Not quite This Old Tony, but still nice.

12/13/2017 4:24:22 PM

i'm definitely borrowing some ideas from his build

12/13/2017 6:08:58 PM

I wish I could borrow his technique and skill.

12/14/2017 10:50:45 AM

he's definitely talented, but i wish a price tag for each tool or piece of equipment would pop up throughout his videos. it would put things in perspective.

12/14/2017 11:14:05 AM

I'm not sure I understand your point. He uses a nice welder for sure, but not top of the line.

12/14/2017 1:36:20 PM

i'm not just talking about welding. i'm just saying that we watch videos like his and think, "man, he makes cool stuff. i want to make cool stuff too." but it's expensive to get setup with a home machine shop like that. i'd like to know just how much he has tied up in all of it. i really like how he makes a lot of his own tools.

to be clear, i'm not saying at all that his projects turn out nice simply because he has nice equipment. from what i can tell, a lot of his stuff was bought used and clapped out and he got it going again. his patience and attention to detail are impressive.

[Edited on December 14, 2017 at 2:35 PM. Reason : adsf]

12/14/2017 2:29:58 PM

It is expensive. I just picked up a Mig Max 215. After getting the welder, helmet, welding cart (worth it's money in time/materials), 11lb spool of solid core, and a 40 of 75/25 shielding gas, I'm about $900 in... But I can do 99% of my demand now! You don't need a top of the line tool to do top of the line work. The analogy works best with cars, where just because you have a newer/more expensive vehicle doesn't make you faster around the track. Driver mod plays a huge role and while it's easier to go faster around the track in a C7Z06, it's still possible for someone in a 2000 Miata to match and/or out drive a "faster" car. Same goes with Cameras; spending more money on DSLRs doesn't make you a better photographer. You need technique to master a trade.




[Edited on December 15, 2017 at 8:56 AM. Reason : .]

12/15/2017 8:52:06 AM

I agree with that. My point isn't about the quality of the equipment he does have. It's about having the equipment. I can't make up for not having a mill and lathe with skill.

Those Vulcan units from Harbor Freight seem to be impressing a lot of folks. Keep us updated on the long term performance.

[Edited on December 15, 2017 at 9:53 AM. Reason : dasf]

12/15/2017 9:34:45 AM

replaced some rotten seat mounting tabs and added some gussets to the frame of an old british motorcycle for my uncle today. forgot to get some pics.

waiting on drawer slides to come in so i can continue with the cart build.

12/17/2017 5:33:13 PM

https://photos.app.goo.gl/HvWn4sKUAJG3QdyB3
https://photos.app.goo.gl/oXjHJzoxd50UqOcK2

i got one of those craptacular 30" brakes from harbor freight and made the drawer. it's 16 gauge, so i had to score it with a cut off wheel to get a sharp corner. worked out ok. building drawers is a pain.

12/21/2017 7:17:56 PM

https://photos.app.goo.gl/MPGFFpjkEP1DEzfC3

i think it's ready for paint now. only thing i may add is a handle to the front for pulling it around. i find myself grabbing the drawer handle to move it.

12/22/2017 6:36:17 PM

NICE!!! Keep up the great work!

12/23/2017 11:50:57 AM

finished up painting today. gotta put it all back together and then my shop won't be a damn paint booth any more.

homemade 2"x72" belt grinder is one of the next things on the list.

12/28/2017 8:12:29 PM

You plan on making one of those Knife-Making type ones - like this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQH0qpO_9Qg

There was an awesome looking one on CL for a long time, it was green, looked pretty sweet but they wanted $1200 ish.

12/29/2017 1:29:06 PM

yeah, a lot like that one except i'm going to make it on a floor stand so it doesn't have to sit on a table or bench.

cart is finished. really glad i added the handle to the front. final pics in the album:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/MPGFFpjkEP1DEzfC3

12/29/2017 2:26:37 PM

ordered a 1.5 hp motor for the belt grinder today. pretty much as big as i can go on a 20 amp 110v circuit. going to use step pulleys instead of a VFD to try to keep the price down. i figure it'll probably stay maxed out most of the time anyway. i'll probably gather parts for a couple months before starting.

in the meantime, my shop clock broke, so i got a movement with arms and i'm going to make a clock face out of something.

1/2/2018 9:57:27 PM

Drew this plate to hold the platen in Autocad and had it cut on a water jet. Just need to drill and tap the holes for the rollers.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/N0Gf86xNFsBKckYX2

1/9/2018 5:18:33 PM

Anybody knowledgeable about oxyacetylene equipment? I'm having a hell of a time figuring out what pieces are compatible with other pieces. I'm also trying to find some o-rings for a cutting attachment without paying a stupid amount.

5/21/2018 1:47:12 PM

O-rings are pretty standard. Just measure the old one, figure out the material, and order them.

5/21/2018 2:32:49 PM

They're non-standard sizes. I've checked.

The OEM o-rings for Victor equipment are supposedly made of Hypalon (CSM) which is hard to find. I'm sure Viton would do the job. Considering the rings should only get hot a few milliseconds before a flashback and the resulting explosion, bog standard buna-n would likely be fine as well.

Looking at the chemical interaction tables, Viton looks superior in every way. Go figure.

I'll likely have to drive out to Airgas and pay $5.00 per ring.

5/21/2018 4:40:18 PM

get some dry ice for your soda stream and you won't feel so bad

5/21/2018 6:55:24 PM

EPDM won't work as elastomer?

5/21/2018 7:49:27 PM

$5 per isn't really that bad

5/21/2018 8:14:17 PM

I suppose not. I just have this mental price point of small o-rings running $5.00 per hundred.

5/22/2018 12:39:39 PM

Your next complaint would then be why you have to buy 100 o-rings for $5 instead of just the 1 or 2 you need at $0.10.

5/23/2018 3:46:39 PM

You'd think so, but likely not. I'm more the type to say, "Cool! Now I have o-rings for the rest of my life!"


Ten Years Later: "Why do I have so many fucking o-rings?"

5/24/2018 6:46:38 PM

Ha! So I found out that Uniweld, the company that makes my torch (Victor compatible), sells o-ring kits. They just don't list them on their website for some stupid reason. I've got 5 sets of o-rings coming for a total of $4.50. Seriously, why wouldn't they list parts on their site. Probably some stupid reason centered around protecting their distributors and in-house service centers.

5/25/2018 10:01:03 AM

https://www.youtube.com/user/weldingtipsandtricks

This was where a majority of the techniques were explained to us at Wake Tech last year, throughout MIG, Stick & TIG in the welding certification program. Instructor would literally pull up Jodie's videos on the overhead.

My only regret is that I wish I'd started earlier.

5/28/2018 10:10:57 AM

Yeah Jodi is the man.

He’s how I learned to tig

5/29/2018 5:53:41 PM

i made this dog with scraps and stuff

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mWVwdnhhyZ1jcZER8

11/27/2018 4:06:45 PM

That would be interesting brazed where you would get the color contrast of the bronze filler.

11/28/2018 1:48:03 PM

Yeah, I thought about that. I'm hoping to get a real tig machine next year, so then I could do the silicon bronze thing. Right now I only have scratch start capabilities.

11/28/2018 3:57:09 PM

Have a torch? Fire is just as cool to braze with and lightning.

11/30/2018 6:53:31 PM

Nah. Need to get an oxy/acetylene setup.

11/30/2018 10:30:43 PM