Redneck/SF Engineering

[Bill Harsey]

Good discussion on welding fuel tanks. I've only done it a couple times when the tank could be removed and filled about 95% with water. Also have set fire to everything around a diesel fuel tank welding on logging equipment (more than once), thank goodness for required fire extinguishers but you still have to run back to the tank to put it out...


Very Durable Metal Finish from Local Source
Recently finished welding and reinforcing an old "new" diamond plate steel bumper for my antique 1 ton Chevy six pack pickup.

I asked some questions about what to prime and paint it with and am quite surprised with the results.

PRIMER: NAPA #7220 "self etching primer" this stuff dries very hard and after a bit could not be scratched with my fingernail. It's made by Martin Senour. I'd asked what was the best primer question of a friend who's career is welding (both repair and building new) heavy logging and construction equipment and also the manager of local Napa. Got the same answer from both, use the self etching primer. I did as advised.

PAINT: Acrylic enamel by Dupli-Color, color, silver also from NAPA.
Acrylic enamels are the toughest paint on the shelf at NAPA.
Used a 2 by 4 flat against the silver paint and gently tapped with a 12 lb. hammer to drive the bumper onto the frame to place the attachment bolts.
Some of my gentle taps may be have been less gentle than others. No marks on the 48 hour old paint.

From now on when I build something from mild steel, I'm going to prime and paint it because it takes a long time for the rust color to get even all over.

lesson for me, ask questions. Things have changed, paint is now tough.

Edited to add: Value of this very good stuff is that it is from NAPA. These stores are almost everywhere. NAPA's system is set up so that if the product requested is not on the shelf, often it will be there the next morning.

I still cannot believe how tough the primer is for a non-baked finish.

Yesterday on my way from Va Bch to Reedville, Va. I was called and asked to find a washer 1 7/8 inches inside diameter and 1/4 inch thick plastic (duralon) or teflon..plastic anyway. I got the call long after I had left what passes for civilization in these parts. ( I dont even have cell service at the moment). Two hardware stores, a plumbing supply house, a/c parts place, auto parts and a marine store. Nada.. so I called back and asked the Ex if he had a hole saw set? Yep...I drove back to the marine store and got some scrap starboard. Drove into Reedville to the boatyard. Got the starboard out and cut one hole 2 inches, another 2 1/2 outside the 2 inch hole. Cut another set. The ex then took some sandpaper and finished the job. A friend now has his rudder back on the boat with new "retaining" rings. I should have just done that to start with. I wasted 3 hrs stopping along the way to try to find stupid plastic washers.

The Ex and a Friend used some of my extra shrinkwrap to make a "cajun bimini"
The guys wrapped the shrinkwrap around the frame. Held it in place with clips and 100mph tape then used a heat gun to shrink it to the frame. It is not too pretty but it will get him home to NC from here and keep him dry (okay sorta dry) and the sun off his head.

[greenberetTFS]

AM,

Tell the truth now,when did you get your 18C ?

Big Teddy

When I was quite young, my grandfather and I made a trip to Evanston, WY for tractor parts. Upon entering town, we saw a "train wreck", a real one. A full length rail car carry LP gas, leaking from the valve. LP gas fumes visible in the wind, moving around. Police, fire trucks, wreckers standing off 1000'. No one moved, all were afraid of an explosion.

My grandfather told me to follow him...

Leaving the truck, we scurried past the officers and entered the sage and greesewood. Upon exiting, we were standing next to the rail car.

My grandfather took off his oil soaked leather gloves and after placing a good sized rock inside one he asked if I could throw well. I opted out.

He lit the glove on fire and threw it high. The glove, upon reaching 60' at a point where oxygen and LP gas were missing, a fire started. The rock fell back to earth, the fire hovered at 60-80 feet above the ground. Slowly the fire dropped to 40, then 30 and finally rested at 20 feet.

My grandfather started walking back to the truck and met fireman and police officers waiting for him. No one asked a question. My grandfather told a fireman, "Keep an eye on that flame, when its about 2 inches from the valve, blow it out, should be a slight fire, no worries. Biggest threat will be the grass catching on fire. We gotta go, mama has dinner waiting for us."

When my mother was little and times got hard, my grandfather often returned to the coal and soda ash mines looking for work. While working the mines, miners often hit pockets of natural gas. This was how miners kept bigger explosions from killing people.

A cool lesson from an old man. He made me go look for his glove.

Originally Posted by greenberetTFS

AM,

Tell the truth now,when did you get your 18C ? Big Teddy

uh.. why thank you Teddy. I cannot say all my coonass engineering projects when so smoothly. lol... a few definitely were in the running for a Darwin award. Fortunately I lived to tell the tale and deny all involvement.

[BMT (RIP)]

Anyone ever use a Fit'um All?

BMT

Originally Posted by BMT

Anyone ever use a Fit'um All?

BMT

Never heard of a Fit'um All?

[BMT (RIP)]

Only 1 person had never heard or used a Fit'um All.

Guy's and Gal's we have all used a Crescent Wrench at sometime during our life!!
A Crescent Wrench will Fit'um all!!

Originally Posted by BMT

Only 1 person had never heard or used a Fit'um All.

Guy's and Gal's we have all used a Crescent Wrench at sometime during our life!!
A Crescent Wrench will Fit'um all!!

That's too funny! Must be a regional identifier, like "pop vs soda".

We always called it an 'adjustable wrench' or if it actually said 'Crescent', we would say, "could you hand me the 'Crescent' wrench...it's in the tool box, upper left drawer, thanks".

[Bill Harsey]

Originally Posted by BMT

Anyone ever use a Fit'um All?

BMT

You threw me off track with that term.

All my Crescent wrenches are metric.

[Bill Harsey]

Originally Posted by Bill Harsey

You threw me off track with that term.

All my Crescent wrenches are metric.

That was supposed to be at least mildly funny.

I like crescent wrenches for things like hydraulic and pressure gas fittings because the face is wider than standard wrenches (if you use a big enough Crescent wrench).

If the crescent wrench is not adjusted tight to the nut, bolt or fitting it tends to round over edges and slip so I try to take the extra effort to find the correct wrench for anything that takes some torque.

Use a six point socket instead of a twelve point for jobs you have to use a lot of force on.
If you really have to torque on a socket wrench (first sign of high torque, sockets are breaking) get a socket designed for air tools, they have thicker walls.

Down side is the thick walled sockets do not fit in narrow clearance places.

[lksteve]

Originally Posted by Bill Harsey

All my Crescent wrenches are metric.

If you hold them in the other hand, they'll work for SAE...

[lksteve]

Originally Posted by Bill Harsey

That was supposed to be at least mildly funny.

It was...but sheesh, we're sensitive, today.

[Bill Harsey]

Originally Posted by lksteve

It was...but sheesh, we're sensitive, today.

I've been taking sensitivity training from y'all here.

Originally Posted by Bill Harsey

I've been taking sensitivity training from y'all here.

Sensitivity training as in, "...going for the jugular".