New "Shop" - Ramblings and Dreams With a Blank Canvas

[whtbaron]

You must be almost fully recovered from the Black Plague?

[Shootr]

You must be almost fully recovered from the Black Plague?

The fatigue and headaches are the only lingering issues - otherwise yes, doing well. Not really a big deal - I'm 56, overweight, and smoke cigars - this was no different than a bad cold.

[Shootr]

Why I waited until the weather hit the 110F's to get after a much needed spring cleaning I'll never know - but it had to be done. I start a project with the shop "fairly" squared away but halfway through the day the area of the table not covered in tools is regrettably shrinking.

Anywho, found a roll cart/table thingy for $30, figuring it can hold and organize tools while the bench stays clear.



Had to doll it up a bit, right? Sprayed a base coat of silver, laid out some pinstripe masking, shot the whole thing with Snap On red, and clear coated it.



Drilled some holes, added a bunch of hooks, new casters, etc. - I think it might just help me with my situation.

[Shootr]

Also cleaned up the welding cart. Found the leak in the gas line - the flow meter fitting is leaking and it won't budge either way. Ordered up a new one so I don't have to keep turning off the bottle every few minutes between welding/fitting cycles.



Swapped around where the forge and anvils live - they're closer to the locked gate but with a garbage bag or two over them they shouldn't draw attention. Just doesn't make sense to keep dragging them out of the way every time I want to work out there.



Tomorrow I'm tackling the other bench

[Shootr]

Finally got around to routing the power cords up and over, getting them off the ground and out of the way:



I used rubber lined clamps and u-brackets as raceways. Still have about 40ft of welder cord so plenty when moving the welder around the area.



My OCD is very satisfied now.

[Shootr]

'Merica baby!

[whtbaron]

I still can't believe you get away with storing all that stuff outside in a suburban setting... looking good though...

[farmersammm]

I still can't believe you get away with storing all that stuff outside in a suburban setting... looking good though...

Yup.........I cringe every time I look at the pics.

[Shootr]

Possibly wishful/hopeful thinking, but again:

*Nothing is visible from the street or the driveway
*Security cameras with signage all over, along with motion lights
*I sit out front in the evening with my cigar and scotch for all to see, you know, being neighborly (and my neighbors are fantastic)
*Do everything (yard work, dog walking, etc.) with my sidearm clearly visible (I try to present the image of Eastwood in Gran Torino to strangers driving by...)
*My pitbull jumps and hangs on that gate anytime someone walks by and gives them the eye (even though she wouldn't hurt a fly and would lick them to death)

It's proven psychology that the more impediments (real or perceived) presented to a possible threat, the likelier they are to just move along to an easier target. And crooks just HATE having to work around dogs. My LE buddies concur.

[Shootr]

Well sheeeeet, I guess I got a bonus today. The Yeswelder gave out when I overused it stick welding and The extended warranty company didn't want it back - just reimbursed me for the cost. Took that and bought the Forney 140MP. Practiced with it some - seems to be enough for me so far when it's turned up to max.


one of my customers asked me to bring the broken one over nd he'd take a look at it. I can't remember what he said it was - but it's working again. No, I didn't overlook a fuse or circuit breaker. So now I have two machines to use.



QUESTION: If I get a clamp on amp and voltage meter, I imagine I want to measure both to see what the Forney is putting out at different settings? It's just dials and no readouts. The blue one has readouts and I'd like to see how close or far off it is at different settings.

[whtbaron]

I'm not sure it's worth the effort. I've got 3 different stick welders and they all behave differently. The Sears seems to like the most juice, Forney is intermediate and the Dialarc on DC will typically burn the same rod at a lower setting. Again...that's going by labelled settings as none of my machines have that new fangled digital readout stuff.

[12V71]

I'm not sure it's worth the effort. I've got 3 different stick welders and they all behave differently. The Sears seems to like the most juice, Forney is intermediate and the Dialarc on DC will typically burn the same rod at a lower setting. Again...that's going by labelled settings as none of my machines have that new fangled digital readout stuff.

It's all about finding that "sweet spot" that you like with each one.

