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View Full Version : Finally finished my 2" Shop Receiver Install



Keith Outten
03-30-2014, 7:27 PM
It took me forever to get this little job done even though it has been at the top of my shop improvements list of things to do. Work kept getting in the way but I got it done this weekend.

Awhile back I mentioned that I had replaced one of the 6 by 6 wooden posts in my shop with steel pipe. This was the first step in the project, the last few work items were finished today. You can probably tell from the pictures that the goal is to have a means to hold a variety of projects, tools and minor machines like metal benders, sanders and buffing motors. I have a small aluminum table that I use in various situations that can also be held in the vise and I will soon have a new table top mounted on a commercial lazy susan bearing that I hope will be handy for routing circular stuff.

Daniel Gross
03-30-2014, 7:32 PM
That's a cool idea, Keith.
Looks handy

Dan

Dick Mahany
03-30-2014, 7:40 PM
I really like that idea! If it were me, as soon as I would have finished the welding, I would have realized that it was 3" too low:D

Keith Outten
03-30-2014, 9:04 PM
Dick,

I admit that I have misread a measuring tape more then once and was too quick with the welding rod :)
These types of mistakes are easy to fix with a 14 dollar grinder and a cutting wheel.

The height of the wood vise is set to the same height as my workbench. The metal vise is just a bit taller but that was planned because of the tools that I already secured to angle iron so they can be held in the metal vise (like the bender). One of my workbenches has two receivers welded under the table top so I have two of the wood vises like the one in the picture. All of the tools mounted on square tubing or angle iron can be shared between benches, the new support pipe, my trailer, lawn mower, truck hitch,.....you get the idea.

I have an old 1725 RPM motor that I keep a chuck on the motor shaft to use for buffing wheels and sometimes I attach a flex shaft. Tomorrow I will transfer this motor to a T mount so I can slip it in the metal vise from now on. The list of things you can do seems to be endless. I'm sure I will weld a couple more receivers on the pipe at different levels as the need arises.

John Upton
03-30-2014, 9:25 PM
It took me forever to get this little job done even though it has been at the top of my shop improvements list of things to do. Work kept getting in the way but I got it done this weekend.

Awhile back I mentioned that I had replaced one of the 6 by 6 wooden posts in my shop with steel pipe. This was the first step in the project, the last few work items were finished today. You can probably tell from the pictures that the goal is to have a means to hold a variety of projects, tools and minor machines like metal benders, sanders and buffing motors. I have a small aluminum table that I use in various situations that can also be held in the vise and I will soon have a new table top mounted on a commercial lazy susan bearing that I hope will be handy for routing circular stuff.

Hoe does the device in the third picture work ? Thanks

Keith Outten
03-31-2014, 6:49 AM
John,

Here is a link to a Youtube video that demonstrates how this little scroll bender works:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQXaRizj2dw

This one is the smallest scroll bender I own but it gets a lot of use for signs and other projects. The video above is from MetalCraft but their prices are very high. You can purchase a whole set of these benders and a twister tool from Grizzly at a fraction of MetalCraft's price.

Grizzly H5502 Metal Craft Tool Set. (http://www.grizzly.com/products/Metal-Craft-Tool-Set/H5502) $192.95

Keith Outten
04-21-2014, 11:01 AM
A few more pictures of my Shop Receiver being used for various types of jobs. When I get the time I have plans to build a drill press with an almost unlimited spindle to column distance using a mag-drill. I few days ago I mounted an electric motor to a piece of square tubing which I use for buffing wheels. If I remove the buffing wheel I can connect a flex shaft to the motor and use it to polish Corian sign edges and other types of complex shapes.
.

Mike Wilkins
06-04-2014, 9:35 AM
Neat idea. You could also weld another receiver at higher location to get more options for changing to an ideal working height.

Keith Outten
06-04-2014, 12:20 PM
Mike,

As soon as I am able to work in my shop again I plan to add another receiver. I also have several additional tools that need square tubing mounts when time allows.

Don Kingston
06-27-2014, 9:21 PM
Now that is nice. If you are adding more receivers what about a round pipe?

Keith Outten
06-28-2014, 10:22 AM
Don,

Help me out and explain how I might use a round pipe. It might be obvious, if so it went right over my head but I can tell you that I am interested in any ideas anyone has concerning the use of a hitch system in a work shop.

I have been using my shop hitch mount the last few days, we were fabricating a roof frame for my lawn mower. I scrounged up a used plastic golf cart roof that is the perfect size for my mower.

I have two more grinders on my bench to mount to square tubing so I can use them in my hitch system and I need to make a list of other tools that I need to convert as well. Its obvious now that I need to design and fabricate a rack system to hold all of the tools.
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Scott T Smith
07-01-2014, 6:03 PM
Don,

Help me out and explain how I might use a round pipe. It might be obvious, if so it went right over my head but I can tell you that I am interested in any ideas anyone has concerning the use of a hitch system in a work shop.

I have been using my shop hitch mount the last few days, we were fabricating a roof frame for my lawn mower. I scrounged up a used plastic golf cart roof that is the perfect size for my mower.

I have two more grinders on my bench to mount to square tubing so I can use them in my hitch system and I need to make a list of other tools that I need to convert as well. Its obvious now that I need to design and fabricate a rack system to hold all of the tools.
.

Keith, I think that he is suggesting that you slide a section of pipe over the existing pipe (sleeve), and weld the receiver to the sleeve. You can then shift the sleeve up and down on the pipe post to adjust your height.

The repair weld on the vise looks well done (and welding cast is always an experience...) Did you do that yourself?

Keith Outten
07-01-2014, 8:32 PM
Scott,

Thanks for clarifying the pipe suggestion. I had thought about purchasing a couple pipe hangers so the receivers could be adjusted and it may still be something I do in the future.

You have a good eye, catching the repair on the old vise. My Dad did the braze repair, it was his vise originally.
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Don Kingston
07-06-2014, 6:30 PM
Keith, I think that he is suggesting that you slide a section of pipe over the existing pipe (sleeve), and weld the receiver to the sleeve. You can then shift the sleeve up and down on the pipe post to adjust your height.

The repair weld on the vise looks well done (and welding cast is always an experience...) Did you do that yourself?

Yes to this, and I was also thinking of being able to rotate and position in 360' on the horizontal. Like all position welding. I can picture it in my mind, sorry I am not good at verbal description.

Keith Outten
07-06-2014, 6:55 PM
Thanks Don,

I can see now what you are recommending and it makes sense. Originally I thought about the two piece pipe hangers but they are large, heavy and would be difficult to manhandle. I was considering making my own adjustable hangers but I put that on the back burner in favor of getting the hitch working first before I started working on improvements.
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