blueridgespeed Posted January 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 The welder in the pic is a little bit older 220v MIG (Standard "UNIMIX" gas - Argon/CO2 is used for welding steel, anyway. A 110v can do most this, but a 220 machine gives you a little more "headroom" Many a car - full tube frame chassis have been built with a 110 machine* *As proven by my welding instructor many times over That said, welding .120 wall tubing, or steel plate in the 3/16" range and up, a bigger machine will more easily achieve good heat and penetration on the first pass. I really think that if I were to purchase ONE starter Welder right now, it would be a NEW Miller 140. This is a 110v machine that sells in the $600 range online and will probably do everything you see done on this thread just as well as my machine, possibly better/easier. To the purchase price, you need to add a bottle and fill. - oh- your question may come from the appearance of the welds, which are a little "brown and smokey" This is because the square tubing used here is hot-rolled, and has "mill scale" on the surface. I beveled the edges of my tubes 2/3 of the thickness to acheive good penetration, but I didn't grind the PLATE that was used as brackets. The plate was a bit thinner than the tube wall, and so more heat was put into the tube, and then the plate was just 'kissed' during the welding, and got plenty hot!- so I knew there would be good penetration into the plate - but if I'd ground the scale more the welds would appear cleaner. I usually do enough to achieve a good strong weld to the best of my ability. I've learned a lot, but we all improve with experience, and I regularly learn from those with more than me! Quote Link to comment
dennis Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 The welder in the pic is a little bit older 220v MIG (Standard "UNIMIX" gas - Argon/CO2 is used for welding steel, anyway. A 110v can do most this, but a 220 machine gives you a little more "headroom" Many a car - full tube frame chassis have been built with a 110 machine* *As proven by my welding instructor many times over That said, welding .120 wall tubing, or steel plate in the 3/16" range and up, a bigger machine will more easily achieve good heat and penetration on the first pass. I really think that if I were to purchase ONE starter Welder right now, it would be a NEW Miller 140. This is a 110v machine that sells in the $600 range online and will probably do everything you see done on this thread just as well as my machine, possibly better/easier. To the purchase price, you need to add a bottle and fill. - oh- your question may come from the appearance of the welds, which are a little "brown and smokey" This is because the square tubing used here is hot-rolled, and has "mill scale" on the surface. I beveled the edges of my tubes 2/3 of the thickness to acheive good penetration, but I didn't grind the PLATE that was used as brackets. The plate was a bit thinner than the tube wall, and so more heat was put into the tube, and then the plate was just 'kissed' during the welding, and got plenty hot!- so I knew there would be good penetration into the plate - but if I'd ground the scale more the welds would appear cleaner. I usually do enough to achieve a good strong weld to the best of my ability. I've learned a lot, but we all improve with experience, and I regularly learn from those with more than me! The 140 is my next welder. Right now I have an Econotig but when I start doing body work then I want a mig. Quote Link to comment
Zeusimo Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 - oh- your question may come from the appearance of the welds, which are a little "brown and smokey" Yup :P I Saw The Welder And The Welds.... So I Was Confused :huh: Personally I Would Pay An Extra Buck On Cold Rolled But That's Just The Rotisserie Right? Quote Link to comment
blueridgespeed Posted January 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 Yup :P I Saw The Welder And The Welds.... So I Was Confused :huh: Personally I Would Pay An Extra Buck On Cold Rolled But That's Just The Rotisserie Right? $220 and counting for STEEL alone on this Rotisserie project. Also, I'm not aware of much cold-rolled Square tubing that's easily available. Plus the abrasives for the angle grinder, drill bit wear on the press, sand paper for the belt and disc, welding wire, gas.. It adds up!To this, you add your own Labor charge, HA! I definitely agree with you about going for the good stuff if building a chassis, though - and I did! But yes, this is just the Rotisserie Quote Link to comment
blueridgespeed Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 The rotisserie construction has been completed* (will probably fine-tune a few things, and add casters) It goes over.... Quote Link to comment