[farmersammm]

Well sheeeeet, I guess I got a bonus today. The Yeswelder gave out when I overused it stick welding and The extended warranty company didn't want it back - just reimbursed me for the cost. Took that and bought the Forney 140MP. Practiced with it some - seems to be enough for me so far when it's turned up to max.


one of my customers asked me to bring the broken one over nd he'd take a look at it. I can't remember what he said it was - but it's working again. No, I didn't overlook a fuse or circuit breaker. So now I have two machines to use.



QUESTION: If I get a clamp on amp and voltage meter, I imagine I want to measure both to see what the Forney is putting out at different settings? It's just dials and no readouts. The blue one has readouts and I'd like to see how close or far off it is at different settings.

Use a meter with a hold function. You have to measure amps while actually welding, which makes it impossible to look at a meter. I guess you could observe a meter if you could hold a steady arc while not looking at the rod.

[smithdoor]

Looks great
The best in last photo.

Dave

Finally got around to routing the power cords up and over, getting them off the ground and out of the way:



I used rubber lined clamps and u-brackets as raceways. Still have about 40ft of welder cord so plenty when moving the welder around the area.



My OCD is very satisfied now.

[whtbaron]

Looking good, but you're starting to get a lot of weight on that electrical conduit. I've done it too, but my insurance company got all snotty about it. At some point you might want to consider another steel bar or some sort of hanging rack.

[Shootr]

I'll keep an eye on it. Most of my clamps are still plastic HF junk.

On the Forney, the chart inside the door does get me close, just have to get more practice under my belt. Maybe I'll get the tig attachment (lift tig) and some argon for the blue one and start dabbling with that.

[Shootr]

New drapes to freshen things up. Well, a tarp to block the summer sun and occasional wind.

[whtbaron]

That upright anvil isn't showing any signs of wearing out yet.... told you it would last a while...

[smithdoor]

That what every shop Needs HOT TUB.

Dave

New drapes to freshen things up. Well, a tarp to block the summer sun and occasional wind.

[Shootr]

That upright anvil isn't showing any signs of wearing out yet.... told you it would last a while...

I'm soooo happy I shortened it - I still need to figure out a horn for it but it's way more user friendly.

Any idea if these kind of tool holders would hold up as a horn?

[whtbaron]

Does your horn really need to be horizontal? Any one of those would make a good cone with the base ground down to fit your Hardy. If you are expanding a circular piece I don't see why it really needs to be horizontal, and I'm not sure why else you would need that cone shape, but I'm sure more experienced blacksmiths might take me to task on that one... another possibility might be welding a cone to a flat base that would pin into the 4 outside holes of the anvil to stop it from turning.

[psacustomcreations]

I used tooling holders like that as the basis for making some cone mandrels. I built up the top mig welding, then turned it on the lathe to grind and point. So far they work great.
I cut the shaft of one on my mill and then just welded a piece of angle on the other.


Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

[Shootr]

Does your horn really need to be horizontal? Any one of those would make a good cone with the base ground down to fit your Hardy. If you are expanding a circular piece I don't see why it really needs to be horizontal, and I'm not sure why else you would need that cone shape, but I'm sure more experienced blacksmiths might take me to task on that one... another possibility might be welding a cone to a flat base that would pin into the 4 outside holes of the anvil to stop it from turning.

While making the totem pole there were several parts that were a pain to try and curl around rods and pipe tacked vertically to my bench. Might be psychological, but to me I'd be more comfortable hammering down than sideways. I don't make as many rings (if any) as I do/would rounded stuff.

[shortfuse]

QUESTION: If I get a clamp on amp and voltage meter, I imagine I want to measure both to see what the Forney is putting out at different settings? It's just dials and no readouts. The blue one has readouts and I'd like to see how close or far off it is at different settings.

I can't verify the reason, but a sparkie type told me to get an RMS clamp-on volt/ohm meter, not the regular run of the mill type. Something to do with the way the meter reads current when clamped around a welding lead, or any conductor for that matter. When taking the readings while welding, just have the wife or a friend call out the values or better still take a video of them.

I got one and it works like a dream.

BTW, after you cleaned off that one workbench, the one covered with stuff....you will have a h*ll of a time finding that stuff now!!!

[frieed]