I have been dabbling with this idea for 2 years and just decided to do it a few weeks ago. Ive got the scrap so why not..... It isn't pretty but its very functional. The first two attempts failed because the hub assembly's seized up from the welder heat but this one did not seize. I am going to drill the hub carefully and install a zerk fitting later so grease can be pumped into it as needed and paint the stand properly but for now it works. First pounded out 3 lugs that arent needed. Then drilled and fited the hub which took a little flap disc work but it came together nice. Then I welded it to the stand top that I built a while back and FAILED miserably to get a good ground on.... After it was attached I cut the studs off so I could weld them in. and drilled another hole that utilizes the eye used for mounting the hub to a vehicle as well as one of the stud holes I knocked out of the hub earlier for a pin to hold the table in place. This is where I bolted it all together to see if everything lined up right and it does! You can see where the studs are welded and ground to the top.
I think it looks great. Nice job. The only issue I see, is now your barbell is going to be all lopsided and your muscles will be a lot bigger on one side.
Yep, I hear ya. Our barn is absolutely stuffed with stuff destined for projects like this. That's why I really liked seeing someone actually completing one! One day...
I know that feeling..... The grinder stand has been on my hit list for a couple years but the trailer restore came to a stand still so I had the stuff out to do it bought time I did. Next is the bench press drill stand. I have no clue what is being done for that yet probably 5 more years. I bought that press when Cummins truck load tool sales was still in buisness and the thing still works to this day! Cheap but affective little press. It’s gotta be all of 25 years old by now and still no stand!
Believe it or not I did most of that in about two hours and it went very smooth! For once it didn’t turn into a crap show LOL
Hope that works good for ya. @ the shop where I work, someone made a vise stand out of a wheel and tire. I hate it! It's just not steady enough for real aggressive use. For instance, if I have to hack saw a piece of metal, I can't really get after it with 2 hands. And I thing being round is part of the problem. I end up holding the piece with a hand to steady it.
This already does I beat the pizz out of it last night I have another vice mounted to my workbench and that is solid as a rock If I need anything bigger... So far so good! I put a 15’ section of 4” c channel in it and it held it no issue.
Ha !! I got you beat ! My unfinished vice stand has been sitting for at least 9 years. That sure looks like a space saver, nice job.
I like it Pete. I have to find a place for a second grinder in the shop. I have a pedestal work table for one of my vises. I bent a few hooks from mild steel rod and welded them underneath to hang my hacksaws underneath. I'm thinking of adding more for hanging metal clamps for easy access. I parted out an old table saw and I kept the two cast iron skeleton-type extension tables. I'm thinking of bolting these together and fixing them to the saw base to make a small welding table. I have limited floor space in the shop. Your project may be inspiring me to figure this table out.
The table saw extensions are a good idea Jon! I’ll look in my pile of crap I might have a couple more for you laying around. I’ve got a cheap HF folding welding table that is the most useful thing I could have bought. It tips both directions for welding and folds up to be stored away. You could do that with the table saw extensions and a set of folding legs. That feature makes a small table a great table.
Got home early and found a rusty old can of black enamel in my messy garage fridge and it’s still in excellent shape. Heated the paint up with a torch mixed it up and slapped it on. Doesn’t look to bad! Probably take 2 months to dry in these temps unless we get a good sunny day so I can set it outside!
I like it! Pete, if you have Facebook, check out the Craftsman Tool Collectors page. A member there did a restoration of a motor on a pedestal in gray that reminder me of yours. I have a similar Craftsman motor from 1952 that I should do some restoration on.