Double Dumb Down!

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I got a new landscape rake for my tractor and decided to add a trailer hitch receiver to the back to accommodate the gauge wheels from my back blade.  Went to the stored stock (junk pile) and found this piece of tubular steel fence that came from a middle school that we demo'ed a couple of years ago.  Nice heavy weight 2x2 material.  The attachment point for the receiver was centered on the back of the pivot point for rotating the rake.  After further pondering, I decided to not weld on the approx. 4" diameter "bearing" because if I screwed it up, there is no way to fix it without cutting the entire thing apart.  I decided to attach the adapter to the 2 large support plates which hold the bearing.  They are 1/4" thick, but are not parallel with the main frame which is 3x3 material.  They slope outward from the 3" tube to the 4" bearing.  I wanted them parallel with the main frame, so I coped them to match the slope.  After I got them coped and held in place, I realized that there is no way to clamp them in place while tacking.  I don't have clamps large enough.  I decide that I will tack some nuts on the plates and hold the 2x2 with bolts while tacking. Both sides have to align.  This is where the first Dumb Down occurs.  I grab a couple of 5/16 nuts from the bin.  Oh good, a black unplated nut, don't have to grind them.  I drill and tap the 1/4" plate and then run in a bold with the nut on it and tighten the nut against the plate to hold it square while tacking.  Grab the Mig and hit it to tack the nut.  Snap crackle, pop - craters of the moon.  Check the CO2, flow is good.  Hmmm  change to 75/25 - exact same thing.  Grab the stick and finally get a some what decent tack.  Thats when I realize that the nuts are grade 5 that I got a while back and are probably heated and quenched in oil!!!  Well, it's good enough to hold things in alignment.Knocked the paint off the 2x2's until the weld zones were nice and shiny, bolted them in place, get everything aligned and grab the Mig to tack them in place.  Snap, crackle, pop here we go again.  Something is wrong with my Mig.  I grab the stick and while still not getting a smooth weld it's better.Thats when I realize that the fence material that came from a 50 year old school didn't have a spec of rust on it.  Yup, galvanized.Well you live an learn and it's an experience I hope to not repeat.Anyway, heres the final product.
Reply:Good idea. Can you show a pic with the wheels on it?Safety 3rdGump
Reply:There are endless uses for receiver tubing. I have a landscape rake and was thinking about adding gauge wheels. The thing is awesome ! Besides grading gravel drives I use it for all the down branches from some big willow trees. Them branches keep coming .
Reply:Originally Posted by GumpGood idea. Can you show a pic with the wheels on it?