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Forum Categories => General Discussion => Topic started by: cobbadog on 06 February, 2020, 09:22:34 pm

Title: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 06 February, 2020, 09:22:34 pm
Recently I decided to start on the mcdonald 3hp and make a transporter to be able to move it around as needed. then with advise to use larger diameter wheels than i intended and with non available at a drop of the hat i decided to make my own. ihad some 65mm wide flat bar rolled to 250mm od and today i bought some pipe to use as the hub and some 12mm rod for the spokes and got busy designing on the run a jig to assemble thes wheels in. i will post some pics later of where i am at and the progress.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: bigmoot on 07 February, 2020, 06:15:11 am
very good mate best of luck.  if they work out good you might be able to make and sell them . regards wayne.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 07 February, 2020, 04:52:08 pm
I love your optimism Wayne.
Although I must admit the journey so far has not been all that bad only one ongoing headache happening at the moment when parting off the spokes in the lathe, I am having multiple carbide tips shatter. Checked height, tried faster speed at 350 rpm but went back to115 rpm all with no change. Only using the slightest of pressure on the feed in or a bit heavier and the same thing happens. I did have an issue like this before and I moved the cutting tool back in towards the tool post as close as it could go and that worked a treat. This is where it is still and now have issues.
So as for the jig, I have the outter bands rolled and ready to go into the jig, the centre hubs have been parted off and the tiny flash weld mark inside tidied up a little bit and enough spokes cut to put a wheel together so this is where I am at now.You see the bands waiting to be joined and base of the jig and then a band in place, not welded as yet and using a long piece of rod to make the spoke nice and straight by fitting some off cut bits of timber on the pieces that will hold the spokes in from the outside edge.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 07 February, 2020, 04:57:46 pm
Next I used the 'live centre' on the lathe as a stop gauge so the spokes are cut the same length, then I did another trial fit with a hub centered and bolted in place and 4 of the spokes in place.
The idea is to weld the bands together and drop the rim in place, centre the hub and place the first 4 spokes in place and tack weld them in place, then turn it over and put the next 4 spokes in place and tack them in place. All things being equal I should be able to complete the welding and have a wheel, well hopefully I will have a wheel.
As for doing them commercially, I think my welding will answer that idea!     :o
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: AUSDOK on 08 February, 2020, 08:58:50 am
Parting off 1/2" steel always presents a challenge. Unless usuing bright mild steel there are usually very different quality of steel that will destroy carbide . I  usually use a power hacksaw but others with more skills than mine will probably disagree.  Rudy
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: franco on 08 February, 2020, 11:28:48 am
If you can find a sprung (gooseneck) toolholder for a tapered HSS blade like this:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/hrJnP9qyDhKlxA65xRriCqTlyWocX7KqGqkboEk0UVdPI_NLRbj-6JrSKcbcKXZTf_py=s151

it will fix your parting problems and frequent replacement of expensive carbide tips. Mine takes a 5/32" x 1/2"  blades.

Frank.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 08 February, 2020, 01:36:24 pm
Hi guys and thanks for the tips. I would use a power hacksaw if I had one but one hasn't found it's way home as yet. Yes Franco a different parting off tool may be the answer. I was thinking maybe there was not enough clearance between cutting edge and side of the tip but there is enough that can be seen.
Anyway, at least I had enough to put one wheel together. Had a lot of fun with the confined welding space around the hub and in general I can type better than I can weld as seen by the end result but it is what it is.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 08 February, 2020, 01:37:18 pm
Now to show everyone how NOT to weld.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: wee-allis on 08 February, 2020, 04:03:14 pm

 Cobba, what's this rot about parting off tools and power hacksaws to cut 1/2" rod.  Put it in the vice, pick up the hacksaw and cut!  You've only got 24 left to cut. Stop winging and get on with it man.

By the way, I haven't forgotten about the manual, I've just been preoccupied with the fires of late.
Cheers,
Steve
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 08 February, 2020, 09:15:34 pm
Well I got the parting off sorted. I lowered the height of the cutoff tip by a poofteenth and away it goes.
You should know me by now Steve, I will do anything to avoid that Mexican "manuwell labor" especially with 2 stuffed shoulders my hacksaws are like my extension ladder, beautiful looking pieces of equipment and best looked at and not used.
I am not concerned about that manual thanks Steve, I know it is in good hands and there is no rush.

I noticed that everyone is being very oilite and not mentioning the coccky shit welding !    :o
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: asw120 on 09 February, 2020, 03:54:25 pm
The difference between your welding and mine, is that at least you are doing some.....

