Show us something that you MADE

In reply to Kendall Frederick :

Electricity!

Can't remember if I've posted this already...

Metal remnant rack. Made from tubing from a parking lot light pole that had rotted off at the base and fallen over (at my work).

Kendall Frederick said:

In reply to ShawnG :

That is really neat!  I have no idea how all of the intricate lines are done -- freehand?  Some way of templating them?  Looks like many hours of work.

Have you watched Young Frankenstein?

As you can see, my build is still very much in progress, but I made life a little easier by cutting the band on one of those LED headbands, attaching some velcro to the welding helmet, and voila! I can see the work area better before and after striking the arc. And yes, it's about time I changed my lens cover.

Kreb (Forum Supporter) said:

As you can see, my build is still very much in progress, but I made life a little easier by cutting the band on one of those LED headbands, attaching some velcro to the welding helmet, and voila! I can see the work area better before and after striking the arc. And yes, it's about time I changed my lens cover.

Dude, that's a great idea. I always hated trying to get set up and then flip the lid down before striking an arc.

I made my son's car purple.

This after his Insight was the middle victim in a multi-vehicle accident which led to it being totaled for minor damage, mostly the front bumper beam being severely bent. That was replaced; All of the trim pieces could be repaired with JB Weld instead of replacing them and I messaged the hood back to normal with patience and a rubber mallet...

Thanks to the Rust-Oleum paint method from dusterbd shared a few years back at the Challenge. The color is 2 qts Rust-Oleum blue, 1 qt red. 

I rushed it and it didn't come out quite as well as I would like, but the whole thing is one color and shiny at least.

Going for salvage title in a week...

In reply to Greg Smith (Forum Supporter) :

Hell yeah!! I dig it!

Can you elaborate on the paint method you used?

In reply to hybridmomentspass :

Me or greg?

It's Michael's method he has used on the green Miata from the 2018? 2019? Challenge. The idea is a lot of thin coats of single paint. I like this for daily / race use because there's no fancy paint process or layers and clear coat. And chemically, it's WAY less nasty than automotive paints to work with (still, use proper protective equipment!). Last, you can touch up with matching spray paint or can paint later on. It does take time to do it right. 

I'll summarize, but please jump in and make any corrections needed!

Ideally, choose a Rust-oleum color that you can get also in rattle can (for later touch-ups, etc). This time I did not do that. 

You will need:
 - Rust-Oleum paint (qt can)
 - Low odor mineral spirits
 - Paint hardener (https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/majic-catalyst-hardener-clear-half-1-2-pint-1177127 or similar)
 - Air compressor
 - Harbor Freight cheap purple paint gun. + pressure regulator & line filter. You can get a combo with the regulator (which you can move to the next paint gun) or buy separate. (https://www.harborfreight.com/painting/paint-sprayers/20-oz-hvlp-gravity-feed-air-spray-gun-62300.html or https://www.harborfreight.com/painting/paint-sprayers/20-oz-hvlp-gravity-feed-air-spray-gun-with-regulator-62381.html) 
 - PPG paint cup or similar  (something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Custom-Shop-Graduated-Calibrated-Multiple/dp/B07XQM6W8N) to get the ratios right
Usa a cone filter (like these https://www.amazon.com/TCP-Global-Strainers-Micron-Filter/dp/B01LW5IAO5) after mixing pouring into the paint gun reservoir

Some other notes I wrote down from talking with Michael:
 - Acetone evaporates faster “flash”es faster
 - Mineral spirits is slower to dry
 - Xylene is also an option (only use outside)
 - Hardener will add gloss (maybe only a little)
When is a good day to spray? Temp range on the can. 50-90 degrees. No wind. (affects spray pattern, dust & dirt, etc)
Pour your mix through a CONE FILTER
Glove up before opening anything

 - Prep the car (primer, wet sanding, etc)
 - Wipe it down with acetone (this last time I wiped it with mineral spirits and I think that did not work as well)
 - Mask anything not to be painted
 - wipe it down again with acetone
 - let it dry

Mix the Rust-Oleum with low odor mineral spirits. Michael told me 1:1 but for me that was VERY runny and challenging to work with. He does many more very thin coats though, which I think gave a better finish than I ended up with. I was closer to 2:1 paint vs mineral spirits. Will likely split the difference next time I try this. 
Add paint hardener according to the can directions. You may choose NOT to do this on plastic bumpers... but it does seem to add gloss to the end result. 

Test your spray gun spraying just mineral spirits first. 

