Not Your Habor Freight Engine Stand

[Toolman]

This is what we're building. 2 1/2" square by 1/4" wall hot roll tube. Caster plates are 3/8". This is just a general fabbing post. Here we go!

 

[Toolman]

First we cut and miter all the tubes to length. The caster discs were flame cut oversize. We're building 5 stands.

 

[Toolman]

The gusset that's under the top tube is and odd size so we go the the mill to bring the dimension in.

 

[BHC Vic]

Crazy. I bet that's going to come out much nicer than what I'd do w a grinder and wire feed [emoji4]

 

[Toolman]

1st pic- lay out diagonally
2nd pic- using push bar
3rd pic- THE MOST DANGEROUS POINT OF THE CUT!!!!!! Most of the injuries on a vert saw are from pushing too hard. The push bar gives you good leverage, but when you get to just before the end of your cut, back off on the pressure and gently push the last 1/8" of the cut.

 

[Toolman]

I'm using cold roll material whenever I can 'cause these stands will be Tig welded. But the hot roll scale screws up the Tig weld. So on some of the gussets, I belt sand the scale off.

 

[Toolman]

Coiling up a 1" wide band saw blade can be tricky.

Position #1- Place foot in blade
Position #2- half turn clockwise
Position #3- re-position ur hand and give another half turn clockwise
Position #4- Tadaaa!

Note: releasing a coiled up blade for me is not throwing it out onto the shop floor and hope for the best. It usually lands on the teeth of the blade which can't be good. I put a welding glove on, hold the coil at arms length holding just one loop in ur hand. Now just let go and shake ur arm to start the un-wrap AND HOLD ON!

 

[Toolman]

Turning a roller valve train by the front of the crankshaft, could create a problem when you have only one foot holding up the front motor half, and you are trying to rotate it . I use a motor stand that has two bottom wheels at the front, along with 2 at the back . I want the stand to be strong and balanced enough to 'torque the bolts' along with being able to run the motor on the stand . Please re-invent your design before you take it to market . PS, where is the oil drip pan on your design ?

Hey guy, It's not my design and it's not for a car engine. It's areospace. I can't show you what goes in the top tube. But basically, it's just a engine stand on 'roids. But yes, 4 points are better than 3 for V-8's.

 

[Roger 1]

Hey guy, It's not my design and it's not for a car engine. It's areospace. I can't show you what goes in the top tube. But basically, it's just a engine stand on 'roids. But yes, 4 points are better than 3 for V-8's.

If they need a matching engine leveler keep me in mind....

 

[Toolman]

If they need a matching engine leveler keep me in mind.... View attachment 385944

Nice piece there Roger 1

 

[Roger 1]

Nice piece there Roger 1

Thank you and same to you my friend. I can't wait to see your stands completed.

 

[AzGeo]

Hey guy, It's not my design and it's not for a car engine. It's areospace. I can't show you what goes in the top tube. But basically, it's just a engine stand on 'roids. But yes, 4 points are better than 3 for V-8's.

You started with the ' cheap engine stand reference', and I kindly pointed out a few items to consider. (just consider) Then you come back with your 'hey guy shit' , OK we don't know each other, but you should have checked out that I'm one of the GUYS around here who could be a good customer for your work . I'm no big deal but isn't showing your work here just a 'sales pitch' ? You have not come here to be 'educational' in the past, will that change ? I posted a 'make some more shaft and rudder extended lube kits' and you never contacted me about purchasing anything . For me it's 'way easier to give you my wrath, than give you my cash", what's better for you ? Hey, up front . If you were actually all about 'the aerospace contracts', you would not be spamming for 'simple boat parts' here . I mean no disrespect, but I don't shit where I expect to eat at some time .

 

[OutCole'd]

Great thread, ignore the troll and keep it going.

 

[Toolman]

Plates were flame cut oversize. So I'm going to friction drive them on my small lathe to make them look nice. These plates are to protect the casters and the wall from crashes. The building these will be housed in has a Stainless Steel kick plate or crash guard that runs along the base of all the walls and doorways and doors that the caster plates will no doubt be bouncing off of.

