Todays shop time.

[kevinwak]

I know this may be a stupid question but why the mirrors in a workout room? I can understand having them for free weights if you want to check your balance or technique, but if you are running on a treadmill, what does it do? I'd rather watch a big screen.
I know I'm missing something, mirrors are everywhere in gyms. Is it inspirational, as in gosh I'm a fat slob and I'd better work harder?
That would fit me.

I need them to check form with free weights. I am not natural at weights and always-need to check on form. I much prefer running or mountain biking outside but have been dealing with some hip pain and imbalance the last year or two which has driven me to weights to strengthen.

 

[4570Man]

I welded a piece of angle iron under the beam flange on my wood splitter to hopefully stop it from bending. Give me some slack on the crappy weld job. I had a box full of 3/4 burnt welding rods and I figured this would be a good spot to use them.

 

[dragoneggs]

I welded a piece of angle iron under the beam flange on my wood splitter to hopefully stop it from bending. Give me some slack on the crappy weld job. I had a box full of 3/4 burnt welding rods and I figured this would be a good spot to use them.

View attachment 545934

I was looking for this thread but instead just posted in the HF don't suck thread for my today's shop time. Lately, my shop time has been mostly maintenance, clean up. Partly because I am having a hard time finding stuff. Recently, I tore out a bunch of repurposed wooden kitchen cabinets and replaced them with large steel tall cabinets that I welded wheels on.

Unfortunately, now I can't find stuff that I used to know exactly where its home was. Time for more sorting and purging... but ya never know when you might need that do hickey I salvaged from the thing a ma job.

 

[4570Man]

I tore out all the kitchen cabinets in my flip house last week. I saved the ones that survived to hopefully sell to some sucker. I had to pay to dump the rest of that crap. I could have burned the laminate floor and probably cut the disposal bill in half but I deemed it not worth while to separate it from the vinyl floor that was under it and the tile counter tops that looked awful. The rotted out dishwasher, counter tops, the cabinets that didn't survive, the rotten part of the subfloor, and both layers of finished floor cost $25 to dump. And I got my truck stuck in the yard so I'll have to move the tractor to fix that later.

 

[dragoneggs]

Finally getting around to making a couple of pedestal stands for the two vises I have restored. Wanted to get them off my big welding/table saw out feed table. Always seemed to be in the way. I decided (since I don't have a mag drill and I didn't want to cut some all thread and weld) to use Click Bond 5/8in diameter studs to mount the Wilton 400S swivel vise. Still need to paint the stands and am debating on welding some locking swivel casters to the bottom of the pedestals. The other vise is a late 1930s Rock Island. I think '37 or '38



Probably gonna go with gloss black to the vices are highlighted vs. Miller Blue or Lincoln Red.

 

[Big Barn]

Nice job on the stands AND the vise restos!! That Rock Island is nice

 

[dragoneggs]

Nice job on the stands AND the vise restos!! That Rock Island is nice

Thanks! The stands are pretty simple... so far . The Rock Island was given to me about 35 years ago (but whose counting these days) from my father in law who picked it up at a garage sale for cheap. It had a hundred coats of paint on it and I honestly thought it was a cheap Chinese vise until I did a little research after using it for thirty years. I used some paint removing chemicals to attack it and luckily I didn't destroy the name plate! Caught it just in time!

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Finally getting around to making a couple of pedestal stands for the two vises I have restored. Wanted to get them off my big welding/table saw out feed table. Always seemed to be in the way. I decided (since I don't have a mag drill and I didn't want to cut some all thread and weld) to use Click Bond 5/8in diameter studs to mount the Wilton 400S swivel vise. Still need to paint the stands and am debating on welding some locking swivel casters to the bottom of the pedestals. The other vise is a late 1930s Rock Island. I think '37 or '38

View attachment 546571 View attachment 546572 View attachment 546573

Probably gonna go with gloss black to the vices are highlighted vs. Miller Blue or Lincoln Red.

Mark, this re-organization of my shops over the years has always led to buying more stuff when I still can't find the last bin or cabinet I thought it was in. Problem is I am not diligent about putting stuff where it belongs after using. 3 sets of HF screw drivers and still can't find the one I want/need.

Re-Evaluate that idea of casters. That may make the stand a little unstable if doing some heavy work. I like a solid base that will take leverage. I have put stands on truck rims filled with concrete for that reason. I have rented mag drills for the once upon times I have needed one. There is no good substitute.

