What to make for welding?

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I have welding this semester in High School and we have access to tons of tools, but no bender.  Oxy, wire, stick, its there.... Once we prove we can  handle the machines then we are on our own for the semester to work on our projects.  I just have to pay the shop fee, and then the metal is free as far as I am concerned. At home metal would cost a ton, so I want to do a nice project at school.  Any ideas? The only thing I have in mind so far is a Roof Rack for my Jeep....Anything else?I'm 21 and learningAvid 4wd enthusiastASE Master tech (Automotive), mechanic/fabricator by trade
Reply:free metal....... heck build a friggin house lol
Reply:How about rock sliders, or bumpers? Go big....BrentLincoln 3200HD MIGLincoln AC/DC 225 Stick
Reply:Hell, if the metal is free, build yourself a compact bender, grinder stand, hydraulic press, hydraulic break, box pan break, foot shear, welding table, ring roller, knife grinder http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=435334, and a cart to move a bunch of the free metal to your home.  That way, all you have to do is buy a welder and a drill press, and your home shop is almost fully stocked with equipment. --Wintermute"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience." - John Lockewww.improvised-engineering.comManufacturer Agnostic:Blood----------Sweat---------Tears----|------------------|----------------|----Lincoln Red, Miller Blue, Esab Yellow
Reply:One of those safari-type swing-away spare tire and gas can racks with the beer cooler rack above the tire would be a cool project.  Or, a small off-road capable utility trailer....MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:I'd build one of those "got trikes" tubing benders.  The plans can be had online for $18 and it would be a useful tool once you build it.  You could either donate it to the school...(ie helps the grade) since they don't have one, or take it home for your shop.  The hydraulic cylinder and the die's cost some money, and if you donate it I'd have the school buy those.  Otherwise it's a fairly quick build that involves reading blueprints, measuring, cutting angles, drilling to fairly close tolerances and, of course, welding.  btw, my die is in-route being shipped to me as I type.  I can't wait to bend some tubing!MM175 MIGCutmaster 38 PlasmaCraftsman 30gal compressor4x6 HF bandsaw1hp HF floor drill pressRyobi Cutoff SawAssorted grindersNot enough time
Reply:sliders. protect your rockers.then front bumpers for those times when you are coming down a slick decline and there is a tree in front of you. and then a rear bumper thats capable of having a rear tire carrier added to it down the road.my high school welding class sucked... the teacher had a grudge against personal projects for some reason. took a few classes in college and the teacher let us do whatever we wanted once we passed the requirement for that particular course.
Reply:with the beer cooler rack above the tire would be a cool project.
Reply:Keep the suggestions comin guys! I'm liking these ideas.I'm 21 and learningAvid 4wd enthusiastASE Master tech (Automotive), mechanic/fabricator by trade
Reply:Build you an O/A tank cart.  If not...build one for me!  I've had my tanks for 7 months and still don't have a cart for them...
Reply:when I was in weld school we all built brush guards for our trucks then we made them for our fund raiser and made a ton of loot we made some log splitters too
Reply:Heck make it out of SS if the stock is free I love stainless... Me!
Reply:I remember making a guillotine with one side missing out of square tube as the guides and ½” plate for the chopper.  It was capable of chopping up pencils and potentially fingers.  Another project was a catapult with a door return spring to flip the spoon that I pounded out of 3/16” steel.    Piggy banks with overlapping lids that could only be opened with cutoff wheels.  I remember making an oil can with a spout and a basket ball hoop with the twisted hooks to keep the net from falling off.    I know I had quite a few more projects than those but it’s been a few years.-MikeCommon sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.
Reply:One of our most popular projects in my HS welding class was jack stands for working on your car.  Just take some pipe, torch cut (or these days plasma cut) the sides into thirds, then bend them out to form the tripod.  Our shop even had a jig to quickly bed the legs out after heating, it looked like a jackstand which slipped inside of the jackstand.  If your shop doesn't have a jig, you could add that to the project, then leave it to the shop for future classes.   Then there were the truck related projects, like trailer hitches, winch mounts and brush guards, which were very popular as you could float between metal and auto shop.  I grew up in the boonies, so other popular projects included firewood racks and fireplace tools. Edit:  I just saw MudBugs's post above on the got trike's tubing bender.  Definitely, you want to build one of those.  Actually build two, one for the class, keep the other one.  Then convince the machine shop instructor (if there is one) to make the dies.JeffLast edited by mendoje1; 02-23-2008 at 10:53 PM.LINCOLN IdealArc Tig 300/300LINCOLN SP135+ MigNAPA buzz boxHARRIS Oxy-Acetylene Torch SetMILLER  and Harbor Freight AD HelmetsHarbor Freight Tig, Plasma & Spot
Reply:You're lucky to have a shop teacher like that.  My shop teacher in HS didn't teach us anything.  We would do the book work then go to the shop but he never showed us anything.  I don't think he knew much himself.  I'm 26 now and I'm the 2nd shift boss of a welding shop (I have around 20 under me), the same teacher sends kids fresh from his class to our shop for a job and some can't even read a tape much less weld!  So if you have a good teacher take advantage of it and learn everything you can from him, some of us had to teach ourselves.DewayneDixieland WeldingMM350PLincoln 100Some torchesOther misc. tools
Reply:i built some gas can and ice chest racks for a guy.its removeable.it cost $150 in materials.including paint and new lug nuts for the spare. Attached Images
Reply:if you want to build one of the swing out tire carriers from scratch and dont have to pay for metal,www.atozfabrication.com sells the hinge and latch you need.. all you would have to spend is about 150 for the hinge,the latch,some paint,bolts,and lug nuts.. damn dude. they sell the swing outs with the racks like in the pic for around $700.id be mass producing them things in shop class.lol
Reply:Hah, check out the date on the original posting, this kid might be out of high school by now.Miller 330 a/bp water cooledI believe in gun control, I hold my gun with two hands.  If you want to know why, click here.Buy American or bye America.
Reply:whoops,didnt see that..o well
Reply:hell, if the metal is free... 4x8' welding table with a 1.5" top.
Reply:Originally Posted by pinjasHah, check out the date on the original posting, this kid might be out of high school by now.
Reply:Originally Posted by Mick120Just out of curiosity, what did you end up making back then????
Reply:Since those days I have made sooo many things. One of the best looking final products is probably my current front bumper I made 2 years ago. I made it out of individual 11 gauge pieces that were laser cut. I then tacked it all together, welded it inside and out, then did the normal finishing process of grinding smooth and sanding it. Then of course, painting it.Last edited by redhatman; 11-20-2012 at 06:06 PM.I'm 21 and learningAvid 4wd enthusiastASE Master tech (Automotive), mechanic/fabricator by trade
Reply:Originally Posted by Mick120Nice to see you've followed on from your school days......good stuff.
Reply:That winch bumper is coooo...l!"The reason we are here is that we are not all there"SA 200Idealarc TM 300 300MM 200MM 25130a SpoolgunPrecision Tig 375Invertec V350 ProSC-32 CS 12 Wire FeederOxweld/Purox O/AArcAirHypertherm Powermax 85LN25