Project/Gift Ideas

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Project/Gift IdeasI had a thought the other day. Why not post quick, easy welding projects for others to copy, build and give as gifts? This thread could be a place to just add links to previous post. Homemade gifts seem to “mean more” than store bought. Plus you can get the family involved. My kids love making stuff for Mom and Grandma. Small kids could paint the projects or do whatever to gain ownership. I thought this would also be good for shop teachers to get ideas for students. Things like fchesser78 and kenklingerman wine bottle racks are great ideas.Maybe this could be a stickyDave ReberWadsworth Ohio
Reply:I made some simple pen/pencil holders out of 1/8" thick 2" aluminum square tube and 1/4" aluminum bar for the bottom.  I was thinking of personalizing them with names written with a TIG weld bead too.Electronics Engineer (embedded controls)Miller 200DX w/ Coolmate 3Thermal Dynamics 82 plasma cutterGrizzly G0678 8x30 millPM1440BV 14x40 latheHF 6x12 surface grinder
Reply:This what I gave to family this year.  Each with a stamping particular to each person.  Nice and simple and everyone loved them.  Can be a candle holder, soap dish, candy holder, etc. Attached Images
Reply:Here are a couple of ornamental types of projects that I have done in the past, pretty basic stuff, cheap and easy to make and makes a good gift. The first one is a fire wood caddy that was a finalist in the Miller Welders Project challenge a couple of years ago and the others are just some wall hangings built around some 6" ceramic tiles.All of these items are made with a  Lincoln Weldpak HD3200 mig welder,  basic hand tools, some imagination and a little bit of time. Most of the materials were scrounged up from the scrap pile or taken from other existing items. Attached ImagesI am what I am, Deal with it!If necessity is the Mother of Invention, I must be the Father of Desperation!
Reply:Here's a few more wall hangings that I did a while back. One of my favorites was the last one in the shape of the sun, unfortunately I can not find the pictures of it completed. Attached ImagesI am what I am, Deal with it!If necessity is the Mother of Invention, I must be the Father of Desperation!
Reply:what is used to bend and curl all that flat iron??  i would like to make some stuff like this, but i dont have a torch to heat and bend.  is that the only easy way?
Reply:Great stuff ZAC do you have a picture?Dave ReberWadsworth Ohio
Reply:Originally Posted by springer 45what is used to bend and curl all that flat iron??  i would like to make some stuff like this, but i dont have a torch to heat and bend.  is that the only easy way?
Reply:Originally Posted by springer 45what is used to bend and curl all that flat iron??  i would like to make some stuff like this, but i don't have a torch to heat and bend.  is that the only easy way?
Reply:Sheppard hookshttp://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=29968See post number 10 to see how it is done.Dave ReberWadsworth Ohio
Reply:Originally Posted by dabar39If any of you are confused by my description of the process above let me know and I could make some example pieces and take pictures as I go using no special tools just some things you may already have laying around the house..
Reply:Coat Rackhttp://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=27801I do have scroll bender.Dave ReberWadsworth Ohio
Reply:A couple of flower trellises, low cost quick gifts for this last year. I used 1/4" rod I had left from another job. Attached ImagesLast edited by afab; 01-02-2010 at 10:39 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by dabar39There a a few members here that are very good at making things with out all the must have specialized tools that everyone wants,  Check out some of the projects by Yorkiepap, most of his projects come with a very detailed explanation, and step by step tutorials. Denny spends a lot of his personal time making things easy for the new guys with no experience in metal work.
Reply:Originally Posted by ReebsGreat stuff ZAC do you have a picture?
Reply:Here are just a couple of quick examples of what can be done without the use of specialized tools. I just went out to the scrap bin and found some 1/4" round stock, a piece of 3/4"x1/8" flat bar and a piece of 2"x1/8" aluminum flat bar that had been part of someones old screen door.The pieces were bent using a variety of things that were just laying on one of my benches. In these pictures I used the set collars that I mentioned earlier, a piece of exhaust pipe, a piece left over from a drive shaft  I shortened, the drive shaft yolk, and a 1/2" drive impact socket. All of these pieces were bent in less than 15 minutes, That is including the digging through the scrap bin and then deciding what to use to bend the metal around and taking step by step pictures.I might also add that I do own several types of benders and rollers but find it a lot more fun and much more satisfying to improvise with nothing more than crap laying around.The methods that I used will take about 20 or so pictures, that is 4 or 5 posts, please wait until I'm finished before commenting.The first example is with 1/4" round stock.2" set collar placed in vice.Piece placed into set screw hole and simply wrapped around the set collar til desired radius is achieved. Once you are happy with the first bend replace the larger set collar with the smaller one and repeat the same process as the first bend. To make opposite facing bends make sure the first radius is facing away from you before making the second bend or if you want the bends facing the same direction the first radius faces you before bending. Attached ImagesI am what I am, Deal with it!If necessity is the Mother of Invention, I must be the Father of Desperation!
