2015 POTD Thread Archive

[MozamPete]

I have built my share of forges- looks real nice

Thanks. Will update as the build goes on.

 

[sgisler]

Cobbled together some quick dies from scrap to bend some flat bar in my JD Squared tube benderView attachment 98254View attachment 98255


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[sgisler]

Gave the new steady (and lathe) quite a workout this weekend:

The project I needed it for is going to be a travel humidor (a big one - 4.5" dia, 8.5" long).
Turning journals on the body:

Threaded the ends:

Profiled the body OD:



Still more to do on the top cap:



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[zmotorsports]

I had about an hour last night between other tasks so I decided to fabricate my tail light boxes and get them ready to weld onto the deck of the trailer.

I used 2"x4"x.188" tubing, cut the radii for the tail lights with a 2.5" hole saw, drilled the hole in the side for the small LED marker light and then capped the top, bottom and boxed the rear where the plug was hitting the inside of the tubing.

Here are the completed boxes. One with lights mocked up and the other without.


Backside. Here you can see where I had to make a box to clear the electrical plug on the backside of the flush mounted light.


A few of the welds on the tail light boxes.






I drilled a hole on the side where they will mount to the deck of the trailer, then drilled a corresponding hole in the deck of the trailer to fish the wiring through so no wires should be exposed or visible.

Next order of business is to weld the tail light boxes onto the deck of the trailer and move on to figuring out what to do for ramps and mounting.

Mike.

 

[T Bredehoft]

I've always liked the simple beauty of well executed TIG welds.

 

[Round in circles]

Mike,
Is this info of any use to you ?

Are you going to put some decent 1/4 inch drain holes in the corners of the light boxes to drain out rain or road spray ?

When I used to make up trailers I used to add a bolt on round bar cage made out of 1/2" hot forged bars so I had at least three bars along the length of the light and a central bar welded on to them . It was amazing how many times it stopped the light lenses getting bust when reversing into things especially in the dark or when someone was my " Banksman " & supposed to be capable of safely guiding me back .

The frames for the bars were nut & bolt fitted on , so if a guard did get whacked / distorted it either sheared the bolts by which time as the driver I'd usually felt it & was able to stop in time before the actual light housing was distorted .
I would grind off the bolt head or use a long cold chisel and a decent hammer to shear it off then punch the bolt through the hole. Whereas if I'd used tapped holes in the steel housing , the broken bolt would still be in the hole .

 

[zmotorsports]

Thanks David for the suggestions. I installed sealed light boxes on my buddies trailer a few years ago and it actually stays quite dry inside with no moisture getting in. I also coated the boxes with POR-15 inside but check on it occassionally when I pack wheel bearings or other work for him. I wasn't planning on making drain holes as my thoughts were that would also be where moisture would get in as well.

Personally, the whole idea of this trailer is "less is more". I like the clean, smooth and unobstructed lines moreso than braces and guards, guess it is the old street rodder in me or something. I have never had guards on any of my trailers for this reason and never had an issue in the 25+ years of owning/towing trailers and RV's.

I don't want to sound like a jerk, but I have found it is better to be proficient at backing up a trailer rather than worrying about fixing it after crashing into something.


Mike.

 

[X-RAY]

good idea on the por15, but i think the main reason to keep water out is for the wiring. i dont know where you are, maybe you dont have the issue of wires turning green in your climate.
and i agree with you- if you cant back a trailer up properly, you got no business going forwards with it either.

 

[Pontiac Freak]

I have never had guards on any of my trailers for this reason and never had an issue in the 25+ years of owning/towing trailers and RV's.

I don't want to sound like a jerk, but I have found it is better to be proficient at backing up a trailer rather than worrying about fixing it after crashing into something.


Mike.

I hasnt been the backing up that broke mine, it was the chains and the tilting down and catching a rock! I have C channel around the back, top and bottom but the front would have lasted longer with a cage.

 

[Franko]

I completed installation of a set of Absolute DROs on my mill today and thanks to those of you here that helped me make a selection. I ordered them from David and they arrived promptly for a very good price.

I decided to go with a lighter weight cover for the x-axis, using a 2 x 2 x 1/8 piece of aluminum architectural angle because the inside corner is square. The vertical angle had to be trimmed to clear the part of the mill that doesn't move. I didn't want to put a space behind it because I figured it would fill up with swarf. I wanted to install the y-axis bar up under the table on the moving part, so it too could have a cover, but there just wasn't enough height to accommodate it.

I also installed the power feed to my Grizzly G0619 mill. It arrived first, but I had to wait until the DROs were installed to have room to work in a tight place. I haven't yet installed the travel limit stops.