blueridgespeed Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 And upside Down. I designed the rotisserie with 3 main features: 1. Easily adjustable "balance point" - really an issue only when on it's side, but good balance makes rotation easier. 2. Simple, versatile attachment points (the rear bar in particular, will easily bolt to a stock 510 bumper mount points, not just this car, and the Front bar will be easily adaptable to go across the strut tower mount points on a stock 510 - Stay tuned for future pics of this rotisserie in use on other Dat's 3. An "economy of tubes" - as able. This took two forms, mainly. First was sticking with uninterrupted sections of tubing so that the tubing could be cut up and used for something else someday if necessary. Second, is the removable (bolt-on) "half-hoops". As you can see, this "octagonal" rotisserie really only has two halves (as opposed to four). Besides wanting to use material efficiently, it also eliminates any structure "in the way" when working on the mounted car. In this pic, the "hoop halves" are mounted on the "roof side" - where in the other pic they're mounted on the "floor side". The drilled, adjustable "Center structure" supports the car securely on it's side, and the end plates have a litte bit of standoff/reveal so the center balance point can be adjusted even in this position if necessary. With the car on its SIDE, the hoops can be unbolted as needed if it's going a full 180 degrees in the other direction. In the "upside down" mode, it can still be tilted 45-degrees to either side without needing to unbolt anything - which I will probable utilize- during construction of the underside. It could also be usefull for underbody blasting/cleaning/painting. Quote Link to comment
thisismatt Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 That's an interesting approach, but why? Why not a normal rotating rotisserie? Quote Link to comment
INDY510 Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 . What weighs more? .......... .. the car? .... or the rotisserie??? ....... :lol: .......... can 2 people pick up the chassis and body??? Quote Link to comment
blueridgespeed Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 That's an interesting approach, but why? Why not a normal rotating rotisserie? There are many kinds of rotisseries, but I'm guessing by "normal" you mean The types that have a round tube-in tube central axis and resemble a pair of engine stands facing eachother. Is this the kind you are referring to? The reasons I decided against that are several, as I posted about tubing economy etc.. but also, it's what I felt I could build and be SURE it would work for multiple cars. Add enough "drop brackets" and enough "adaptors" to a "normal rotisserie" and it should fit almost anything, but so will this one - probably without all the brackets. I don't have a link but there is a cool twin round hoop design I found. It's especially FAST for media blasters. Again, it required more dedicated parts. The basic octagon was something I felt I could design and build with confidence in the strength. Also, it sounds odd, but lifting all the parts as a single person, and being able to unbolt them all and lay them against a wall taking up only 4" of depth/space was an appeal for me. Also, it's reasonably easy to rotate the car as a single person. The commercially available "engine stand style" rotisseries require some sort of binder/clutch or at least a through-bolt to lock in at a certain rotation point. These are typically repeated at both ends. With the octagonal design (mines a version), the car rests at any of 8 "facets", and it's stable/secure without needing to release any binder or though-pin. The balance point is easy to find putting the car on it's side and getting a "feel" for starting it in either direction. Hell, I don't know if it's any better or worse than any other design, but so far it's working for me, and time will tell. Quote Link to comment
blueridgespeed Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 . What weighs more? .......... .. the car? .... or the rotisserie??? ....... :lol: .......... can 2 people pick up the chassis and body??? ha ha! acknowledging the sarcasm...the car is definitely heavier than the rotisserie. But yes, 2 people can still pick up the (stripped of engine and suspension) body. One person can lift either end of the chassis off jackstands with ONE HAND! ONE person can easily mount the chassis to the rotisserie (using a floor jack and jack stands) And then once mounted, one person can rotate it anywhere needed. That was a pretty important feature for me. Quote Link to comment
thisismatt Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Yeah, that's the kind I'm referring to as "normal". I'm not saying one is better than another, just curious. What do you do when you run out of space rolling it over? I imagine the one I built has about the same amount of tube as yours, and can break down into a fairly thin stack of parts as well. Granted, it doesn't have hydraulic rams or anything of the sort and, yeah, it would require different brackets for different vehicles, but I doubt we'll find a one fits all solution without a lot of added complexity to the mounts. Quote Link to comment
blueridgespeed Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Yeah, that's the kind I'm referring to as "normal". I'm not saying one is better than another, just curious. What do you do when you run out of space rolling it over? I imagine the one I built has about the same amount of tube as yours, and can break down into a fairly thin stack of parts as well. Granted, it doesn't have hydraulic rams or anything of the sort and, yeah, it would require different brackets for different vehicles, but I doubt we'll find a one fits all solution without a lot of added complexity to the mounts. Good Point! You can't rotate my design "in place". On the concrete floor in my shop, it easily rolls one or two "facets", and then I just slide/drag it back and do it again, but outside on the gravel (where I media-blast) It might not be so easy! On the other hand, the large hoops WILL roll easily in the "barrel roll" axis out in the gravel, where small casters will often sink in. I definitely don't know what's better either. Probably NOT my kind of rotisserie or else, it seems, it would be more common. The ability to rotate 'in place' is defintely something that I didn't need or plan for, but it is certainly a benefit of the standard type. Quote Link to comment
