Welcome to Westwood Metalworks, What is he building in there?

[Dan Dubeau]

Fixed it for ya Dan

Thanks? Still showing first post with images and a bit of text, and next post with text no images?

Usually how I make a post with pics is I start with my phone because it's easy to upload pics, then go back and edit all the fat finger touchscreen typos out on the laptop. This time I just got too frusterated typing on the phone, so I just posted and went for the edit, but I guess I took too long typing, and missed the window. Grrr, 5 min.....

Anyway....grabbed another marketplace deal this morning. These 4 frames (2x1/4" flatbar) with 6" casters for $40 total. I'll have a mobile welding table soon....

 

[Doggggboy]

Thanks? Still showing first post with images and a bit of text, and next post with text no images?

Usually how I make a post with pics is I start with my phone because it's easy to upload pics, then go back and edit all the fat finger touchscreen typos out on the laptop. This time I just got too frusterated typing on the phone, so I just posted and went for the edit, but I guess I took too long typing, and missed the window. Grrr, 5 min.....

Anyway....grabbed another marketplace deal this morning. These 4 frames (2x1/4" flatbar) with 6" casters for $40 total. I'll have a mobile welding table soon....
View attachment 66782

Those are the wheels for a four post lift.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Those are the wheels for a four post lift.

Thanks. Was curious about what they were from. I'll use the wheels on my welding table, and cut the steel up for an investment in my "stock" market......

 

[Susquatch]

Thanks? Still showing first post with images and a bit of text, and next post with text no images?

Is that better Dan?

Susquatch.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Thanks Squatch. I appreciate it!

Went to Kawartha metals today. A lot lighter in the wallet with A couple projects worth of material in tow. None for me, but somehow I gotta pay for it all......Everybody BUT me actually, even the chickens are getting something from this one lol. I'll get the scraps, and offcuts leftover I guess....

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Played around with the grinder a bit today. Tossed a 36 grit belt on, and let er rip.....Nearest thing I can describe is burying a facemill into a block of steel with a horizontal mill. WOW. That brought a big smile to my face. Even moreso when I put a 120g belt on and slowed it down. I really can't wait to use this more and more. Gonna wish I didn't take like 5-6 years to design/build it now.....

Here's a pic of the finished part. Just a tab for a spring plunger to lock the tension arm down for belt changes.


I'm uploading a video to YouTube and will post it once it's finished uploading.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

This is actually the first "grind". Tough with one hand and filming.......but once I dropped the camera and could hold the part with both hands the metal came off fast. Excuse the mess around the grinder. Y'all know the excitement of a new "toy".....

 

[1018Machine]

That's pretty slick Dan! I don't know why it took me so long to get one but I'm glad I did. I was going to build one as well but just don't have the time.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Thanks. I completely understand finding the time for stuff. I started making actual parts for this back in late December/early January, with a few side quests here and there, but it's been pretty much my main shop project since. Didn't touch it at pretty much all for March (working) and May/June while in school though. No idea of the actual hours on the clock though, not something I keep track of. The design side of this grinder goes back to 2017.....On/off of course.

And It's such a shame that they've adopted the nickname "knife grinder", as it probably makes people take less of an interest in one if they're not into knife making. One of these in a fabrication shop would earn it's keep on the first day.

That said, now that I have one, I have a sudden urge to make a few knives for some reason...... I'm sure one will pop up and an impulse build here shortly....

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Oh, and it's MESSY. When I started this design way back when, one of the core concepts I wanted to adhere to was built in dust collection from the beginning. Not an afterthought add on, like all the others, but something integral to the design from the start. In my evolutions of the model I abandoned that because I simply just wanted to get it done (and I was tired of remodeling the shields and such to fit the new frame and function)......I regret that now. Anything I do now will most certainly look like an afterthought, but oh well. Something needs to be done about it, or it needs to live outside....Where it will get rusty .

I've got the CAD model pretty much back to where I was precrash, just without the attachments I'd done (surface grinder, small wheel, large contact wheel). I'm going to start working on the mobile stand for it, and see what I can do about some dust control measures......I want to be able to wheel it outside for heavy grinding sessions, but it's too nice to live out there permanently, so I need to easily bring it in when done. But I still want to use it in the shop sometimes.

