Bare-bones tools necessities for "home" shop????

[Jaylegger]

Necessity being the mother of invention the tools become secondary to the seeds of greatness, or something like that :laughing:. All you really require are two pairs vise grips, some magnets, and fold-up type workmate bench with a bucket of water close by, welder of your choice, reciprocating saw and a few c-clamps. Getting to the point of this post, I haven't seen it mentioned yet but I'd first invest in a ventilation type apparatus for drawing and expelling the hazardous welding gases and fumes away from your face.

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geup6o9...nt.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_ch032.pdfhttp://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geup6o9itMFekAmgZXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEzcGNiZHRvBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDNgRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkA0g0NDRfMTM0/SIG=12g87i4oi/EXP=1278036008/**http%3a//employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-PUB_ch032.pdf

 

[gauthier]

That stuff might seem bad when you first start breathing it but,after so many lung fulls it becomes like a drug,and starts to help.

 

[Big Wave D]

i guess it's 18.5 cfm, at least it says so on the side. 5hp single phase electric.

as you can see, it's a 3 cylinder single stage. i'm thinking they will flow a bit more at similar hp because they don't have to do the second stage work of bumping from 125 to 175 psi.

as i said, the pressure shut-off is set to about 100psi and i don't require anything more than that in terms of pressure. i have found that the lower cfm units will cycle frequently to the point that they spend more time running than not, even using simple air tools. i read a number of places that 18 cfm is the minimum standard for bodywork and paint requirements, and the capacity of the unit, combined with the 80gal tank results in something that i am comfortable with.

i have been reading the projects section and am envious of some of the shops that other members have to work out of... maybe someday i'll be in that boat too.

btw, have included pics of a couple quick/cheap backyard pedestals

rjmack,

I've never seen a triple like your air compressor has. Where did you get it at?

As for air pressure, what uses 175psi? None of my air tools or nailers are rated for more then 100-120psi. Does a plasma cutter need that extra oomph???

 

[rankrank1]

rankrank1,

I have a few questions for you concerning this part of your post:

(Note: With the buzzbox you can obviously weld, but you can also heat metal and braze with it using a twin carbon arc torch which can be made for next to nothing or you can buy a used one for about $60 and you will not have to buy an expensive oxy/acetylene gas set-up. You can cut metal with it by soaking 6011 rods in water, use carbon rods, or even power a small gouge system like an Arcair if you have an air compressor. You can also weld aluminum pseudo-tig style if you can master the twin carbon arc torch head mentioned earlier. Granted none of these are the absolute best tool for the job, but they will work and do it very cheaply which is perfect for the home hobbyist).

I think I've seen someone using a setup similar to what you are calling an Arcair. They were cutting apart a Bobcat bucket for reworking. Does this form of cutting steel give you a smoother edge than an O/A torch?

Second, do you have a link to view this Twin Carbon Arc torch you mention. I think I had that and the Arcair, in my mind, as being the same thing. Yet from your post, they seem to do very different things. The TCAT seems to be a substitute for an O/A torch, if I'm understanding you correctly.

Thanks for helping me grow my knowledge base.

They are two totally different things. A twin carbon arc torch is not used for cutting at all. It is used to heat metal for bending, or brazing, and if you are really skilled it can even be used to improvise pseudo-tig weld. Plans are available to build a torch head online or used units can be purchased off ebay. Unfortunately Lincoln quite offering their torch heads a couple years ago. In essence the torch head offers the ability to strike an arc from one carbon rod to the second carbon rod and this flame is then used to do the work. The carbons are cheap and last quite a long time. I do not know how to post a link but there is a demo on Youtube.

Carbon gouging is a totally different process used to cut metal using one carbon rod and compressed air.

Of course general fabrication cutting can be done with a buzzbox using 6011 rods soaked in water, or even carbon rods and cranking up the amps.

 

[Big Wave D]

What does the soaking of 6011 rods have to do with them being used for cutting?

I've read this elsewhere and sort of made a mental note, but am unclear as to why they need to be wet?

 

[rjmack]

I've never seen a triple like your air compressor has. Where did you get it at?

i bought mine about 5 years ago so i don't know if they still make this model, but this is the website thats on the label

Eagle Pump and Compressor - Industrial Division - Home Page

As for air pressure, what uses 175psi?

i think stuff like 1" impacts, jackhammers, industrial sandblasters (the kind that will wreck your hood from 4' away) probably use that kind of pressure at high cfm.

 

[Big Wave D]

That stuff might seem bad when you first start breathing it but,after so many lung fulls it becomes like a drug,and starts to help.

gauthier,

I have to kind of concur with you. :thumbsup:

I know that the fumes aren't good for one's lungs or body, but it's like the smell is the "distilled spirits" of your work.

 

[rankrank1]

What does the soaking of 6011 rods have to do with them being used for cutting?

I've read this elsewhere and sort of made a mental note, but am unclear as to why they need to be wet?

The rods do not actually have to be wet to do the cutting in general fab work. You can just crank up the amps and do the cutting with a dry rod. Having the rod wet though will make the rod last longer as more heat will go into the work piece and you will consume less rods to do the cutting which translates to less $money$ since fewer rods are consumed to make the cut. (Of course, wet rods do not work worth a hoot for welding)

The rods do not necessarilly even need to be 6011, any cheaper rod will work. Carbon rods will work too and last even longer than water soaked rods. Add air to the mix and you have a primitive plasma cutter. I have heard of people cutting with a carbon in the stinger in one hand and using a blow nozzle (air from an air compressor) in the other hand. I have not tried this yet, and doubt that I would be coordinated enough to do it. An Arcair air gouge greatly simplifies this into a gun type process, but I have no need for the heavy cutting an air gouge is capable of doing.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I'm late to the discussion, but I started with a very basic set up, and I have worked up from there.

It seems that we are all assuming that you have the basic garage tools... Hammer, wrenches, measuring tape, etc. I started metal work with a cheap Harbor freight Vise, a cheap Harbor Freight grinder, and an angle grinder bought at the local farm store for $15. I buy cut-off wheels in 12 packs. I got an old AC welder and accessories for $200 at a garage sale, but I paid way too much for it. I had a Delta drill press from my woodworking days. I think I paid $100 for it on sale. I might be able to get by with just a good 1/2" drill, but I wouldn't want to. Get good cutting fluid too. That makes a huge difference in drilling. I also had a dozen or so clamps of various sizes from the woodworking days. After a while I bought a hand-held MAPP gas torch for the rare occasion when I need to heat and bend something.

I made a lot of projects with those basic tools, then I've gradually added better tools. I now have an AC/DC Lincoln welder and a Lincoln MIG (I don't use the MIG much). I have an Oxy/fuel torch (propane or acetylene). I bought a Milwaukee chop saw, and I LOVE it. An autodarkening welding helmet from Harbor Freight has significantly improved my welding skills. I've upgraded my angle grinder, and I have quite an assortment of large drill bits.

 

[rjmack]

also, for steel fabrication it really helps to have some adjustable c clamps...

any idea which one of these i bought first, or what the level of quality is?