Projects Rickybop's 1931 Plymouth 3W Business Coupe build

"so y'all better stand back! "--way to go!

 

That's right.
Give me some elbow room!
Thanks, @patsurf

 

First things first, of course.
Getting the welder was one.
And...
Other tools and equipment.
Fix the compressor.
More lights.
Shelves.
Feed the baby.

..........Feed the baby?!!?

I do get interrupted sometimes.

 

Cool cool
Dan

 

Happy to get a good welder. But I don't wanna have to weld on the floor. And I need something where I can set an engine block, transmission, axles, rebuild carburetors, and spill gas and oil no problem. Ideally, big and strong enough to be used as a frame table. Got this a couple days ago. A little bit rough and rusty, but not bad. Heavy duty construction. Heavy duty all steel caster wheels that roll real nice. I removed the attached 1/2" plastic sheet and started rubbing on the steel top today with big wire wheels, acetone and sanding discs. I guess I'll paint the frame and leave the top bare. Time to clean up my big vice and anvil that had no place to be mounted. Maybe mount my drill press and bench grinder on there too.

 

Nice

 

Thanks @Sharpone Dan.
I got rid of basically all my cars, parts, tools and equipment around the time I lost my wife. So I've had to start over. This is just one of the many things that needed taken care of before I can be seriously serious about building my Plymouth Coupe.
I'm gettin' close.

 

Oh... and...


I can see clearly now
My cataracts are gone
I can see all the orange peel
In my paint
Now I can wet sand
And make it really smooth
Cuz a feeble old blind man
I sure ain't.

I'm so happy about it I can't even tell ya. I don't see two moons now. I can see all the leaves on the trees. And now when I do detail work, I can see what the f I'm doing. I don't even have to wear reading glasses anymore.

 

That's great! I wish you continued fun and success with your project.
Being healthy is the best part.
I'd be interested in following you.
Best regards, Harald

 

Thanks @Deutscher Harald.
If you follow me, you might get lost.

But it'll be fun anyway.

 

“Not all that wander are lost”
Dan

 

And I wander
I wha wha wha wha wander...

 

Something I've considered many times is to have a receiver hitch type square on one corner facing up, and the vice, band saw, grinder etc. with a hitch tube mounted below so it can be flat or have whatever tool needed mounted quick and easy. Probably need an overhead chainfall and strap to swap out and a spot to tuck them away.

 

@RodStRace
That's not a bad idea.
But this table is pretty big.
39" X 82"
So I have room for something at all four corners, vice, anvil, drill press and bench grinder and still have plenty of work space. Plus lots of storage on the shelf underneath.
My metal working station.
And then the whole thing can roll around as needed.

 

Basically a frame table being that big!
I'd leave at least one side 'open' to allow stuff to be set up on it.
Tube bender too. Both that and the vise might like to have some way to block the wheels so the table doesn't move when pulling/pushing. I guess just jacking it up and setting it on some 4x4s would do it.
You might want to go through the Tricks And Tips thread to see if there is anything else you could incorporate.

 

I had 2 "work" benches in my shop. The small one was 30" x 48". On one end I had the 8" vice, the other end had a 8" bench grinder with one grinding wheel and one wire wheel. I had access to the vice area, and I had access to the grinder area (mostly used the wire brush side). The rest of that bench (and the shelf under it) ended up becoming a collection point of smaller cut off pieces of new steel. The big work bench was 42" x 62" with a 1/2" thick steel plate on the top of it. When I needed the full length, or more then about 1/2 the width, I needed to clear the bench space. I ran a small jobber welding shop, so those small scraps of metal often came in very handy. I also had a very heavy duty (6" wide x 30" long channel iron for the top surface) pair of steel saw horses and a couple pieces of 4" wide channel (a portable work table when needed). My shop was 24' x 24' (with an 8' x 24' added on to the outside for limited small storage). It also housed 2 mig welders, a torch with 100' of hose, a plasma cutter, a 12 drawer tool box, a drill press, an air compressor with a 120 gallon tank, an engine hoist (cherry picker), and a new steel storage area. The work space was around 12' wide and about 22' deep. Most major projects required things to be moved, or the work performed outside in what ever the weather was. I ran my welding shop out of that building for 23 years (retired in 2018). Having more work space would have been nice, but I just couldn't justify dropping another 100G (in 2002) on a larger building on my property.

One learns the value of having movable shop equipment when space is limited, but its a good idea to be able to have those wheels on those benches lock.

 

Rick, Brenda had her right eye de-cataract-ed last month by the surgeon that removed mine in 2017
She goes back next week to have her left eye done.

They check my eye last week and I still have 20/20 vision, great to be able to see. HRP

 

Since the subject has come up, what happens when one has a cataract? Blury, spots, etc?

 

@HOTRODPRIMER Danny
Brenda and me getting our eyes fixed up! All right! I'm happy for her. It's a happy thing. I didn't get as emotional over getting my heart fixed. I mean, you gotta be alive to enjoy life LOL. But there's something really special about realizing that you're not going to have to look at a blurry world for the rest of your life and you can enjoy the beauty of this world.

Such as a perfectly cut and buffed black paint job!
Or the intricacies of a 6x2 intake and a gaggle of detailed stromberg 97s!
Or maybe for Brenda to be better able to see the beautiful flower arrangements she makes for all da peoples.

 

@Budget36
I'm not sure how much the cataracts contributed to my vision problem cuz the surgeon addressed the cataracts, astigmatism and glaucoma. But I think the cataracts is the main culprit. As I mentioned, I saw two moons about 50% overlapping. No spots. Just blurry vision. I used to be able to read street signs from a long distance. Not in recent years. Back to 20/20 vision now.

 

@RodStRace
@gene-koning

Luckily, this big heavy bench rolls nicely on heavy duty all steel swivel caster wheels with good brakes.

I'm putting almost all my equipment on wheels.

 

I'm gonna remember that idea though about setting it on some wooden beams if I really want it to stay in place.

Edit:
I learned something. The best way to make something this big and heavy capable of being rolled around yet stay in place when you want it to is to have feet attached to threaded rod on a big bracket attached to the legs right next to the wheels. Roll it into place and turn the adjustable feet until the wheels are off the ground. These are also used as levelers.
I do dat.

 

Might be just me, but I would keep the table as free work space. Like has been said, it is virtually a frame table, but will not be if it is cluttered up with mounted machinery/tools.

You say the "big heavy bench rolls nicely on heavy duty all steel swivel caster wheels with good brakes."
How good would it be to be able to say much the same for the Plymouth.......
Get going on the car. A custom bench is not nearly as much fun.

 

@twenty8
Get going on the car?
The bench isn't as much fun?

Steve, were you recently electrocuted or something?
Maybe you've been hanging upside down for too long?

The bench isn't for funsies.
It's a necessity
Maybe you'd rather I work on the floor.
I didn't even have a workbench.
Until now.

 

I'm already using it.

 

Nice that you can wheel it outside as well. Looks quite robust.

 

Take a good long look at the bench like this.
Then in one year show us another pic of it.

 

I didn't know what you meant at first, Mike.
Ohhh... you're thinking my workbench might become a catch-all. I know, it happens. And believe me, I can mess the place up pretty good. But I hate having to search for stuff. And I enjoy the whole shop experience a lot more if it's clean and organized. So I make the effort.

 

It's already getting cluttered up with tractor PTO stuff...........

 

those ujoints are harder to change than the bigger ones-my thumbnail has almost grown back...