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I Forge Iron

My name is Larry, and I am a tool junkie


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I buy and sell tools like its what i did for a living, and the truth is I probably make as much money doing so than I do "working" out of the shop, It takes up huge amounts of time though, sometimes the deals are good, sometimes not so good. It just seems to be in my blood. Anyway I just got this Platen table from Boeing surplus. Its the only "new" table I have ever come across. Its a Weldsale which is what I have been searching for. The Weldsale has offset pockets in the bottom of the holes so you can stick a bolt through the top, twist 45 deg and pull it up to lock it in place. This one was on the Boeing online auction site and was just listed as a welding table, it has a 1" thick steel plate cover that has tabs to hold it over the platen.. I dont think that plate as ever been off of it since it was new, They drilled a few holes in it for some reason, I figure I'll just tap those holes and fill them with a bolt... Anyway other than its only 4' X 4' and I would have rather had a 5' X 5' Im pretty happy with it.... New cost on Weldsales site with the stand is $3800 FOB Pennsylvania... I got this one for $580. The fact that its only 4' wide will make it a nice match to my T slot table...4392478644_6b624ed38b.jpg4392478690_842b6b907b.jpg

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Sorry mate, I have been looking for a nice weldsale table for about 7 years and this is the first one I have come across (that's not entirely true, Its the first one I came across that was a deal...) I have no idea whats available in the UK but my guess is there is some equivalent that was or is being made on that side of the water... You can always order a new one from Weldsale

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My name is Clay and my problem is that I pretty much bought all the tools that are locally available (except for some that are ridiculously expensive). Now I am forced to make my own... even inventing them to get ever better, bigger, sharper, harder, stronger ones!! You guys just buying them are only in the early stages of this all-consuming disease!! I also have to have many duplicates now as these stupid things are always hiding when I want to make them work!!!?!!?

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Congradulations on the table Larry! $580.00 is a steel and proubably the best deal I have ever heard on one except for some one I know who found one on the top of a pile at the scrap yard and payed scrap price plus a little to by it. I have a 5x5 Weldsale also and love it. You might want to check out Strong Arm Clamps. They make a clamp that is like a Bessy clamp but with a knurled bottom that drops in the holes. They work great I have several and I payed about $30.00 a piece for them.

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There is a place in Canada that had surplus acorn tables, but I can't find the link. Maybe someone knows it and can post it.

Cool table MM.
Phil


Phil, are you thinking of Soluquip?

http://www.soluquip.com/table_platen_5x5_ref1820.htm
http://www.soluquip.com/table_platen_5x5_ref1821.htm
http://www.soluquip.com/table_steel_4x8_ref2021.htm
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Why yes I think that's the place! Man with a winning lotto ticket and a truck and a trailer....

Maybe I am a tool junkie too..

Hello, my name is Phil, and while I am new to blacksmithing, I have a tool addiction. I am familiar with making tools to make a finished item from several past hobbies that simply require too much space for me to enjoy. I guess Blacksmithing is the natural progression! I do prefer hand work to power tools in general, but have always enjoyed using nice tools, hand or power.

Thank you
Phil
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I'm Grant Sarver and I too am a tool junkie. I think it all started when I was seven, and my folks gave me an "Erector Set". When I grow up I want to be just like Larry**. I call myself a blacksmith because it's the only way I could answer people when they asked, "WTF are you gonna do with all these monster machines"?

** Oh yeah, and maybe as good-looking as Dave Lisch!

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I call myself a blacksmith because it's the only way I could answer people when they asked,


It's always a tricky quetsion when people ask me what I do for a living. I Usually don't say I'm a blacksmith because I'm not (though I do a bit of forging as part of my work) I'm not a fabrictor. Really don't like the term "artist blacksmith" because it just sounds plain wrong to me (and "civilians" just don't get it). Usually mutter something about playing around with metal. I'm not big on being pidgeon holed by a label but there are times when it would be good to have a succinct description that sums up what I do without having to waffle for 5 mins. I can Waffle for England.

Oh yeah. My names David and I'm still a tool addict. It's genetic.
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What do I do for a living?
Why,I`m the "metal guy"!!

