Operation Build the Bed

By Caleb C. (**)

Date 03-28-2011 14:37

Glad you got started on it, keep us posted with your progress!

By up-ten

Date 03-28-2011 15:07

Right on Shawn!! I'm looking forward to more pics as well. As I am sitting around waiting for the weather to warm up, I'll be tackling a few things on my rig. And like you, the two car garage certainly has its limits with a low ceiling(gantry crane limitations) and as always , lack of room.

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 03-28-2011 18:15

Got a little I can do today but then I've run out of steel. Actually have lots of the 2" but gonna get a different wall thickness for some of the less critical load areas, lol! Probably the only guy with a book with steel weights and a calculator on the work bench to figure out what it currently weighs and how much it will weigh if I add xxx to it! This would be my first change order!! LOL!!

By texwelder (***)

Date 03-28-2011 22:34

Nope you aint the only one with a book and a calculator, I do that on everything I build especially truck beds and bumpers and grille guards and gates and so on, Just keep posting pics looking good so far

By Pickupman (***)

Date 03-28-2011 23:27

Looks good,Shawn. Keep the pics coming. :smile:

By hillbilly (**)

Date 03-30-2011 03:45

Are you still gonna throw some aluminum in the mix for weight savings? I see the tig rig out is why I'm asking.

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 04-01-2011 13:38 Edited 04-01-2011 13:42

Yeah, got it planned out for aluminum. Picked up more 2" square steel Wednesday, went with 14ga as it will save almost a pound per foot and will be using this for bracing, cross beams under the bed for the deck. Gonna try and work on it tomorrow/sunday if I can get this handrail knocked out today and if the weather this weekend is decent. Gonna move it out in the drive and build the boxes, etc and hit it with some red oxide primer so it don't get all rusty between times to work on it.

Had the tig out cause, it was hooked up and the mig welder I got is whimpy and did not feel like running the gas machine and ln25 to get good penetration, so tig it was. Took a bit longer but what the heck, not a rush job! LoL!!

The plan is, gonna break protocol here and spill the beans. The plan is to build a light weight steel skeleton(saves money) and then I want to sheet the outside in aluminum. How will I attach it might be the next question. I have decided on polished stainless steel button head bolts with allen socket. The plan, get aluminum cut out, holes drilled in frame, attach aluminum with temporary bolts. Then wherever the aluminum meets I want to weld the plates together, almost giving me a sort of aluminum dress. Then paint the bed the same color as the truck and install polished stainless bolts in the sides, back, kinda like a rivet look, except shiny! Don't know about my current tsc boxes, paint them red too or leave them black, still on the fence with that. Going to do the inside of the boxes out of a 16ga sheet steel probably, bottom of boxes maybe 1/8th. I've actually toyed with the idea of doing the sides of the truck in 16ga as it is lighter than the .190 aluminum(cheaper) but don't want to do the deck out of that. I know some guys will say that is to thin, but I don't beat the crap out of my bed and throw things in the back, typically place it in and climb in and move it where I want it. I throw stuff in and I risk scratching my tsc boxes and dinging my welder...don't want that for sure! I've got a few other tricks up my sleeve that I am going to incorporate into this bed that I have not seen on anything yet, more convenient but those will lie burried in the vault til I get the bed done.

Funny thing is some folks I tell ask why I want to get rid of the "nice" bed I have now. I tell them that diamond plate is as ugly as a mud fence and I just can't stand it! Get the new bed done and installed and gonna patch up the "hay hauler" and shoot some new paint and sell it, plenty of farm trucks around here would like a good gooseneck brand bed for sure and make some of my money back on the new bed!

You still in the secret society! Hahaha! Staying busy? You get back out on that small job near your place? I keep hearing people talking about it and a lot of people ask me, have you tried such and such up in...... Figure I don't have a snowball's chance in hayde's of getting on that one!! Shoot you ever get down this way give me a shout we'll have to sit around and B.s again, got a bed down here that needs building!! Hahahaha!! I see ya later!

Shawn

By hillbilly (**)

Date 04-02-2011 00:49

Can't wait to see your ideas revealed. I pulled the pin at Hemlock. I'd had enough of they're BS. I hired in the next day at the new convention center, downtown Nastyville. I needed a break from that place, something fierce haha. I can't say enough good about the outfit I'm working for now, much better. I figured I could back to Hemlock anytime haha.

By Tommyjoking (****)

Date 04-02-2011 01:46

AHA!!!! not all ALuminum!!!! Take a lot of pics Shawn because I really want to see how you build it up.....you already know my issues with a heavy bed. She will haul any bucket that will fit but jeez I pay a price for it. I know the pain of the small shop....I cannot fit my truck in mine for the low ceiling. I will give you a holler this weekend, looks like sunshine and cold beer!!!!!

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 04-02-2011 11:01

Yep, let the cat out of the bag. I figure get it light enough and can get fuel mileage back, save some wear and tear. Right now it is standing on it's side as I work on this railing, really want to get after it and get the "backbone" done....but keep telling myself, these are paying jobs, bed is not.....still hard to stay away from it, not look at it while in the "shop". Wish the work was out on the road somewhere, that would be easier that staring at the bed all day!!! :lol:

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 04-03-2011 04:50

If they use salt on the roads where You are like they do up here, You might get galvanic corosion between the aluminum and stainless bolts.

In that case, You would be better with hot dipped galvanised bolts.

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 04-09-2011 22:52 Edited 04-09-2011 22:56

Well, here are some new pics of the progress so far. Got the backend built, mostly. But the structural portion is pretty much done. Gonna start on the front end later, tomorrows a day off I believe. Had to shoot it with some primer as it's new home for now is outside of my "shop". So far, according to my calculations this frame weighs in at 228.6987lbs, approximately, according to my steel guide. Trying to shoot for 350#'s or less by the time the entire frame is done. Still 70#'s away from 300 so I think it is possible. Would like to have it around 300 complete but probably not gonna get that.

By Johnny Walker (***)

Date 04-10-2011 03:21

Make it a skeleton bed lol oh wait I saw one of those already in Lousyana

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 04-10-2011 03:39

Eeeeeewwwww! Don't know if I could do that! I think putting panels inside the frame crossed my mind for an instant, then quickly got shot down by the higher powers in my skull. Wanna get the frame done so I can start working on the cool stuff!!! Come up with some great ideas while staring at it tonight running all manner of things thru my brain.