First I drill a 1/4" hole in center. This hole will also be used to align caster plates on bottom of square tubes.
Then use live center to push plate into chuck with a lot of force.
Jaws are adjusted as far out as possible for more driving force.
I take light cuts "cause plate will slip on jaws with heavy cut.
I put a nice 45 deg chamfer on both sides.
I clamp down on a small dowel pin to keep jaws from expanding outward from centrifical force.

 

[Toolman]

I just did a quick and easy set up. The vise keeps part tight, the alum blocks keeps it from tilting.

Sweep in hole.
Drill and tap.
Hand chamfer holes with an old hand drill. It actually works great.
Lastly, grind off scale where tig weld will be.
Caster plates are done.

 

[Toolman]

I drill a 1/4" hole in bottom of both bottom tubes for caster plate location.

 

[Toolman]

Cope out vertical tube for the round top tube.
Then I flatten the sharp edges from the coping 'cause sharp edges cause problems for the welding step and creates a nice fillet.
Finally a little light sanding to clean all edges from burrs.
All square tubes are done.

 

[Toolman]

The angle brace gets two 5/32" dia holes for an alum I.D. plate. NOW all the square tubes are done. lol

 

[Toolman]

Hole is drilled and a flat surface is milled for a special nut.
The back of tube gets a chamfer for a weld.

 

[Toolman]

Coupling nut gets parted off to length.
Step gets turned to set depth.
Edge break sharp thread from part-off.

 

[Toolman]

Nut gets tacked 180 deg apart.
Cad plating fumes are leathel. I've learned to hold my breath while I weld.

 

[Toolman]

Simple set-up using the square sides of the jig table.
Tack tubes on oppisite corners.
Weld towards the tack using 3/32 rod and a 1/8 tungsten. Starting at the tack could melt it and the tube will move.
Then I use 1/8 rod to fill the major gap'osis.

 

[Toolman]

Set-up to square coupling nut to assy.
The back of top tube shows a small v-groove from lathe that will give a nice, flat weld.
Area under the top tube where gusset will be that I'm pointing at, will have no weld. A fillet here would pull the top tube down too much.
Now I weld in the gusset with short welds. Welds pull towards themselves and if I lay a lot of bead here, the vert and the top tube will bend putting the top tube out of parallel with the floor.
Both sub-assy's are done.

 

[Roger 1]

Nice work! Thanks for sharing.

 

[BHC Vic]

Simple set-up using the square sides of the jig table.
Tack tubes on oppisite corners.
Weld towards the tack using 3/32 rod and a 1/8 tungsten. Starting at the tack could melt it and the tube will move.
Then I use 1/8 rod to fill the major gap'osis.

Those are some beautiful welds [emoji106]

 

[wsuwrhr]

gap'osis.

Noted.

Nice job on the stands.

 

[Toolman]

Just a basic set-up squaring up in 2 directions. I ended up changing out those quick hand squeeze clamps with one of the yellow clamps. The hand squeeze clamps weren't able to keep the tube from moving just from the tack weld.

 

[Toolman]

So I'm just goofing around in the shop and I happen to glance over at the last stand I tacked up which was still on the table. Notice anything wrong with the 2nd pic? I'm sooooooo glad I saw it before I started putting on the angle brace. It was only one stand.

 

[yz450mm]

What do you notch round tube with? Tired of my HF notcher.

 

[Toolman]

So, after breaking off my screw-up, I ground off the tacks and made it right.
I attach the angle tube with magnets and just move it around 'till it finds it's happy spot, then and tack it.

 

[Toolman]

First I weld the angle brace but with short welds 'cause of the warpage risk.
Next the back of the "T" joint.
Then the top of the "T" joint.
The last pic is where there will be no weld. A weld across this tube would bend it big time.

