I’m still making almost daily trips to the place that tests architectural designs, though I’m not always working on the seismic wall. We’re currently waiting for “The Pros” to finish dragging their heels getting their piece set into the frame for testing before it gets sealed up. Sometimes they need me that day. Sometimes not.
I’m not getting paid by the hour while I wait. I am, instead, getting paid by the piece as I fabricate projects for them. Today, was a bandsaw stand.
Its your average metal bandsaw. It weighs some 725lbs dry and is supposed to be bolted to the floor. These guys have a lot of space, but not enough space to actually do what they do, so things have to be able to be moved about the shop depending on whether they are needed that day or not.
When I arrived this morning, the bandsaw was on it’s usual mount of sorts: A custom cut pallet sitting on four movers dollys. This had sufficed for a number of years, but was nowhere near safe and was always in need of some type of repair (new pallet or something to do with the wheels). This last week, two wheels failed and it was being supported on one end by a hydraulic floor jack.
And so I was asked how I’d get this done. I answered by telling them that I saw some steel perfect for the job on their scrap rack and I’d be about three or four hours to measure, cut, drill, tack, test fit, weld and install. Paint would be another hour because it is cold.
The thumbs up was given and off I went.
Boom!
That’s 1in x 3.5in bar welded to 1.5in x 4in channel. I’d have made the whole thing out of channel, but they didn’t have enough. Heavy duty. Especially the heavy part. I slotted the holes since getting an exact measurement wasn’t easy. That took the longest.
Locking casters and caster pads were ordered from a place in an adjoining industrial park and delivered. A couple of hours later.
Boom!
I’m quite happy with it. Those casters are da bomb.
The bossman left before I got done with it but I told him he’d have a new stand when he came in the next morning. I should be getting an email around 830 telling me how close I came to expectations.