Conveyor build

... (still watchin' here... )

 

It's all painted and in the process of reassembling it. 10 hours, 7 days now so even less time to work on it but I'm doing what I can. Gun drilling some bolts now for grease zerks. Won't be long now.

 

WOW ......... just freaking WOW !!

I am wiping the drool from my desk, there are no words to say how impressed I have become with your skills and fabrication knowledge.
I thought Dave T. (the guy I worked for and taught me everything I know) in NJ was the best there was ........... you have just blown my standard to a whole new height !!

Nice welders by the way !

 

All cleaned up and started painting. I did one side of the main framework and some smaller pieces. dad came down to help as it takes a while with all the nooks and crannies. Used hardener in the paint so there was a time issue.



Covers pretty good with a brush and mini roller. Would have been quicker with a sprayer but more of a mess and would have used a LOT more paint.



Hubs are getting grey to match the rims as close as I can.



Flip the main frame over and did the lowers as well. They were small enough we could flip them over and get it all done in one shot. Used a quart of paint to do all this plus the small pieces hanging.



On the bottom of the axle tube, in the center and inside the outer axle tube I'll put a coat of graphite paint. Sometimes called Slip Plate. Makes thing slide freely as it wears.



Here's the inside of the outer tube coated. with it. It's used on farm equipment a lot of times in grain wagons and such to keep stuff sliding easily.



You can get it at most Ag equipment dealers. Really useful stuff for a lot of different apllications. Just don't try to walk on it on a slope. You slide right down!



Painting all done and put the caster all back on. With it easy to move now I'll slide it under the conveyor and start reassambling it.



On some of the pivots and where the rollers are I'm gun driiling the bolts and installing press in zerk fittings. Gun drilling the 5/8" bolt here. It a grade 5 so a sharp bit, oil and clean out strokes are needed.

 

Here's the press in zerk. I ream the hole to .245



Then just press it in with the arbor press. Quick and easy.



Before pressing in I crossdrilled through one side. You want to drill before the zerk is in so you can blow it out clean.



Loose assembling the lower framework here and slid the axle in. Out the hubs on as well.



This is the fun part of any build as it comes together quickly. So far so good.



Put the tool box in and the keeper also doubles as a rod holder when you want in the box. Pat. Pending



Cut all the spacer to length and ground some wrench flats on them. I guess they are wheel nut locks as well.



Close up of the 7/8" wrench flats.



Cut the as short as I could so they don't stick out any more than necessary. Being able to move/adjust with the 3/4" drive ratchet will be nice when by myself.

 

I got customs spinners on my ride now! :0



Got it all painted and back together so here are some finished pics for you.

 

This is at a level 36 inches high. It will go down to 30 inches but that is a little low for me but I wanted the adjustment, just in case.



This is at full extension with the jack. 7 ft at the end of the conveyor so that is fine for a dump trailer and normal truck. I think I'm going to make up an extension to slip on the end of the javck as it is just so easy to use.



Now I'll show the axle slide. I remove the U collar that holds the knuckle straight. The 3/4" bolt holds it in place.



Once off the outside part of the knuckle is the same as the inner. This will allow the whole thing to slide in flush. With the scissors jack and the hydraulic jack locked, you can take all the weight off the wheels.



Just push it all in flush. The casters are holding all the weight now but you can let it back down if you want the tires toi support as well.



Now I can back a truck up and load/unload from it's side. Will save so many steps.



Truck backed in and everything looks fine. Level height here is 54 inches.



Bad pic but you get the idea.

 

Side reach is kept at a minimum this way. If the wheels was sticking out I'd have to be a lot further away. You need the width for stability when moving and such.



Close up of oppisite side shows the amount of adjustment.



Jack was almost all the way up and it looks like 56 inches is the max at level.

I'm going to make and extension so that the jack can take it on up. Started on that today and when I get that done I'll show max height and the wheels at swivel.

 

Kevin in Ohio, again superb job on the build thread... awesome craftsmanship.

1+ on the graphite paint, it's available in fizz cans at most farm/hardware stores and most major implement dealers, tons of uses!

I really like the sliding axel, pivoting wheels, and the ability to adjust the level height! God is in the details!

 

For the ram extension I'm going to try a simple, slip on affair. End will have a hole to attach like the jack has. Weight will keep it in place. I started by gun drilling a large round to 1.25" all the way through.



haft I'm going to use is 1.37" and the jack had a metric size. Didn't have the drill or reamer in the size and no boring bar. My friend Tony used a boring bar and put the in size for me. Works perfect and smooth as silk. Thanks Tony!



I had a 1.37" stainless bar that was true so I used that. Drille a 5/8" hole for the upper pin.



Tried it out and it was fine so I TIG welded the mild and stainless together.



Finished extension.



Rolled it out with the extension on and works fine.Still have a tilt on the roller table so that is nice.



With the extension in I have a reach of 9 ft to the bottom of the top roller.



If you look on the rail you will see the roller keepers. I jack it up and put them in. Then release till it rests on them. Then un pin the jack and put the extension in. Not the slickest but it was a comprimise as it's easier than the winch. I still have that as a backup too to go even higher if needed.



Here's the keepers again.

 

There's another set of holes for the keepers too. Just less of a falll if something goes haywire or you want to move it with it up.



Here I'm pivoting the wheels around using the long 3/4" rachet. REAL easy to do.



Wheels in place and 3/8" pins are slip in to lock them into position.



With the ratchet, the whole thing can be swung around in an arcc or straight sideways if needed.



Closeup of the knuckle and the way the pin is.



Pins store in the keepers extra holes on the rail.

Well, That should be it. Too wet now for action pics and not planning on cutting anything soon as I have a bunch of other stuff that needs fixed. Conveyor plugged up my shop for a while so things have built up as they always do. No videos from me either as I don't have anything to take them. I

Been fun and I hoped you guys got something out of it. Should make things easier when it comes time for hauling in/out of the barns and sheds.

 

Amazing job Kevin in Ohio !!! All of your builds have been done at aircraft grade craftmanship levels. I hope the mods will put up a banner for any newbees just getting into their first home welder, who want to learn how to plan and execute steel fabrication projects... your's are as good as any pros who write books on this stuff. Probably better than most. Congrats on yet another great job and new addition to your "fleet"!

 

Decided I'd better make up a holder for the extension and jack handle so they wouldn't get misplaced. Decided on a design and used some scraps of stainless. Here's the clip end.



Turned a shoulder on a short round with enough slop that you can feed the extension over it. The other end goes through the welded pin and a clip holds it in place.



For the handle I drilled through the pin and bent a piece of 3/8" on a 90 degree. Drill it for some cotter pins so now it swivels out. Wanted it longer to insure it would slip off when straight.



Simply slip the extension on and pin.



Slide the handle on and swivel in and pin. Either one can be taken off in any order and they are both trapped in place. This keep my feeble mind form forgetting to bring them along.

 

Kevin u rock it must be the name same first name as u I'm damm good fabrication guy my self awsome Job dude give yourself a pat on the back and a really cold beer awsome work .

 

Bump... an amazing steel fab that some may have missed.