Conveyor build

Drilling like this allowed me to do it on the drill press. I then drove the loop through the holes. Makes for a very clean install.



I ground angles on the loop ends and countersunk the 3/8" strap with a bigger drill bit. I'll now weld it all in place.



This part is done and I don't think it'll pull out!



Put it back on the floor, squared it up and C clamped it all up. Then tack welded it and rechecked squareness. Once it look okay I took it to the bench and welded it up. I'll now put it all back on to tack the center section to the arms to make sure it is all aligned properly.



Put it all back in place and tacked it into position. Then pulled it all back off to bench weld everything.



Completely welded up now so next is to make some "stretchers" as I call them to increase the strength of the square tubing. This will eliminate any flexing that could happen. I'm pretty sure the winch will not lift it in the clear down position as the arms are just too straight. I have to have the low level so I'm kind of stuck here.



Local yard has some 1 1/2" strap surplus so for $20.00 I got eight 10 footers. I clamped 4 together flush at one end so I can cut them all at once.



Makes them all the same this way and it is faster too.



Cut 8 short sections of tubing all the same length as well and cleaned up the weld area.

 

You've got some great steel fab equipment that does quite a job for you. I did see one of my "steel fab" stands tho... is that my red milk crate?

 

You are correct kind sir! They are starting to get brittle though and don't have any more replacements so I may have to upgrade. Off to the shop.

 

Marked the center and welded the upright shorty on



Then on the one end I cleaned up where the strap will lay flat and beveled the sides where the strap will lay flush.



Had to bevel the bottom of the strap as well because of the welded on roller brackets.



Weld on the strap just on the end, letting it lay on the upright. See how it is angled towards the inside of the bracket?



I use a C clamp to draw both sides in. This also "loads" up the strap giving it tension. When it is all welded together it makes the box beam way stronger because now it has to stretch the strap on the opposite side of the force.



Welded in and just have to do the other end the same. Then I'll weld the center post to the strap.



One side all done and installed. Everything looks real good so far.



Did the other end in the same manner. With this all done, up next will be getting the winch mount done. The winch will be a safety and will raise it real high if needed. I'm planning on a bottle jack to raise it for the most part.



Using previously made brackets on the bolt on side and decided to put the down tube where the splice was in the lower tube. Just added strength at the weakest point. It's about at the perfect location anyway.

 

Cut and welded an upright on and did the same on the other side.



I want to mount the winch in the center, under the belt so it is out of harms way. Used 2 pieces of heavy angle and welded them to a box beam.



Ground it smooth and laid out where the winch will bolt to. Marked and drilled the holes while it was not installed. Just easier to do the drilling.



Tacked the tube on and looks real nice. I'll put some angled braces in later but now I want to work on extending the crank handle. I want to have a nice solid mount so it doesn't flop around.



Can't see it too well but I purposely mounted it so the crank's shaft was close to the upright. That way I can use a heavy piece of flat and just weld it to the upright and top bracket.



This winch has 2 crank option and I'm going to use the slower on as it will make cranking easier. Doesn't need top be fast. It has a metric thread.



I got a piece of pipe and tapped it with the correct size. I'll drill and tap for set screws on both sides later, once I know the length is right.



Test fit look fine. I'm planning on using a solid shaft on the outside so I'll just weld that to the pipe. Crank end will have the most stress so I want that to be solid.



Got a piece of 1" X 3" flat stock. Did my measuring and drilled a 1.250 hole. I'm going to use a oil impregnated Bronze bushing here for the crankshaft to ride in. Here it is pressed in flush.

 

I wish I had your metal fabrication skills! Awesome work! Also, awesome 's

 

Thanks, it encorages me to keep going guys. I may get stalled on posting though as my computer may be dying. I use a floppy disc camera and it's SO easy to use and as you can see, the pics are decent too. Takes me twice as long to do it now with all the problems it's having. Computers are NOT my strong point. Maybe the plasme would fix it up !

 

I'm sure you have a BFH around there to fix your computer.

 

Sticking out the back side so I'll cut it off in the chop saw. and grind it all flush.



