Container Weld Shop build -

[Oldpath05]

I'm thinkin' second from the left.

Yes, the one who gave his wife an allowance and she spent before I could borrow it back, how'd you guess.................

 

[Oldpath05]

("Near as I can tell now, I was 'WAY OVER on tension")<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Never thought over tension would cause blade wander, I'd think that would cause blade breakage. What these pyramids made of, 1/4" plate steel? I must of missed those pictures?

 

[BukitCase]

"What these pyramids made of, 1/4" plate steel? I must of missed those pictures? "

Nope, ain't no pics til they actually get DONE - base plates are 3/4" plate, tubing is either 2-1/2" x 1/4" wall or 3x8 rectangular x 1/4" wall. Here's a rough sketch with more 'splainin' -
I should get a few pics manana, but just of cut pieces and my VERY temporary "crane" for those lightweight 350 pound tubes ...Steve

 

[Big Barn]

Might be a good time to introduce Dual-Shield Flux Core wire to the MM252s diet.

You still may have to set up a bit of a windbreak, though....

everyone knows its windy - Google Search

 

[BukitCase]

Got ways of setting up a wind break; what I DON'T got is enough power within range of where the new containers are going to run a transformer machine hard enough to matter - so if I do anything "remote", it'd get done either with the "go anywhere" mm211, or the little Everlast tig/stick and some 6011/7018...

The plan (for lack of a better word) is to weld up all the individual "pyramids" on the big table with the mm252, then toss 'em in the 580's bucket for "delivery" - then jack up each container and push 'em under, fine tune with 8# hammer and/or pry bar...

If the first one takes too long using C25, I might pick up a bottle of spray mix since most of those welds will be "flatlander style" anyway - what little OOP (a few vertical ups) I'd need can be done with the mm211 without having to switch things around...

I've thought about the dual shield stuff a bit though, might need to check it out more if/when I ever get caught up enough to realize I'm BEHIND ...Steve

 

[Oldpath05]

"What these pyramids made of, 1/4" plate steel? I must of missed those pictures? "

Nope, ain't no pics til they actually get DONE - base plates are 3/4" plate, tubing is either 2-1/2" x 1/4" wall or 3x8 rectangular x 1/4" wall. Here's a rough sketch with more 'splainin' - View attachment 560955
I should get a few pics manana, but just of cut pieces and my VERY temporary "crane" for those lightweight 350 pound tubes ...Steve

Oh now I get it betterah, you know if you dont cap those square tube ends they'd make great place for the wasps, yellow jackets live and protect you from an alien invasion.

 

[Oldpath05]

Might be a good time to introduce Dual-Shield Flux Core wire to the MM252s diet.

You still may have to set up a bit of a windbreak, though....

everyone knows its windy - Google Search

How about some good ole fashion 6011 and make it more challenging, then you can weld in damp drizzly weather laying on the ground and get some new shocking new ideas on how to build a square tube pyramid.

 

[Oldpath05]

Since someone brought up stick welding, I have this welding cable that says 2/0 but it's kinda stiff and heavy, want to get a next size smaller in a 15' length, the smaller one I have now with the electrode holder on it is 10' long, not long enough, and it doesn't have any numbers on it. So by looking at these two pics, who has the weld size cable talent for guessing what the this smaller size is is is, is it 1/0 maybe-ish?

 

[BukitCase]

The one with the electrode holder looks to be about 1/16" smaller - if insulation's the same thickness on both, that'd mean the smaller one's either a slightly thin 1/0, or a slightly fat 1 gauge - here's a chart
American wire gauge - Wikipedia

hit the page down 5 or 6 times for the chart - ignore everything but the left side, shows gauge (AWG) and diameters.
Here's the heavy math - 1/16" is just over .062 inches, so if you take the 2/0 diameter and subtract the 1 ga. diameter
0.36480
- 0.28930
= 0.0755

Which is more difference than your pic show; so your smaller wire could be either 1/0 or 1

You could also do what I did with my "too short/too small" original lead - add some tweco style connectors (male/female) and use the original lead as a whip, then just get something like these -

Access Denied

If you buy just black cable, you can always "color code" the ends, tweco and others come in male/female pairs in either black or red. Here's what I did - there's a total of 101 feet of cable; some red, some black, electrons don't care so I can mix/match whatever reaches - I also put the same connectors on my mig grounds, so if needed I can have any ground up to about 80 feet, and the 30A spool gun lets me reach up to 30 feet from the welder and ground it anywhere I want...

