Metalworking Hunttalkers!

[np307]

Today we finally tied in the glycol lines that we ran in 4" megapress. I'm still not sure about it, thats a lot of faith to put in a pretty light gauge fitting with an o-ring. But it certainly went together way faster than even a team of welders 3 times our size could've done it.

Put in a new sugar pump on Tuesday, 15 sanitary welds in a day. We also have been running new product lines in a small condiment facility so I have my first coupons on file with a company (most of our customers don't ask for a weld test coupon). Still a bunch of work on the horizon, got a new guy who may be coming on full time and learning the sanitary side of stuff, he already has some tig experience and seems to be pretty capable. Tomorrow we had someone cancel so it's shop work unless somebody calls broken down. I'll probably be practicing my 3/4" sanitary welds to finally get certified.

 

[np307]

Went full janky welder mode this afternoon. Been wanting to build a stand for my reloading press, my boy played hard all morning so I knew I was going to get a long nap out of him, so I went into speed production mode. Very wide tolerances here, nothing needed to be straight or square. I only had 3 requirements: 1) the already assembled plywood base fits snugly 2) the stand isn't tippy 3) I can sit on a stool or stand to operate the press. I succeeded on all 3.

 

[np307]

Running wide open the last two days. Replaced steam lines to 3 heat exchangers on Wednesday, no telling how many hours of prefab we had and then it was a twelve hour day to get two of them running. The third one got finished today. I also had to go weld something I can't really show/talk about. It was 3" stitch welds and if you add all the stitch welds up it was 16'. All in a scissor lift over welding above my head.

 

[jmcd]

I've really enjoyed looking at the woodworking thread! I searched to see if we had done metal or not, didn't find anything. Post your work!

I'll start with a trout sculpture I did a few years ago as a commission piece. I haven't had time to do much artsy metal work since.

This is 20ga steel sheet, hand formed, with 2 stage urethane candy paint.

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Don’t know how I missed this. Amazing work!

 

[Mallardsx2]

Making a big header for the sawmill shack. Scavenged this trailer frame. Plasma cutter and welder were getting a workout today. About ready to attach boards to the beam.

 

[np307]

Well, last week a big hurdle got thrown the company's way. My boss (the owner) broke his leg riding a dirt bike and is out of commission for 2 months. So that means I've been solo on a lot of stuff and the lead when the part time guys are around. Biggest thing I've been tackling is getting this guarding fabricated. It will all be covered in Lexan panels to keep people from sticking their hands in the machine while it's running. Plenty of other playes spinning too, hopefully wrapping up some of those projects soon. We got no drawings to follow for this, just minimum/maximum clearance specs and had to come up with the design. Pretty happy with it so far.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Got the header beam I welded together put up.

I’ll go back to the woodworker forum now…. lol

 

[np307]

Got the header beam I welded together put up.

I’ll go back to the woodworker forum now…. lol
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That has more structural integrity than the thin wall tubing one plant wanted us to us to support a load-bearing wall that they cut down without supporting first.

 

[Mallardsx2]

It’s 27’ across there. I put in those gusset supports just as sone extra support. So far, I’m happy.

Hope to put steel on the roof next week, then I’ll spray everything again with used motor oil.

 

[np307]

It’s 27’ across there. I put in those gusset supports just as sone extra support. So far, I’m happy.

Hope to put steel on the roof next week, then I’ll spray everything again with used motor oil.

Yeah I think you'll be good to go. They wanted to span 17' with 4x3 1/8th wall tubing.

 

[BenP]

Kids are rough on their toys. Had to replace the center reel arm on one of the Draper headers for them.

 

[np307]

Today's mega urgent super important project that the plant wants done yesterday: a ceiling cover. Went and measured yesterday and came up with a design (I guess this is the year of developing my technical drawing skills) and building it today.

 

[np307]

Completed the box today, started the next super-urgent-want-it-yesterday project today. Once again, I had to create the drawing as they just told us what the part was supposed to accomplish and nothing more.

 

[np307]

Didn't quite finish up these today, but the customer was very happy with the progress pics. Here's the first one I finished:

 

[BenP]

When store bought isn't cool enough.

 

[np307]

Shade tree fab shop was wide open today. Decided I couldn't let our new fence be completely wood so I built this gate for it. The posts are 3" pipe, the hinges are 3.5" pipe with the weld seam ground out and a zerk tapped. Frame is 2" 1/8th wall tubing with 3/4 #9 expanded metal for the inside. I'm very happy with the gate itself, install was a little rough. Post closest to the house gave a little once I let the weight of the gate hang on it so I'm probably going to excavate and pour some extra concrete to hold it better.

 

[np307]

Having some fun this morning. It's nice to get back to doing piping instead of the fab work we'd been doing for the last couple months.

 

[AntelopeWalker406]

I used to dabble in making knives for a while. I sold all the stuff and took up reloading. I may get back into it again sometime.

 

[np307]

Currently on hour 14 of this day, making this, among a bunch of other projects as well.

 

[np307]

Finally getting things back to normal. Boss is back full time now and the sanitary work has picked back up as all the plants just had inspections. Made some covers last week and replaced a valve in a steam line today.