[rdst_1]

I have some time on my hands and so I was thinking of doing some metal-work at two of my construction sites.
For now I will be mostly working with angle irons in the 5-10mm range. Might also use some square tubings.
Welding, though more stronger, is going to be a bit cumbersome and will take a lot of time getting perfect at.
Since most of the frames I will make won't be load bearing, I was hoping I can get away with using nuts and bolts.

So thinking of ordering a bench/pillar drill press and get to work. Also instead of a chopsaw, I am thinking of ordering an angle grinder stand as I already have an angle grinder.

Please help me in choosing the right way and consequently the right parts to order before I get to work.

TIA.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by rdst_1

... metal-work at two of my construction sites.
For now I will be mostly working with angle irons in the 5-10mm range. ...

Angle irons are 1" / 25mm or 1-1/2" / 38mm usually!

Originally Posted by rdst_1

... Since most of the frames I will make won't be load bearing, I was hoping I can get away with using nuts and bolts. ...

That will be a LOT of drilling!

Originally Posted by rdst_1

... instead of a chopsaw, I am thinking of ordering an angle grinder stand as I already have an angle grinder. ...

An angle grinder will not be efficient at cutting wide and thick angle irons - every cut will take a long time. It will also not take the chopsaw blade, which is efficient at cutting.

[rdst_1]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Angle irons are 1" / 25mm or 1-1/2" / 38mm usually!

I am talking about the thickness. The ones I have at hand are 3mm and 5mm thick only. Those are the kinds usually used for fences etc. In fact the frame for my security grille is also made of just 5mm thick Angle Iron. Maybe you are talking about the breadth of the faces of the angle iron.

That will be a LOT of drilling!

It sure will be. However, with a drill press and a good set of bits, I will be able to get repeatable good results.
Undoubtedly, welding is the way to go under normal circumstances. However, it will take me a lot of tries to become efficient and good at it. Also, I have to attach cement boards and plastic sheets to the frames with screws so I will have to drill some holes at the very least. So, considering a drill press and a welding machine cost around the same, I am leaning towards nuts and bolts for joints as I will have to buy a drill press for sure.

An angle grinder will not be efficient at cutting wide and thick angle irons - every cut will take a long time. It will also not take the chopsaw blade, which is efficient at cutting.

The angles I will be working on are neither very wide or thick. In fact, I have already cut a fair few of them with the grinder I have. These days one can easily find metal cutting abrasive discs for an angle grinder just as the ones on a chop saw. You are right that for wide and thick angles/pipes etc, a chop saw is definitely the way to go.
I will be investing in an Angle Grinder Stand like this one -

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mjMiijvM_Dw

for now and shift to a chop saw if this doesn't work out.

Any recommendations for a drill press will be more than welcome.

[Aroy]

If you want a press for existing drill machine, then Amazon has quite a few
http://www.amazon.in/TORK-CRAFT-MEAK...ds=drill+press
There is a stand/press for angle grinder too.

http://www.amazon.in/s/?ie=UTF8&keyw...l_2zeycf67gn_b

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by rdst_1

I have some time on my hands and so I was thinking of doing some metal-work at two of my construction sites.
For now I will be mostly working with angle irons in the 5-10mm range. Might also use some square tubings.
Welding, though more stronger, is going to be a bit cumbersome and will take a lot of time getting perfect at.
Since most of the frames I will make won't be load bearing, I was hoping I can get away with using nuts and bolts.

Please help me in choosing the right way and consequently the right parts to order before I get to work.

You can also try JB Weld ColdWeld steel epoxy. These days it is available from http://www.amazon.in/J-B-Weld-Origin...dp/B0006O1ICE/
I have used this to repair the sunken frame of my office chairs. It used to cost me a packet to replace the lower frame from the company.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by rdst_1

I am talking about the thickness. The ones I have at hand are 3mm and 5mm thick only. Those are the kinds usually used for fences etc. In fact the frame for my security grille is also made of just 5mm thick Angle Iron. Maybe you are talking about the breadth of the faces of the angle iron.



It sure will be. However, with a drill press and a good set of bits, I will be able to get repeatable good results.
Undoubtedly, welding is the way to go under normal circumstances. However, it will take me a lot of tries to become efficient and good at it. Also, I have to attach cement boards and plastic sheets to the frames with screws so I will have to drill some holes at the very least. So, considering a drill press and a welding machine cost around the same, I am leaning towards nuts and bolts for joints as I will have to buy a drill press for sure.

I think you are under-estimating how hard it is to drill through 5mm of steel, even of the softer variety. Forty-five years ago, I used to do this for a living. Factory-bench pillar drills: those pillars were inches thick! Literally industrial kit.

Heavy-weight machinery certainly makes the job do-able, but lots of holes is going to be lots of work. If I remember rightly, you're going to need cooling too: cutting oil. I loved the smell of cutting oil! But the downside is that it is carcinogenic, and especially a risk to male private parts . You must wear good overalls for this work. Eye protection too.

Maybe you won't need it for the soft stuff, but if you have really, really a lot of holes to drill, being able to sharpen a twist drill, and having the bench grinder to do it, are part of the territory too. And although you are not going to be working to engineering tolerances of hole shape and size, it is not that easy to sharpen bits. But hey, I learnt to do it, so it isn't that hard either

[rdst_1]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I think you are under-estimating how hard it is to drill through 5mm of steel, even of the softer variety. Forty-five years ago, I used to do this for a living. Factory-bench pillar drills: those pillars were inches thick! Literally industrial kit.