Having said that, I hope to start making some progress on some things now as my big family do was last night, so I can mess the place up again.

Jarrod.

P.S. Scotty: remember the downpour at Allora? We had that last night (not for as long). Flooded much of the carport where the party was! My place is still flowing ......
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 09 February, 2020, 04:16:32 pm
Well got them all made and went over the cocky shit and made it a bit better.
I should now go down to the River and give them a salty bath to start the rust process off so they wont look out of place with the engine. You can see how the timber jig stood up to the making of the 4 wheels, not bad for a lump of very old particle board.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: bigmoot on 09 February, 2020, 06:13:39 pm
WELL DONE MATE .
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: Grasshopper on 12 February, 2020, 09:42:04 pm
Good Job on the wheels Cobbadog.
Just what the Doctor orderd.
No progress on my McDonalds,
Other things happening and preventing me my shed time.
At least the Condamine River is flowing again with all the rainfall.
Cheers Grasshopper Max
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 13 February, 2020, 09:56:26 pm
Yes Max, a lot of rivers are flowing again now, even our Mighty Manning River which had stopped flowing. They were catching the Manning River fresh water trutles to take some away for breeding and the rest moved to a safer place with deep water and now its moving again I guess the turtles have gone exploring again.
I have some more timber on order to make the transporter to put these wheels onto and have been consumed with work, it is just comming out of everywhere at the moment. Our back yard is wringing wet and and can only just get the car around the back and into the carport. When we get this much rain, and it is still raining but not as heavy, the water runs off the hill and through our back yard and makes it very boggy. I nearly have to leave it in the driveway if this keeps up.
So once the timber is here I can sort out the axles and the turntable and get the engine mounted and ready to strip.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: Rob Templin on 14 February, 2020, 02:10:56 pm
Love anything home made Cobbadog. Even steel wheels. It's too easy to just buy stuff. Or chuck out broken items and buy new. Years ago you could at least have ago at repairing stuff and often due to lack of funds you had to do your own repairs anyway.

Currently I am building a milling machine and a lathe. Yes I can buy cheap second hand ones although SWMBO would balk at me doing so. There are two reasons to build.

1. It is a great challenge,

2. The money that is spent is spread over a period of time.

Mostly I am using scrap items from mates scrap bins. Parts off an old heavy industrial drill, gears from a car and a large old photo copier. Heavy steel from a mates major high rise project, and so on.
I have purchased the x- y table, a mill vice, the electric motors, lathe chuck, and a secondhand lathe head that was cheaper than the bearings and shaft if I made new one . I have spent many hours planning and made a few errors along the way. Work is more than half finished on the mill. I have the bed and legs done on the lathe. I have also almost finished a 6 foot bender to make the swarf tray for the lathe. Just need an electric oil pump and hydraulic rams for that ,which I will buy, but all the rest was scrap steel. (I do have two second hand rams but they are different sizes and might not push evenly with out trying to balance them.)

Just wish I wasn't so old as I have a number of other homemade machine projects in mind and probably limited time left.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 14 February, 2020, 10:05:56 pm
Nice one Rob,
I knew a bloke that started to build his own metal lathe and from scrap too. He made great progress and you couln't fault what was done. It was at the stage where he had scraped the bed dead level head stock was complete and his welding technique of a series of short runs at a time and at opposite sides and ends left no distortion and he was using an arc welder. Unfortunately bad health took him before he got it finished.
Keep up the good work.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: Rob Templin on 15 February, 2020, 07:31:58 am
To prevent buckling from heat I have decided to tap and screw everything. That means dozens of holes so far. I clamp the pieces in place and use a small pilot drill. Then the larger drills. But still had some that didn't quite line up. I guess my old and cheap Chinese drill press has some slop in the quill. But counter sunk screws pull it down right even if a couple of hole are a bit bigger now. One problem is the weight of the pieces I have to keep lifting and turning over etc. I'll need my engine hoist or endless chain soon to lift stuff. But heavier is better with these machines I think?
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 21 February, 2020, 09:27:49 pm
Today I picked up the last of the hardwood timber I need to make the transporter along with some coach bolts to hold it together. I need to now make a few measurements so I can start cutting the rails to length.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 22 February, 2020, 04:05:38 pm
Had a late start to the day of play with visitors ll morning so this afternoon I spent time mentally designing the transporter and taking measurements. So with all that kind of stuck in my head the side rails have been cut to length at 1.000 metre. Tomorrow the 3 cross sections will be cut and marked out for drilling and with a slight change to my original idea I am now half the amount of coach bolts short to bolt it all together but that gives me time to start stripping an engine down as well. The timber is 125mm x 75mm hardwood fence post, bloody heavy.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 24 February, 2020, 04:24:05 pm
This is where I got to today. Main rails and 3 cross members are bolted in solid and 2 axle support also cut to length and then the 25mm bright steel axles will extend past the ends of the timber. Will pick up some plate for the turntable so the timber will run smoothly when turning and pivot on a 20mm  HT bolt. I will slightly recess the axles into the supports and plate them into position as well.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 25 February, 2020, 01:57:54 pm
No further progress today as