In the military we always stated "re-organizing creates the illusion of progress".

Ron

 

[dragoneggs]

Mark, this re-organization of my shops over the years has always led to buying more stuff when I still can't find the last bin or cabinet I thought it was in. Problem is I am not diligent about putting stuff where it belongs after using. 3 sets of HF screw drivers and still can't find the one I want/need.

Re-Evaluate that idea of casters. That may make the stand a little unstable if doing some heavy work. I like a solid base that will take leverage. I have put stands on truck rims filled with concrete for that reason. I have rented mag drills for the once upon times I have needed one. There is no good substitute.

In the military we always stated "re-organizing creates the illusion of progress".

Ron

That is my big fear of casters... instability! As it is, the base isn't as much (weight) as I really desire. On the other hand, my shop is so small I seem to need to move tools around depending on the work. I might mount a couple fixed wheels such that I can tip and wheel.

Wood vs. Metal is the big problem. I started out long ago working with wood. Built kitchen cabinets to fine jewelry boxes. Now later in life I am getting into metal working. Space didn't increase unfortunately. Some day I (well on my bucket list) is my dream shop. Still won't be big enough... but until then I need as much on wheels as possible.

I have anchored a few things, like my HF bender into my concrete garage floor because of the torque required. But it isn't always not in the way.

 

[dragoneggs]

Mark, this re-organization of my shops over the years has always led to buying more stuff when I still can't find the last bin or cabinet I thought it was in. Problem is I am not diligent about putting stuff where it belongs after using. 3 sets of HF screw drivers and still can't find the one I want/need.

Re-Evaluate that idea of casters. That may make the stand a little unstable if doing some heavy work. I like a solid base that will take leverage. I have put stands on truck rims filled with concrete for that reason. I have rented mag drills for the once upon times I have needed one. There is no good substitute.

In the military we always stated "re-organizing creates the illusion of progress".

Ron

Well Ron, I made a trip to HF today and grabbed some 3in swivel casters. Finished painting and spot welded the casters. Mounted the vise and it rolls great and is sturdy enough... until I try to really 'use' the vise! :confused2: Just as you said BUT!

I think I have a solution that meets my requirements:

1. It isn't permanently mounted to my large steel table
2. It isn't permanently mounted to my concrete floor
3. I can wheel it around and store or even roll it outside

When I wheel it up to the side of my table I clamped it to see how stable it was and it was!!! :cool2:

So, my solution is to get a steel clamp that has a 9in opening or maybe better yet... drill a hole through the upright tube on the pedestal and holes in strategic locations along the sides/ends of my table so I can feed a long bolt or all thread and spacer and tighten the vise stand up against the table! Need that Mag drill again. Someday...!

 

[BukitCase]

Sooo, lemme see if I got this right; you mount your (not light) roll-around vise to your roll-around table, and somehow they BOTH become immobile....

All kidding aside, I have that exact HF bender - also don't want it bolted to the floor. HF used to offer a "bench mount" version of that, don't remember what they did for a die rack but I'm tempted to cut mine down and just mount it on a receiver tube (but I haven't "receiver-ized" my 900# weld table yet, good thing I have about 20 StrongHand weld clamps for those "temp" jobs - AND a 12,000# backhoe with 7 receivers to choose from :laughing: ) ...Steve

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Well Ron, I made a trip to HF today and grabbed some 3in swivel casters. Finished painting and spot welded the casters. Mounted the vise and it rolls great and is sturdy enough... until I try to really 'use' the vise! :confused2: Just as you said BUT!

I think I have a solution that meets my requirements:

1. It isn't permanently mounted to my large steel table
2. It isn't permanently mounted to my concrete floor
3. I can wheel it around and store or even roll it outside

When I wheel it up to the side of my table I clamped it to see how stable it was and it was!!! :cool2:

So, my solution is to get a steel clamp that has a 9in opening or maybe better yet... drill a hole through the upright tube on the pedestal and holes in strategic locations along the sides/ends of my table so I can feed a long bolt or all thread and spacer and tighten the vise stand up against the table! Need that Mag drill again. Someday...!

View attachment 546735 View attachment 546736

I have a small shop also, 1/2 of a garage. I use a lot of casters also. Have a large work bench and a smaller one I used the ball casters to keep the height down, they are already too high. I have several of those HF cheap 4 wheel dollys that I keep stuff mobile.

