Making a chain slider & Skidplate

JamesMilko · **Posted:** Fri Dec 11, 2015 11:52 am

I have no idea why it never dawned on me to score metal before bending it. I do it all the time for cardstock and plastic. That realization likely improved the quality of my metal working at least 5 fold.

Chad Culbertson · **Posted:** Fri Dec 11, 2015 1:00 pm

JamesMilko wrote:

I have no idea why it never dawned on me to score metal before bending it. I do it all the time for cardstock and plastic. That realization likely improved the quality of my metal working at least 5 fold.

I just stick it in the vice and beat it with a hammer, lol.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Fri Dec 11, 2015 1:06 pm

Chad Culbertson wrote:

I just stick it in the vice and beat it with a hammer, lol.

Sounds painful!

JamesMilko · **Posted:** Sat Dec 12, 2015 8:06 pm

Vincent Keene wrote:

Chad Culbertson wrote:

I just stick it in the vice and beat it with a hammer, lol.

Sounds painful!

Psh, it's called work hardening, for a reason.

Michael Czeiszperger · **Joined:** Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:35 am **Posts:** 861

Wow, another kick in the butt to go learn welding. And metal work. And basic shop skills. This January I'll join http://www.forgegreensboro.org and take a welding class.

JamesMilko · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2015 12:07 pm

Look into your local community college's adult learning classes. I took a class at Durham tech for $90 that was 1hr of safety in the classroom and 23 hours of welding practice. We even spent a few hours doing aluminum. Without a doubt I used more than $90 in materials.

Richard Casto · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2015 12:17 pm

JamesMilko wrote:

Look into your local community college's adult learning classes. I took a class at Durham tech for $90 that was 1hr of safety in the classroom and 23 hours of welding practice. We even spent a few hours doing aluminum. Without a doubt I used more than $90 in materials.

I did the same class a number of years ago. Well worth it. I occasionally consider doing some other classes (such as basic machine tools) but never get around to it.

Richard

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2015 12:25 pm

JamesMilko wrote:

Look into your local community college's adult learning classes. I took a class at Durham tech for $90 that was 1hr of safety in the classroom and 23 hours of welding practice. We even spent a few hours doing aluminum. Without a doubt I used more than $90 in materials.

+1. Nothing beats hands on, and having a qualified instructor to help you along the way. I've often said I don't know how you can field a race team without a welder on hand.

I want to go back to learn TIG, but my local CC doesn't offer that process in their con-ed program.

Richard Casto · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2015 12:28 pm

JamesMilko wrote:

I have no idea why it never dawned on me to score metal before bending it. I do it all the time for cardstock and plastic. That realization likely improved the quality of my metal working at least 5 fold.

I saw this video the other day and it made me think of this project.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uST7iJgC_gs

He is using thick brass and is brazing and not welding, but I liked how he machined the "v" groove to allow the metal to be folded before brazing. And yes... I enjoy watching "machining" videos on YouTube.

Richard

Richard Casto · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2015 12:51 pm

Vincent Keene wrote:

JamesMilko wrote:

Look into your local community college's adult learning classes. I took a class at Durham tech for $90 that was 1hr of safety in the classroom and 23 hours of welding practice. We even spent a few hours doing aluminum. Without a doubt I used more than $90 in materials.

+1. Nothing beats hands on, and having a qualified instructor to help you along the way. I've often said I don't know how you can field a race team without a welder on hand.

I want to go back to learn TIG, but my local CC doesn't offer that process in their con-ed program.

YouTube. Seriously.

While the welding class I took awhile back focused on stick and MIG we did have access to a scratch start TIG unit and I played a bit with it. It wasn't that hard to get going. While a class would be ideal (and I would take one if I could), when I eventually pull the trigger on a TIG setup, I expect I will learn via a combo of "school of hard knocks" and YouTube videos. I have a mini-lathe and mini-mill and have learned a good bit from watching others online . Those who explain what they are doing while they are doing it is best.

Richard

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2015 2:03 pm

So this thread started me digging into other local CCs. I found two that offer TIG so I think I'm going to enroll for the spring semester. $180, but I'm betting it will be more than worth it.

Cash Davidson · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2015 3:04 pm

Since we're talking welding/fab here's another:

I've always wanted a lift table for working on bikes, but have no space in the garage. I am fortunate to have a 4-post lift so I figured - surely I can figure out a way to use it. So I slid the ramps together, set the bike on it and stood back and thought.

I wanted a wheel vise, but it had to be removable so I could still use the lift for cars. Also, being a cheap-skate I didn't want to buy one.

Besides, I like fab-ing stuff. So I scrounged my scrap metal pile and found some 3" channel I thought would be suitable and bought a trailer jack from Tractor Supply. Let the fabrication begin! :thumbsup:

With the jack fully collapsed, I cut about 5" off the bottom. You have to cut high enough to remove the deformed end of the threaded rod. This allows the jack to be taken apart.

Then I cut the outer tube just above the mounting flange and cut the inner tube so it would be about 1.5" longer than the outer.

Re-assembled, it looks like this:

From here, I marked and cut the threaded rod about 3/4" shorter than the inner tube.

Now its time to weld. I weld the 16" long channel to form a 70deg angle.

And weld the inner tube to one of the vise jaws - making sure it is square.

Next I weld the outer tube to another channel that will be a support leg.

Obligatory weld closeups - not pro quality, but better than some I've done. :lol:

I welded a base plate to the support leg, assembled it and gave it a bench test.

Here it is mounted on the lift with bike in place.

No more stooping over or working on my knees. Just need to paint it now. :thumbsup:

Now get out in your shop and build some stuff!!

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2015 3:20 pm

Cash Davidson wrote:

Just need to paint it now!!

You're talking about the 4-post lift right? I know you got it cheap, but a coat of paint would really make it look like, well, something no so cheap.

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