i went to work then realised that we had a power outage, yet again, and went back home to kick off the genset to keep the fridge n freezer nice and cold. So wasted more time back at work then back home again and too the GOAT (mower) for a walk over the long grass again even though it had only been 5 days since it last got hit. Only 2 hours to go until they switch it back on and then I need to do invoices and quotes, end of day.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 01 March, 2020, 02:35:55 pm

Had a little bit of time to spend on the axles today. I faced the ends of the axles and put a 1/8" chamfer on the ends, cross drilled them for the axle clips to hold the wheels in place and then mocked it up to double check the inside width. I have already cut some pipe to be welded in place to stop the wheel going inwards and these will be welded in place soon.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: Grasshopper on 01 March, 2020, 06:37:43 pm
Your Transporter is coming along fine Cobbadog, looks real good what your doing.
Will be interested in finished item.
Regards,
Grasshopper Max.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 01 March, 2020, 10:03:50 pm
I think it will be interesting to see how it turns out too as slight design changes happen on the fly. Still thinking of the final decision on mounting the axles to the axle support timbers and I have a couple of ideas on that.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: Rob Templin on 11 March, 2020, 02:12:49 pm
Keep plugging away Cobberdog. One question, did you get any distortion from welding the wheels/spokes in?

I am still working on the mill. I have counted just on 400 holes drilled (each had a pilot hole) 200 have been tapped. I have broken 2 taps and blunted a couple of drills. The number of hours are countless. But I am getting close to being ready to assemble all the individual bits. Today has been the construction of a quill lock. Tomorrow I'll finalise the fine quill adjustment gearing, I hope.

All these hours on the mill mean that 4 of my old cars are patiently waiting for some fairly major fettling before I can drive them again. Not enough time in a day.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 11 March, 2020, 10:17:53 pm
Sounds like it's your turn to have all the fun.
When I made my wheels I made that awful but effective jig out of timber off cuts. After marking it out to be round and then to position the 4 spokes in place and a centre hole, bolt and washer to hold the pipe in the centre I got started.

First I tried each rolled band for fitment inbetween the outer blocks and once they all fitted the same I tack welded the ends togather and removed them from the jig and used the MIG to make a quick fillet weld across the bans to make the tyre.

After that I did the other three as this gave them time to cool off . Again I checked that would fit into the jig and they did so I had 10mm pieces of some old lattice frame timber and nailed these in place at right angles to each other and the spokes would sit ontop of these pieces as it gave me a spacing in from the edge of the tyre to run a weld.

I  bolted the pipe in place and ran my cocky shit welds on the sides that were facing up both at the tyre and then the pipe. I did this to each wheel allowing the previous to cool down.

Then I went back to the first one and sat the half made wheel in the jig with the 4 spokes facing up and placed the next 4 spokes into the slots on the bottom and I guessed the position so that they were off set to the first 4 spokes then welded these in place and the top set of spokes also were finished welded.

Unbolted the pipe, flipped the wheel and bolted it again to weld the last 4 spokes on the outside. I think that by bolting the pipe in place helped with any possible distortion but the welds using the MIG are short runs and don't generate a lot of heat but enough.

