Tools making tools...

[Gary Fowler]

Thats a nice set up. I work construction so we need a mount to thread pipe on the job. Probably work it up this weekend.

I really like the simplicity of the port-a-band stand.

 

[bplayer405]

Been wanting a brake to bend up some .072 aluminum for my jon boat renovation; specifically to make side ribs that are missing because I took out the middle seat. Made this mostly out of scrap. The angle was the only purchased pieces. It's only able to bend stuff around 22" long, but that's perfect for my present needs. I haven't made the pieces I needed the brake to make yet, have to cut and anneal the aluminum first, seems to bend 22 gauge quite easily...

I do plan on making an adjuster for material thickness and a finger top piece for making pans/boxes

 

[Gary Fowler]

I just finished my welding cart made from scrap I had laying around. It turned out pretty good but still not quite right for rolling up all the cables and wires even with 4 post to roll up the cables. It holds 2 or maybe three machines with some mods and two bottles. I think I will need to put stronger wheels on the back if I put on two bottles though.
Top image is my grinder cart , next my just finished wire feed machine cart, my oxy-acetylene cart and finally my 50 amp Plasma cutter/ 160 ampTIG/ 200 amp Stick machine. I am going to trade my small O2 bottle in on a 75/25 when it is empty so I can run my MIG welder. Unfortunately I just refilled it so both oxygen bottles are full at the moment.

 

[bplayer405]

In need of a lift to swap a heavy outboard from one boat to another... don't really want to buy a cherry picker (outboard is only a couple hundred pounds). I do have an old engine stand to use for the base and a 500lb chain hoist...

 

[Gary Fowler]

I do all my heavy lifting with the FEL on my tractor.

But if you have a large tree with a large horizontal limb, that is best to hang your chain hoist from. It would take a lot of material to build a 4 post gantry but it wouldnt have to be super heavy material just to lift a boat engine.
Much easier is to invite a couple of buddies over for a beer or two and just lift it and carry it over. Many years ago when I was in better shape, a buddy and me removed a 200 HP Johnson, put on a 3/8" thick reinforcement plate on the transom and then put the motor back on. Just the two of us.

 

[bplayer405]

I do all my heavy lifting with the FEL on my tractor.

But if you have a large tree with a large horizontal limb, that is best to hang your chain hoist from. It would take a lot of material to build a 4 post gantry but it wouldnt have to be super heavy material just to lift a boat engine.
Much easier is to invite a couple of buddies over for a beer or two and just lift it and carry it over. Many years ago when I was in better shape, a buddy and me removed a 200 HP Johnson, put on a 3/8" thick reinforcement plate on the transom and then put the motor back on. Just the two of us.

I work on outboards also so it would be nice to make the old engine stand work and keep things in my garage. Be really nice to incorporate the "hitch" setup so its removable and have a plate on it to hold the outboard so it could be worked on. Basically unhook from the boat, lift, spin 180°, then drop onto a 2x? board to hold. Then wheel it to my workbench for whatever repairs. Its evolving as I type...

 

[Gary Fowler]

Thing I like the most about welding is the ability to make tools to make our work a bit easier. In just the past few months I've made a vise brake press, a rod/flat bender, portaband table and a mig cart. I'm currently working on a trailer hitch vise mount. Post up some of your projects intended to make your work easier.View attachment 789View attachment 790View attachment 791View attachment 792View attachment 793View attachment 794

I was going to make one of the port a band stands but after looking closely at my saw, it doesnt have a trigger lock and I think it would just be a PIA to lock it with a tie rap or something every time I wanted to use it.

 

[bplayer405]

I agree. Need a separate switch setup to run it. Pain to setup, but does work nice.

 

[bplayer405]

So, I did get a start at my hoist concept. Had 3 pieces of .125" 1.5" square tube 4' long. Also a 6' piece of 12 gauge 1.75" square tube. Drove in a piece of the 1.75" tube into the end of the 2" base. Will basically make a tall rectangle that will pin together and come back apart. Might be strong enough with just one side, but two will definitely be better.

