[DarkHorse]

OK, hoping this is within the rules... think of it as kind of an off-topic fab thread.

Thought it would be cool to start a general thread for all the stuff you hideously talented people create/build/repair/service/invent etc. Can be for work, something you needed at home, or just for the fun of making something.

Hopefully we can use the combined expertise of this place to share some hints/tips/tricks for those of us like me that aren't actually much good at anything, and need all the help we can get.

Anyhoo, to kick things off - built these for the company workshop over the last week or so:


Built as two identical units that can be pin-hinged together for big jobs, or seperated to support both ends for cutting. Will get mounting holes drilled on corners for steel saw, bench grinder, vice, and mitre-saw.

Frame - 50x50 and 50x25 steel, 25x25 angle top surround:

Blue stuff is painted in RustGuard Aluminium colour to match the galv sheet.

Decks - (this should make FatZook cringe) 19mm ply top sitting in the angle, then 1.2mm galv steel sheet folded (hammered by hand, old school) over the corners and welded down:

My welding is still pretty inconsistent, but the thin steel sheet did make it tricky.

Each unit will get 4 HD swivel castors, 2 with brakes, bolted to plates on each leg so they are replaceable.

Actually quite impressed with my accuracy cutting and welding, and with the finish I've been able to get. Welding itself is mostly OK, but not great.

Of course I managed to put the Festo through one corner with the first job I did on it, so had to patch that up. Managed to get it nice and smooth again though.

[DarkHorse]

This is the next project:

Modular shelving/mezzanine storage unit. Has to be built off site and then transported in a van, so nothing over 1200x2400.
Total 5700mm wide, 1200mm deep and top deck at 2200mm. Will be built as four gate units with crossbars bolted between. Top deck as three units 1800x1200, then top shelving as three units 1200mm wide.

Did all the cutting the other day - 123 cuts between 800mm and 2200mm, and this was the wasteage:

Not bad I reckon. Got to use the new workbench too even though they're not on wheels yet

[KEENSY85]

Nice work mate

[DR_JOSH]

Some of my shitty work, I built a stand for a mates fish tank. Came out not too bad considering.














I also built a stand for my own tank, which is slightly smaller and also included a light hanger which bolts to the back


I was a bit shonky on the welding for my own so just ignore the shitty finish

[Fatzook]

DarkHorse wrote:

Decks - (this should make FatZook cringe)

Not at all mate. Looks like you got nice penetration, and the corner weld gets linished off anyway

[bohuler]

Nice penetration and linished off corners, sound like an idea i hade for a sex game i gave my wife that ended up with me slapped

[monley]

27 tonne shuttle convey i worked on... did alot of the fab on the sides, stairs, hand rails, then the final fitting of all the motors, rolls & MISC brackets...



Pipe Mani-fold with a sit on, sit in, lobster back and plasma cut flanges...got 95% for that project at TAFE




Re-lining a chute...those blocks take about 2mins each to cut ...had to do x3 of them in 5 days with new liner plates to




Another chute i built last month...had to build 2 of them....



Built the top part of that chute there...3 peace chute from memory

Here's my first "major" project i did at school when i was 15...

[Trypt]

three letters... WOW!!!!!!!!!!

[alien]

4 words...

"you missed a spot"


=)

[31zook]

2 200T cranes, I think 57T chassis, $700 000 gearbox, 16cylinders, 4turbos, LHD, auto, 54" rims, 3T tyre and rim combo.. I only modify them and send em to site.

[DarkHorse]

Use cranes to mod the cranes?

You boys play with some big stuff! Biggest bits I've had recently were a cieling that weighed about 1T, and a levitator (custom built hydraulic boom) that was about 1.5T. I don't build most of it, just bolt it together in the theatre and operate/maintain it over a season.

[joeblow]

I'll pipe in.


Been working on a CNC lathe for far too long. Started off with a cheap Hare and Forbes lathe that they were getting rid of due to crappy motors. Ordered all the CNC gear from Honkers and Australia and started machining all the adaptors etc. So far it's 98% complete.







I might re-do the sliding cabinet for more room for a home made automatic tool post.



VFD tied into the PC.

[DarkHorse]

DarkHorse wrote:

Nearly there... some tweaking to do and then just handrails and the top small shelving units tomorrow.

Install happening next week, so got the weekend to polish any loose ends off if I need to.

[rustyzook]

built this at tafe for my 1st year project years ago
its ugly but it cools a beer can down from 20 to -2 in 6 minutes

[11acb]

love the stubby cooler mate! if you could make one for a six pack i would buy one for sure!!!!

[rustyzook]

i did, i sold it haha, should make some more!

problem is you have to drink them quick or it freezes solid

[DarkHorse]

Just to follow up - got the shelving install finished today. Here it is built:


and full of crap


Pretty pleased with how it turned out - it's easily the biggest thing I've designed/built from scratch, and it all bolted together nice and easy, came up straight, square and solid, and all the elements fit together exactly as they were meant to.

[rustyzook]

nice work!

[DarkHorse]

Thanks man

More fucken steel today:


Think I might take a couple of days to stay out of the workshop...

[douglasgiersch]

^ good space saving way to store steel didnt even think of that. beats having a really long shelf.

[DarkHorse]

Yeah, good for stuff up to about 3m. Rack tucks behind the door, so it's wasted space otherwise. We also built a long rack for full-length stock in one of the containers yesterday.

[douglasgiersch]

Would be perfect for most home sheds, most blokes dont have many full lengths of steel, down my way anyway there pretty hard on overhanging bits from utes/trailers.

[zooky08]

Compressor platform i welded out.

[KEENSY85]

I just made this tricky bugger its a what we call a cran valve

[ball]

KEENSY85 wrote:

I just made this tricky bugger its a what we call a cran valve

is it for edi downer??

[KEENSY85]

Eaton I think not sure I just make them I'm not even sure what they do

[Blkfxx]

Wood fab.

[tonyevans]

That look great - are you using Mig or stick to join it up HeHe

[DarkHorse]

Nice. What's the timber?

[Blkfxx]

Red box.