Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher (Post 8165134)

So now you want it to be a bouncer? :lol: That is weird about the torch. maybe the hoses are made in USA and the torch and regulators are made in China? :lol:

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher (Post 8173449)

That is a nice new grinder! I burnt mine up a while back and haven't replaced it yet because I had sticker shock when I went to replace it.

Originally Posted by hgs_notes (Post 8173596)

I know what you mean. Harbor freight has a 7" one for about $45. The ones at menards were $100-120. Dewalt has a few models, ranging from just over $100 to over 200. This one should outlast me. I'm getting closer to my expiration date all the time.

I picked up a bunch of steel today to make some heavy duty stands. That'll give me some welding practice too. I absolutely need it.

My boss called today and said I'm getting a big fat raise in the spring. Something to look forward to. More money for tools and truck parts!!

Originally Posted by hgs_notes (Post 8181083)

I am almost out of .030" welding wire so I didn't even try. Might have enough to tack the parts together and that's about it. Instead I just cut the legs and a side brace so everything is ready to go when I get the wire.

I ran into a little problem with my band saw though. It's pictured above. It was built in 1987 and I bought it used, I don't remember when, but probably 15 years ago. I think I only paid about $75 for it. I've spent more this week on blades for it. No manual with it. There is nothing on the saw to indicate it needs lubrication anywhere. But on the last leg cut it starts squealing. It would squeal once in a while before but not like this. Something was wrong.

There's a cover on what appears to be a gearbox. Before now I really never gave it much thought. I never ran it long enough for anything to get hot before. Sure enough, open the cover and smoke is wisping out and I see a hot worm gear drive. This is after I added oil to cool it down.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...pshdekkt5q.jpg

I start squirting oil on them to cool them off. I run it a little and it's better.

At this point I'm peeved. At the manufacturer for not at least putting a sticker on the thing but mostly at myself for not paying more attention to it. I've seen the harbor freight saws and know this one is basically the same design. So I look up their saw on my phone, almost identical. I download the manual for it and towards the end I find what I'm looking for. Maintenance and lubrication. There it says, remove the cover and change the oil annually.

There wasn't a drop of oil in this. I'm not sure there ever was. The worm gear looks like it's brass and it's pretty worn but usable yet. I cleaned out the shavings and the half teaspoon of pasty gunk that was in there and add some gear oil. It's not as heavy as they recommend but the heaviest differential oil I have.

Closed it up, sawed up a couple more pieces of steel and it's working great. So I've learned a bunch in the past few days about the saw I've owned for over a decade. I'm thinking that some replacement parts from the current model HF saw will probably bolt right on. It could use a couple thrust rollers and a new worm gear.

Sorry it's not jimmy progress but I hope it helps out someone else with one of these saws. I wish I had known more before now. Time to go buy some welding wire. Later

Originally Posted by Vintage Windmills (Post 8183969)

Hi Mike, where are you getting your bandsaw blades? I've had pretty good luck with Lenox or the Starret blades. A well running bandsaw is a pleasure to use. I think the last tool in my shop I'd ever sell would be my little old craftsman bandsaw.

Originally Posted by Tom Vogel (Post 8183978)

I bet the guys on the tool section would like to see this.

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20 (Post 8191292)

Looking good, the notcher should be an awesome tool. I hope the learning curve goes well and is short.

Originally Posted by TennesseeZ (Post 8191377)

I'm still amazed with this build Mike, keep up the great work!

Originally Posted by gringoloco (Post 8191809)

Very nice work!

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20 (Post 8191841)

Very nice!! Congrats on a nice fit

Originally Posted by MrBeast (Post 8191896)

Mike, I have to say it, I don't know how I missed your build all these years I have been on the site, but damn it came out nice!

I am really looking forward to seeing what she turns into!

Originally Posted by hgs_notes (Post 8197134)

Thank you

Blind luck LOL

Thanks! It certainly has evolved.

Yesterday I got the other side bar done between the middle and rear hoops.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...psh31wkcuh.jpg

Then the part I have been dreading, those front bars along the windshield post. Sure they are pre-bent, but nowhere near close to fitting. Each end was about 6-8" too long so getting it in to try and mock up was not going to happen without cutting first. I took a bunch of measurements and did a little geometry and got the lower part of the bar cut fairly close without being too short. That gave me an idea of where the bar would mount to the floor. Then more measurements and geometry and using the magnet levels and calibrated eyeball to make an informed guess of the back end where it meets the middle hoop.

At that point I could get it in and see where I was at. I was able to get the bottom end angle cut and set the tube in it's final resting spot. Then was able to mark the angle where the tube met the middle hoop. It's got a weird angle because the windshield post angles back and inward but the bar is bent through a single plain. So if the lower part is vertical along the door to the dash, then the bar is turned inward towards the back.

Anyway, setting up to notch that back end of the tube was challenging for a noob like me. Eventually I realized that if I set the notch angle, which is perpendicular to the vertical front section of the bar, then I just had to rotate the tube in the notcher until the lower section was level.:uhmk:
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...ps7jqedvvy.jpg

Holy hell it worked!!!:metal::metal::bann::bann::metal::metal:
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...psnfclvofz.jpg

You can really see the angle here...
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...psx1716rvw.jpg

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...psxcfx7dxk.jpg

This pic is looking upward at the middle hoop where the front and rear tubes attach. The upper (in the pic) is the rear and the lower is the front tube.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...pseqibesf2.jpg

After hyperventilating a bit at my success I pulled the tube back out to use as a pattern for the other side. I just set the uncut driver side tube on the floor and set the cut one on top of it and marked it up for cutting. Just needed to reverse it in the notcher.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...psmy40mtul.jpg

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...psjnzi6j2i.jpg

Sweet! It fit. The cross tube wasn't too difficult, although I think I'm going to pull it out for a small adjustment. The angle for the notcher stays the same because math. LOL
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...pscmetyxsx.jpg

I think I was off a few degrees from one end to the other and I want it to fit back about a half inch from where it is now.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...psmfmwqrmz.jpg

No interference with the doors, the glove box door opens, the visors will move, though they do hit the tubes. They flex enough to work though. None of the tubes are tacked together yet. They just fit good enough to stay in place with a couple locking pliers to keep them from sliding out of place. I'll have to remove the seats and console for room to work.

As it is it's a 6 point cage. There are 2 more tubes that are supposed to mount to the rear wheel tubs. I'm not going to do anything with them until I figure out the rear suspension because I'll probably be incorporating upper shock mounts, etc. I'll be adding some triangulation tubes, door area tubes, and tubes through the firewall to the front of the frame. I'll end up with at least an 10 point cage but probably more like 12-14 point when it's all said and done.