 

[CA_Bgrwldr]

Where is the hoist going to go, forward of the new leg, or between the new lag and the original engine mount?

 

[bplayer405]

Where is the hoist going to go, forward of the new leg, or between the new lag and the original engine mount?

Between the vertical legs. Picture a rectangle around 6 to 7' tall with a ratchet chain hoist center of the top. Making it short enough to fit under my garage door. Hoist is rated for 500lbs and the stand is rated for 750lbs. My outboard is around 150lbs; a '76 Yamaha built Mariner 48 (a reduced hp 60). Hopefully my contraption will handle up to 200lb outboards. I weigh 190 and will be the first test subject once its built... This design will have the outboard turn 90° to load onto the engine stand.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I am finally modifying my lawnmower lift to fit my Ferris. Years ago I bought this but it was too narrow for any of my mowers. I have some angle iron and now I am in the process of making it wider. The frame needs to b 3" wider on each side then I have to make the platform 3" wider on each side to fit. More work than I thought when I started. I have it all apart and one side almost welded up on the frame. Lunch break now, Be back later maybe with a few photos. It is 93F right now so I am soaked in sweat and cooling off a bit while eating my sandwich.

 

[bplayer405]

Sweet! Sounds like a cool project. Too bad its not cooler for ya... 85 here in central IL...

 

[Gary Fowler]

Wife interrupted me at 3:30 saying I have a date with the neighbors to go play ROOK. Anyone play that game. It is kind of addictive. We play husbands against the wives so it gets interesting when they lose.

I only got one end of the main support done. I am making a 2 x 6 tubing extension out of a 4x4 angle so it takes a bit of welding and cutting. Had a bit of a cost adder to the project. The main support fell out of my vise while I was hammering on it and fell on my new cutting 10' whip hose severing it neatly. Luckily I had another and another old 25 foot hose to hook together to make a usable length.
My boat bow bumper came in today also so I may have to sideline the lift project till I get the new bumper on. I may need to slide the boat back a bit to get the old one off and new one on.
I guess I could just wait and do it at the boat launch next time I take it out though. Be much easier that way. OK talked myself out of that chore for now. Back to the lift project tomorrow. Try to remember to take my camera to the shop and progress it out.

 

[CA_Bgrwldr]

Between the vertical legs. Picture a rectangle around 6 to 7' tall with a ratchet chain hoist center of the top. Making it short enough to fit under my garage door. Hoist is rated for 500lbs and the stand is rated for 750lbs. My outboard is around 150lbs; a '76 Yamaha built Mariner 48 (a reduced hp 60). Hopefully my contraption will handle up to 200lb outboards. I weigh 190 and will be the first test subject once its built... This design will have the outboard turn 90° to load onto the engine stand.

If you have the material, turning the stand into a cherry picker might be more useful.
Something like this, would allow you to slide the hoist over the engine on a boat on its trailer, in the back of a truck, trailer, cart, or bench, etc. and not need for the hoist to pivot. With the suspension tie support, it should allow you to easily lift 200lbs, should be able to lift at least the capacity of the stand itself, as the load on the hoist point is being transferred to the engine stand.

 

[bplayer405]

If you have the material, turning the stand into a cherry picker might be more useful.
Something like this, would allow you to slide the hoist over the engine on a boat on its trailer, in the back of a truck, trailer, cart, or bench, etc. and not need for the hoist to pivot. With the suspension tie support, it should allow you to easily lift 200lbs, should be able to lift at least the capacity of the stand itself, as the load on the hoist point is being transferred to the engine stand.

View attachment 1150

Definitely an option. It would work for picking up heavy objects out of a truck bed a bit better too. Most people get cherry pickers because they are more functional. My setup is more of a mini gantry that'll be removable from the base stand. For an engine stand, I feel having the weight more centered will have less of a chance for tipping. Thats the main reason for my build, plus the use of the stand to hold the outboard to work on with the gantry removed.