One small company shop I worked in; we put 1/2" flush anchors in the floor at the optimum location for each item we needed solid. Couple minutes to unbolt and move out of the way. Used winged bolts and kept them lubricated. no wrenches required. Several items we set up with the same footprint.

Ron

 

[dragoneggs]

Sooo, lemme see if I got this right; you mount your (not light) roll-around vise to your roll-around table, and somehow they BOTH become immobile....

All kidding aside, I have that exact HF bender - also don't want it bolted to the floor.

Gimmy a break Steve. All the casters have breaks!

My bender unfortunately IS anchored to the floor and I hate that it can't be moved... easily that is. One does need the torque for operating that vs a bench vise.

 

[BukitCase]

OK, just to show you I CAN be nice (dont tell anybody) here's an idea for you to (maybe) get your bender useful but less obnoxious... Steve

 

[Big Barn]

I bolted mine to the floor like dragoneggs taking advantage of an “outside corner” to keep it (kind of) out of the road.



Rolling the tool cabs out of the way provides 270° of swing.

 

[Big Barn]

For anyone planning on building a new shop I would consider vertical receivers mounted in the floor before pouring the concrete.

This is in the one in the concrete pad outside my shop’s front door.





It provides limitless options from temporary vise or grinder stands to an outdoor welding table. The crossbar anchor points are used for comealongs, straightening, pulling track etc.

 

[dragoneggs]

I bolted mine to the floor like dragoneggs taking advantage of an ç™»utside corner to keep it (kind of) out of the road.

View attachment 546811

Rolling the tool cabs out of the way provides 270ï½° of swing.

Actually did something similar with a sort of outside corner. I might have gotten the idea from you. My wife hated it though... but that was when there was still room to park her car in my shop. Not anymore.



Today's shop time was to add a HF oil filter/dessicant dryer to my HF sandblast cabinet. Recently I have been getting occasional short blasts of moisture when blasting. Fit great with no bracketry required. Read the reviews and they aren't glowing but hoping I don't have a lemon and it takes care of my moisture problem. Surprising there are more 1 star reviews than 5 star reviews on the HF site (and I always thought they censored the review posts to skew the poll to the positive. If they do, I just wasted $59.99 minus 20%!

3/8 In. Desiccant Dryer with Oil Removal Filter

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

My today's shop time was awful. Actually shed time. For years, I have been battling mice/rats in my garden shed which is actually part of the main house. The droppings and torn insulation, ripped open seed, fertilizer, etc. The smell that my wife said she could detect from inside the house proper finally made me get out and gut the shed, ceiling insulation, everything. All day job.

Had to wear a respirator. Smell bad. A couple dead rats and one live one. Six Hefty bags of crap. A full shop vac full of droppings and feed, etc. But I did get it done. Will need to re insulate. No pics. Just disgusting. I probably knocked off 5 years of my life even with the respirator.

Those ******* critters better not return. :smiley_aafz:

Shop vac makes some HEPA bags for their larger units. They are nice, but a little pricey. I always wear a good 3M respirator when doing anything where mice could have been. Hantavirus kills.

 

[cmyoung2]

I use tractor trailer brake drums for mounts, a little over 100 lbs each. Then I can either tilt and roll or us a hand truck to move them, Makes them pretty stable, Anvil is mounted on 3 15" rims welded together, same thing, can either tilt and roll or hand truck.

That is my big fear of casters... instability! As it is, the base isn't as much (weight) as I really desire. On the other hand, my shop is so small I seem to need to move tools around depending on the work. I might mount a couple fixed wheels such that I can tip and wheel.

Wood vs. Metal is the big problem. I started out long ago working with wood. Built kitchen cabinets to fine jewelry boxes. Now later in life I am getting into metal working. Space didn't increase unfortunately. Some day I (well on my bucket list) is my dream shop. Still won't be big enough... but until then I need as much on wheels as possible.

I have anchored a few things, like my HF bender into my concrete garage floor because of the torque required. But it isn't always not in the way.

View attachment 546579

 

[dragoneggs]

I use tractor trailer brake drums for mounts, a little over 100 lbs each. Then I can either tilt and roll or us a hand truck to move them, Makes them pretty stable, Anvil is mounted on 3 15" rims welded together, same thing, can either tilt and roll or hand truck.

Ii like it. If I had 100+ lb round things to weld post mounts, I would have done the same.