Heavy-weight machinery certainly makes the job do-able, but lots of holes is going to be lots of work. If I remember rightly, you're going to need cooling too: cutting oil. I loved the smell of cutting oil! But the downside is that it is carcinogenic, and especially a risk to male private parts . You must wear good overalls for this work. Eye protection too.

Maybe you won't need it for the soft stuff, but if you have really, really a lot of holes to drill, being able to sharpen a twist drill, and having the bench grinder to do it, are part of the territory too. And although you are not going to be working to engineering tolerances of hole shape and size, it is not that easy to sharpen bits. But hey, I learnt to do it, so it isn't that hard either

Thanks.
As I said I am going to be using Angle Iron.
Today I tried both cutting and drilling on the ones I have and was able to both cut and drill through them with my simple Angle Grinder and simple Bosch hand drill.
So, for the moment, it seems that I won't be needing any special tools because the material isn't as hard as other metals.
I will be building a proper tool shed in the near future and keep adding tools as and when required. I do however love doing Jugaad and building stuff from simple machines. Youtube is a big help as there are many people out there who love doing the same and retrofit simple tools instead of purchasing bigger more complex ones.
I am however contemplating ordering a chop saw for now as I also have to cut a lot of bamboo and an angle grinder runs at too high an RPM to use on wood/bamboo.
Just finished watching a video in which a guy builds his own table and equips it with circular saw, a router and an inverted jigsaw. This way he can use the same hand tools as table equipped tools and doesn't have to spend a fortune either.

The holes I did today didn't seem to cause any dulling of the bits. If I find that I am going through too many bits, I'll buy better ones. Also, a bench grinder might be a more versatile tool, but I feel I might go with Drill Doctor if it does come to me having to sharpen the bits.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by rdst_1

... Undoubtedly, welding is the way to go under normal circumstances. However, it will take me a lot of tries to become efficient and good at it. ...

If you have a steady hand, it is not too difficult to become comfortable with welding in a day. Rent a small welding transformer and try your hand at it. The most difficult part is starting the arc; even worse when one is peering through the dark glass.

I had the same apprehensions when I first did it, but the instructor was very good. He told us to first try the touch-and-draw-back without the electricity on to get the feel in the wrist.

Give it a try - it is a good skill to acquire. Definitely better than having to drill dozens of holes!

[rdst_1]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Give it a try - it is a good skill to acquire. Definitely better than having to drill dozens of holes!

I'd definitely had gone that way had I had some more time on my hands.
One of the projects I have on my hands right now is build a 1000 running feet fence on my farmhouse. I have a lot of angles which were used earlier in the 4-7 feet range. I now am looking to join them to build 9 feet high iron angles. For this work, welding is the perfect skill to acquire.
However the second project requires me to attach cement boards to iron angles/strips. This job requires drilling and screwing down those boards to the iron. Hence I can't get away without drilling. In fact, I will have to do a lot of drilling in this scenario as those boards need support at every 2 feet and I will be building my gate and railings with this setup.

So unfortunately, I can't get away without drilling. Since I currently have a fixed budget, buying both, a bench drill press and a welding inverter won't be possible.

P.S. - I don't have a very steady hand, but my experience doing arc welding (not a lot) in college was quite alright.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by rdst_1

One of the projects I have on my hands right now ...

From your last posts, it sounds like you have a lot of fun while achieving real results from your DIY work --- and learning a lot along the way

[Turbanator]

I don't have a very steady hand, but my experience doing arc welding (not a lot) in college was quite alright.

Which college coaches practical Arc welding these days? I remember guys from local ISTC used to do in past
Anyway coming to your query, Invertor based welding sets costs too little and for cutting small angles you can buy a regular rod cutter machine. Both of these are available in local Sector 28 Market though for cutting machine, I will PM you details of a wholesaler in Industrial area.

[blackasta]

Some of the tools that I have gathered over the years and use in my woodshop (non exhaustive).

Table saw



Bench drill press



vacuum cleaner



impact driver



drill



heat gun



jigsaw



electric planer



sander



trim router



plunge router (mounted upside down)



assortment of hand tools and clamps



further assortment of hand tools



hand planes



vernier calipers



supplies rack



circular saw

[Thad E Ginathom]

Amazing collection, there, blackasta. Thanks for sharing the gallery with us

[pjbiju]

Originally Posted by blackasta

Some of the tools that I have gathered over the years and use in my woodshop (non exhaustive).

Table saw
....

Which brand is this table saw? What is the maximum width of the stock that you can rip on this? And how much did it cost? I have been planning to buy one for my carpentry work. For now, I am managing with my circular saw and a temporary kind of table saw that I make out of my circular saw (by sliding into a fixture) which I mostly use for cutting thin strips of wood.

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

Which brand is this table saw? What is the maximum width of the stock that you can rip on this? And how much did it cost? I have been planning to buy one for my carpentry work. For now, I am managing with my circular saw and a temporary kind of table saw that I make out of my circular saw (by sliding into a fixture) which I mostly use for cutting thin strips of wood.

The model is Metabo TS250. maximum rip capacity is 24 inches.
I believe it was a last piece sale from Tolexo.com - I got is for about 24000. Prices vary widely from site to site. Currently it is priced around 40-50k across sites. Better get the Makita or the Ferm which are below 30k.