frogpirate Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Wow, what an awesome build! I wandered onto this site this afternoon, and have read all 16 pages straight through. Pure gear-head PORN! As an ex-roundy-round racer who has built a few race cars (nothing this nice!) I have to say your fab work is first rate. I love that you and your buddy swap tools, help and ideas. I've been heavily into motorcycles for the last 10 years or so, and I'm fortunate to have a good friend like that too - he had tools I didn't, and I have the 3-car garage. :rolleyes: The turd went and moved to LA though, something silly about a JOB and his wife getting into USC's medical school. At any rate, mad props, this is an epic build. Ken PS the ride height is just plain SICK. I love it. :cool: Quote Link to comment
Stewiefied Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 amazing work i cant wait to see this done Quote Link to comment
521 Johnny Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 im bumpimg this because its tube chassi and on page 5 ;) Quote Link to comment
Zeusimo Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 im bumpimg this because its tube chassi and on page 5 ;) Hehehe :cool: Quote Link to comment
XeroX Posted March 4, 2011 Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 Just checking in! Diggin the Rotiserie! :) Glad to see stuff still moving alonggg! Quote Link to comment
blueridgespeed Posted March 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Just checking in! Diggin the Rotiserie! :) Glad to see stuff still moving alonggg! Thanks man! Your avatar gives me nostalgic thoughts! I ran SMACK into the realization that my shop has gotten so full that I couldn't work effeciently in it! Step 1 - sell the 521 pickup - just did that (reclaimed space and $$). Step 2 - build a manual 4-post lift to LIFT one of my project cars UP, so that I can put ANOTHER one UNDER it! HA! I got about 95% done with that and had a cheapo hand winch fail when I bent the pawl! CARAAAP! -had to cut it back off, which wasn't easy because I'd welded it on rather securely! The only good to come out of that was great confidence in my welding results, I haven't had the opportunity (TTHNAKFULLY) to failure-test a lot of my stuff, nor have I made too many mistakes that I had to grind back apart. I learned that it takes about 10 times as long to grind apart something than it does to fab it up and weld it in the first place! The electric side grinder and the zizz wheel on the air cutoff tool got a workout! Daylight ended and suppertime came last night, but I'll probably be able to wrap it up this weekend. THEN< STEP 3>>> (STEP 3). Roll project car #3 under car #2 and embrace the fact that I am mentally flawed for stuffing so many projects into my shop. Step 4. Roll project hulk number, ehem 4, next to #2 and #3, effectively stacking 3 projects into a single stall (datsuns are small) Step 5 (ignore project hulk #5 which is up in the corner of the house garage, but say "yes dear" to anything my wife says about it Step 6 - RETURN TO WORK ON THE TUBE FRAME 68! (and I wonder why I'm slow!!??) Quote Link to comment
blueridgespeed Posted March 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 (see above) steps 2 and...er..3 now done. The 4-post lift isn't pic-worthy, and we were delayed by pulling off ALL the fenders/trim/windshield/doors/latches etc from the car ON the 4-post lift (lighter, ya know). Also spent an afternoon yearning for the sound of internal combustion- that meant resurrecting project # (?) - an Austin Healey Sprite 1960. Postive ground means, uh, the red goes here.... Amazing! After hours of fiddling with the known necessary bits (need spark, need fuel from this century, need a starter, need something to contain the oil..need oil...) she fired right up! The tiny little 1.125" SU's are so cute! And after a 240z go-around of SU rehab, I'm feeling confident about going through them... Quote Link to comment
blueridgespeed Posted April 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 so many projects.... http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n121/blueridgespeed/510HRdistractions1.jpg Quote Link to comment
blueridgespeed Posted April 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 So manyDISTRACTIONS! http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n121/blueridgespeed/510HRdistractions2.jpg Quote Link to comment
blueridgespeed Posted April 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Now where else could I post pics of my newest 510 but here? (Is it wrong that I love it? It's a blank canvas to me!) http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n121/blueridgespeed/ratsnuff.jpg Um, er,... it's going to "need a little TLC" - it's why I've posted a want-ad for door hinges! Quote Link to comment
qship510 Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 So manyDISTRACTIONS! http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n121/blueridgespeed/510HRdistractions2.jpg Hey, that wheel on the back, it's a 200SX Turbo 15x6. Does anyone have a full set they want to sell? :D Quote Link to comment
Zeusimo Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Pay Me And I Help You Get This Car On The Road Within The Month :lol: ...ollz Quote Link to comment
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