Basic Workshop Gotta-haves

[Boydie]

To date I have been playing around trying to put into practice the basic (repeat basic) skills that I learned in a 12 week welding course (one night a week). Now I intend to set up for some basic fabrication projects. The first is a welding table. Next shall be a trailer. I have the welder and, thanks to advice from you guys, bought a DeWalt "chop saw" last weekend. The salesman tried to steer me towards some Chinese ones, but I told him that I couldn't possibly because DSW and crew would never talk to me again...

I see the major problem being getting things to be true. For example the first step in the table is to lay out the frame on the floor and weld it. I just know that is not as simple as it sounds. I have some magnetic squares, but they will only tell me how much I buggered it up after the event.

What do I need as basic workshop inventory to keep things square? Anything else that you think that I should have at hand? Apart from the basics - rods helmet, gloves etc. I have a grinder and a chipping hammer (which has had more use knocking oysters off rocks than chipping slag)

[Sandy]

You can never have too many clamps. Clamps of every size and shape. Then ya need good sqaures. Big sqaures and little sqaures.

[Boydie]

so...you true it up using the squares and then clamp the workpiece onto the squares? I assume you would tack weld the four corners first and then weld one side of each corner at a time

I know this is basic stuff to you guys, but I really am trying to get a handle on this (and save money by ruining as little material as I possibly can).

[DSW]

Tape measure, framing square, "speed" square (those alum ones that have a lip on one side) in large and small. I have a small machinist's square for doing funky angles and layout also.

As said clamps and more clamps. I have one true welders corner clamp. I use it when I just can't hold all the parts in place any other way to tack it up. I've also found ratchet straps to be useful to pull things back into square and hold them where I want. The only problem being nylon straps and weld spatter don't play well together, so you have to use common sense. A large bar clamp also works well to tweak things where you want them.


One note on working on a floor. Frequently concrete floors are neither flat nor level. Guy where I used to work, fabed a table on the shop floor. Checked the square and all as he put it together, or so he thought. The table had a terrible twist to it when finished. The floor had a drain and pitched in all directions to it. Because he laid all the parts out on the floor, while the corners were square, he ended up with a twist to the top.

[DSW]

I seldom weld up compleatly with the welders clamp on. Usually I tack the outside edge, check and resquare and tack the inside edge and check and see if I need to break a weld loose and resquare.

Small parts if I can square them up and clamp them to the table, I'll tack both sides at once and then check and see if I have to fix it.

Weld the 2 sides 1st then outside and inside. again if it's important I keep checking as I go to see if I need to adjust or not.

Some of this is just practice. As you weld the joint will pull that way. in time you can get a feel for how much you need to set it out of square at the start so it's square when you are done. I can't say any better than that.

[Sandy]

You're not going to clamp to your sqaures. You use those for layout and verification. I do have or make jigs, angles, plates and so-on that you do use for clamping pieces together and still leave tacking spots open. Lots of small clean scraps come in real handy. Especially nice pieces of angle of various dimensions.

[weregeek]

Some sort of saw, and/or grinder is a must in my opinion. Ideally, you'd have a cutting torch and/or plasma cutter as well.

[Ken Dennis]

A roof!

Nothing like starting a project and have it start raining on you and your work!

[Jack Olsen]

So I'm not scrambling to find stuff when I need something welded, a separate batch of clamps and tools get stored behind my fold-up table.

Ready to work:



And hidden away:



I keep larger squares over my other workbench, since I also use them for woodworking.

Other basics worth mentioning:

Mig Pliers
Welding Hammer
Stainless Brushes in different sizes
Sandpaper in different grades
Cut-off saw
Sawzall
Files and punches
Soapstone and Sharpie markers
Safety glasses, ventilator, face shield, steel-toe boots, jacket, ear protection, exhaust fan
Lots of gloves
spare tips
Metal thickness gauge
Pam Spray or other anti-spatter stuff
Three or four angle grinders, grinding/cut-off/sanding-flap/steel-brush
Welding blankets
Stand-up welding curtains
Bench Grinder
A first-aid kit
Fire extinguishers and sand/water buckets
and
More clamps

Anvil
Vise

[Boydie]

many thanks, fellas...Jack, that is sooo tidy. How do you convince the wife to keep her junk away?

[oxy moron]

Originally Posted by Jack Olsen

I bet you keep your bat-suit in a vacuum-sealed-tamper-glass-enclosed case and every time you open it, it makes that pssss sound as it repressurize

that's entirely wayyy too neat. If i did that, it would last 10 seconds.

my vote goes to horizontal bandsaw that could double as a regular vertical bandsaw. its just so versatile, cheap, not very noisy and easy to use once you get it properly lubed and dialed in.

