Newbee to metal fabrication with scrap Q's
- Thread starter LotsofGreenGrass
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Soundguy
Old Timer
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- Central florida
- Tractor
- RK 55HC,ym1700, NH7610S, Ford 8N, 2N, NAA, 660, 850 x2, 541, 950, 941D, 951, 2000, 3000, 4000, 4600, 5000, 740, IH 'C' 'H', CUB, John Deere 'B', allis 'G', case VAC
good old jungle gym loaders.. 
soundguy
soundguy
LD1
Epic Contributor
good old jungle gym loaders..
soundguy
Ugly as heck but effective :thumbsup:
Soundguy
Old Timer
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2002
- Messages
- 51,575
- Location
- Central florida
- Tractor
- RK 55HC,ym1700, NH7610S, Ford 8N, 2N, NAA, 660, 850 x2, 541, 950, 941D, 951, 2000, 3000, 4000, 4600, 5000, 740, IH 'C' 'H', CUB, John Deere 'B', allis 'G', case VAC
gives you a workout too.. protects from limbs..
troutsqueezer
Veteran Member
I can't help but think that since you are a newbie to scrap metal, that you must also be somewhat new to welding itself. I've been welding for some time and wouldn't undertake building a loader with the experience I have. My hunch is you're biting off more than you can chew. Sorry.
Baby Grand
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In my experience working as a welder (for about 2 years) if you do a decent job of it, most of your time is going to be spent laying out the steel, cutting, notching, beveling, in other words - prep work before you even strike an arc. With all that time invested - and building a FEL is going to mean a lot of time invested - saving a few dollars to get steel that is of questionable condition and quality may not be you best option. All depends on how you value your time and how much you can afford to fritter away cutting up and fixing things if it doesn't work right the first time. Think hard about how you approach it before you dive in. You could save yourself a lot of frustration and even money if you make sure any used steel you buy isn't compromised by being the wrong type, internal rust or strain/cracking from deformation.
Long before you go looking for steel you want to look around at dealer lots not the new stuff the junk in the back, at auctions, look what people have fabricated, what they used, what seems to have worked. I do that all the time even if I have no plans to build something. Seeing a good idea, and then when you see a part, that was used, you might want to keep it rather than throw it out. I wish I would have kept, a few truck tie rod ends for use as base pivots.
You will also see things that did not work, that is the information that can save you a lot of time and money. Better to learn from others mistakes.
The Quality of everything you do depends on the amount of time you are going to use it. Spending thousands on something you use once is a loosing proposition, but scabbing something that will do the job from a junk pile that takes vision.
Just a thought!
You will also see things that did not work, that is the information that can save you a lot of time and money. Better to learn from others mistakes.
The Quality of everything you do depends on the amount of time you are going to use it. Spending thousands on something you use once is a loosing proposition, but scabbing something that will do the job from a junk pile that takes vision.
Just a thought!
pat32rf
Veteran Member
I consider myself a DIY type and anytime I can cut the price by 75% just by investing my time I'll probably go for it, then use the leftover money(?) to build something else.
