bowtiebutler956 166 #26 Posted March 7, 2014 Thats some fine back yard engineering there Ian! Your work bench reminds me alot of mine (a complete disaster)!! Love it. Matt 1 Ian reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian 2,417 #27 Posted March 9, 2014 Thats some fine back yard engineering there Ian! Your work bench reminds me alot of mine (a complete disaster)!! Love it. Matt Thanks Matt... Yeah my bench is a bit of a mess... If I clean it, it only takes 5 mins for it to vanish under tool, metal etc I managed to get most of the long connecting rod made yesterday, it should be finished tomorrow.. Time for some measuring.. I needed to know how much "off-set" there was between the inside of this bit.. To the inside of this bit that's very much tucked away under the hood stand and was a right pain to get a photo of.. Lot's of measuring and scribbling later I found the the "off set" was 20mm... Hhmm... quite handy as I'm using lot's of 5mm steel My 5mm thick steel just happened to 5 inches wide which was convenient for cutting 4 strips from. Sliced and clamped together.. A few tack welds.. To be fully seam welded later. My new-ish Arc welder is a fantastic machine, it can produce some very nice welds.. Thanks Nigel Part one of the connecting rod roughly in the right place. I'm working out my measurements with the 3 point at it's lowest setting.. To make sure this bit of linkage won't hit the bit of tube the top link connects to, I zip tied a bit of steel to it to make sure nothing hit's Part 2 of the connecting rod was made from yet more 5mm plate.. Here it part of it wedged in place and not at the right angle by any means.. Having got dirt and grease in my eyes while lying under the GT twice in 5 min's I decided that I'd had enough for the day, so I only quickly took these two snaps. 1 pmackellow reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowtiebutler956 166 #28 Posted March 9, 2014 This 3 point is certainly going to be good, and strong! Those welds look great great. Matt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pmackellow 2,738 #29 Posted March 9, 2014 Looking good mate, top job Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
meadowfield 1,900 #30 Posted March 9, 2014 Good stuff, I was wondering how you were going to put the cranks in the link arm. It's a beastly piece of metal Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian 2,417 #31 Posted March 10, 2014 This 3 point is certainly going to be good, and strong! Those welds look great great. Matt Thanks Matt, having a decent arc welder makes all the difference.. I'm looking forward to doing all the seam welding now Looking good mate, top job Thanks Paul. Good stuff, I was wondering how you were going to put the cranks in the link arm. It's a beastly piece of metal Thanks Mark. Yes the link arm is a bit of a beast. If I had a way of getting enough heat into the steel I would of had a go at bending it.. As I don't, chopping and welding is the only way I could do it.. It should be nice and strong by the time I have finished Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hangman 25 #32 Posted March 10, 2014 good and strong ian thats what i like to see Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian 2,417 #33 Posted March 13, 2014 Strong is the only way to go So where were we? Oh yes the long link arm thingy.. I managed to hold the parts of it in the right shape in situ and tack welded then together. Here's the link after I pulled it out for a few more tack welds.. With a bit of trimming and strengthening it will look the part and do the job.. Best fit it in the GT and give the hydraulics a try.. Down.. And up.. Then just for a laugh I made some drop links out of garden wire so I could see the lower arms go up and down I even quickly throw part of the rear bodywork on to check for clearance... Yep, plenty there.. And on to the final part of the 3 point puzzle.. Making drop links.. A couple of these sliver bit's were left over from the 6x6's 3 point kit... A good start, all they needed was a lower hole drilled. A bit of thick wall box with one side cut out and a hole drilled through. Gave me the sideways movement.. I needed a couple of these to fit over the lower arms.. Cue yet more 5mm steel. These should be strong enough 1 pmackellow reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian 2,417 #34 Posted March 13, 2014 Now to join the two bit of the drop link together.. The fixed length one was easy.. A bit of Wheel Horse lift arm with some more steel pipe hammer inside for extra strength. The adjustable drop link needed a bit more thinking about.. As I couldn't find a bolt I thought was not only strong enough, but I also had a nut to fit, I made my own.. The thread is only partly cut here.. My first attempt came out a bit wonky and the threaded bit decided it didn't want to wind in or out! Attempt 2 ended up with a wonky thread being cut!! Attempt number 3 involved cutting a thread off a toll I haven't used in at least 8 years!! But it worked.. Two drop links tack welded together.. I know that having to removed a pin to adjust the adjustable drop link isn't ideal, but it will do for now and keeps this 3 point build within budget... which is nowt.. Yep only built with what I had kicking about the shack Ok, I may of borrowed the 3 point arms from the 6x6m but were gloss over that And fitted.. All I need to do now is to pull it all apart for final welding and strengthening.. The plan was to make a start on that today, but it seemed a shame to be inside with the nice sunny weather, so Pete and I went for a drive 1 meadowfield reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