[Jack Olsen]

Same garage, this week:



I'm making a fence for my front yard.



It'll be neat and clean again, but not until the fence is done.

[weldbead]

Originally Posted by DSW

I seldom weld up compleatly with the welders clamp on. Usually I tack the outside edge, check and resquare,,,

Weld the 2 sides 1st then outside and inside. again if it's important I keep checking as I go to see if I need to adjust or not.

boydie..this is what you need when its time to adjust...2#,3# and a couple of 8s...

[piniongear]

Originally Posted by Boydie

To date I have been playing around trying to put into practice the basic (repeat basic) skills that I learned in a 12 week welding course (one night a week). Now I intend to set up for some basic fabrication projects. The first is a welding table. Next shall be a trailer. I have the welder and, thanks to advice from you guys, bought a DeWalt "chop saw" last weekend. The salesman tried to steer me towards some Chinese ones, but I told him that I couldn't possibly because DSW and crew would never talk to me again...

I see the major problem being getting things to be true. For example the first step in the table is to lay out the frame on the floor and weld it. I just know that is not as simple as it sounds. I have some magnetic squares, but they will only tell me how much I buggered it up after the event.

What do I need as basic workshop inventory to keep things square? Anything else that you think that I should have at hand? Apart from the basics - rods helmet, gloves etc. I have a grinder and a chipping hammer (which has had more use knocking oysters off rocks than chipping slag)

As far as making a table and keeping the frame square I would get two of these clamps if I were you. Four would be better, but two will do.......



These hold things square and level and really make framing work a bit of a breeze.
You can also use frame members of different thickness and/or size to make a frame...... pg

[gofaster]

what band of clamps are those?

[Ken Dennis]

In utter words, what everyone is trying to say is.
Make the steel work for you and not the utter way around, even if you have to beat it into submission!

[piniongear]

Originally Posted by gofaster

what band of clamps are those?

Mine are a Wilton brand. There are other brands made also. These cost about $65 each. I believe HF carries a similar clamp. I bought mine at a WS, but you can get them online as well. Heavy though, so thats why I got mine local....... pg

[7A749]

I personally have always used machinist's squares & clamped to my table.

I have them from 6" to 24" I found the corner clamps to be a little restrictive for me.

Everybody does it different tho.

[gofaster]

thanks

[Broccoli1]

http://www.lincolnelectric.com/knowl...ldingtable.asp

demonstrates how to use Clamps and some angle iron to keep things together/sqaure for weldin'

http://www.millerwelds.com/interests...welding-table/

Good table with plans.

[piniongear]

Originally Posted by gofaster

thanks

After the discussion on the corner clamps I decided I would get another pair to finish out a set of 4.
The clamps are Wilton AC-325 Welders Angle Clamps.
I cannot find them anywhere. Apparently Jet has bought out Wilton in the clamp department anyway. I found one place that had the Jets listed but when I called they had none in stock. So I guess the Wiltons are no longer available......... pg

[Broccoli1]

Northern Tool caries the Strong Hand brand



http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...2944_200342944


Bessy makes one also but are quite a bit more $$

[piniongear]

Originally Posted by Broccoli1

Northern Tool caries the Strong Hand brand



http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...2944_200342944


Bessy makes one also but are quite a bit more $$

Yes they do and the Strong Hand brand is a good one. I just have to make sure the SH dimensions are the same as the two Wiltons I have now.
My plan is to ride over to my local Northern store and compare those with a Wiltion. Thanks....... pg

[paweldor]

Originally Posted by piniongear

After the discussion on the corner clamps I decided I would get another pair to finish out a set of 4.
The clamps are Wilton AC-325 Welders Angle Clamps.
I cannot find them anywhere. Apparently Jet has bought out Wilton in the clamp department anyway. I found one place that had the Jets listed but when I called they had none in stock. So I guess the Wiltons are no longer available......... pg

Here's a link to the Wilton web site. You can locate a dealer near you, or an online dealer

http://www.wiltontool.com/

[piniongear]

Originally Posted by paweldor

Here's a link to the Wilton web site. You can locate a dealer near you, or an online dealer

http://www.wiltontool.com/

Thanks for the link Paweldor, but that is what I tried. Only two vendors were listed. One sells them for $145 a copy and the other guy sells them for $89. So I called him and that is where I found the clamps to be (1) Jet Brand and (2) they had none in stock...... pg.