Fixture Stand Support, Bolts to Concrete

[erikmannie]

I spent 6 weeks building a very heavy fixture stand. The stand is over 5’ tall, & it has arms as long as 4’ that could have up to 125 pounds loaded at the end.

While I *do* have a height adjustable stand that takes most of the torsion off of the base, the large amount of weight at a distance of 4 feet would still act as a huge lever, so I’m going to bolt everything to the concrete.

I am also going to take this opportunity to mount the bench vise that I use for welding. I often weld things that are clamped in a bench vise, particularly with stick welding. I strike the arc on the vise and then move the arc to the workpiece.

I am going to use MIG for this project, as my TIG torch died while making the last arm on the fixture.

 

[erikmannie]

The material was a whopping $380! I already had 4 anchor bolts + about a third of the Grade 8 hardware.

I hired the steelyard to punch the holes; they charge $5/hole, & they use an ironworker. It did not sound like fun to me to drill 11 holes in 3/8 plate.

I need to get my brother-in-law to loan me his Hilti hammer drill again. I hope that he is around, and lets me borrow it.

 

[erikmannie]

I already have 2 anchor bolts sunk in my garage floor from a previous project— only 2 more holes to drill!

The picture below shows as far as I can sink the bolts. I will have to either shorten the bolts, use another washer, or a split washer. What do you guys think? Shorten the bolt? Fender washer? Split washer? Don’t say cheater bar!

 

[erikmannie]

For mounting the fixture base and the vise, the mounting holes line up (the holes were purposely drilled a little too large), & the bolt shank lengths are A-okay.

 

[erikmannie]

I just had to go out into the terrible Bay Area traffic, & borrow my brother’s hammer drill. I also had to pass by the hardware store and buy just a few more things for this project.

 

[erikmannie]

So, like I said, 2 of the anchor bolts were already in the concrete from a previous project.

I just bolted the plate down tight, & now I am going to hammer drill the last 2 holes with a mortar drill. I center punched the concrete.

I am also going to upload a picture of the anchor bolts that I use.

 

[erikmannie]

When I started drilling, I found out immediately that the hole in the steel was smaller than the mortar drill!

I didn’t even stop the hammer drill. I just drilled all the way in until dirt (as opposed to steel or concrete) started coming out.

 

[erikmannie]

I need a cheater bar from this point. The bolt is pushing a (stud?) through the anchor bolt, expanding the sides of the anchor bolt tight into the concrete.

I am also uploading a picture of the (stud?) that gets hammered the anchor bolt.

 

[erikmannie]

At this point, the test install of the plate that bolts to the floor is a A-okay.

 

[erikmannie]

This is how I had planned to place the angle iron. Although it certainly does not help somebody using a cheater bar, it is the most aesthetically pleasing placement of the angle iron.

It was planned this way from the beginning. I might regret it when I’m trying to get the bolts back in there with a cheater bar!