A New Build: 24x30 Vertical Offset - A Custom Build For JLeonard!

[JLeonard]

Thank you Jim...but really - all the praise is appreciated but embarrassing.

Red

Not intending to embarrass. It just amazes me how you (or anyone) can take a drawing and a idea and produce cool stuff. If I tried to weld anything half of Oklahoma would be a disaster area!
Bryces girlfriend (all 100 pds of her) is taking a welding class through the vo tech program at their school. She likes looking at your pics of this build.

Jim

 

[seenred]

Not intending to embarrass. It just amazes me how you (or anyone) can take a drawing and a idea and produce cool stuff. If I tried to weld anything half of Oklahoma would be a disaster area!
Bryces girlfriend (all 100 pds of her) is taking a welding class through the vo tech program at their school. She likes looking at your pics of this build.

Jim

Now Jim - how do you know that half of Oklahoma isn't already a disaster area?!!

Honestly, I'm really only a rank amateur. A professional welder has WAY more skill and knowledge than I have. But I do really enjoy it! It's a lot of fun to take raw metal and create something unique out of it.

Cool to hear about a young lady taking welding classes. She could probably teach me a thing or two!

Red

 

[civilsmoker]

Good Tuesday Evening, Friends!

I'm still making progress - slowly but surely! In the last update, I had begun fabricating a fire-management V-basket.

I got the base frame laid out and tacked together.

View attachment 687994

Finished framing it with some 3/16" x 1 x 1 angle iron and some 1 1/2 flat bar stock.

View attachment 687995


Next I got it welded out and expanded metal spot-welded in to finish out the basket.

View attachment 687996


This is the first time I've built one of these - heck its the first time I've even seen one of 'em in person. I'm real happy with how it turned out.


Fits on the main FB log rack real well.

View attachment 687997

View attachment 687998


Next, I turned back to finishing the FB door assembly.

I got the cool-touch handle welded on, got the hinges lined up and welded on, and I got the door latch attached.

View attachment 688001


View attachment 688003

View attachment 688005

View attachment 688002


I'm 95% finished with the FB. I'll still weld some anti-warping bracing on the inside of the door, but that's about got the FB wrapped up.


Last thing I accomplished was plasma-cutting out the big CC door.

View attachment 688006

View attachment 688007


I managed to get this big heavy sucker back up on my welding table...so I can get the inside corner joints all welded out.

View attachment 688009

Then I should be ready to build some racks and runners for the CC, as well as a rack for the water/ash pan.

Getting close to being ready to weld these two chambers together...


That's all for now...while the progress is slow, I'm happy with how it's going together so far.


As always, thanks for following along!

Red

That is a nice looking basket!! Just one suggestion though....I would recommend doubling up the bottom expanded sheet to prevent early burn out and to keep the little coals from falling though too soon.

Another q, are you also making up an ash tray for the under the basket shelf? It looks like there is room.....just asking cause I love mine on the copper pot.

That vertical chamber is awesome!!!

 

[seenred]

That is a nice looking basket!! Just one suggestion though....I would recommend doubling up the bottom expanded sheet to prevent early burn out and to keep the little coals from falling though too soon.

Another q, are you also making up an ash tray for the under the basket shelf? It looks like there is room.....just asking cause I love mine on the copper pot.

That vertical chamber is awesome!!!

Thanks Brother!

So far, I haven't put any expanded metal in the bottom of that basket. I left it open, since it'll sit on top of the main log grate. But your point is taken. I might think about a double layer of exp metal - in opposing directions - to prevent little coals from falling through.

And yes - I am planning an ash pan for below the grate. I intentionally allowed room underneath for that very thing. Just haven't built it yet - I'll have to drag out the sheet metal bender to do that.

I'm not sure the pics do justice to just how big that sucker is! If I didn't have a hoist and jacks, I wouldn't be able to move it...just too heavy!

Red

 

[irvin78787884]

So awesome great craftsman ship. I am way more of an amateur than you are. Really enjoy your builds.

 

[seenred]

So awesome great craftsman ship. I am way more of an amateur than you are. Really enjoy your builds.

Thank you Sir!

Red

 

[civilsmoker]

Thanks Brother!

So far, I haven't put any expanded metal in the bottom of that basket. I left it open, since it'll sit on top of the main log grate. But your point is taken. I might think about a double layer of exp metal - in opposing directions - to prevent little coals from falling through.

And yes - I am planning an ash pan for below the grate. I intentionally allowed room underneath for that very thing. Just haven't built it yet - I'll have to drag out the sheet metal bender to do that.

I'm not sure the pics do justice to just how big that sucker is! If I didn't have a hoist and jacks, I wouldn't be able to move it...just too heavy!

Red

Ah I missed that but yes opposing directions on the second level was the thought. A single layer can start to sage and stretch when under a hot fire, so it starts to degrade quicker.

Good deal and plan on the ash tray!!!

Oh and as long as your head still fits inside then it's not too big....LOL That thing is going to be able to COOK! ...... and I mean in cook well and cook in plenty! I think is far to say Jim is going to be happy!!!