 

[Toolman]

Now I know this stand has warped a little bit, despite my efforts. The money that these things cost, my customer won't tolerate a stand that has a wobbly caster or has a hard pull to the right. So I take the error out of the flatness problem by putting the caster plates on the table and setting the stand on top of them. I know the plates are not making a perfect contact to the bottom of the tube, but they're all in plane.

I put a short 1/4" bolt inside of tube into the hole in plate. Now I rotate the plate until the holes are square to tube and tack 'em up.

I weld the tops first, then flip it over and PUT THE LAST WELDS ON THE STANDS!!!!!!!!!!. DONE!!!

 

[Toolman]

Job.............................................. done. lol

These stands have to go to the powder coater. I'll continue thread in a wk or so. They'll be purrrdy.

 

[Toolman]

What do you notch round tube with? Tired of my HF notcher.

Notching round tube with today's bench top notchers, is not easy. For a time I did roll cages. Back then I used and old horizontal mill. Like a Van Norman. It had a swivel vise so you can hit any angle. So basically, the tube is in the horizontal position. I used big rougher end mills. (corn cobbs). When you get up to 1.5 or 2'' dia cutters, they are hollow and if you go even bigger, they become shell mills. They have a big shank like 1'' or 1.25 but the horizontal mill can handle that big of a shank. Just feed the tube into the cutter and you just have chips, no slugs. I think you can pick one up for around 5k. They are work horses.

 

[jpf091959]

Damn, Nuclear grade. Definitely seismic class I.

Nice work

 

[Roger 1]

So I'm just goofing around in the shop and I happen to glance over at the last stand I tacked up which was still on the table. Notice anything wrong with the 2nd pic? I'm sooooooo glad I saw it before I started putting on the angle brace. It was only one stand.

DOH!!!!!

 

[RiverDave]

You started with the ' cheap engine stand reference', and I kindly pointed out a few items to consider. (just consider) Then you come back with your 'hey guy shit' , OK we don't know each other, but you should have checked out that I'm one of the GUYS around here who could be a good customer for your work . I'm no big deal but isn't showing your work here just a 'sales pitch' ? You have not come here to be 'educational' in the past, will that change ? I posted a 'make some more shaft and rudder extended lube kits' and you never contacted me about purchasing anything . For me it's 'way easier to give you my wrath, than give you my cash", what's better for you ? Hey, up front . If you were actually all about 'the aerospace contracts', you would not be spamming for 'simple boat parts' here . I mean no disrespect, but I don't shit where I expect to eat at some time .

For reals?

You know they have power feeds for the knee, right?

That "knee power feed" just looks like a whole bunch of puckering to me.

I'm not sure what's going on here, but to get directly to the point I don't care.

The entire purpose of this section of the board is to post threads like this. To show how things are made, and that novices might learn something from it, and experts might learn a different way of doing it. I myself looked at some of the ways things were being done, and thought "I'd do that different?" but at the same time learned another way to do something that I didn't know before.

Stop being so negative guys. It isn't necessary nor is it productive.

RD

 

[wsuwrhr]

I'm not sure what's going on here, but to get directly to the point I don't care.

The entire purpose of this section of the board is to post threads like this. To show how things are made, and that novices might learn something from it, and experts might learn a different way of doing it. I myself looked at some of the ways things were being done, and thought "I'd do that different?" but at the same time learned another way to do something that I didn't know before.

Stop being so negative guys. It isn't necessary nor is it productive.

RD

I didn't say it to be negative. Honestly, it looked downright dangerous to me. I've never tried it. "Servo" makes power feeds to mount directly on the machine. My knee mill has one.

I imagined the torque it would take to raise the knee would make it difficult to hold onto a drill.

I have posted positive comments and gave "thanks" on toolmans projects in the past. I'll refrain from commenting in the future.

My apologies to toolman if it came off as a slam.

Brian

 

[RiverDave]

I didn't say it to be negative. Honestly, it looked downright dangerous to me. I've never tried it. Servo makes power feeds to mount directly on the machine. My knee mill has one.

