Drunkcanuks build...... finally!!!

[Alteca]

Nice! I'm still in the beginning stages of my welding development. Scared to warp stuff. I've done a few projects with thicker material, and I was getting goodish at "stacking".
I'm a way better grinder than welder!!! Lol

Grinding skills are a must! I started welding just over a year ago and still find myself grinding out/rewelding when I’m not happy with something. It pays off to cut scraps of varying thickness and just practice. Practice different types of welds uphill/downhill,etc… make some excessive gaps on say 3/16 or 1/4 plate and try filling them with a continuous bead. It will force you to learn puddle control and how to flow the puddle the way you want.

 

[Scooterwrench]

Too far north for me, this time of year.....
November of '91, we went to Chickasha, Oklahoma for the swap meet. It was cold when we left Houston, and central Oklahoma is ten hours north, so we were dressed and prepared for it. Or so we thought, when a Norther blew in on Saturday afternoon of the four day weekend. It got down to ~5° F after dark, and started snowing in late afternoon. About a foot altogether. Our old '79 C10 350 Burb was not really interested in starting that evening, but it finally did and we headed to town in search of a warm meal(we'd been camping out all weekend). The kids were out in their Jeeps, on the highway, and by the grace of God we got to the restaurant and back out to the venue without getting in a wreck or going off the road. We headed home Sunday midday after loading out, and we were south of Dallas/Fort Worth before I was warm, the heater was so overwhelmed.....

That was a miserable year here too. We went to the the inlaws for the yearly Christmas gathering and the power company was cycling the power in rotation to try to give everybody at least a little heat. The house was freezing so I came up with the idea parking our Ranger right up close to the dining room window,duct taping a big vacuum cleaner hose to one of the vents and running it in through the window with a blanket wrapped around it. Worked great!

Got back home and spent two days fixing busted pipes.

 

[Scooterwrench]

Grinding skills are a must!

With this thin sheet metal as well. Same as the welding,don't linger in on spot too long. I discovered those Zirconium flap wheels for 4-1/2" grinders,they're the **** for this kind of work.
You can harvest sheet metal from washing machines and such.

 

[Drunkcanuk]

Grinding skills are a must! I started welding just over a year ago and still find myself grinding out/rewelding when I’m not happy with something. It pays off to cut scraps of varying thickness and just practice. Practice different types of welds uphill/downhill,etc… make some excessive gaps on say 3/16 or 1/4 plate and try filling them with a continuous bead. It will force you to learn puddle control and how to flow the puddle the way you want.

With this thin sheet metal as well. Same as the welding,don't linger in on spot too long. I discovered those Zirconium flap wheels for 4-1/2" grinders,they're the **** for this kind of work.
You can harvest sheet metal from washing machines and such.

I do have some scrap and other pieces to practice on. I'm just a ball$ in kinda guy. With enough knowledge to be dangerous to myself!!!! Lol
I had a few old toolboxes that I kept around to cut up and practice on. But they got tossed with the great purge of 2023! Lol

 

[Drunkcanuk]

Just finished reading through your thread Drunknuk, nice work! I'm getting ready to C-notch my truck and the information that you provided was very helpful. Definitely lifting the bed off, at least high enough to be able to drill the top bolts for the notch easily and clearance the bed cross member. I'll use an engine hoist and home-made lifting brace (made from fence posts). The problem with pulling the bed away from the truck completely is that I have nowhere safe to put it...

May try to tackle a new exhaust system, too.

Well thanks for reading, I really appreciate it.

That's why I documented as much as I could, the good and the "learning opportunities". So others would hopefully have an easier go at it.
Try and get as much clearance as possible so you can get a straight shot to the hangers and shackles. My life would have been so much easier!!! Lol

 

[FLGS400]

Well thanks for reading, I really appreciate it.

That's why I documented as much as I could, the good and the "learning opportunities". So others would hopefully have an easier go at it.
Try and get as much clearance as possible so you can get a straight shot to the hangers and shackles. My life would have been so much easier!!! Lol

And I really appreciate all the documentation!

Fortunately, my truck has already had the flip kit installed by the previous owner's mechanic (used that term loosely, LOL). I shouldn't have to mess with the shackles or hangers (fingers crossed).

 

[Erik the Awful]

You can harvest sheet metal from washing machines and such.

+1. I used the sides of an old freezer to make floor pans for my Sunbeam.

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[Drunkcanuk]

+1. I used the sides of an old freezer to make floor pans for my Sunbeam.

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Better than licence plates!
Looks good.
And with the coating on there already, it's almost a prefinished panel! Lol

 

[Scooterwrench]

+1. I used the sides of an old freezer to make floor pans for my Sunbeam.

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A bead roller would stiffen those up nicely. With the prices of materials going up a lot of us are going to be home recycling. 50yrs from now people are gonna see these kind of repairs and say"must have been a second depression fix"

 

[Drunkcanuk]

A bead roller would stiffen those up nicely. With the prices of materials going up a lot of us are going to be home recycling. 50yrs from now people are gonna see these kind of repairs and say"must have been a second depression fix"

I am all for upcycled materials being used. I have some expand metal in the garage that I've been dragging around since 1997!!! And it WILL find its way into my truck after all these years. Originally was going to be used for sub grills years ago, still may, but I have another spot for it. Just gotta get some steel diamond plate first.