meadowfield 1,900 #35 Posted March 13, 2014 Good work Ian : thumbs: 2 Ian and the showman reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian 2,417 #36 Posted March 15, 2014 Thanks Mark.. Part 1 and 2 of the build videos here. http://myoldmachine.com/topic/607-fitting-a-3-point-linkage-to-my-wheel-horse-g-142/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
meadowfield 1,900 #37 Posted March 15, 2014 Hehe seen em' and the 312 stuck video Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian 2,417 #38 Posted March 15, 2014 Hehe seen em' and the 312 stuck video Yes the 312 might of ended up in a bit of a trench in the field Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian 2,417 #39 Posted March 20, 2014 Morning chaps, a bit more of an update for you.. Drop links and the connecting rod thingy fully welded up.. I decided that "strong and functional" was the look the connecting rod thingy should have.. As it won't be seen under all the panels, I didn't think there was any need to make it look really nice. The pivoting arm thingy slowly being welded up a little at a time to stop it getting to hot and bit moving due to the heat. Painted bit's everywhere.. A bit of handling with dirty hand will take the freshly painted look away and make the parts blend in a bit with the rest of the GT Which leaves just the roll bar and the lower arm mounting bracket to tidy up and make strong. Way too much time was spent trying to work out the best way to strengthen the bracket!!!! In the end I thought it would be easier to start from scratch and make something a little stronger, so I dug out this thick wall box that I had bought for the 6x6's dozer blade. Four short bits of box. The two on the right are slightly shorter than the two on the left.. So when I sliced the shorter ones up to fit into the larger ones I had a nice edge to get strong welds onto. A close up of the groove I had to cut to clear the manufacturing weld/ridge thingy. All clamped up and ready for welding.. All welding has been done on the new bracket and I have started the long winded process of chain drilling and filing the holes to take the lower arm pins... But as it's all very boring stuff I've not taken any photo's of it.. 1 nigel reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
meadowfield 1,900 #40 Posted March 20, 2014 More good work Ian Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowtiebutler956 166 #41 Posted March 20, 2014 Definitely looks good, and strong! I like the way you build Ian. Matt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian 2,417 #42 Posted March 26, 2014 More good work Ian Thanks Mark Definitely looks good, and strong! I like the way you build Ian. Matt Thanks Matt.. Yep I like strong What a week that has been.. It feels like I've been making these 3 point lower arm mounts forever!!! Lot's of chain drilling... 84 little holes in total through 8mm steel, which if you add it all up I've drilled through a little over 67cm or a little over 26 inches!! What came as a shock was all this was done with the same drill bit, I have a habit of breaking small bits very fast! Lot's of filing out chain drilled holes! But finally today I have got them almost finished.. All hole filing done, I just need to finish off the seam welding.. I think they should be strong enough Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pmackellow 2,738 #43 Posted March 26, 2014 Ians Xmas wish list... "Dear Santa, please can I have a vertical milling machine ?? Thanks !!" 1 Ian reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 4,458 #44 Posted March 26, 2014 Get yoursel' some burrs for your pistol drill, Ian. Speeds the job up a bit. Just file to tidy up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian 2,417 #45 Posted March 26, 2014 Ians Xmas wish list... "Dear Santa, please can I have a vertical milling machine ?? Thanks !!" I'd love a milling machine and the skills to use one Paul. A milling machine would allow me to re-think the way I build things and find simpler/better solutions. Get yoursel' some burrs for your pistol drill, Ian. Speeds the job up a bit. Just file to tidy up. I do/did have some grinding stones for my drill.. They lasted about 30 sec's when they went up against the steel! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
meadowfield 1,900 #46 Posted March 26, 2014 you need decent quality carbide burrs, last a lot longer... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darmic1 447 #47 Posted March 26, 2014 I'm in awe of your engineering skills! I can paint and pretty things up fairly good, but you sir are the master when it comes to a build!!! 1 Ian reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pmackellow 2,738 #48 Posted March 26, 2014 Hear hear 1 Ian reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 4,458 #49 Posted March 26, 2014 I have a couple of metal burrs, similar to an end mill. They can really chew the metal out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowtiebutler956 166 #50 Posted March 26, 2014 I always love seeing your work Ian, but I am curious why you didn't just use a large drill bit? Matt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
