Shootr's New Adventure - Totem Pole Build

admin

Can you believe it's been a year since I naively embarked of the Nautilus project? (Still standing by the way )I've had a real thing for totem poles since seeing a bunch of them up in the Pacific northwest years ago.  I've decided to try and make my own out of steel: gas bottles and lots of scrap parts and pieces.Step one, picked up a used bottle for $20 and it will be the first spirit at the base.  Managed to get the valve out with a big monkey wrench and a bigger hammer.  Later today I'll strip the paint off it and start to layout an image.  This will be slow going - I really want to take my time, think everything through, and do my best to make it epic.  Feel free to follow along if you're extremely bored .Yeswelder MIG-205DS(3) Angle Grinders at the ReadyJust a hobbyist trying to improve
Reply:Shootr,   "This will be slow going - I really want to take my time, think everything through, and do my best to make it epic. "
Reply:It won't be faithful to any one "tribe" or event.  As I've cataloged various examples I identified individual forms that I believe I can create with my limited skillset.  Maybe it could be seen as a respectful homage to what totem poles mean to those that create them.  At least that is the spirit it is being built with.Yeswelder MIG-205DS(3) Angle Grinders at the ReadyJust a hobbyist trying to improve
Reply:I stripped as much of the paint off as I dare (still de-gassing the tank) so I could draw layout lines to help maintain symmetry.  Flexible magnetic tape did the trick.A little test to see how copper soldered to steel looked and worked.  Successful.This is a picture of what I am going to try first (minus the fish hat).Yeswelder MIG-205DS(3) Angle Grinders at the ReadyJust a hobbyist trying to improve
Reply:This is a cool project. I'm following.
Reply:extremely bored and following... RichardWest coast of Florida
Reply:To help stabilize it, you might benefit from putting a bag of ready-mix concrete down the valve hole.Definitely watching.  I have a 100# tank sitting in the yard waiting for something to happen.... and this might just be it!
Reply:Originally Posted by VaughnTTo help stabilize it, you might benefit from putting a bag of ready-mix concrete down the valve hole.Definitely watching.  I have a 100# tank sitting in the yard waiting for something to happen.... and this might just be it!
Reply:From the picture it looks like dividing it up in 3 vertical sections is about right. I bought a bunch of magnets to make layout easier. 2-3/8 fence post for arms and legs, gears for the eyes. Probably try 3 or 4" post/tube for the arms/legs instead. Gears are probably too big, tried bearing races and that seems to fit a little better.Possible bigger bearing races cut, flattened, and shaped for the eyebrows, and 1/8" rod to outline the eyes.Question: I need to flatten just the area where the eyes are. How would you go about doing that? And are them darn caps zinc? I don't have and won't buy an oxyacetylene kit. My first thought is get another forge burner and mount it on a purpose built tripod, and aim right at the area, then flatten with a hammer.Last edited by Shootr; 04-06-2021 at 10:00 PM.Yeswelder MIG-205DS(3) Angle Grinders at the ReadyJust a hobbyist trying to improve
Reply:Shootr - this is very cool - looking fwd to watching this evolve!
Reply:Originally Posted by ShootrI don't have and won't buy an oxyacetylene kit. My first thought is get another forge burner and mount it on a purpose built tripod, and aim right at the area, then flatten with a hammer.
Reply:Originally Posted by SweetMKWhy do you need heat? just hit it, that is thin steel,, it will flatten cold.Jesse James works the motorcycle gas tanks cold,,,Unless you have one,, you might need a bigger hammer,,,
Reply:Originally Posted by Shootr Question: I need to flatten just the area where the eyes are. How would you go about doing that? And are them darn caps zinc? I don't have and won't buy an oxyacetylene kit. My first thought is get another forge burner and mount it on a purpose built tripod, and aim right at the area, then flatten with a hammer.
Reply:Most residential type fence caps are aluminum. Commercial grade are galvanized.Those look Home Depot grade, so probably aluminum. Hit one with an arc & find out....
Reply:Kool project!!  Also, beginning to look a little like R2D2 from Star Wars! LOL
Reply:Cool project, Shootr!  Lots of trial and error and learning. I KNOW you’re having fun along the waySent from my iPad using Tapatalk:
Reply:Shootr, I have seen steel domed pipe caps, you may be able to find them the right size to fit the fence posts, the decorative post caps are very likely cast zinc.IMPEACH BIDEN!NRA LIFE MEMBERUNITWELD 175 AMP 3 IN1 DCMIDSTATES 300 AMP AC MACHINEGOD HELP AMERICA!“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream".RONALD REAGAN
Reply:Originally Posted by VaughnTThe area you want flattened needs to be cut out, flattened, and then welded back in with some gussets to fill the voids.  If you just try banging it flat, it'll crumple and be far more work than you want.  Remember, it's following a curve and you want to make it a straight line.  The shortest distance between two points being a straight line means that you have too much material there to simply bash it flat.By removing that section and flattening it out, you also get the benefit of making it very easy to work on when you're doing the eyes, brows and nose ridge.All the caps I've seen are galvanized.
Reply:Originally Posted by Lis2323Cool project, Shootr!  Lots of trial and error and learning. I KNOW you’re having fun along the waySent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Reply:Originally Posted by VaughnTThe area you want flattened needs to be cut out, flattened, and then welded back in with some gussets to fill the voids.  If you just try banging it flat, it'll crumple and be far more work than you want.  Remember, it's following a curve and you want to make it a straight line.  The shortest distance between two points being a straight line means that you have too much material there to simply bash it flat.By removing that section and flattening it out, you also get the benefit of making it very easy to work on when you're doing the eyes, brows and nose ridge.
Reply:Big step tonight - I made two things that kinda look alike