Took the first step towards building my shop

**Frank S** · Aug 10, 2020, 11:42 PM

Well I now have the lower step landings in place next comes something that I hope resembles stairs.
The problem is I have used up my supply of 4" sq tubing So I will have to come up with something different from here on out

Took the first step towards building my shop-wp_20200810_18_22_58_prost.jpg

**Frank S** · Aug 12, 2020, 07:25 PM

Since I had used up the last good lengths of the 4" sq tubing that I had I needed to come up with something for the stair stringers I have a good supply for now of angle iron to make the risers and tread supports out of. I do have a couple sticks of 4x4x3/8" tubing but I have other plans for it and didn't want to cut it up. This was when I thought of the side rails of the upper deck I removed from a trailer to use the frame portion as the base of my brick crane.
I had saved the rails thinking I would come up with a great application for them someday
It looks like I found it

Took the first step towards building my shop-wp_20200811_12_15_44_prost.jpg

Took the first step towards building my shop-wp_20200812_14_13_58_prost.jpg

**Toolmaker51** · Aug 12, 2020, 09:17 PM

snipped;

Originally Posted by Frank S

This was when I thought of the side rails of the upper deck I removed from a trailer to use the frame portion as the base of my brick crane.
I had saved the rails thinking I would come up with a great application for them someday
It looks like I found it

Yessir, it ain't scrap until you can't hold onto it, for making into something else. Been doing so a long time; way before it went mainstream.

**Frank S** · Aug 16, 2020, 10:02 AM

The stairway is coming along nicely the upper has the risers installed on the stringers and only have to weld in tread edge support angles then that part is done until I get around to cutting the treads out of the 2x12 oak and pine planks that I have. If I had enough oak I wouldn't bother with edge supports but the angles will also give a good place to mount toe kick plates should I decide to fully enclose the stairway
The bottom section is complete I have the base anchors driven in the ground a couple feet and welded to it now I need to weld it to the landing is all

Took the first step towards building my shop-wp_20200815_18_48_38_proft.jpg

**Crusty** · Aug 16, 2020, 10:25 AM

My daddy said "Son, you're gonna drive me to drinkin' if ya don't stop buzzin' that Tombstone Lincoln".

**Frank S** · Aug 16, 2020, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by Crusty

My daddy said "Son, you're gonna drive me to drinkin' if ya don't stop buzzin' that Tombstone Lincoln".

Crusty I'm pretty sure this is the same Lincoln welder I found in a trash pile some 20 years ago Since I didn't have any need for it I gave it to my bud before leaving for Kuwait I don't remember if I ever hooked it up to see if it worked or not but after returning from Kuwait I eventually tore down his shop that had collapsed under the rubble was this machine he says he doesn't remember ever using it and had forgotten even having the thing, it was buried in a pile of stuff he had hauled from my old shop so that alone makes me suspect it is the same machine. After I hauled stuff out here I had just left it tossed in another pile until maybe last year or the year before when I discovered it again and decided just for giggles and grins to see if it still worked I opened it up and blew out years of accumulated dust dirt mud daubers nest and oiled the cooling fan.
As you can see it still works. I have had thoughts of adding a rectifier and choke along with a fine adjustment variac like what is in a round top AC/DC machine but then I think why bother I have a 300 amp Airco DC machine it is just still packed away

**Crusty** · Aug 16, 2020, 02:46 PM

Just funnin' - those are near bulletproof welders.

**Frank S** · Aug 16, 2020, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by Crusty

Just funnin' - those are near bulletproof welders.

I started learning how to weld on a Lincoln coffeepot then when I was 14 I bought a 200 short hat with a 4 cyl Wisconsin

**Frank S** · Aug 28, 2020, 11:51 PM

It doesn't matter if you have no walls no doors and no floor as long as you have a roof overhead and a little bit of light so one can be brought in on a hook at midnight it is a shop
This is the power of just 2 100 watt UFO high bay LED fixtures

Took the first step towards building my shop-wp_20200828_23_40_40_prosh.jpg

**Toolmaker51** · Aug 29, 2020, 01:17 AM

"...brought in on a hook...". I'm guessing that means tractor with sleeper came in with the tow rig?
Spectacular in my book, no question.
Reminds me of a former garage turned concert venue in Kansas City. They gutted interior and walls, the new sides are garage style sectional (overhead) glass doors. Closed, it's warm in winter, fully open rest of the year.