Aluminum display cabinet with a twist!

[4shorts]

Hi everyone. Well It's been awhile since I been on here and as I can see there are some nice looking projects posted here. I thought some of you might want to see a project I did a few years ago to add to my collection so here it is.

I had purchased a high frequency starter at an auction and not knowing anything about TIG welding aluminum I decided to build an all aluminum gas pump display cabinet and try and learn as I go. I purchased the nozzle, globe and hose. I bought two 1/4 sheets of aluminum plate and with my Miller 701 plasma cutter I started in on the cabinet. I don't need to tell you that this was slow going when it came to the TIG welding but I wanted to get my fit and finish perfectly so to do that I used a wood router with a carbide bit and carefully got my edges perfect.
After I got all the welding completed I used the wood router again to finish the edges to get the factory look I wanted. I put a top in the cabinet where I housed a bulb to light up the "Diesel" signage and another bulb up top to light up the globe. I machined the nozzle from some scrap aluminum I had around and I machined the crank and knob the same way. I sanded the aluminum inside to remove the shine and give it a "warmer" look.
At that time I didn't have a paint booth so I painted it right in my shop but I turned out just the way I wanted it. I door is the only thing I didn't make out of aluminum. I made it out of maple and painted it yellow.
I carefully drilled the sides and shallow tapped them so I could screw the shelving racks on without going through the side of the cabinet and added rope lighting to give some reliable no shadow lighting. The shelves were cut out of 3/16th glass.
Sorry about the quality of some of the pictures but my camera at the time wasn't as good as the one I'm using now but you'll get an idea how I did it anyhow. One lesson I did learn out of this project and that is the next time I do something like this I'll be using my spool gun ! Hope you like how it turned out. Have a great day. Paul

[zapster]

your insane

good job paul...

whats next?

...zap!

[rookiemower]

man the work you do is freaking amazing, a piece like that could probaly fetch$2000 ++

[MicroZone]

Very nice. You are making us all look like slackers with our unfinished projects.

[elvergon]

Have to agree with rookie. However, do you already have an oven? maybe you could make one of those similar and make it a powder coating over

Good job

[colemg01]

Very cool! Impressive work.

Would hate to think of of the cost of making it these days with the price of aluminum. Yikes!

[shepdog]

YOU HAVE TOO MUCH FREE TIME!

awesome job.

[rookiemower]

shepdog you do not know how much i hate when people say that. When ever i build a project thats involved, and it turns out nice i get that comment. What people dont realize is i run a decent size shop, 60+ hrs a week and i still find time to run a small landscaping biz, a plasma cutting biz, and still work on all my little projects. Some times thats what people do to relax. I never seem to sit around and do nothing. Theres always something brewing.

[4shorts]

Originally Posted by shepdog

YOU HAVE TOO MUCH FREE TIME!

awesome job.

Thanks guys for the compliments. It's much appreciated. As for to much free time my wife would argue that one with you for sure Ha! Ha!. I work from 8 to 6 each day, 6 days a week. I'm self employed and when I decide to do a project I have to see it completed. When I was doing this cabinet I would come out to my shop two hours before I opened to the public so I could work on the cabinet. When the shop closed at 6 PM I would stay out in the shop until midnight and continue to work on it. Most evenings my dear wife would bring out something for me to eat and I would have supper standing by the welding machine but I got it done and I feel it was worth the time it took me to do it.

Heck I know people might say "Why spend so much time and money on something like that"? I really don't know the answer to that but I enjoy seeing the finished product and like each and everyone of us on here we're learning as we go and there's that sense of accomplishment when it's done. Thanks again everyone for your input. Paul

[partagas]

I just want to know when the tour starts. These little pieces of your work are killing me.

[Joker11]

I am in awe! That is so freaking nice. I can't tell you how insanely I envy your skills!
Modified Quote from Jerry McGuire: " You make me want to be a better weldor."

[Rojodiablo]

WOW!! That is the craziest toy box I have ever seen!!!! As I read, you did it in your time to relax. I understand that part!!! Some of my best stuff is off the clock, just to prove I can do it to myself. No one else understands, or seems to care. But I HAD A GOOD TIME!!!! And I am sure you do, too!!!

[4shorts]

Hey partagas your welcome any time to drop by and see it and that goes for any of you guys on here.

I remember when I was building this thing and it was in the beginning stages a customer came into the shop and seen it. He asked my brother "What's Paul building"? My brother being a bit of a joker replied "He's building a casket"! We could see the customer had cold shivers hearing this and as he walked down to the back of the shop he noticed some things on a small table (see picture) He asked my brother again "What's this stuff for"?

My brother replied " The guy that died always had allot of gas" !!!!
I thought it was one of the funniest comebacks I ever heard. Thanks again everyone for your kind remarks. Paul

[shepdog]

Originally Posted by rookiemower

shepdog you do not know how much i hate when people say that. When ever i build a project thats involved, and it turns out nice i get that comment. What people dont realize is i run a decent size shop, 60+ hrs a week and i still find time to run a small landscaping biz, a plasma cutting biz, and still work on all my little projects. Some times thats what people do to relax. I never seem to sit around and do nothing. Theres always something brewing.

Ummm....yeah. Actually, I know a little something about being busy myself and trying to get projects done whenever I can fit them in to relax.

My comment was a compliment to 4shorts, albeit a tounge in cheek one... The fact that anyone can find and time to develop the skills and to put out something as nice as what was originally posted here is always to be respected. I'm just jealous I have neither at the moment.

So....... sorry if you were offended.

[4shorts]

Hey shepdog I took no offence so not to worry. I always said if I can do it anyone can do it and you never know what you can do until you try. There are times I swear if you took my brain and put it in a bird It would fly backwards!!! Thanks again for the comment on my work. Paul

[wello]

very nice work again Paul I would love to the room for stuff like that

[welder.man]

Excellent work Paul, you make it all look so easy.



Simon
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~abba/index.html