Pr3ssure

So I went to TSC today to get something. I was looking around. They not only had square stock, lowes only has round around here, but it was a 4 foot piece instead of 3 foot. So I got a 1/2" x 4' piece of steel.

I just looked it up, the map says high volatile bituminous, not entirely sure what that means. Is that the high BTU coal?. I'm not going anywhere near the mine. Down past where they weigh the trains and for probably a mile or more after that I was finding a bunch of really big pieces like pictured above. So I don't think they would say anything. A few people drove by and I just waved and they waved back. If they do say anything I'll just let 'em know whats up. Edit: just looked it up, low volatile is higher btu. I believe so at least.

I've actually looked at a map before. This entire area said bit coal and the anthracite was up in norther PA, I think it even had the different grades in different colors and it was solid here I believe. I was drooling when I was by the mine. Entire hills of coal as far as I could see. If only I could get some without it being illegal. I might try driving up to the office one day and see what they say.

How can you tell? The picture is a little fuzzy but it all sneezed the same just some was dirty. There was red dirt or something on a few pieces.

Got some coal by walking down near the coal mine. Got a decent little bit. A few real big chunks too. Probably 2 or more buckets worth.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Either way I'm stoked having it setup.

It doesn't need to be mobile. I forge outside and I wanted the ability to move the whole thing. So if I blot it to the concrete I could just undo the bolts. I don't know, maybe I can just get a 1" thick board the same size and bolt it to the bottom. But I'm not sure they sell anything like that. It's 15" wide. I've only ever seems 12" wide boards before other than plywood. I guess I could eventually cut the welds and redo it on half inch plate. Also, that forge you got cedar is cool, small as can be but cool. I bet it gets real hot. Be nice for a knife maker. How big is the front port to stick stuff in? About 2x2?

So, I've realized after I got everything all welded up and my vise completely mounted, the steel plate I mounted everything on flexes when using the vise. I guess I should have just used the half inch plate I had but it wasn't near as big as the 3/16" I used so I figured bigger base is better. Im going to see if I'm allowed to bolt it down to the concrete slab I've been working on by if not anyone have some good suggestions? I was thinking get a 1/2 or 3/4 piece of the nice plywood or something and bolt it to the bottom. Other than that I can only think to weld some half inch around the outside as supports.

Yeah, I'm gonna try and find a pipe that's a snug fit with thick walls and cut it to where it just about touches the ring. I used a piece of the post after I welded the first brace and clamped everything up tight before I welded the second one. I had to beat the post down into place so it's super sturdy. Also, I forgot to mention I put water in my quench tank I welded. I tiny bit leaked out but I think maybe rust plugged it up or something because it hasn't leaked in two days

That does sound like it would be a solid table. May try to so that with the butcher block. If not I'll make one eventually anyway.

Finally made the stand and got it mounted. I just need to secure the bottom of the leg(the foot?). Super excited to have a vise to put by the forge now. I'm gonna weld up my twisting wrenches and make mounts for the on the side or put a board/shelf along the top.

Alright. Other than securing the bottom of the leg I finished it. I think I might go back here in a bit but I've been at it since like 9. Should I leave the base as is or should I take a little length off. I think it's good since I can stand on it though.

Bam

And I'm gonna set the leg in something. Not sure what yet. Looking for stuff with the right size hole already in it. Now I've gotta cut my piece of wood to the right length and I'm almost finished.

That's it Idk why I can never remember what they are called. Just ran some nice beads on this with the stick welder if I do say so my self.

In the process of making the stand for my leg vise finally. I've got these two big brackets I'm welding to some 3/16" steel and I'm gonna bolt the beam to them. Thinking about using something to run from the beam to the brackets to tighten them up for extra security. I can never remember what they are called. The things that you turn the middle piece to tighten the screws on either end.

Thanks for all the ideas guys. I may see if I can dig a fe holes to put concrete under each leg. Then I could bolt into it, if not there are beams about 2 feet up I could bolt the frame to along the wall. It's a sheet metal garage so can't bolt into walls. I started making my leg vise stand yesterday but once I start the table I will keep updates here.

I'm in a garage with a gravel floor, I do want to put down some concrete down but the garage is an old golf cart garage so it's 63x30 So for now I'll have to put things on the legs to keep it level or something

Not sure if this should have gone here or in the welding/fab forum. So I just put it here. So I have two pieces of some nice bamboo butchers block, one piece is 47" x 25" x 1.5" and the other is just about square so it's probably 25 x 30 or so. I'm wanting to make up a frame for the bigger piece for a nice workbench. I'd like to weld up a frame from angle iron that it can just sit down inside, probably weld a piece of two of flat bar for sturdiness on the bottom side. I'm wondering the best way to go about it, should I make mounts to bolt up some wooden 4x4's as legs or just go with some sturdy angle iron. Im wanting it for a general purpose workbench, although I probably wouldn't weld anything on top of. I've also got a nice big Wilton 6" swivel vise I'm probably gonna want to mount on it. So I was thinking maybe make some kind of piece I can use to secure the block to the angle iron fame with. Like to put on the top corners and bolt to the lower part of the frame. So if I'm jerking on the vise the table top won't pop out of the frame. I could just use clamps for that though. I say this because I'd rather not bolt it to the frame to weaken it at all. I guess I'm really just trying to see what you all might do for a nice sturdy general use workbench.

I love his creations. I wish I was half as creative.

Awesome, sounds good to me. I'm hoping to go to the steel supplier in a week or two to see what all they have. I gotta stock up on known steel for tool making.

Thanks das, I just watched some videos yesterday and luckily the wire in the welder was flux core. I didn't even know you used gas with mig until last night. It's just a little Miller running on a 120 v plug. But it seems to do alright for smaller stuff. The plate I used for the quench tank was like 3.something mm, I think that's 1/8th inch. The cylinder was half inch though so I'm glad it worked. My last few welding rods are all broken up. Im definitely down to plan something out though this summer. Would also love to get someone to help me make a hammer. I've also gotta keep myself occupied in a productive way for 2 years due to some, well err, legal reasons. So I'm gonna be doing a lot this summer. Also, I have yet to fill it with water. Will do that tomorrow.

It's about 1.5-2 inches up the whole length and I just removed the bark 10 minutes before posting. So an hour ago. I cut the branch off from the tree two days ago. All the wood was still green on the tree except on the spot I cut it down at. Also it's about 3 foot long. Give or take.

So I finally got around to cutting up that black locust I fell last October. I got a really nice branch from it I want to make a walking stick with for my brother. He's got one made of some super heavy bamboo type thing, so I figured he'd appreciate it. I used my draw knife to take off the bark(green wood and draw knife is like therapy). Anyway, I was wondering about drying it, I sealed the ends but I was wondering if I could just put a clear coat seal over the whole thing like to seal stain, if that would just make it rot or what. I was thinking it might help keep it flexible by keeping the moisture in it. Should I just leave the ends sealed and let it dry a bit before I do anything with it?

Yeah, I was making sure to get decent penetration. I haven't tried filling it yet, gonna do that tomorrow. I also ran a weld on the inside for more stability and did a second weld over the first one on the outside.