 

[CA_Bgrwldr]

Definitely an option. It would work for picking up heavy objects out of a truck bed a bit better too. Most people get cherry pickers because they are more functional. My setup is more of a mini gantry that'll be removable from the base stand. For an engine stand, I feel having the weight more centered will have less of a chance for tipping. Thats the main reason for my build, plus the use of the stand to hold the outboard to work on with the gantry removed.

Yah, wasn't sure if by "design will have the outboard turn 90° to load onto the engine stand ", you were going to mount the engine to the stand, or just to center the weight to move the stand.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Wife interrupted me at 3:30 saying I have a date with the neighbors to go play ROOK. Anyone play that game. It is kind of addictive. We play husbands against the wives so it gets interesting when they lose.

I only got one end of the main support done. I am making a 2 x 6 tubing extension out of a 4x4 angle so it takes a bit of welding and cutting. Had a bit of a cost adder to the project. The main support fell out of my vise while I was hammering on it and fell on my new cutting 10' whip hose severing it neatly. Luckily I had another and another old 25 foot hose to hook together to make a usable length.
My boat bow bumper came in today also so I may have to sideline the lift project till I get the new bumper on. I may need to slide the boat back a bit to get the old one off and new one on.
I guess I could just wait and do it at the boat launch next time I take it out though. Be much easier that way. OK talked myself out of that chore for now. Back to the lift project tomorrow. Try to remember to take my camera to the shop and progress it out.

UPDATE: while at the card game it was decided that we would all take a road trip to Marshal Texas for some business I had to do and neighbors wanted to go along for the ride just to get out of the house for a while. It is 167 miles each way. Got to Marshal at 10:30 and was headed by by 10:45. Stopped off in Hope Ark. for some of the best hamburgers in Ark at the Tailgater grill. Any one in the vicinity should take a look. They are delicious and their malts and shakes are great too.
After the meal we went looking for some Hope watermelons (also greatest melons for 100s of miles) and bought 3 for $10 each. They weigh in at about 30 pounds.
On the way back getting close to Arkadelphia on I-30 we say blue lights flashing. Rumors was that the quotas were low so they would be bringing in 17 additional state police to write 300 tickets. Well just before we came to the blue lights a little red car passed me very quickly and I was set on 80MPH with my cruise and he must have been doing at least 90 or 95 . Within a minute another car came zooming up and turned on his grill lights and pulled the little red car over where he joined 11 more cars lined up with 11 more state police. (12 total cops) . We never saw the other 5 that was rumored but that doesnt mean they werent set up on the other side of the road. Looks like they might hit that 300 number by end of the day.

Well 3 pm when we got home so no work in the shop (evening sun shines into my west facing door so I have to shut down by 1 PM or I roast in there.
Tomorrow will attempt finishing my welding project, clean up and paint the hoist (maybe)

 

[bplayer405]

Been a pretty fun fab doing the engine stand mini gantry. Welding is almost done, not perfect by any means, but solid. Gonna weld a hook point up top center, drill some through holes for pins and figure out a saddle to mount an outboard to the stand. Stands 80" tall and 36" wide.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I got the extensions on the main frame done. I ground down all the welds so it looked a bit neater than just a bunch of patchwork. I had to drill and tap 8 ea. 3/8 x16 bolt holes so I got that done this morning. Knocked off at 11:30 and 93F. Also removed and cleaned the carb on my neighbors lawnmower but that wasnt the problem. Still wouldnt start. Did some checking and the carb solenoid shutoff is not opening so no gas. I will work on it when the part comes in.

Attached photo before paint and after. I still need major clean up of the rest of the UNI-LIFT. It has been setting under an open shed for 10 years so it is a little grungy. Needs a lot of cleaning and then some grease on the slide rail. I still have to attach the ramps that hook to the main beam. Tomorrow to do that and some more cleaning.