I then drilled and tapped it for a grease zerk while it was easy to do.



Cut the flat to 4 1/2 inches and rounded the one corner. I then got some bar stock and turned it to just fit the bushing. Test fit it here and slips on real smooth.



I then turned the shaft down to slip into the pipe. This way it'll self align when welding.



I angled both sides as I have to grind away everything above the shaft so I can remove it if need be.



Welded it up with the MIG then I realized I should have just used the TIG as it would have been better. I'll have to smooth this out now.



Shaft all smoothed out and blended so it slips right in now.



Put the shaft in and made sure it wasn't binding, then I welded the 1 x 3 block in place.



For the crank handle I want to be able to reverse it quickly so it's out of harms way. I cut off some round stock and gouged a slot in it with the chop saw in inset the original handle.

 

Didn't want to shorten the handle but it had a indexed hole in it. I stuck a piece of heavy copper under it and plug welded it. Weld doesn't stick to copper so it fills the hole quickly with no blow through.



Ground it close then ran a file over it a few times to get to this point



Soft pad it a few seconds and "what hole?"



Carefully marked the holes on the collar so they were equal and in the center. I want to be able to use any of the 4 possibilities and slide a spring pin in. I stair stepped drilled and it brought it all in true.



Ready to weld it up and will make a nice handle.



Handle on and done. I triangle filed witness marks on all four possible positions so in a glance you get the pin to drop right in.



Handle in and out of the way.



Really like how this turned out and the solid feel of it.



Put some box tubing on angles to help support the winch assembly.

 

Awesome design on the quick flip crank handle!

 

Had an idea for making it easier to move the whole conveyor around by myself. I got some 2 1/2" round stock and cut/ground to 1" thick. Wire cut a .760 square into each of them.



I then put them in the lathe and turned some angle reliefs.



Got some triple wall pipe and cut 10 pieces to equal length. Then drill and tapped them to 1/2 fine thread. I'll grind some wrench flats on them later.



I screw them onto the existing wheel studs.



Laid out some holes on a piece of strap. Need a 1/2 inch hole on one end and a 1.250 radius on the other.



Drilled the .500 holes and used a 2.500 hole saw to make sides at once.



Bolted 5 of them together to confirm they were all the same. They fit real nice.



Rounded the opposite ends so they were all the same.



I then put the straps on with the center section in the middle. Self aligns and holds it all in place. I cheated old school on the size. Took paper and cut them to the strap width. made a circle with 5 of the and found the center size that was a nominal of a hole saw.

 

Weld them all up. Then took it off and welded the backside too.



Now with just a 3/4" ratchet, I can move it around by myself easily. I'll probably shorten the extenders so they don't stick out too much. I wanted to go long at first to see exactly how much I needed to take off.



Makes for easy wheel turning too.



Making up the axle locks now. Want it safe for road travel so I'm using heavy box opened to a C to hold it in position. Cut them to length on the chop saw and plasma cut the bottoms open.



Cleaned up the cuts and rounded the corners. I then decided to make up handles for ease of on and off. Got some 7/16" round stock and bent 2 of them up.



Drilled the holes in the C's and drove the handles in. I set the depth with some scraps so it would be even on them.



I had countersunk the holes on the inside and didn't bother with making them the same length.



I just tack welded them and then cut the excess off with the angle grinder flush. I want this to lay flush on the axle box.



Then welded the rest home.

 

Kevin,
Are you powering your welder with a wood fired generator or something??? (aka the stacks in the shop!)

 

Not quite Add on wood furnace in there. Just burning up honeysuckle and such as it makes quick heat. Doesn't take too much before it'll run you out as it's fully insulated. Future plans are to do an overhead radiator w/fan from the boiler.

 

Ground them flush again.



Drilled a pilot hole in the C on the press then hand drilled it to the axle. Stepped up to 1/2 thread size and tapped it for that. Here it is all done. Simple and strong.



I need to have keepers on the lift/support rails to keep them in place while the cylinder is lifting. I cut 4 pieces of strap to length and will attach them to the rollers after drilling the holes.



