Gym organizer

[jwmay]

Other than some lawn mower deck repair, this probably qualifies as my first actual sheet metal project. I don’t have a brake, so it was more a matter of bending, fiddling, and hammering. But I’m good with it. I didn’t have any matte black paint, so it’s clear coated. Thanks for lookin!

 

[C-Bag]

Good job. This is how it starts and next thing ya know everything is a prospective sheetmetal project

I thought you had a guy who had a 3n1 you were looking at or was that somebody else?

 

[jwmay]

That was me. He still has it, and I’m still thinking it over. Haha! I haven’t quite made room for it yet.
I’m already thinking if I used a heavier sheet, with deeper pockets, it’d make a handy battery drill rack.
So you’re definitely correct that it’s opened my eyes a bit!

 

[Chip Hacket]

I like it! Something you'll probably use every day. Good project.

 

[C-Bag]

That was me. He still has it, and I’m still thinking it over. Haha! I haven’t quite made room for it yet.
I’m already thinking if I used a heavier sheet, with deeper pockets, it’d make a handy battery drill rack.
So you’re definitely correct that it’s opened my eyes a bit!

I’ve never been much of a woodworker preferring to do metal instead. So sheetmetal has been a logical direction for me. But it covers so much ground it’s hard to know exactly what to invest in without some projects in mind. It seems for the projects you’re talking about you have it covered tool wise. My stuff has led to some interesting new DIY/cheap directions.

 

[jwmay]

Well to be honest, a swag off road finger brake has definitely been living rent free in my head for about as long as that 3in1 has been available. Lol

 

[C-Bag]

Well to be honest, a swag off road finger brake has definitely been living rent free in my head for about as long as that 3in1 has been available. Lol

Yeah I could see that. So you have a press? 3n1 is a bit of a gamble and it’s only up to 20ga for full shear or brake. You can do thicker stuff in smaller pieces where the swag will do heavy stuff.

 

[jwmay]

Yeah, my Dad got me a 12 ton HF press around about 2015. I didn’t figure out what for until about 2020. I was too busy trying to figure out the lathe and mill back then.

Also what I’ve seen here from you indicates a much higher level of skill than what I’m likely to aim for. I’m sadly a little more of a “good nuff” metal worker, than a good metal worker. Haha

 

[C-Bag]

I think you give me too much credit. For decades I was a good ‘nuf guy too because I was never trained in it and was never around it. Then I got thrown in the deep end when I had to figure out these crazy transition belt deliveries when I was doing installs in an orange packing house. I had two things, examples of how it needed to be done and a plasma. Never used a plasma before only OA torch or angle grinder with a suicide blade. Whole nuther world. Before that it was stone knives and bear claws. So there’s some talent but that and the right tools and it goes from good nuf to good as it gets. And it’s addicting to see a daydream come to fruition.

I’ve always learned best by watching, so YouTube has been a real game changer. Without it there is no way I would have been able to fab those curved flange bulkheads I did for the curved hood I made for my little powder coat booth. I wouldn’t have had a clue that the way to do that was with a bead roller. Never been in a place that had one. Too many times folks think they have to have the biggest and most expensive machines when all I need is something that’s good nuf. HF bead roller’s are not anything the big boys would use but it got the job done. My shop is full of lo buck examples of this. And 90% was found used for half or less of what HF sold them for.