More Michael notes:
Adjust spray gun
 - Spray using just a small amount of the thinner
 - Test from 7-8”. Should be WET across entire pattern top to bottom. (no dry overspray at top / bottom)
 - Adjust air pressure (bottom of spray gun) too much = dry middle
 - “90% of failures happen on the mixing bench”
 - Mix well in measuring bucket
 - Use filter cup
 - Bugs are attracted to “sweet smell of the paint” – cover your mixing cup
 - Wipe material down with acetone
 - Overlap strokes ~50%-70%. KEEP THE WET EDGE
 - Imperfections visible @ 45 degrees to the light. Squat, etc.
 - Fix fisheye – light sprays over the area to get the paint to “bite”
 - DO NOT WIPE RUNS use ½ trigger “air only” to “chase” and thin out the runs. Then add 1 mist coat.
 - How do you tell if ready for recoat? Is it dull? Maybe. Test with fingernail.
      Tip: Best way I found to check if paint is dry Have a part or same material (metal, plastic) whatever your painting. After you paint your part lay a medium to heavy coat on the test peace last and use that to check if your part is dry So you never have to compromise your part
 - Do not spray in direct sun
 - 20-30 yards for overspray that will be wet and will stick and dry (this is for the 1:1 mix)

----This is as far as I am so far...

But later steps are:

Wet sand and buff.
 For runs
     - use block plane to shave the run (set plane so shavings are thinner than paper)
      or
     - use sanding block with tape on either side of the run or sag; Sand the sag only

Wet sand using Soapy Water 600 on drips. 800 on worst of orange peel. 

Then:
1000
1200 may skip
1500
2000
3000 especially if black. Can try buffing before 3000

Rinse in bucket of soapy water

HF 7" buffer. Should be under $50 (2017 dollars...)
Use O’Reilly's pad and 3m yellow buffing sauce

Wait. 3 weeks

Maguairs machine glaze (could also use 3m step 3 yellow bottle machine glaze)

 Mcguiars 205

Then maintenance. Just regular wax.

In reply to Greg Smith (Forum Supporter) :

You have scienced this out and explained it in Greater detail then anything I remember giving you you and for that I am thankful. That is an amazing write-up Greg. Thank you.

In reply to Greg Smith (Forum Supporter) :

This should be made into its own tips and tricks post and stickied!  Great explanation.  My friend did a few rallycross cars using this method and the results are pretty good.  

In reply to AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) :as long as it's clear I'm NOT the one who developed this method. 

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :

If there is one thing I'm adequate at, it's taking notes. You and I spoke in the shade of your trailer in the hotel parking lot for 5-10 minutes as you explained all of this to me and I took notes in my phone...  

Made a screen door.

In reply to solfly :

Very cool!

Greg Smith (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to solfly :

Very cool!

Thanks! lots of little details i want to finish but the kiddo just wanted to use it so we are

Corvette C8 SCCA Solo 1 / Time Trial legal roll bar. A friend is running Giants Despair hill climb this weekend and the bar he ordered arrived damaged, so I had to build one for him quickly. 

I don't get to make stuff enough these days, but yay, ceramics class. It's not my first piece, and it's not incredible, but it's the first one I think is good enough to claim. 

Greg Smith (Forum Supporter) said:

Purple car failed inspection 2 weeks ago (each WV DMV will only process reconstructed titles / registration once every 2 weeks). 
 Tint, ABS light (from dolly towing the car, I'm almost certain), front end links/tie rod ends, rear wiper
 Last part arrived from Rock Auto yesterday and it passed WV inspection this morning. So I got to dolly it to my son's place and he will get a $10 'trip permit for a 1-way drive from there to the DMV. 



It *really* needs some touchup, run removal, wet sanding, and buffing, but he's OK with it as is for now. 

Some pretty interesting handrails for a neighbors rear deck.

New, stronger, betterer lower control arms.

Beefed up engine mount brackets.

Fireplace surround made with left over Timbers  and some burl Oak I have. 

Some of you may have seen the Chew Chew Train meat smoker I made. Some meat smoking enthusiast came and saw it and wanted me to build him a meat smoker. We discussed terms and he delivered the tank he wanted turned into a smoker. Turns out is is a 900 gallon propane tank built in 1952 and weighs 4500 lbs. I've been building it for weeks and now some interesting facts. The wall thickness is 5/8 inch and each of those doors weighs 450 lbs including the counterweights, the firebox is also made from a propane tank that is insulated and inside a box of 1/4 inch steel plate. The firebox door is double walled and was meant to look like a submarine hatch, and turning the stainless ring controls the amount of air through the firebox. The smoke stack is 10 inch diameter and is 8 feet tall, and folds down for travel. I built it on Torflex axles because they allow the smoker to be lower and they also provide a smoother ride. Oh, and it's cost him about $20,000 (mostly materials, not my time) and every penny of profit is going to my Camaro