Cut 2 pieces of .875 stainless for rollers and gun drilled them to .500. Could have probably just used the .500 bolts but the larger diameter will roll easier.



All the pieces are done and ready to try out. Lots of little things to do to make everything work nicer.



Just what the doctor ordered . just enough slop to prevent binding but also tight enough to keep the rollers on the rails when the cable is slacked.



I want to have wheels on the front as well so I can push it around as a level conveyor table. My Furnace house's floor is higher than the drive so I need to be able to adjust for things. Found this scissor jack and it has 25 inches of adjustment.



This will also double as the jack when hitching/unhitching so doing 2 things with one. Need this to have some stability so 1/4" angle gets the call. Made it as wide as the conveyor and cut the ends too.



Got my surface grinder up and running again and for stuff like this it is a great cutting tool. Can cut straight and to the .001 of an inch. I'm notching the ends here to lay flush with the sides. Basically make everything self squaring.

 

Clean off the paint and it's ready for welding. I'll bevel the edges as well.



Here you can see how nice of a cut it does.



Weld it all up and makes for a real strong base.



Drilled the holes for the casters and the mounting holes that are on the scissor jack. Ready to see if it all fits!



Fit fine but to get the max out of the jack I decided to relieve the ends about .750. Now I have to decide it position and work out all the variations/options of how I will use it.



This is the best position for what I want. I will be making the hitch now as well. Wheels will be 8 inches off the ground clear up. Hopefully that is enough or I'll have to make them detachable.



cut another cross brace out of tubing and welded it in. The Jack mount is about 3/8" from being flush with the tubing so I'll make a mounting plate out of some steel that thickness.



Cut it out and marked some holes for the mount. Probably won't use these as they are in the way for what I have planned but easiest to get to at the moment. The hitch will come though there.



With the fold down table on there the hitch has to stick out a good bit. I also have to drop it some so I'll have some gussets and such to do. Just clamping everything for now till I'm happy with what I got.

 

For the attaching point I got some 1/2" flat stock that's the same width as the box. Need to bend it so I'm using the press. I mark the bend and then use a combo square to make sure it is at 90 degrees.



Quick and easy. This will be the top of the mount. I'll bend up another for the bottom next.



Cut it to length and drill an .875 hole. I then bent up the lower to match. I gave it 2 inches in the yoke in case I use the big tractor with it.



Got it all welded after checking it with tacks. I'll drill the lower hole and round the corners now.



Clamped back in pace and it's ready for gussets. Sticks a ways out there so it'll need some extra to keep it from bending and such.



Making up a gusset and here is a little trick for straight cutting small pieces. Put a straight edge in your vise and clamp the piece to that. Keeps everything in the clear and easy to do.



Welded the tube on as well as the gusset. I bent up a piece that will go under as well but won't weld it on till all the gusset welding is done at tear down. It will have a stand in the middle and I'll stretch it then. Side bracing next.



Used a sliding T bevel to get the angle I wanted then made one cut. Laid them on top of each other and cut the other ends angles. 2 identical pieces that way.



Welded those on and that should take care of the side to side stress.

 

Beginning to take shape. Next I'll get the potential up and down stress/force taken care of.



Made up another piece of box tubing with angles to support the front and on the rear I drew up a pattern and cut a piece out of some flat stock.



The plasma really leaves a smooth cut as you can see. Very little work needed after cutting and barely warm to the touch.



All welded in and looks good to me. May add some gussets later but this will work for set up and rough build.



Road transport and bouncing are what always cause problems so it's better to be safe than sorry.



With the adjustable front table it clears fine in the full down position. Don't think I'll ever use it there but it's nice to have options!



Now I can check how my balance is doing. Front casters seem a little weak as they move a good bit with the scissor jack arms. I would not want the jack to fold under while moving. I think I'll make it a cross with 4 wheels.



I have over 2 ft of front adjustment so I'll scoot it back as much as possible. This is so I can stick the conveyor in as much as I can before the wheels/axle hits something.



Added the 2 extra wheels. Won't work when conveyor isn't level but don't plan on using it in that way so it should be a non issue. Put them on and looks/feels a lot better.