Buck's random home-made things.

[daniel_buck]

So I love tinkering, usually on a small scale (I've never built anything structural, and nothing larger than small tables). Now that I'm learning to weld, I'm going to start making some things out of metal.

So, I'll go ahead and kick off this thread of mine with a little something I made this weekend, a paper towel holder I got tired of the crummy paper towel holder in the garage always letting go of the roll and falling to the floor. So I built one that will never let go of the roll, it's secured with a nut and bolt After this photo, I drilled holes in the flat metal surfaces, and screwed it into the garage wall.

Next project is an entertainment center for the living room, I'll be making it out of metal, wood, and integrating in some lights to it as well. working on the design in 3d tonight.

I'll add to this thread as I get things made.

[daniel_buck]

and something I made earlier this year, a small end table out of African Mahogany, first time using real mortise & tenon joints. Designed this one in 3d first, because of the expensive wood, haha!

The last photo looks very light colored, this is just after the final sanding, before the staining. After the stain it became a rich brown with a hint of orange/red.

[inVERt'D]

I like the table. I think it has a kind of Eastern flavor to it (can't say Oriental--it isn't PC).

Your paper towel holder needs a wingnut, a belt drive with a stepper motor, an electronic eye, and PLC interface, and programming for autofeed, and auto-reverse towel tear-off. Oh and it should be painted a unobtrusive color--you know, nothing ostentatious. Other than that it's pretty cool.

:thumbs_up

[Tumbleweed13]

Very cool beginner welding project. I just got my 1st welder myself, yesterday. I plan on making some shooting targets as my 1st project. Welding on the jeep is a long way off. Looking fwd to see what you make next.

[RAT]

Dig that Oriental looking table Seriously wood is a medium I am totally lost in. I envy that ability. Nice work. The towel holder is cool; dual purpose too (roller fairlead)...

[daniel_buck]

oh shoot, you know what, I have a roller fairlead sitting around somewhere, I should have started with that, haha!

[daniel_buck]

Had some fun today! Got a real good start (probably 75% finished?) on the metal table. It's a very similar design as the wood table I made earlier, but it's a little larger. The top is 18" x 24" I believe, and the metal is 16 gauge square tubing (1 inch square) and 16 gauge sheet metal. Welder is a Lincoln 180 dual (running on 110, because I don't have 220 yet). Using .023 solid wire, and the typical Argon/Co2 gas mix. I had the welder turned up to max power for probably 80% of the welding, so clearly 16 gauge is about all I can do on 110, haha!

The top will be African Mahogany, and all the steel will be polished with a Brillo pad, and coated with some sort of matte or glossy clear coat. haven't figured out the clear coat yet, but I'm sure it won't be to hard to find something that keeps the bare metal look but still prevents surface rust.

On the bottom of the legs I'm going to weld on a 5/8" nut, and thread in a 5/8" bolt with some thick furniture felt glued to the bottom. That will keep it from scratching up my wood floors, and let me level the table. In certain places of the rooms (particularly close to the walls) the floor isn't level. After 3 tables now I have figured that out, haha!


got the welder dialed in!



The frame for the lower shelf:



welded the sheet metal (16 gauge) on top of the lower shelf



close up of the weld that holds the sheet metal on, I'm quite happy with how it turned out!



after grinding all the welds on the lower shelf



tacking the lower shelf in place



how the top border will look on the top of the table (haven't welded it on yet, it's just resting on there). I still need to weld on the tabs that will stick inwards, that the wood will rest on. Still haven't figured out if I want to just let the wood rest in there with gravity and friction holding it, or if I want to put some metal straps that hold it in place (kind of like the gas tank straps that hold the skid plate to the tank). I'm not sure if I could make that look elegant or not, I may try it though.



And here's a photoshop of what it will look like with the 3 strips of mahogany on the top. They will be in-set (sunken down) from the metal border by about 3/16" I think it will look nice

[brokenujoint]

weldings fun. Just dont breathe to much of the smoke and keep your eyes protected. Even with looking at your set up then turning your head and tacking will screw w/your eye balls after awhile.

[inVERt'D]

Looks pretty good!

[daniel_buck]

weldings fun. Just dont breathe to much of the smoke and keep your eyes protected. Even with looking at your set up then turning your head and tacking will screw w/your eye balls after awhile.

I've got a fan in the garage, and try not to breath anything I think I should get a larger fan though, I still feel like I need to sit back after each weld in order to continue to get fresh air. Last two times I've been at the hardware store, they have been sold out of industrial fans, darn this heat! haha!

Not sure what you are talking about with my eyes though. I have a welding face shield with an automatic dimming visor, which seems to work quite nicely

[inVERt'D]

Auto-darkening helmets are the best thing since sliced bread.

There is a tension between clearing fumes away from your head and not clearing shielding gas from the weld. I think the best way is to suck the fumes away with ducting. I have to weld outside, which is a whole other kind of hell at times. I'll wash my face before I have lunch or dinner, and often taste a metallic flavor when I do.

Your welds are looking good.

[aw12345]

Mig welding with shielding gas and fans or wind do not get along at all. Auto darkening helmets are the bomb

[jonah]

Nice looking work! I remember when my sawhorses looked so bright and shiny, won't last long.

[curtis]

Those are some very nice looking welds! Both the tables you made are also great pieces.

[daniel_buck]

I wonder about that, every now and then I would get a weld that just came out real funny looking, I wonder if it was because the shielding gas was being blown away? I hadn't even though about that until now. All the metal is pretty clean, and I always move the ground closer to the area that I'm welding on (instead of being on the opposite side of the table, for example) Not sure how much that really matters or not, but I figure it can't hurt However, I can see where a magnetic ground strap would be nice! Sometimes a clamp is awkward to get onto the metal.

Jonah, yea the sawhorses get used alot, but woodworking doesn't really scratch them up or anything, I suspect they won't be looking new for very long with the metal working :-D