 

[Doggggboy]

Is your platen just straight steel? I tried that and had what I thought was too much friction and heating on the back of the belt. Covered it with a piece of plate glass which cracked right away and finally used ceramic glass. No more problems and no cracking.
I just use a kitty litter tray and a jug of water to catch the sparks coming off the bottom and be sure to wear a face mask. Seems to work so far.
I used the House plans from YouTube.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Yes, just straight steel for now. It was the path of least resistance to start with, but I designed it to be pretty modular, with enough depth to be able to try out different plattens up to ~1/2" thick, or more with a different backer bracket. I have a couple ideas I want to try out. Some radiused ones, and even a watercooled one, which is why I wanted the extra throat depth. Also so that when removed, I get a much larger slackbelt radius available. I read the ceramic glass ones are pretty good, and will pick one up at some point, but had to draw the line at buying stuff that wasn't 100% necessary for first function at some point....

I'm working on a more in depth build video to describe the grinder, and some of the more unique features I haven't really shown yet. Maybe I'll actually finish it within the next month or two lol.

 

[Stuart Samuel]

Oh, and it's MESSY. When I started this design way back when, one of the core concepts I wanted to adhere to was built in dust collection from the beginning. Not an afterthought add on, like all the others, but something integral to the design from the start. In my evolutions of the model I abandoned that because I simply just wanted to get it done (and I was tired of remodeling the shields and such to fit the new frame and function)......I regret that now. Anything I do now will most certainly look like an afterthought, but oh well. Something needs to be done about it, or it needs to live outside....Where it will get rusty .

I've got the CAD model pretty much back to where I was precrash, just without the attachments I'd done (surface grinder, small wheel, large contact wheel). I'm going to start working on the mobile stand for it, and see what I can do about some dust control measures......I want to be able to wheel it outside for heavy grinding sessions, but it's too nice to live out there permanently, so I need to easily bring it in when done. But I still want to use it in the shop sometimes.

I keep kicking around ideas for dust collection on mine, I’ll be following that aspect with interest.

Tricky to do something compact/that doesn’t get in the way, and can handle everything from 36 grit steel grinding through to fine wood dust, without being a fire waiting to happen.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

My "idea" is the entire cabinet is the dust collector. Built in squirrel cage in the bottom, pulling through the cabinet, venting through furnace filters. The base under the belt is grating, and there is a fold out "spout" the comes out the front to catch the downward sparks. When the spout closes, the grate closes, and keeps sparks from entering. When open, the entire path of the belt is open to debris/sparks.

That was what I had kinda sketched out in my initial design, but it doesn't solve the multi material stuff. Kinda thought about a push/pull system with different chambers too, so pull for steel, and push for wood. Exposing different/separate sides to mitigate fire risks. I also thought of a "water bong" type system, but not sure that'll work. Would be good for sparks though.

I had lots of brainstorming sessions while designing the first go round, but nothing got really designed or modeled aside from some initial shrouds and housings on the first go round, but so many changes later they got dumped. Tough to really shroud something that changes shape so much. It's like sliding compound miter saw dust control. Better off just to stick it in a cabinet, and collect in bulk than point of generation control.

I would still like an all in one cabinet solution though, I think that'll get me the closest than any other solution. I'm sure once I start with one point of the design, it'll kind of build itself around that as they usually do.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Went to cut the grass this afternoon, and it completely slipped my mind that the mower deck was broke.....and that I was supposed to fix it last week.......




This corner is gouging and scalping the grass.

I cut off the wheel bracket with the recip saw and a diablo blade. I love those things.



Pulled out the rusted crap, and found a piece of 10ga hanging out on the back bench.



Started drawing and cutting...






This job was a great first test of the little lunchbox Toolium.




Not my best work, but it's a lawnmower deck.....the little Toolium was great for this. Running off a 50' extension cord was alright, but I had to play around with amperage a bit. Hard to light up sometimes, but not terrible.

Now, finish dinner, sharpen the blades, and cut the grass....finally....

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Damn, found out why some rods were sticking/hard to start.


Kink in the extension cord.....always check the little details people....