making a custom flatbed truck side rail for a friend

[grsthegreat]

nearly ready for powder coat. have to sand some welds, cut the inner panels on plasma table, and touch up some welds.
We went with some beafy slide barrel bolts to hold tailgate . they work awesome. i will be installing a 3/8" bolt next to one of the barrel hinges to prevent tailgate from falling out . he can remove bolt if he needs to drop tailgate.

 

[user.69169]

Nice cutter. You cutting over water? How far from slats to water?
How much slats get chewed up by torch blowin thru?

TIA

 

[grsthegreat]

Nice cutter. You cutting over water? How far from slats to water?
How much slats get chewed up by torch blowin thru?

TIA

actually i dont use a water bath. too messy and cleanup sucks with water. I use a sealed bottom table and a huge exhaust fan to blow smoke outside. the slats are 10 years old. i grind them down every few years. i can flip the slats over if they ever get too bad.

my table has laser to detect metal surface so tip doesnt need to touch metal, and has a bump protector in case head encounters an obstical to protect machine.

 

[user.69169]

Still messin wid (removed)Omatic. Long on (removed) & material on hand and short on matic. Matic might wind up sparker from old grill lighting torch in corner.

Plan is fire escape deck over opening in retired industrial machine base wid ceramic tile diverting air/smoke flow and dingleberrys. Everything gotta pass over water on way to blower. Water only half inch deep in slide out commercial baking sheet.

Looks good on paper, mockup AmaZoom cardboard box model says air flow works good. Test cuts over water pan look good according to observer girl. Ran into HOLD when cardboard box burned up. Too cold to play now.

Second part of plan is use as downdraft grinding station.

 

[tomplum]

Where art and function meet. It will make a statement for sure.

 

[grsthegreat]

I have a 4100 CFM fan to exhaust gas. Seems to work good. Room stays clear of smoke. It does suck out all the heat in shop. And that sucks when it’s 5 degrees outside. All heat is gone in a few minutes.

 

[user.69169]

I think you need to bring in makeup air to area just above collecting plenum for exhaust, sort of like how restaurant kitchen does. Least dat keep some of de heat in shop.

At least variable speed drive on Super Sucker or dampers.

Add bunch of heavy cast iron machinery to act as thermal batterys dat radiate heat back into shop. Saves iron from going to China too.

 

[grsthegreat]

I usually do this kind of work in warmer weather, and like leaving roll up door open. Not an option lately. Make up air is a good idea. I have added heated make up air and even swamp cooler make up air in restaurants. Those hoods draw out a lot of heat and cool

 

[user.69169]

Know of a choke & puke near me I donated a 30" fan to some years back to make up in de kitchen. Fellow was amazed how AC stayed in dining room when makeup is runnin. Line cooks even like it.

Always get laughs from threads where fellow gonna put big exhaust in wid no makeup air.

Table look close enough to wall maybe you pull section of fiberglass panel and experiment wid distribution hood over table. Probably use tent fer experimentin.

 

[bcp]

I just know I would someday reach through the side rail for a small object near it, and slice my hand on a tree or antler.



Bruce