Just wondering if there are any hometowns out there using these machines...I just recently picked up the 12" Makita and can honestly say it's a cool deal. It's hard to imagine the blade can last 2500 cuts. Anyone ever had a problem with blades even after following their directions for the different gauges and shapes of material being cut?
I'm at the new pad for those that followed chapter 13. Only, I am not taking up one of the bedrooms. I am using one of 2 studios outside for metal work. It is surprisingly very quiet when I'm running power tools/welder (My brother installed a range hood to suck the fumes out, works like a charm). I turned on an industrial vacuum and closed the double paned(sp) glass door and couldn't believe it! I lucked out...BUT...The only problem with that studio is it has a plywood floor. I thought about using a welding blanket but constantly walking on it...I don't see that working out.
Only idea I have is to use Durock cement board and use wood to frame it so's the edges don't crumble easily...
Any ideas GREATLY appreciated...
HAPPY THANKSGIVING Y'ALL!
CT
The floors in the Hoover Dam powerhouses are very nice terrazzo, during the unit uprates in the 80's and 90's, the floor in the work areas was covered with plywood tightly fitted together and the joints taped with high quality duck tape. I burned an awful lot of welding rod over that plywood and never had any problems.
I've used Makita carbide blades for about 3500 cuts 1 1/2" and 2" sch.40 pipe, 2 thirds were angle cuts), but that was overdoing it a little, we should have sent it for resharpening at about 2500 or so. The blade is still servicable but has several missing and chipped teeth.
JTMcC.
Thanks for your response bro.
I just switched the 60T blade to a 78T for 16 gauge tubing. I felt it necessary I protect the investment of the blade that came with the machine. That blade was meant for thicker gauge.
I have welded a bit over the plywood and it does seem fine. Muchas gracias again JTMcC!
CT
How much did that saw cost? I'm a little torn between a bandsaw and one of these guys...
As for your floor, why not tile it? Put that Durock down and tile over it (make sure your floor doesn't flex or you'll get cracks). I don't think your plywood will burst into flames just from welding, but when you inevitably buy that plasma cutter... Plus you really want a surface on the floor which you can clean.
Plywood laid over a floor to protect it would not be nearly as subject to fire as plywood over joists with air underneath. I'd always be worried about sparks creeping into some crevice...
I saw these really nice stainless steel tiles the other day... But no doubt they cost BUCKS!
All the best,
Chris
Hey Chris.
The Makita cost me just over 400. But let me tell ya. It is an awesome deal. I'll trade shavings for dust anyday.
I thought about putting tile but I'm afraid the acoustics might be too loud. Plus I'm a little clumsy sometimes. Dropping tubes like I frequently do will eventually chip/crack the tile...would be kill though and it would look awesome. I thought about Mexican tile.
SS tiles would be super man!
Take care bro.
Rick
PS...
This is the cheapest price I have found. But I decided not to buy it over the internet in fear of not getting a new machine as opposed to a remanufactured one. However, these seem to be new. You can call and ask. I bought a blade from them and the service was awesome!
http://www.mytoolstore.com/makita/mak02-11.html
Hey Chevytown,
Congrats on your new crib!
About the floor,
Tile would be the way to go.
A couple of cheaper alternatives are:
24 gage galvanized sheet metal in 4' x 10' sheets with thin strips to cover the seams. These run about $15 per sheet.
You could paint the plywood with a coating from a company called Flame Control Coatings Inc. They make a coating system that retards the ability of wood from catching fire. Check out this link
http://www.flamecontrol.com/coatings.htm
You would need to put down a base coat of the #129 product and then 2 coats of the Overcoat #130 product.
This stuff runs about $50 per gallon.
I would caulk all the seams real good with fireplace caulk before applying the coating.
Buenos Suerte Amigo,
Tim
Alright Tim!
Those are some good leads. I might go with painting the floor. Laying out sheets of thin metal sounds cool too.