What else would you be if you weld,fab,fit,forge,machine,raise,chase,tinknock,pipefit,etc. Plus make and modify motorcycles,cars,tools,blades,machinery,jewelry,art,etc?

Of course you need the tools to do all those things too.
Hello,my name is Bob and I have a tool problem...
Two of them actually,
1-I need more tools,always.(luckily I know how to make most of them)
2-I need a MUCH bigger shop to both use them in and store them while I`m waiting to use them.Make that 2 shops.No,a bigger shop and a warehouse... :D

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ok ime a tool addict does that meen i hafta go to meetings? will there be tools there ! ime in! i know everyone brings some tools and we do a round robbin tradeing session!! course some would hafta bring stuff in a 18 weeler! that table looks sweet larry! if it was at my shop it would be piled on in no time!

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These guys have a couple of platen tables they didn't have any when I was looking a few years ago and dropped in. They are about 5 min form my shop.

Ya I am a tool junkie as well but I am finding that I have to get rid of some things when I bring in others so I have room to work. I have a few friends who have so much stuff in thier shops that they have almost no room to work.

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They are not the same company. Soluquip tends to have lots of things on their website that they don't own. I suspect that the tables are here in Hamilton because the scrap dumpster in the background is a local company. I have been to the Cohen Warehouse and seen the stacks of t slot tables that are also on their website as well as lots of machine tools.

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Congradulations on the table Larry! $580.00 is a steel and proubably the best deal I have ever heard on one except for some one I know who found one on the top of a pile at the scrap yard and payed scrap price plus a little to by it. I have a 5x5 Weldsale also and love it. You might want to check out Strong Hand Clamps. They make a clamp that is like a Bessy clamp but with a knurled bottom that drops in the holes. They work great I have several and I payed about $30.00 a piece for them.
Sorry! I the brand name wrong on the original thread response. Sometimes I can be really challenged. :blink:
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Very nice table. If you have a shop full of old tools and some you are not sure what they are and you must have more----is that a tool junkie? I just thought it was second nature???????

You are a JUNKY all right... and don't give us that old second nature story... you know it's your first and only nature! You need help!! I am gonna offer ta help... send me ur tools!!!
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You are a JUNKY all right... and don't give us that old second nature story... you know it's your first and only nature! You need help!! I am gonna offer ta help... send me ur tools!!!



I know that wasn't directed at me.... but I have had several offer to relive me of my affliction :huh: :huh:

Its fun to joke and I dont mean to turn this serious but I really am a tool junkie... I love tools and I have taken it too far many times, I'll go without just about anything, food, a place to live, or whatever, if a new shiny gizmo comes along that I gotta have... My accountant really gave me a raft of (sugar honey iced tea) this year... I operated at a loss, a big loss... and still managed to spend over $25,000 on new equipment. The other side of that is I had to sell off a bunch of stuff I have accumulated to keep afloat this year and I made money on just about everything even in this economy. The exception was a forklift I sold because I felt it was time to upgrade.... Ive done a lot of "upgrading" this year because even though my stuff is worth less, so is everyone elses... The forklift I have I paid $6500 for two years ago and just sold for $4000.. but the forklift I bought for $6200 would have cost $12,000 two years ago... so I still feel even at a loss it is a good move... The old forklift has 14,000 hrs.. the new one 1300.... It will probably last me the rest of my life
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In the end what really counts is that you`re happy.You ARE happy(for now) aren`t you,Larry?

I`ve known and seen a lot of folks spend mountains of cash on trends or very destructive behavior and in the end have absolutely nothing to show for it.

IME,tools are always a safe bet.They can be used to make money,sold for cash and/or profit,used as trading fodder to ease an upgrade,loaned to friends needing a leg up,given to needy people,written off your taxes,left in the will,and any number of other things.

Far better to be a tool junkie :) than the other type :( ,anyday.

When I was single I sometimes slept in my shop and cooked on a hotplate for a few months so I could spend the former house rent on tools.Seemed like good sense back then.
Having a wife and kids changes everything.

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