Stuff I make...

A friend and coworker owns a gym. This is not your typical run on a treadmill gym this is one-on-one strength conditioning for athletes. You might be rolling over a loader Tire or carrying a boulder in this gym. What I buil20200614_140336.jpg20200614_140332.jpgt last week is called an axle. It's basically an oversized weight bar that helps improve hand strength. The bar I built was 2 inch od. He wants me to build one that is 3 inch od but 15 in on each end have to be two inch for the weights. What is the best way to accomplish this? I'm thinking sleeving it with different sized pipe but I don't think anything gives a snug fit. @CharlieK @1951 Ford @Sawmill @Johndeere4020
 
Here is the latest project. There will be an axle in the back. The rear is going to have a box to pile weights in. There will be a spot to hang weights on the handle bars towards the front. I need to put some round pipe in the front to grab onto. The tubing I'm using is 1 5/8" ID. What round tube would fit the tightest in there?
 
A friend and coworker owns a gym. This is not your typical run on a treadmill gym this is one-on-one strength conditioning for athletes. You might be rolling over a loader Tire or carrying a boulder in this gym. What I builView attachment 66190View attachment 66191t last week is called an axle. It's basically an oversized weight bar that helps improve hand strength. The bar I built was 2 inch od. He wants me to build one that is 3 inch od but 15 in on each end have to be two inch for the weights. What is the best way to accomplish this? I'm thinking sleeving it with different sized pipe but I don't think anything gives a snug fit. @CharlieK @1951 Ford @Sawmill @Johndeere4020

You will have to sleeve 1 1/2" pipe inside of 2" pipe and sleeve that into 2 1/2" pipe. None of those will fit tightly, but the 2 1/2" pipe has an OD of 2 7/8", which is as close to a 3" OD as you can get without using tubing.
They make telescopic tubing, but it gets pretty expensive pretty fast.
 
Do you guys how recommendation for a new chop saw. I have this Craftsman if it works all right but the clamp sucks when you're trying to cut anything at an angle.View attachment 66193
Not for a chop saw. Most all of them leave a lot to be desired in the clamping department. I've got a dewalt chop saw I bought 15 years ago that I fought every time I wanted to make an angle cut. A 4" x 6" bandsaw is what replaced it. It's a cheap TSC Special, but it has cut tons of steel in it's lifetime. I've used it to cut stuff that it wasn't designed for just by removing the screw side of the clamp and C-clamping material to the saw.
 
Here is the latest project. There will be an axle in the back. The rear is going to have a box to pile weights in. There will be a spot to hang weights on the handle bars towards the front. I need to put some round pipe in the front to grab onto. The tubing I'm using is 1 5/8" ID. What round tube would fit the tightest in there?
The square tubing is 1 5/8" ID? If so, chain link fence line posts are 1 5/8" OD.
 
Not for a chop saw. Most all of them leave a lot to be desired in the clamping department. I've got a dewalt chop saw I bought 15 years ago that I fought every time I wanted to make an angle cut. A 4" x 6" bandsaw is what replaced it. It's a cheap TSC Special, but it has cut tons of steel in it's lifetime. I've used it to cut stuff that it wasn't designed for just by removing the screw side of the clamp and C-clamping material to the saw.
I might have to look into that.
 
A friend and coworker owns a gym. This is not your typical run on a treadmill gym this is one-on-one strength conditioning for athletes. You might be rolling over a loader Tire or carrying a boulder in this gym. What I builView attachment 66190View attachment 66191t last week is called an axle. It's basically an oversized weight bar that helps improve hand strength. The bar I built was 2 inch od. He wants me to build one that is 3 inch od but 15 in on each end have to be two inch for the weights. What is the best way to accomplish this? I'm thinking sleeving it with different sized pipe but I don't think anything gives a snug fit. @CharlieK @1951 Ford @Sawmill @Johndeere4020
1-1/2 sch40 pipe is 1.90" OD. 2-1/2" DOM x .25" wall should fit over it pretty decent. Fitting materials together like that is usually a pretty big pain in the ass. Hard to find things that fit, and every time you do it, you are trying to figure out what an acceptable fit is. Fitting rounds together, is the easiest by far, if you can use solid on the inside, and DOM tubing/bushing on the outside.
 
Here is the latest project. There will be an axle in the back. The rear is going to have a box to pile weights in. There will be a spot to hang weights on the handle bars towards the front. I need to put some round pipe in the front to grab onto. The tubing I'm using is 1 5/8" ID. What round tube would fit the tightest in there?
I don't know anything about the galvanized fencing stuff, I've never really been around it... but the closest pipe you can fit will be 1", which has a 1.315" OD. Pretty sloppy. If it can be solid, 1-1/2" solid round is really common, and that would make it pretty stout as well.
 