Sorry for the boring long description but maybe I wrote something that might help you out too. Clamping things down might take a little bit of extra time but I don't pay me very well so it didn't matter I got them done and best of all I had a=fun doing them and as rough as they are I am very pleased with them. If anyone mentions a negative comment about them at a Rally I will politley tell them what I think of them and ask to see their home made wheels. I sometimes stand on the outside of the engine compounds looking at our toys on display and sometimes people come along and say good things mostly but I do like taking one of our old mowers along that I made up out of many different models and gave it a nice coat of 2 pac brunswick green which I know is the wrong colour and to top it off I had a decal made called HYBRID and placed it on the deck and still some idiot will say that was never made as a model and I let them dribble on and in the end I tell them I own it and made it and named it especially for idiots like you, then the penny drops.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: sunshine man on 15 March, 2020, 12:39:09 am
Hi mate,
Good work , just on the welding its too cold
Regards sunshineman
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 15 March, 2020, 03:37:09 pm
Cheers sunshine man, one day I might learn how to do this mystic ability of successfully joining metal. Later on I bumped up the volts and this helped a lot to flatten the weld and gain better penetration and by the way the smoke came off my fingers it was hot.  ::)    (not fingers really, it was gloves).
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: sunshine man on 15 March, 2020, 11:33:33 pm
Hi cobba , well done again   
I have not been on this forum for a while .so missed some good work  . Been on fb a bit
Regards sunshineman
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: Rob Templin on 16 March, 2020, 06:28:27 am
Cobba  your welding looks pretty good to me. If my welds aren't quite upto it I use an angle grinder heavy disc to take off the rough spots. I have a new 3 in 1 welder. The stick welder is computer controlled and certainly does a nicer weld than my old 1974 model stick. But I have never used the MIG bit as I have never had any luck with migs in the past. I must try it one day just never seem to have the time. As for the TIG capability it never came with the gun and it is quite expensive. Maybe one day. But I do need to master the MIG as I have a few car body projects and migs are the best even though years ago all body work was done with oxy. I do have an oxy but bronzing thin sheet is a definate way to produce buckles that the old body men used to shrink out. Tried that to but never mastered the tecnique.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 16 March, 2020, 09:52:20 pm
Hi Rob,
WELDERS can be a mystery to those who cannot weld but like many things practise and then more practise. I've been practising for years and to me it is still a hit n miss affair. My big issue is being able to see what I am doing. My arc welding helmet was too dark as my looker glasses also darken in bright light so I bought another lense which is the lightest to help see things. Still having issues I bought a new set of reading glasses that are clear and this helped a lot.
One day I went even madder than normal and researched and bought a MIG online. It too can be an arc, TIG and MIG welder and in the bginning I bought the gasless wire to use as the rental on bottles was too rude.
With minimum success using gasless wire I found out by accident I could get my gas at Bunnings, only a small bottle but I'm not making a living out of it and this was around $100.00 as a one off cost then simply swap the bottle over for refills and that last time was around $90.00. Bought the standard wire and changed the polarity over to run on gas and this helped me out a lot and sometimes I get good results and other times as in the pics not so good. Something I did before jumping in the deep end was watch a heap of YouTube clips and look for the tips and hints they offer. Also I get positive feedback as to what I have done wrong by qualified forum members who really know their stuff and I take that onboard as a positive thing as I certainly am not good enough, yet.
As for TIG, I used to be a very good oxy welder when I was doing an apprenticeship as a panel beater. I dont have the TIG attachements either and possibly wont as the MIG with 0.8mm wire can weld down to some fairly light metals whic I wont find on a tractor and recently did a heap of rust repairs on Loryy the truck which is up for rego inspection this Friday and is all pretty and ready to go. I can only suggest that you too look at some video clips and see what can done and how much quicker it is than using arc. My arc welder was nicknamed "the battery charger" as it is not much bigger than one and is almost as light but bou can it put out some juice. IT is an inverter welder and it is a pleasure to use and had it in action on the box trailer recently.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: Rob Templin on 17 March, 2020, 03:00:23 pm
Best of luck with the rego. I guess the roadworthy is the problem. The rego is usually just bureaucratic stuff these days.

My problem with welding these days is both being able to see and trying to stop my hand from shaking. I bought a new mid priced helmet and it is much better than my old one, it is fitted with an optional magnifying lense. As are my oxy goggles. I do have to say I don't have much time left on earth and so need to do stuff as quick as I can and neatness is for those with more years left than I have. I have a mate building a whole 1930's car from almost scratch and he will redo and redo every little thing until it is almost perfect. I don't have the paitience. He has probably made at least 3 and some times more of every panel. The dash board is very complicated shape and he has made at least three and says he is still not happy with it. They look fine to me.