Reply:this next set includes the finished piece from the post above and then we move onto using a piece of 2"x1/8" aluminum flat bar, a piece of a drive shaft, the drive shaft yolk, a piece of 1 1/4" square tube and a pair of vice grips.As a side note, the piece of driveshaft yolk was used just to illustrate the idea that virtually anything can be used to make simple tools, guides or jigs from. Imagination and ingenuity are very important when you are limited in the tool department, don't frequently make this type of stuff or simply don't have the money or space for the specialized types of tooling.The 2" flat bar was clamped to a piece of drive shaft and simply bent around it by hand til the desired radius was achieved Attached ImagesI am what I am, Deal with it!If necessity is the Mother of Invention, I must be the Father of Desperation!
Reply:Both ends of the 2" aluminum have bent bent and now just for example purposes we will put a 90 degree bend in the middle of it using a piece of 1 1/4' sq. tube, kinda like a something that could be used for a set of legs or something similar. Attached ImagesI am what I am, Deal with it!If necessity is the Mother of Invention, I must be the Father of Desperation!
Reply:This next sample piece will be similar to the method used to make the sun shaped wall hanging posted above. The material used for this was some 3/4" x1/8" mild steel flat bar.The material is clamped to a piece of some left over exhaust pipe where the first desired bend will be, bent to the desired shape, the piece is then clamped to the pipe where the second bend is wanted. Now that the second bend is done, I wanted it to wrap around and come back towards the beginning, in this example a 1/2" drive impact socket was used for the small radius.The rest of the bends are done in the same fashion as the first ones were done in. To duplicate the bends on multiple pieces simply hold the first completed piece up to the subsequent pieces and make the match as close as possible. Attached ImagesI am what I am, Deal with it!If necessity is the Mother of Invention, I must be the Father of Desperation!
Reply:The last couple of pictures of the example pieces.Reebs, I hope you don't mind the hijack of your thread, It can be moved to it's own thread if you like Attached ImagesLast edited by dabar39; 01-02-2010 at 01:13 PM.I am what I am, Deal with it!If necessity is the Mother of Invention, I must be the Father of Desperation!
Reply:dabar39 Not a problemYour method of making circles is the same as mine when I make the Golf Ball Roller coasters http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=19533coat racks and about anything circular.I plan to make a ring roller soon.Dave ReberWadsworth Ohio
Reply:Hey Reebs,Good post..... simple projects are a great gift idea & probably appreciated more than store-bought cheapies. Here's some ideas some may find favor with. I'll probably need (2) posts to get them on.Denny Attached ImagesComplete Welding/Machine/Fab. ShopMobile UnitFinally retired*Moderator*"A man's word is his honor...without honor there is nothing.""Words are like bullets.... Once they leave your muzzle, you cannot get them back."
Reply:Here's some more...Denny Attached ImagesComplete Welding/Machine/Fab. ShopMobile UnitFinally retired*Moderator*"A man's word is his honor...without honor there is nothing.""Words are like bullets.... Once they leave your muzzle, you cannot get them back."
Reply:made  these  last year Attached Images
Reply:Nice idea and it would be innovate to give gifts in the way you said welding them and giving them.special presentsOriginally Posted by Reebsdabar39 Not a problemYour method of making circles is the same as mine when I make the Golf Ball Roller coasters http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=19533coat racks and about anything circular.I plan to make a ring roller soon.
Reply:It's a nice idea and giving home gifts as a gifts gives us a lots of self satisfaction...hamper gifts
Reply:Wow great idea reebs !!! Really im very much impressed in your post ....Thanks for the post ...video grabber usb
Reply:nice stuff guys
Reply:You guys make some really nice stuff. I wish I'd seen this post before I bought the HF floor mount bender.At least I haven't bought the scroll or picket twisting attachments yet, so there's still time to learn to make my own.
Reply:Thanks for your idea and I am adding more gifts to it http://www.presentsdirect.com/webapp...6_17653__11057mens presents
Reply:Originally Posted by dabar39Here's a few more wall hangings that I did a while back. One of my favorites was the last one in the shape of the sun, unfortunately I can not find the pictures of it completed.
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Reply:seems like this would be a good thread to keep going
Reply:Here's a thread of simple projects, although not all of them would be gifts it illustrates what can be done with a few pieces of steel.http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=55421Campbell Hausfeld 80 Flux Core.Mastercraft AC-230 Buzz box.