I imagined the torque it would take to raise the knee would make it difficult to hold onto a drill.

I have posted positive comments on toolmans projects in the past. I'll refrain from commenting in the future.

My apologies to toolman if it came off as a slam.

Brian

I read it as negative.. If it wasn't my apologies.



RD

 

[Maw]

What do you notch round tube with? Tired of my HF notcher.

I did all my boat's stainless work with nothing more than a 4.5" cutoff wheel, grinder, and this ap:

http://www.metalgeek.com/static/cope.pcgi

Probably 5 minutes per end max on a 2" diameter stainless steel tube.

Cheers, Mark

 

[Maw]

. . . and beautiful looking welds there, mine look like someone squeezed them into place with a tube of toothpaste.

 

[BHC Vic]

. . . and beautiful looking welds there, mine look like someone squeezed them into place with a tube of toothpaste.

Agreed I have my la city cert to weld on hospitals schools and high rises and my welds don't always look like that [emoji4]

 

[rivermobster]

Holy crap, what a great write up! And an even better engine stand. Outstanding welds for sure. Can't wait to see em all done. [emoji106] [emoji106]

 

[Toolman]

I didn't say it to be negative. Honestly, it looked downright dangerous to me. I've never tried it. "Servo" makes power feeds to mount directly on the machine. My knee mill has one.

I imagined the torque it would take to raise the knee would make it difficult to hold onto a drill.

I have posted positive comments and gave "thanks" on toolmans projects in the past. I'll refrain from commenting in the future.

My apologies to toolman if it came off as a slam.

Brian

Actually it's not too much torque. BUT, If the knee lock is on, or if you run out of travel either up or down, it will rip it out of your hand and smack you in the leg. I'm just lazy. lol

 

[Toolman]

We do these things in batches of 5 about 2 times a yr. THEY'RE A BITCH TO TRANSPORT! They're heavy (about 100 lbs assembled), bulky, heavy on one end, and when they're assembled, there's nowhere to strap 'em down. Everytime we've moved them from one place to another, one or more has come loose, bouncing around and dinging 'em up.

So I've decided to spend the wknd coming up with a way to secure these things. So here's what I did.

Home Depot in "The Old King Cab"
Saw off split ends.
Drill for lag bolts
Drill 2 holes which will become radius corners for slot.
Mill slot w/1" rougher 3 flute. When machining wood, you can over heat your cutter. Sawing, milling, or drilling, I use steel cutting rpm's, and alum feed rates. This will get you close and you can adjust from there.
Check fit with tube and anti-skid tape which will be on finished stands.
Drill caps

 

[Toolman]

NOW TRY TO SLIDE AROUND YOU HEAVY ASS BITCHES!!!!!!! lol

Lag bolted thru bottom of trailer
Mrs. Toolman guiding 'em into place. Man, I'm tired of lifting these things.
At the powder coater safe and sound. This was a test run for when they're finished. The powder coater was pleased 'cause now he doesn't have to wrap them all in bubble wrap anymore.

 

[ColdSteel]

Nice work. Top Drawer. I bet those are expensive!

 

[Toolman]

Picking stands up from powder coater. They're gorgeous!

Chasing threads to get powder coat out. Even though they plugged the holes, some still gets in.

Mount the casters (which by the way are the best casters I've ever used. McMaster #27075T82) They lock in both rotation and swing. There are a couple of different sizes.

Well, that's it boys and girls. An assembly goes in the top tube (that I can't show) that basically indexes every 45 degrees with a spring loaded plunger pin that mounts in that side hole. You pull the pin, then rotate the unit until the next slot, and the pin pops in automatically.

Thanks for hangin' with me on this build. NOW GET OUT THERE AND BUILD SOMETHIN'!!!!

 

[rivermobster]

Very cool!

 

[RiverDave]

Man those turned out nice! I'm not sure I would've gone through the effort on the trailer vs some extra tie downs, but that was a cool touch as well. LOL I liked it.

RD