Building a flatbed for my F350

[TSO]

Meeting your specific requirements is golden and is the reason to build your own. Looks great so far, I would recommend you take the time to work out the fuel fill into the side rail as high as you can get it before going much farther though. You need the fuel fill cap centered above the ground at about 34 inches. Less than that and you can have issues filling up on sloped filling station pads.

Ok thanks, I'll look into that. The temps dropped to around 10 deg so it slowed me down a bit anyhow.

Nice looking job on your utility bed builds too, those look great and very useful.

 

[George2615]

Here's one I built for a classic truck I had for a few years. 10'6" long x 84" wide. Rough cut 2x10 hemlock for that old look. Color matched paint to body. Mainly built as a show truck. Won a few trophy's for best in class original truck.
Your's is progressing very well.

 

[TSO]

Here's one I built for a classic truck I had for a few years. 10'6" long x 84" wide. Rough cut 2x10 hemlock for that old look. Color matched paint to body. Mainly built as a show truck. Won a few trophy's for best in class original truck.
Your's is progressing very well.

Wow that looks great, how did you do the rounded corners?

 

[jenkinsph]

George,
Very nice build looks great. Been awhile since I had a truck with the fuel tank behind the seat too.

 

[George2615]

Wow that looks great, how did you do the rounded corners?

Corners are flat steel carefully heated and bent around a 3" pipe clamped in vise, curved to fit and pieces to fill the gaps welded in a ground down. Took a long time to cut and bend by hand but wanted the round corners to kinda fit in with a round body truck. A plasma torch would have made cutting things easier but couldn't justify buying one. Mostly used torch, 4" cutoff wheel, 4" grinder, and welder to build. Rectangle tubing steel and 1 x 3 channel for cross braces, diamond plate for rear apron.

 

[George2615]

George,
Very nice build looks great. Been awhile since I had a truck with the fuel tank behind the seat too.

I enjoyed going to car shows with it but driving it was time consuming (especially going to distant shows) with the numerically high rear end and top speed of about 50 MPH. Sold it last fall and got something more comfortable and faster.

 

[ovrszd]

I enjoyed going to car shows with it but driving it was time consuming (especially going to distant shows) with the numerically high rear end and top speed of about 50 MPH. Sold it last fall and got something more comfortable and faster.

I'm on Interstate Hiway 35 halfway between KC and Des Moines. In the Summertime I see a LOT of restored cars/trucks going back and forth to shows. I admire those driving theirs. Don't pay much attention to those hauling. We call them "Trailer Queens".

 

[TSO]

Corners are flat steel carefully heated and bent around a 3" pipe clamped in vise, curved to fit and pieces to fill the gaps welded in a ground down. Took a long time to cut and bend by hand but wanted the round corners to kinda fit in with a round body truck. A plasma torch would have made cutting things easier but couldn't justify buying one. Mostly used torch, 4" cutoff wheel, 4" grinder, and welder to build. Rectangle tubing steel and 1 x 3 channel for cross braces, diamond plate for rear apron.

Ok thanks for the explanation.

I very nearly pulled the trigger on a plasma cutter yesterday at Harbor Freight... $659.

But i was there on a mission to grab a transfer pump for a flooding issue i was having so i had to remain disciplined. I will very likely cave in and grab a plasma cutter this year finally. I'm getting sick of cutting everything with grinding discs or my cutoff saw.

 

[ovrszd]

A $700 Plasma Cutter will struggle with 1/4" metal.

Twice that budget will get one that'll make quality cuts with 1/2" metal.

As in everything, it's all about money.

I work metal a lot. I value the quality in my Plasma Cutter higher than the quality in my Welder. Very nice addition to any shop.

 

[TSO]

A $700 Plasma Cutter will struggle with 1/4" metal.

Twice that budget will get one that'll make quality cuts with 1/2" metal.

As in everything, it's all about money.

I work metal a lot. I value the quality in my Plasma Cutter higher than the quality in my Welder. Very nice addition to any shop.

I've been watching reviews on YouTube regarding those $700 Cutters and they seem to do just fine for the limited amount of use I will put them through