A welder applied for  job advertised with wage from $15 to $30 per hour. He had to submit two sample welds. One was cocky poo, and one perfect. The prospective employer said "why is one so bad?" The welder said "the cocky poo is $15 an hour the perfect weld is $30 per hour take your pick". ;D
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 17 March, 2020, 04:44:48 pm
Like the elder joke, you get what you pay for!
As for the rego on Lorry, he is in very good nick for a 1991 model FC144. Only thing I expect as it came up last year is the faded number plate. He went away and said he had to read the rule so he exactly understood what it meant. He said he would pass it that time but asked that I replaced the plates but this would mean loosing my original plates and have to go to national truck plates and I don't like that idea. So I have swapped them arse about face for the moment to see what happens. He claims that you must be able to read the plates clearly at a certain distance, and I said that you can. It is just that the cheap paint that the NSW Government put on the plates has faded but you can clearly read them.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: Rob Templin on 18 March, 2020, 07:05:55 am
In QLD you can get your existing plate redone in black and white in the old style even if it was originally one of the later colours. Cost $165 but becomes a personnel plate and is yours for ever. Can swap to other vehicles, with the necessary paper work of course. It is even allowed to be fitted to historic registered vehicles which normally have plates starting with "S" . Trouble is you have to have it on full registration when you do it. So if changing from full registration to club registration you need to do it before they issue your "S" numbered plate. We only have a few weeks left with the existing 3 letters 3 numbers as of old and then we are going to another style altogether as the three letters are now into the "z" range. I was going to put one of my club reg cars on full registration just so as to get a black and white old style plate. But found that it was cheaper to get a three letter three numbers of my choice (if not already taken) as a personnel plate ($450 ish) to fit to a club registered car. Sorry if that sounds complicated but its not really.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: Rob Templin on 18 March, 2020, 07:09:00 am
Seeing this thread is about make your own, a clever panel man could make a new plate. Perhaps not legal but done properly not likely to be obvious. Ours are in aluminium so easy to work.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 18 March, 2020, 04:53:02 pm
Plates are in perfect shape but the yellow has faded and that is what the issue is. I really peeves me that the plates are not mine just on my truck, they are owned by NSW Government and they have control over what paint and colours went onto the plate. Since they chose to use cheap crap paint it should be their responsibility to fix the problem but they wont. The only option is National Truck plates if I change them, no other style is allowed on this size truck not even personal ones.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: Rob Templin on 18 March, 2020, 08:30:02 pm
Match the colour and spray it, I would. Do a good job and no one will even notice who looks closely enough at number plates to see it has been re sprayed. The worst that can happen is make you get a new plate anyhow. How big is this truck?
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 18 March, 2020, 10:07:25 pm
I have thought of that but getting the reflective look as well is a bit tricky. I am just going to front up with them as they are and see how we get on. After all I did weld up and paint the massive rust holes at the bottom of the "A" pillar that he brought to my attention, as if I didn't already know about that.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: Rob Templin on 23 June, 2020, 05:53:42 am
Well Cobbadog did you get the truck registered? I am still working on the milling machine. Countless number of hours as I discover what I thought would work doesn't. Still at it though. Every thing is mounted including power switch etc. But I need to turn a shaft from the gear box to fit a pulley. I did this based on the size of the hole at the top of the stacked pulley only to find the hole was actually tapered.   >:(    Luckily I have a taper that will fit so now I need to turn the shaft to fit this tapered item.  :-\
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 23 June, 2020, 04:19:06 pm
Hi Rob,
The usual guy that does rego inspections or health checks as I call them was on holidays so the next guy in line with the knowledge never bothered about the plates. Everything else got a thorough check just the way I like it as I dont want to have a problem when out on the highways. So Lorry passed his health check with no worries at all and is happily sitting in the yard waiting for a load or just to go for a drive which we do every now and then to keep the oils up and over the things it should and no leaks.
So Lorry keeps his original plates for yet another year.
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: Rob Templin on 24 January, 2021, 03:08:56 pm
My milling machine is sort of finished and useable. But I need a lathe to build a bigger quill. In the mean time I have used the mill. The cheap Chinese X Y table has come to bits but I have made a small mod and it is now nice and tight. Having a mill has been great. It's already been used quite a few times. Sure it is a one owner machine but still works. I will try facing an aluminium head soon. The fine adjust which is also the up and down movement when milling is not satisfactory but sort of works. When I make the larger quill I'll redo the fine adjust mechanism. 
Title: Re: Make my own
Post by: cobbadog on 24 January, 2021, 03:28:58 pm
I had a turn on a mill late last year. Never used one before and the owner had little knowledge on how to use it as well so I just jumped in and did the job.
At least the milling of 2 gibb keys aorked well.