Rolling oil drain pan for home shop mechanic's pit

[kb0thn]

I'm building a mechanics pit at my home shop. Got the pit itself pretty much built. But while waiting for the concrete slab surrounding it to cure enough to drive on, I'm building a few things for the pit. Here is my rolling oil drain pan.

14 ga HRPO steel pieces laser cut. $140 at the neighbors shop. My normal laser cutter would be a bit cheaper. But I love the instant gratification of sending DXFs over and having parts an hour late. I formed them on my 60 ton Accurpress CNC press brake. Used a big die so I could get corners that will hurt less when I hit my head on them.


Tacking together. Millermatic 180.


Awesome punched 10 ga sheet I got as a drop from the neighbors fab. I am pretty sure I can stand on this plate without it bending and falling in. They said it was really expensive as full sheets. Hopefully they will give me a good deal on the drop.


Plug welding wheel support piece. 2.5" wheels go in here to keep the pan centered in the pit.


Main wheels. 2" urethane with ball bearing. Rated for 110 lbs. 3/8" axle hole in bearing. I thought about using 3/8" rod for the axle, but there is about 1-3/8" unsupported off the end of the pan. Went with 3/4" cold roll and drilled and tapped 3/8" holes in the ends. 2" long 3/8"-16 bolt had a nice length shoulder and makes a fine spindle.


(more in next post)

[kb0thn]

(continued from first post)

Test fitting this morning. Rolls really nicely.


Supports my 230 lbs with no perceivable deflection. And it is only tack welded at this point. Still rolls well.


After test this morning I decided I need add a few things. Bumpers on the ends so it doesn't slam into the end of the pit. And some pad eyes so I can lift it out with a forklift. There are 3/4" NPT drain bungs in both sides. Installing a short little full port ball valve on one drain. Planning on just lifting it out and hanging from forklift over waste oil drum. But could also lower a drum into the pit or do some sort of pumping arrangement. This is just my personal home shop, so it's not like I am running a quick lube. 15 gallons or whatever this thing will hold will do a lot of oil changes. Besides my pickup truck, all my engines are 100 HP and smaller. But I do worry about limited capacity when doing hydraulic systems. I've got close to 100 gallons of hydraulic oil in multiple pieces of equipment I own.

Need to do the full weldout and then send to powder. I will probably TIG the thing with 309L since that is what I do for 99% of my welding. I haven't built too many tanks before, so I am debating between putting the weld on the inside of the tank or the outside. Will probably go inside because there is easier access.

I can post some more information about the pit itself and/or of the stairs if anyone is interested. Next major pit project will be covers. I want to be able to put a 15k lb wheel on any individual segment of the cover. I am sure there will be some fabrication involved in this.

[MinnesotaDave]

Following these builds

Cool

[Bls repair]

Very nice

[robson1015]

Wow nice work...are you as good a mechanic ??

[John T]

This thread belongs on Garage Journal ......

nice work.

[Capt B]

Great Work!

[kb0thn]

Wow nice work...are you as good a mechanic ??

Thanks for the kind words.

No, I am not a mechanic. But I seem to be collecting equipment and it all always needs something. I am 36 and wife and I plan on being here forever, so just setting up to make the rest of my life easier. We have acerage, a half a mile long driveway that gets serious snow, old buildings, building new buildings, etc. So some equipment is required and some is just for fun.

Plenty of stuff to work under at the pit:
4 x lawn tractors
1 x tracked skid steer
1 x compact utility tractor
2 x boom lifts (40ft and 65ft)
2 x scissor lift (rough terrain and and smooth)
2 x telehandler (6k/36ft amd 10k/56ft)
2 x wheel loader
1 x rough terrain crane
2 x diesel air compressors
A bunch of generators

[MinnesotaDave]

I was thinking on your oil pan after it's full and heavy. It may have a tendency to rub against the wall and/or get cocked/stuck.

Wheels put sideways at the corners will keep it tracking straight and true

[kb0thn]

Wheels put sideways at the corners will keep it tracking straight and true

It has them. Will add a photo when not on my phone. Not sure how to add photos from phone.

[kb0thn]

It's really hard to see in any photo I take, but there are four 2-1/2" urethane wheels that run on the inside of the pit rim. You can see the top of the clevis pins I am using as shafts in the corner. They keep is square. I tried just pushing on one corner to intentionally try to jam it in the pit and it won't do it.

[MinnesotaDave]

It's really hard to see in any photo I take, but there are four 2-1/2" urethane wheels that run on the inside of the pit rim. You can see the top of the clevis pins I am using as shafts in the corner. They keep is square. I tried just pushing on one corner to intentionally try to jam it in the pit and it won't do it.

Excellent attention to detail

[Xsbank]

It's beautiful; but I think that screening is a mistake, the oil will splatter. Also, my biggest issue with oil changes, how do you get the oil out of the trough into a container? Put a valve and a hose on it so you can drain into the container that you will use to recycle the oil, then its capacity is moot?

[SlowBlues]

slick!

Might be concerned about the splashing too with only the screen on top.

A little pump will get that oil into a drum with little to no mess/fuss. 12v or 120 they're available cheaply and reliably just about everywhere these days.

[farmersammm]

Nice!

[John T]

how do you get the oil out of the trough into a container? Put a valve and a hose on it so you can drain into the container that you will use to recycle the oil, then its capacity is moot?

pad eyes so I can lift it out with a forklift. There are 3/4" NPT drain bungs in both sides. Installing a short little full port ball valve on one drain. Planning on just lifting it out and hanging from forklift over waste oil drum.

But could also lower a drum into the pit or do some sort of pumping arrangement. ..

......

[Joegreen02]

Fantastic work!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mikel_24]

Looking great! But why are you going to powdercoat it? Oil will make sure it does not rust and will get banged anyways.

Mikel

[kb0thn]

But why are you going to powdercoat it? Oil will make sure it does not rust and will get banged anyways.

Outside will hopefully not be oil covered. Unheated shop. Just temperature fluctuations causes bare steel to rust. And powder coat for this will probably be $25.

[Stick-man]

Very nice craftsmanship!!! I will be making one for my four post lift in the future.

[Popeye an old miner]

Thats some nice work you doin there!!

[kolot]

Really nice build, well thought out.

[mbarasing]

I have always thought a pit/lift would be handy to have. What made you choose pit over lift?

Great work!

[kb0thn]

I have always thought a pit/lift would be handy to have. What made you choose pit over lift?

I have heavy equipment. So a lift for a 40,000 lb crane or a 30,000 lb telehandler wasn't in my budget. And I don't really feel safe underneath something like that not sitting on the ground.

Should I add pit construction photos and story to this thread?

[mbarasing]

Should I add pit construction photos and story to this thread?

Of course you should.