I also bought some DInse connectors that fit the new little tig/stick machine and built some 1 foot adapter cables with the tweco types on the other end, so the little machine can reach anything too -

Here's what I got -
US Forge Welding Black Cable Connectors #4 thru #1/ - - Amazon.com
US Forge Welding Red Cable Connectors for No. 4 thru No. 1/ - Power Welders - Amazon.com
And the Dinse to make adapters for the little tig/stick -
WeldingCity Welding Cable Quick Connector Pair DINSE-Style 3Amp-4Amp (#1-2/) 5-7 SQ-MM - Mig Welding Equipment - Amazon.com

I got my raw cable at the LWS, they usually treat me good (since 1979) - all my cables are 1/0, 100 foot "round trip) is no problem running 5/32 7018, and that smaller diameter electrode "whip" lets me have flexibility where I need it WITHOUT much loss in the cables -

If you're gonna make more than a couple of your own cables, do yourself a favor and get one of these
https://www.harborfreight.com/10-in-cable-cutters-61422.html

Much easier cutting big wires, doesn't "squish 'em out" near as bad.

Also, make sure any connectors you get will handle whatever size cable you get; if they say "up to 1/0, you will NOT get a 2/0 cable in there unless you wanna cut a bunch of strands off it... Steve

 

[BukitCase]

I actually started out tonite to do a different post - now I'm late and it's tired so short version - here's pics of all the "pyramid parts" (stacked as they will end up) except for the 3/4" plate bases, which will be 27"x32" at each location - oh, and a couple shots of my new "temporary helper" - works great for getting steel from the wall near the door to the bandsaw - that piece of tube weighed just under 200# before I cut another 3 feet off it... Steve

 

[Oldpath05]

("You could also do what I did with my "too short/too small" original lead - add some tweco style connectors (male/female) and use the original lead as a whip, then just get something like these -")<<<<<<<<<<<< Thanks that sounds like a better idea, I have 36' of 2/0 cable, I can cut that in half and then I can plug my smaller 10' stinger in that. The connectors on my 35 year old Miller, I think and quite sure they are Tweco style, I'll see if I can find them on Amazon or ebay, mind didn't look like the ones in your links thow, the Dinzes style are the ones we use at the shipyard on the new Miller 350 inverters.

 

[Oldpath05]

I actually started out tonite to do a different post - now I'm late and it's tired so short version - here's pics of all the "pyramid parts" (stacked as they will end up) View attachment 561128View attachment 561129View attachment 561130View attachment 561131View attachment 561132View attachment 561133View attachment 561134View attachment 561135View attachment 561136 except for the 3/4" plate bases, which will be 27"x32" at each location - oh, and a couple shots of my new "temporary helper" - works great for getting steel from the wall near the door to the bandsaw - that piece of tube weighed just under 200# before I cut another 3 feet off it... Steve

The blue bucket strikes again and because of all that free advertising your doing it's causing me to do more shopping at the blue bucket store, subplemital messaging at work. Is that big rectangle beam sitting on that phinnakee Jet band saw, if it is where's the saw blade, behind the wall out of site? maybe you stuck it on the roof somewhere out of way like the blue bucket crane.

PS, Right now it's LG, I'm getting $25.00/hr at 10:30 am, watching the thermometer reach for 90*, doing networking, enjoying the morning, drinking coffee AKA Baptist gasoline, debating whether or not to stay inside or go out in my shop. Happy 4th to you.

 

[Big Barn]

Oldpath. The XMT350's were available with Tweco OR Dinse connectors.

 

[Oldpath05]

Oldpath. The XMT350's were available with Tweco OR Dinse connectors.

The new ones they buy at BIW now come with Dinse but I think Tweco connectors are still on stick leads because when plugging a stick lead in to the Miller XMT350/456s, have to use a small adapter to go in the Dinse terminal and I think the connectors on the new Miller separate wire feeders are also Tweco and quite sure that's done at the yard weld repair, so it's mix and match when plugging in stick lead and or two 75' wire feed harnesses together.

It can be frustrating at times finding adapters for two harnesses and or stick lead and just one 75' wire feed harness is a hand full, contains 1 gas line, 1 remote heat cable, 1 heavy (think) 3/0 power amperage cable, so when lugging a 75' harness up a set of short stairs or across the building on a hot day, it will let you know real quick if your 25 years old or 75.