Do you guys how recommendation for a new chop saw. I have this Craftsman if it works all right but the clamp sucks when you're trying to cut anything at an angle.View attachment 66193
I did some, but not too much angle cutting with my small bandsaws. I think you usually run into the same problems cutting angles with the small bandsaws like you do the chop saws. The benefit of the bandsaw, is that while it's cutting, you can walk away and do something different.

If you are looking to replace the chop saw, I would replace it with a cold cut saw instead, and not a bandsaw. It'll generally cut about 3 times faster than a chop saw, with non of the mess and dust. I think this is the one I have, but I would certainly go with the 14"...

 
I did some, but not too much angle cutting with my small bandsaws. I think you usually run into the same problems cutting angles with the small bandsaws like you do the chop saws. The benefit of the bandsaw, is that while it's cutting, you can walk away and do something different.

If you are looking to replace the chop saw, I would replace it with a cold cut saw instead, and not a bandsaw. It'll generally cut about 3 times faster than a chop saw, with non of the mess and dust. I think this is the one I have, but I would certainly go with the 14"...

I'm definitely interested. What is blade life like and how spendy are they?

I'm going to ask some more questions about that and some other stuff I got kind of busy at work and headed into the barn shortly.
 
I don't know anything about the galvanized fencing stuff, I've never really been around it... but the closest pipe you can fit will be 1", which has a 1.315" OD. Pretty sloppy. If it can be solid, 1-1/2" solid round is really common, and that would make it pretty stout as well.
Any idea what 36" of solid round would cost?
 
I'm definitely interested. What is blade life like and how spendy are they?

I'm going to ask some more questions about that and some other stuff I got kind of busy at work and headed into the barn shortly.
I believe the blades are just shy of $100.00. How long do they last? I'm not sure. The main reason I have it, is to make a small angle cut on 11ga x 1-1/2" x 3" tubing. I have made somewhere around 1,000 of those cuts... and hundreds of cuts on misc things. 3/16" x 2 x 2 tubing.... 3/16" x 3" x 5" tubing... My welding supplier gave me an extra blade, but it still sits there. Haven't needed to use it. I remind the guys all the time when they are using it, slow and steady pressure. Never try to force it. It lasts a long time... Maybe I got the once-in-a-lifetime lucky blade, but I don't think so.

Any idea what 36" of solid round would cost?
I usually buy (50) 20' lengths at a time, of Cold Rolled, 1018, 1-1/2" round. The 36" would cost me $13.42 going by the batch I just got in early June. Not sure what a non-volume price would be...
 
I believe the blades are just shy of $100.00. How long do they last? I'm not sure. The main reason I have it, is to make a small angle cut on 11ga x 1-1/2" x 3" tubing. I have made somewhere around 1,000 of those cuts... and hundreds of cuts on misc things. 3/16" x 2 x 2 tubing.... 3/16" x 3" x 5" tubing... My welding supplier gave me an extra blade, but it still sits there. Haven't needed to use it. I remind the guys all the time when they are using it, slow and steady pressure. Never try to force it. It lasts a long time... Maybe I got the once-in-a-lifetime lucky blade, but I don't think so.


I usually buy (50) 20' lengths at a time, of Cold Rolled, 1018, 1-1/2" round. The 36" would cost me $13.42 going by the batch I just got in early June. Not sure what a non-volume price would be...
I firmly believe, that if you are careful using it... Start your cut as slowly and steadily as you can, and then let the saw talk to you, never lugging the motor, the blade will be fractions of a penny on the dollar per cut, compared to an abrasive wheel.
 
A cold saw is on my list, I just get by with my 2 band saws. Being able to start it and walk away is the main reason.
I do have a Morse metal devil 7" circular saw that has been a life saver on a couple projects. I shortened from 48" to 42" about 180' of 1" tube ornamental type fence for a restaurant in Wichita. It took about 4 hours by the time I laid out my cut line, clamped a guide and cut it. The saw went through that stuff like butter.
 
Yes 1 5/8". Those are all galvanized correct? Think they would be heavy enough?
Yes on the galvanized. If you used short pieces, I think they'd be heavy enough.

I don't know anything about the galvanized fencing stuff, I've never really been around it... but the closest pipe you can fit will be 1", which has a 1.315" OD. Pretty sloppy. If it can be solid, 1-1/2" solid round is really common, and that would make it pretty stout as well.
If it's an option, solid is a better choice, like @CharlieK alluded to.
 

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