Time to investigate. Thanks for the leads hometowns.
The coolest thing about the studio is I left one of the paintings they had hanging on it and took down the rest...the one I left up reads..."live blues tonight."
Oh yeah!
Rick
Rick --
I went to the link you posted and bought me one o' them saws. WOW! You have one so you know. Just about the coolest thing since I got a welder.
The company was very quick and above board, too. Even called to make sure the address was right. I'd go through them again in a minute.
UPS guy bitched about how heavy the thing was!
Chris
Now that's what I'm talking about HOMETOWN!
It is unreal, supa quick and a breeze to work with...
I agree, they be real quick and supa friendly...
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Tim, just to let you know, I'm saving up me pennies for the floor protective coatings. (It be real tough trying to start a buiz) From thinking about it for many days, I realized that is the way to go. The floor is not being chewed up too bad by the molten metal dropping on the plywood. Thanks again for you help on that one.
Chris! It's Metal Carbide Time!!! I'm taking a crack at bar stools...
RM
Hey, are you actually starting a business doing this furniture fabrication thing? Can one make any money doing this?
It seems very enticing, but everything I make takes so long that I'd have to charge an obscene price to pay myself more than a pathetic rate.
For example, if I was to make some bar stools, it'd take me four hours easily per stool, taking into account buying the metal, design, etc. I'm well over a hundred bucks a stool not counting the retail markup.
Of course, if I was making four hundred stools, the time per stool would drop with jigs and whatnot. But then they're not quite as "custom"...
How does this work? Are you makin' money out there?
Chris
Glad to help Chevy,
Ya'll got me to thinking about getting one of those saws...
Sounds like the way to go.
I was wondering how your vent hood is working out for smoke removal?
Good Luck with the new buisness!
Tim
Hey Chevy!
I was just out in the shop checking out some sheetmetal duct work we're working on and one of the guys asked me if he could have the scrap left over to make a box out of. Anyway, I said "sure, no problem" and then I was struck with a brain storm. I was thinking man, I wish Chevy lived closer so he could use this stuff for his floor. (remember we talked about putting a 26 gage sheetmetal layer on the plywood and covering the seams) Then I started think about cool mosaic tile type designs a person could shape all these mismatched pieces into for a unique, and functional look for your art shop.
I bet there are a dozen sheetmetal HVAC shops in your town that have more scrap than they know what to do with. You could probably talk your way into buying enough to do the floor for $20, or barter for a chair.
Just a thought,
Tim
Chris...
You speaketh the truff! Dito on absolutely everything you mentioned. I haven't been doing it that long and I absolutley identify with EVERYTHING you say. I would love jigs someday, but something about being able to look at my hands and say it was hand made...
The way I see things, it's a labor of love in this case. I can't charge for labor. It's impossible to do so. The price of materials is bad enough.
I haven't sold anything but I haven't been doing it that long either. I picked up welding this summer and it's changed my life in sooo many ways. I'm just chipping away at it slowly and so far so good. I just need to find more galleries suited to this taste.
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Tim, go for the metal chop saw for sure. The hood is working fairly good. I just have to box it better. I have a picture of the inside of my studio. It's with a fish eye lens, so it looks a little funky. It was the only way to capture the whole studio.
I'm trying to get to know all the steel shops around. I fould a few. I'm going to check into scraps next time. Yu's got some good ideas amigo!
Take it slow hometowns...
RM
Tim,
If you do a lot of cuts of architectural extrusions and other relatively thin metal, these carbide saws are the way to go. If you are doing thicker stuff, like solid 3 inch bar, you'd want a horizontal bandsaw.
I like your metal patchwork floor concept, but you might want to use something other than galvanized steel; seems like wear and rust would be issues eventually. One could cast aluminum tiles and lay them just like regular tiles... Anyone making really cool, interlocking, Esher-style tiles (like interlocking frog and fish shapes) could make big bucks...
Chevy,
OK, I keep my day job... rats!
Chris
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