The Misadventures of Mad Machinist

[Mad Machinist]

Great use of resources! Have good ventilation! Wear Gloves !.........................63bkpkr (what can I say, once an Ass always an Ass)

We don't need no stinking gloves.

 

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[Mad Machinist]

Now to find a 55 gallon drum to build a foundry/ gold smelting setup. I think I know where I can get all I need.

 

[Nitric]

Now to find a 55 gallon drum to build a foundry/ gold smelting setup. I think I know where I can get all I need.

I bought two rivitor(spelling) forges for this. Never used them once. My Dad ended up using one of them to start blacksmithing. They weren't all that expensive at the time. Blower and everything for both forges was something like 300 bucks for both complete set ups. You probably already know this stuff just throwing an idea out there. They can be moved around really easily. And could be adapted to use any kind of fire or fuel your going to use. Kind of remind me of the old round charcoal grills. Wonder how well one of those would hold up after lining them with brick.

 

[Mad Machinist]

Got a bit of a surprise for when I hit 20,000 views. Wife has spoken and I need to build something for a base camp. Time to bring my fabrication skills into play and do something a little crazy.

 

[Mad Machinist]

The "crazy" is going to be putting a little pop up camper on 35's to follow my daily driver which is a Powerstoke on 37's.. Pop ups are available cheap in most places and are easy to tow with the average vehicle due to the lightweight. Most of us have four byes for prospecting so this will be a good build. The search is on for a cheap popup.

And yes you can do this no matter your skill level if you want to learn.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

The "crazy" is going to be putting a little pop up camper on 35's to follow my daily driver which is a Powerstoke on 37's.. Pop ups are available cheap in most places and are easy to tow with the average vehicle due to the lightweight. Most of us have four byes for prospecting so this will be a good build. The search is on for a cheap popup.

And yes you can do this no matter your skill level if you want to learn.

You might consider building a rotating pintel hook. Commercial ones are $pendy

 

[Nitric]

I can't wait to see it!! May need a couple of more steps out the door too!

I don't know if you would have any of this stuff laying around in your area....But I got a hold of a sign for traffic control or road construction. The "left lane closed until such and such date" type of sign. The axles under some of those are beefy!!! It's one of the bigger hubs I've seen on a small trailer. They also have pretty heavy duty hydraulic type brakes. They have to suport the weight of the mast, sign,hydraulics, up to 16 or 18 batteries. Usually they end up in the scrap yard after a hit or blow over.. It cost too much to repair them. But make great heavy duty trailers or axles. The older signs, the new ones have LED's and one or two batteries. They aren't built as heavy. But I see them sitting around in back lots of old construction companies too. Picked for parts.

The hydraulic brakes system could even be used. Just throwing an idea in case you happen across someone with them just sitting around or need an idea to go bigger, not sure what type of strength the camper axles or hubs would have banging around offroad with that size tire.. I was told to "please get it out of here" when I asked for mine. haha We made trailer out of it and you can't overload it. I had 2 ton or more of gravel in it!!! The tires looked like they were ready to pop...but didn't hurt the trailer. The springs could probably be used too.I know that's nothing for bigger trailers but this is about 5ft by 11ft. I've bounced the rims Hard off of rock and trees, just give it gas and pop it around it, can't hurt it. They are 5 lug and think it even fits a common truck rim size I'd have to measure. I haven't broken a hub yet.

Anyhow just throwing ideas, I love projects like this and miss doing stuff like this!!!! I have to look forward to your posts to see what's next!!! Wish you were one of my neighbors!! It gets pretty boring here!

 

[Mad Machinist]

You might consider building a rotating pintel hook. Commercial ones are $pendy

I won't be getting that crazy. I just tend to get down a lot of roads that see very minimal maintenance. And they usually have a wash out or two on them.

 

[Mad Machinist]

I can't wait to see it!! May need a couple of more steps out the door too!

I don't know if you would have any of this stuff laying around in your area....But I got a hold of a sign for traffic control or road construction. The "left lane closed until such and such date" type of sign. The axles under some of those are beefy!!! It's one of the bigger hubs I've seen on a small trailer. They also have pretty heavy duty hydraulic type brakes. They have to suport the weight of the mast, sign,hydraulics, up to 16 or 18 batteries. Usually they end up in the scrap yard after a hit or blow over.. It cost too much to repair them. But make great heavy duty trailers or axles. The older signs, the new ones have LED's and one or two batteries. They aren't built as heavy. But I see them sitting around in back lots of old construction companies too. Picked for parts.

