Container Weld Shop build -

[BukitCase]

You're welcome; sorry the first explanation sucked

Weldingtipsandtricks - my dad taught me 60+ years ago I should always try to learn from somebody who knows MORE than me (at least, about what I wuz learning) - and as a "hobby" welder doing mostly mild steel (so far) I doubt if Jody's ever NOT gonna pass that test

Somehow I don't think most of the OTHER "hobby" welders are in your shoes - after seeing how stiff and "un-cooperative" .035 S6 wire is, I'd think .062 S10(0) would be like tryin' to thread a needle with 1/2" rebar

Well, I'm slowly gettin' stuff out of the way so I'll have enough room under the red roof to set up the HF crane - got the stock I-beam's mount plates dimensioned, gonna spend the rest of this wet/windy/crappy day drawing up my "slip coupler" design for the heavier/longer I-beam. Then I'll fab up one of the new mounts for each end of the crane (NOT the in-the-container-bridge crane) -

The way I'm doing the new beam mounts, they'll be able to lock down ANYWHERE along the I beam - the stock ones have plates welded to the I beam with 4 holes that bolt onto each post top (with another 4 hole plate welded on the posts) -

Once that's done, I'll be able to set the uprights at any distance apart, up to total length of the (12 foot) beam, and LOCK 'em in place.

When I get that far, there WILL be pics here in the "crane thread", AKA the "container weld shop" thread :laughing: ...Steve

Oh, just a reminder - if I DON'T set the portable crane up NOW, there's a 450 pound BOX smack in the middle of where I need to fab the "porch roof" next - with the crane assembled with a longer I beam, it can STRADDLE that area completely out of the way...

 

[dragoneggs]

My biggest concern right now is how did Uncle Jack get on his horse if he had to be helped off?

Beautiful!

 

[BukitCase]

I'm guessin' Viagra - I hear it helps LOTSA old farts get up :number1: ...Steve

 

[BukitCase]

Fergot to mention; I finished the CAD drawing for the bigger I-beam mounts (HF crane mod) but haven't got around to converting to a "web friendly" format yet - Hoping to get all the pieces cut out and drilled manana (nuthin' like an eternal optimist, huh??!?)

Oh well, since everybody LIKES my "blurry pictures", here's 3 attempts at screen shots, hand held @ 1/4 second, no flash (washes out the screen) - -

at least it's a general idea of what I'm doing to the HF crane for NOW - probably a few more mods before I'm done, but we ALL KNOW it's STILL quicker than my "from scratch" stuff ... Steve

 

[dragoneggs]

Fergot to mention; I finished the CAD drawing for the bigger I-beam mounts (HF crane mod) but haven't got around to converting to a "web friendly" format yet - Hoping to get all the pieces cut out and drilled manana (nuthin' like an eternal optimist, huh??!?)

Oh well, since everybody LIKES my "blurry pictures", here's 3 attempts at screen shots, hand held @ 1/4 second, no flash (washes out the screen) - View attachment 536404View attachment 536405View attachment 536406 -

at least it's a general idea of what I'm doing to the HF crane for NOW - probably a few more mods before I'm done, but we ALL KNOW it's STILL quicker than my "from scratch" stuff ... Steve

Ouch... that hurts the eyes. Are you on a Mac by chance? If so, for screen shots, hold down [shift][command]4 and then and drag to frame as appropriate. Much better screen shot.

 

[BukitCase]

No Mac, it's an older Toshiba laptop, the ONLY Win XP machine I have that'll run my ancient DOS-based Generic Cadd prog - to get ANYTHING other than a really old DXF file out of it I have to export to DXF, then pull that into a (relatively) newer windows cad prog (I have a couple) that (with MORE massaging) can output a jpg. I bought QuickCad a year or two back, but haven't had enough time/desire to spend ANOTHER couple years learning a new drawing prog.

The original programmers of Generic Cadd got together after the 10-year non-competition thang and brought out General Cadd for Windows, and it uses MOST of the same 2-letter commands I'm used to - but they want $600 per single license and I'm not doing any of this for $$ anymore, and in retirement $600 could be better spent on shop toys....

Anyway, since the CAD I actually KNOW only runs in a DOS window, I haven't been able to get the usual "suspects" to gimme a screen grab so I guess I'll have to bite the bullet eventually and learn the crap I HAVE (I HATE when that happens -

Oh well, at least I know what it's gonna look like; guess you guys'll hafta wait for actual PIC-CHURs :chillpill: ...Steve

 

[BukitCase]

Messed around with file conversion a bit tonite, DXF out of Generic Cadd into Autodesk's "quick cad" (old) then select all, change object weights from "default" to .05mm, save as .jpg (1280x960) - 'bout the best so far, at least it's readable... Steve

 

[dragoneggs]

Messed around with file conversion a bit tonite, DXF out of Generic Cadd into Autodesk's "quick cad" (old) then select all, change object weights from "default" to .05mm, save as .jpg (1280x960) - 'bout the best so far, at least it's readable... Steve

Well that is much better :thumbsup: but now I forgot what I was supposed to be looking at. . Guess I got to go back and read your last few posts. :stirthepot: Kidding.

 

[aczlan]

Anyway, since the CAD I actually KNOW only runs in a DOS window, I haven't been able to get the usual "suspects" to gimme a screen grab so I guess I'll have to bite the bullet eventually and learn the crap I HAVE (I HATE when that happens -

Look on your keyboard for the PrtScrn or Print Screen button, press that then open Paint and paste (Ctrl+V), that will paste whatever was in view to Paint where you can save it as a picture.

Aaron Z

 

[BukitCase]

Thanks Aaron, but I've tried every permutation of PrtScrn there is, ( by itself, with CTRL, ALT, SHIFT, etc) and no go - I have 3 XP boxes (2 still in service) and this Toshiba laptop is the ONLY one of the 3 that would even INSTALL my '80's vintage Generic Cadd 6.1 - and the PrtScrn works FINE in any and all windoze based apps, just not in this particular DOS app.

My end result is the same as if the PrtScrn worked, just takes another minute or two - so for now, I can live with it.

I have several other options, but they ALL involve me spending hours "re-training" myself in a whole different mindset than I'm used to - this old program does all I'll ever need for drawing things I build, EXCEPT let me print or share easily - I can use the ENTIRE screen for drawings or leave the side bar menu up.

Commands are intuitive to me (after using it for 37 years, duh...) Redraw is RD, zoom window is ZW, zoom previous is ZP, radial copy is RC, fillet radius is FR, etc - some are a little less obvious - you can assign macro's to all 12 function keys(times 3 using alt and ctrl) and 3 mouse keys - it offers every snap you might want, ortho at any angle you choose, all kinds of inclusive and exclusive stretches, ad nauseum....

I keep that laptop completely isolated from the net and transfer stuff via memory card, so until it physically breaks I have a workable drawing method for what I do - and until (if ever) my project list dips below 100 that's gonna have to do.

When that's no longer the case (and I'm still breathing :thumbsup I'll bite the bullet and start over (but complaining LOUDLY ) ...Steve