im looking into building a frame jig i need to have something that i can diss***emble for storage i am thinking of trying to find some big I-beam and bolt it together. a 5' section at each end with 2 paralell 10 foot sections ontop then anything i need support for can just bolt to the I-beam and the fact of having 4 bolts at each corner will hold everything square hopefully shimming and aliging during ***embly isnt a problem the problem im having is finding some I-beam I'll need 30 feet of it and a pretty big size does anyone know of a supplier for this in the central PA area? or even a way to look for it. im not really sure where to start a search for such big steel I'm thinking atleast 6" wide and about 10-12 tall?? something thick enough that it wont twist if you have any better ideas as to how to build a jig that would help too, but it needs to be something i can build on my own on a cement floor. thanks alot Zach
Zach Did you check with High Tech yet? I don't know if I remember seeing anything like that there but he could probably get some. I've also seen some guys using plywood to make jigs too.
thanks, i didnt check there yet, I'm going to stop in, but if he has to special order stuff its usually more money i was hoping someone dealt in it normall and might even have left overs or something?
Check your local Yellow Pages for either "Structural Steel Fabricators" or "Building Demolition". The fabricators might have drops but the wreckers may have entire lengths that they pulled out of a job. I've bought from wreckers locally and got a lot better deal than trying to buy prime stuff.
There is a metal yard near Sinking Spring PA that has a lot of full lengths of I beam along with many other types of metals. Prices were great but the yard was being sold the day after we visited it and the guy working there didn't know if it would remain open. The yard is LB Metals I believe and Clark has a card with the number. They also had a ****load of wood and metal working equipment kind of like a junk yard but still had working tools.
I'm not sure that may want to come down to South Jersey, but in Gl***boro there is *Men's Metal Wonderland*.......better known as Fazzio's........they have every conceivable type of metal that you could ever want......all of the South Jersey Hot Rodders know about Fazzio's........it's only aboput 25 minutes from the Philly bridges..... Look here: http://www.josephfazzioinc.com/ I'll go there with you!!! Must be something that I need.... CB
Any steel s****yard will prolly have what you're looking for. Our frame jig is "100% recycled". Design is similar to what you have in mind.
Zach, If you find bent ones they are easy to straighten with a rose bud torch. We used to do that in the steal fab shop I worked in after HS. Check with building steel fab shops in your area, they may have some out of spec pieces you can get. Gordon
The local auto salvage guy here picked up about 40 ten to 12 ft pieces of old maufactured home frames. They are usually 12" X 3", I beams and but are not as thick as structural steel. I can pick up and carry a 10ft beam around but have to be careful not to turn to fast (mometum keeps it going). He gave me quite a few in return for some welding. Check that for an option.
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