The hydraulic brakes system could even be used. Just throwing an idea in case you happen across someone with them just sitting around or need an idea to go bigger, not sure what type of strength the camper axles or hubs would have banging around offroad with that size tire.. I was told to "please get it out of here" when I asked for mine. haha We made trailer out of it and you can't overload it. I had 2 ton or more of gravel in it!!! The tires looked like they were ready to pop...but didn't hurt the trailer. The springs could probably be used too.I know that's nothing for bigger trailers but this is about 5ft by 11ft. I've bounced the rims Hard off of rock and trees, just give it gas and pop it around it, can't hurt it. They are 5 lug and think it even fits a common truck rim size I'd have to measure. I haven't broken a hub yet.

Anyhow just throwing ideas, I love projects like this and miss doing stuff like this!!!! I have to look forward to your posts to see what's next!!! Wish you were one of my neighbors!! It gets pretty boring here!

I have a 7000lb axle here with a 8x6.5 bolt pattern that I am going to put wheel adapters on to run 8x170mm wheels so it matches my truck. Considering the popup will only weigh about 3500 fully loaded, I think I'm going a little over kill here. And yes I am going with electric brakes on the trailer.

 

[Mad Machinist]

Not much to report lately. Been dealing with a knee injury that won't go away. Nothing broken and nothing torn. It just wont go away.

Hard to get up the urge to do anything when your knee is the size of a cantaloupe and hurts like hell.

 

[Mad Machinist]

Swelling finally went down enough for me to get active at the house again. Going to clean out the garage today in preparation for some projects coming up.

May be awhile before I get much posted. My little brother is getting married in Antigua and I am standing as his best man so I gotta save money up for that.

 

[63bkpkr]

MM, be careful in 'starting up your activity level' so as to not have that cantaloupe be present when you are standing next to your brother at his wedding. I'm only speaking from "my" personal experience with knees as I tend to use my body heavily! Have a wonderful time!............63bkpkr

 

[Mad Machinist]

My knee is about as good as it's gonna get. I gotta get up and moving. THis sitting around is driving me crazy.

Working on a vibrating classifier real similar to this:

I have the base and the top done just waiting on the springs to come in from the local hardware store.

Vibco motors to provide the vibration: 12v- https://www.zoro.com/vibco-electric...nt&gclid=CPCblbeqqt4CFeWOxQIdqzgKJQ&gclsrc=ds

110V- https://www.zoro.com/vibco-electric...nt&gclid=CLnc-tGqqt4CFcOOxQIdrksFGg&gclsrc=ds

My phone blew up so as soon as I figure out this new phone I'll get pics up.

 

[Eyeball]

Good read, I'm hooked.
Both my knees are toast and slow things down to a trickle plus got age on top of that, driving me nuts but still going, wear them till they're stumps, but not giving up.
Like your thinking, EB.

 

[Mad Machinist]

EB,

I'm only 44 and both my knees are shot. Welcome to life as an Airborne Ranger and a Hardrock Miner.

 

[Mad Machinist]

Got the vibrating classifier done minus the motor from Vibco. I keep trying to upload pics but It won't let me. Time to break down and buy either a new phone or a camera.

 

[Mad Machinist]

 

[63bkpkr]

Hi MM, My iphone has decent picture taking abilities but I have a Real Camera for better pictures. There are some small waterproof & somewhat shockproof Cameras that might be useful for you, at Costco. I checked the Costco website , they carry the Fuji fine pix and the Olympus G5 tough(or something like that) BUT I also looked at the reviews on the Costco site and neither of these outdoor, waterproof to 50' and drop proof from 8' are free from problems. Seems like you will need to do some searching! That is odd as "I" would think that in today's Quality Control world all the cameras should be high quality/free of any issues even for the inexpensive ones, obviously not so. FYI - I have owned a Canon and do own a Nikon but both were/are higher end cameras and work well!...........................63bkpkr

 

[Mad Machinist]

Working on building a press brake. Got the frame about 1/2 done. Here's the die set: SWAG 50" Finger Press Brake DIY Builder Kit

For those who don't know what press brake does, here ya go.

 

[63bkpkr]

Hi MM, of course first you must have a die and a punch press to produce the blank part to use in the press brake but the press brake function is cool....................63bkpkr