 

[seenred]

Oh and as long as your head still fits inside then it's not too big....LOL

Lately, it just barely fits through the door!

Red

 

[JLeonard]

Oh and as long as your head still fits inside then it's not too big....LOL That thing is going to be able to COOK! ...... and I mean in cook well and cook in plenty! I think is far to say Jim is going to be happy!!!

I'm gonna have to start feeding more folks to make full use of this beast!

Jim

 

[civilsmoker]

I'm gonna have to start feeding more folks to make full use of this beast!

Jim

Or you can use it as a sauna on cold days.....Just crawl inside with a bucket of water for steam....

 

[ron50]

That is one amazing work of art right there. A real beauty.

 

[seenred]

Or you can use it as a sauna on cold days.....Just crawl inside with a bucket of water for steam....

Now that's funny right there! I'll just bet that a small person could do it!

Red

 

[seenred]

That is one amazing work of art right there. A real beauty.

Thank you for the kind words Ron!

Red

 

[seenred]

Well I know it's been over a week since my last update on this build...but there's been a bit of a setback.

On Friday, I was working on rack runners in the main CC - mostly doing tack welds, until I was sure I liked how everything was fitting up. Had just finished a few tacks, put the mig gun back on the cradle and turned away - with the machine still running - to measure and cut another piece of angle iron - when I heard 2 loud cracks from the welding machine, and it quit! I've heard that sound before...something electronic just blew out in the motherboard.

So the welder is down for a while. It's still under warranty, so Lincoln will happily fix it...but this project is on hold - hopefully not for long. Since it happened on Friday, I wasn't able to make arrangements to get it to a certified Lincoln service center until today. They told me the fix may take anywhere between a week to 30 days...depending mostly on how fast they can get parts shipped.

Frustrating - cuz this machine is just over a year old. One more example to prove that They Just Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To!

Red

 

[Brokenhandle]

Well I know it's been over a week since my last update on this build...but there's been a bit of a setback.

On Friday, I was working on rack runners in the main CC - mostly doing tack welds, until I was sure I liked how everything was fitting up. Had just finished a few tacks, put the mig gun back on the cradle and turned away - with the machine still running - to measure and cut another piece of angle iron - when I heard 2 loud cracks from the welding machine, and it quit! I've heard that sound before...something electronic just blew out in the motherboard.

So the welder is down for a while. It's still under warranty, so Lincoln will happily fix it...but this project is on hold - hopefully not for long. Since it happened on Friday, I wasn't able to make arrangements to get it to a certified Lincoln service center until today. They told me the fix may take anywhere between a week to 30 days...depending mostly on how fast they can get parts shipped.

Frustrating - cuz this machine is just over a year old. One more example to prove that They Just Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To!

Red

That's just not good news... but on the other hand we can have patience... well we can, not sure about Jim!
But I can sing him the patience song... my kids hate that song by the way!

Ryan

 

[Fueling Around]

Well that sucks.
Lincoln is a stand up company and stands behind their products. Sounds as the problem is not their parts.
We have a Miller on the farm and it has been a work horse.

 

[civilsmoker]

Well that is a bummer, but glad they will take care of it vs have to eat it out right

 

[JLeonard]

That's just not good news... but on the other hand we can have patience... well we can, not sure about Jim!
But I can sing him the patience song... my kids hate that song by the way!

Ryan

I hate the machine crapped the bed....I know Joel has a couple of other projects going also. Hopefully they can get it back up and running for him soon. Maybe he can offer up some BBQ as an incentive to the repair tech!

Jim

 

[seenred]

That's just not good news... but on the other hand we can have patience... well we can, not sure about Jim!
But I can sing him the patience song... my kids hate that song by the way!

Ryan

Jim's more patient about it than I am - ya might have to sing that song to me...

Well that sucks.
Lincoln is a stand up company and stands behind their products. Sounds as the problem is not their parts.
We have a Miller on the farm and it has been a work horse.

Yeah, the reason I bought the Lincoln was the long tradition of quality and durability. It's sure frustrating when a long-admired, reputable American company starts putting out cheap products that don't hold up any better than a Chinese machine (last welder I had was a Vulcan from Harbor Freight - it crapped out when it was about 2 years old).

But like you said, at least they stand behind them...

Well that is a bummer, but glad they will take care of it vs have to eat it out right

Yeah this would be a whole other level of frustration if I had to eat it...

Red

 

[seenred]

I hate the machine crapped the bed....I know Joel has a couple of other projects going also. Hopefully they can get it back up and running for him soon. Maybe he can offer up some BBQ as an incentive to the repair tech!

Jim

After talking to the service tech yesterday, I'm pretty confident he's gonna try to push to get it fixed as quick as he can...a real good guy and was willing to take the cover off and give it a look while I was still in the shop. He said if the problem was what he thought it was, he might have the part ordered and received as early as Thursday or Friday...which means I could get the machine back in about a week. But he wouldn't commit to that - in case he found something else wrong.

Red