Instagram, so my life is changing because of finally completing a project! Lol
Instagram: @nathanppiatt

Owner/welder at Homegrown Metal Fab

Lincoln Weld-Pak 125 HD
Lincoln AC/DC 225/125
Lincoln Port-a-torch
30" 40 ton homegrown press brake
Northern Industrial1HP 3/4" chuck, 16 speed drill press
taz
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AndersK, those are great tools and top notch work.
nathan
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plain ol Bill wrote:I used to make a lot of Damascus steel for knives I made. I made a press to forge weld under and use it for general forging work. Will add in a pic of it. Used a 4" cylinder on one side and a 6" on the other. This monster would press a 1" wide x 6" long x 6" tall Damascus billet down to 2" wide without any problems - of course this billet was around 2200 degrees at the time too. :)
Am I wrong to call that an ironworker? Or is it more of a power hammer? You just inspired my next project.
Instagram: @nathanppiatt

Owner/welder at Homegrown Metal Fab

Lincoln Weld-Pak 125 HD
Lincoln AC/DC 225/125
Lincoln Port-a-torch
30" 40 ton homegrown press brake
Northern Industrial1HP 3/4" chuck, 16 speed drill press
homemadetools
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AndersK wrote:I like tp make tools but they are mainly smaller hand tools for sheet metal.

Here is a good site for inspiration
http://www.homemadetools.net
Jon here from HomemadeTools.net.

I know this thread is an old one, but thanks for the mention :mrgreen:

To celebrate our 20,000th homemade tool, we made a new ebook featuring our top 50 homemade tools. You guys are welcome to it for free:

http://download.homemadetools.net/50MustReadTools.pdf

Image
Rick_H
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homemadetools wrote:
AndersK wrote:I like tp make tools but they are mainly smaller hand tools for sheet metal.

Here is a good site for inspiration
http://www.homemadetools.net
Jon here from HomemadeTools.net.

I know this thread is an old one, but thanks for the mention :mrgreen:

To celebrate our 20,000th homemade tool, we made a new ebook featuring our top 50 homemade tools. You guys are welcome to it for free:

http://download.homemadetools.net/50MustReadTools.pdf

Image
Awesome, thanks for posting.
I weld stainless, stainless and more stainless...Food Industry, sanitary process piping, vessels, whatever is needed, I like to make stuff.
ASME IX, AWS 17.1, D1.1
Instagram #RNHFAB
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Thanks, Jon,

That's fabulous!

Nothing beats "free", and it lets you get a great plug for your company without actually violating the "commercial/advertising" rules here. Well played, sir!

Be aware that I and several others will be searching your website, now... ;)

Steve S
nathan
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I'm part of the email list already. Lots of cool ideas on that site!
Instagram: @nathanppiatt

Owner/welder at Homegrown Metal Fab

Lincoln Weld-Pak 125 HD
Lincoln AC/DC 225/125
Lincoln Port-a-torch
30" 40 ton homegrown press brake
Northern Industrial1HP 3/4" chuck, 16 speed drill press
homemadetools
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Thanks for the thanks, gentlemen. Enjoy Image
Poland308
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I've got a 12in long pcs of 14in sch 40 SS and a pump set aside for a liquid cooled tig rig.
I have more questions than answers

Josh
nathan
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Poland308 wrote:I've got a 12in long pcs of 14in sch 40 SS and a pump set aside for a liquid cooled tig rig.
That'll be a sexy water cooler! What kind of pump are you gonna use?
Instagram: @nathanppiatt

Owner/welder at Homegrown Metal Fab

Lincoln Weld-Pak 125 HD
Lincoln AC/DC 225/125
Lincoln Port-a-torch
30" 40 ton homegrown press brake
Northern Industrial1HP 3/4" chuck, 16 speed drill press
Poland308
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procon pump on a 1/4 hp motor
I have more questions than answers

Josh
Poland308
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Going to use a condenser coil and fan assembly from a trashed out dehumidifier.
I have more questions than answers

Josh
MTGRAVE
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I've been making, rebuilding procon pumps for Tig coolers.
Now I've found a place I can buy them rebuilt cheaper than I can do it myself.
JC Beverage. Forty something, like new, ready to go. Right flow, right pressure, and tech support.
AND, they're nice to deal with!
homemadetools
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Hey guys - we have a new ebook out: How to Make a Belt Sander. 100% free of course. Click the graphic below to check it out:

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