 

[BukitCase]

"Is that big rectangle beam sitting on that phinnakee Jet band saw, if it is where's the saw blade, behind the wall out of site?"
Nope, look at the pic again - that beam is still HANGING on my temporary "REAL black belt in lifting" :laughing: - and the saw bow (WITH BLADE) is vertical for loading - that 1200# rated F clamp is clamped dead center of the beam length (tape measure is yer friend) -

After that pic was taken I opened the vise all the way, GENTLY lowered the beam til it rested on the saw and rollers, then SLOWLY loosened the chain hoist while using the clamp as a HANDLE to rotate the beam (actually a tube) til it laid FLAT on the saw, then nudged/slid the tube up against the vise back, slid it up against the depth stop (not installed when the pic was taken, you can just see part of it in lower right, leaning up against the wall) and made the last 3 cuts...

That un-used original I-beam from the HF crane (slated for a jib crane in the other shop) is barely long enough to reach from center of a 20' stick up against the wall, to a point between the closest roller and the saw bed - but it was enough to prove (to ME, anyway) that the REAL bridge crane in the taller container is gonna be WELL WORTH IT.

In fact, true to my naturally greedy nature I'm thinkin' I might just EXTEND the rails on the REAL one to go FULL LENGTH of the weld shop container -

Nice thing about that is I can just build the crane 20' long, then add more rails and posts LATER if it seems worth it... Steve

Oh, about your Miller connectors - my old Century/Solar/Lincoln stick welder has just push-in connectors, slightly tapered with NO LOCK LUGS, you just push in and twist - they look just like the ones my LWS had for an old Miller, but NOT the right diameter so BE CAREFUL - if you buy local, take your old stinger and connector WITH you and compare.

Mine turned out to be Forney connectors - same exact style as Miller, but DIFFERENT size; just enough they are NOT interchangeable - here's the Forney version (3/8", for Century) -
Forney 5771 Sure Grip Plug Fits 5791-5792 Male - Arc Welding Equipment - Amazon.com
Forney 5791 Sure Grip Plug, Male Black Sleeve Fits C And F Model Welders - Arc Welding Equipment - Amazon.com

And the Forney for Miller (5/16" diameter)
Forney 5794 Sure Grip Plug, Male Red Sleeve Fits Spitfire And Miller Welders - Arc Welding Equipment - Amazon.com

Re-read this as many times as necessary; good luck, and happy 4th...

 

[BukitCase]

Finally got back on track a little - remember these? They're stacked the way they'll be welded together, and in the order they'll need to be so the two containers come out level (even tho the ground isn't quite) -
So I slipped the forks on the loader bucket, slid a pallet on 'em, set it just inside the container in the previous pic, and brought 'em up to the OTHER "shop" to clean up edges and weld together -

Also cut the 27"x98" piece of 3/4 plate into 3 27x32" pieces for bases under the door ends of the containers - Notice how that plate is a LOT thicker on the left side? It was a "blem" I got cheaper - downside is my PM45 plasma almost didn't wanna cut the last 5-6 inches; thickness there is just OVER an inch.

Then I stacked the tubing pieces on the weld table, will start cleaning edges and knocking mill scale off where they'll be welded together tomorrow -

Also found a 1/4 sheet of 1/4" plate, will use that instead of flat bar to "de-critter" all the tubing holes - that way I can cut exact sizes out for each set of tubes, and just do perimeter welds instead of using flat bar. My PM45 will be a LOT happier cutting that at 60" a minute

The tubing stacks won't get welded to the bottom plates til last; each plate weighs 180 pounds, don't wanna have to use the crane any sooner than necessary.

Got 2 more days before temps get into the 90's, so I wanna get as much hot work done before then as I can... Steve

 

[BukitCase]

Got a few things straightened up today, put the big vise on the weld table and got all the 3x8 tubes beveled both ends; should get all the smaller tubes beveled manana, then I'll need to lay out each pyramid as it'll end up so I can see where I need to shine the pieces up for welds - not lookin' forward to a week in the upper 90's... Steve

 

[Big Barn]

I kinda like the individual hydraulic lower link mod and use the box blade to level idea.

Guess it’s too late now , huh.

 

[Big Barn]

I can just picture archaeologists 500 years from now unearthing those pyramid blocks (along with electrode stubs and a set of Welding Tips and Tricks CDs) and declaring them altars for the "welding gods".