a good place to get angle steel??

   / a good place to get angle steel?? #11  
Thanks Mark for your reply, especially to a 'newbie' like me, but I didn't understand anything you just explained.
Do you mean to tack flat bar just around the perimeter of the entire gate and not add anymore vertical angles?
Yes...or you can get creative. Whatever you add, don't solid seam weld it unless you like dealing with metal distortion. When I say "tack", I mean 1 inch welds, multiple, all the way around about every 6-8 inches.
 
   / a good place to get angle steel?? #12  
kw22614, do you get much wind resistance with your canopy top while going down the road? I know you don't have much clearance on the trailer but I wonder if you backed the tractor in you would have less chance of the canopy being lifted or bent backwards. Or maybe you could throw a couple of straps over the canopy and tie it to the front of the tractor. Or maybe I should mind my own business, ha!
 
   / a good place to get angle steel?? #13  
If you look at the pic, it seems that backing the tractor onto the trailer would put too much weight on the tongue - as it is, it's a marginal deal all around. Just by eye, I'd say the position of the tractor is as close to ideal as possible with just enough weight on the tongue to keep it from whipping but not breaking anything... Steve

Oh, and Mark - I believe the term you were looking for is "stitch welding", those would be pretty heavy "tacks"...
 
   / a good place to get angle steel??
  • Thread Starter
#14  
kw22614, do you get much wind resistance with your canopy top while going down the road? I know you don't have much clearance on the trailer but I wonder if you backed the tractor in you would have less chance of the canopy being lifted or bent backwards. Or maybe you could throw a couple of straps over the canopy and tie it to the front of the tractor. Or maybe I should mind my own business, ha!

No resistance at all, had the canopy strapped down while traveling. Too heavy on the tongue backing in. I think, as long as I keep up the correct and even tire pressure the tractor'll ride fine as I've placed her, though next time, if not needed, I'll remove the FEL, but the FEL arms did aid in cinching and holding her in place. All suggestions are welcome!
 
   / a good place to get angle steel?? #15  
Do you have a Tractor Supply locally, they usually have an assortment of metal???
 
   / a good place to get angle steel??
  • Thread Starter
#16  
Yes...or you can get creative. Whatever you add, don't solid seam weld it unless you like dealing with metal distortion. When I say "tack", I mean 1 inch welds, multiple, all the way around about every 6-8 inches.

Thanks, but seems like overkill to me. In talking with a couple neighbors today with similar situations they have welded angle vertically, directly under where the tires travel the ramp, and they have held up and been fine for years. As my welder can't weld anything over 3/16" I think I'll weld 2 angles back-2-back under the 'tracks'. I will keep your suggestion of using mutiple short welds to ward against distortion in mind as I progress with my skill, or lack of it. KW
 
   / a good place to get angle steel?? #17  
Do you have a Tractor Supply locally, they usually have an assortment of metal???

I was just going to say this. My local TSC, Home Depot, and Lowes carry both angle and flat steel in lengths up to 6' and up to 1/4" thickness. That covers most of my small projects. If you need longer then you need to go to a supplier.
 
   / a good place to get angle steel?? #18  
I will keep your suggestion of using mutiple short welds to ward against distortion in mind as I progress with my skill, or lack of it. KW
6 on 12 is a very common weld in the fabrication world. That is 6-inches of weld with a 6-inch gap between them. Or 12-inches center to center of the 6-inch weld. But you can substitute the 6-inch weld of 2-inches, 3-inches etc, etc.
 

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   / a good place to get angle steel??
  • Thread Starter
#19  
Do you have a Tractor Supply locally, they usually have an assortment of metal???

I do. I've gotten from them in the past and checking online they only have 1/8" angle - I'm trying to get 3/16".
I was looking for a supplier who's maybe a little cheaper anyway.
I never got time today to check out the 2 suppliers I found out about, maybe tomorrow. Thanks SHORT KID
 
   / a good place to get angle steel??
  • Thread Starter
#20  
I was just going to say this. My local TSC, Home Depot, and Lowes carry both angle and flat steel in lengths up to 6' and up to 1/4" thickness. That covers most of my small projects. If you need longer then you need to go to a supplier.

Maybe I'll have to go and check them out in person. Thanks
Just want 4 - 3/16" X 1 1/2" X 49 1/4" angle.
 
 
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