CGCINC Project#2: TIG filler rod holders

I have search for a filler rod holder that was 18" with no luck. I found some at my local welding shop that said 18" on them but after measuring, they were only 15 1/2" long.
I got tired of looking and I like to tinker so I thought I would make my own.

I started with a 10' piece of 3" PVC, 5 end caps, 5 test caps and 10 hooks to mount on the wall. I cut the PVC into five 19" pieces, I always cut my 36" filler rods in half so this will give me just enough room so I don't hit the rods with the cap. Next I went to the belt sander and sanded the end that the cap will go on so that it is slightly smaller just so the cap will go on and off easily. Then I pushed the test caps on the other end. You can see in pic#3 that I screwed the test caps on. I didn't want them popping out and I didn't want to glue them permanently incase I ever need to take it apart!?! Ya never know! Next I just mounted the hooks on the wall leaving enough space between them so the 3" PVC will fit. Now just add filler rods, caps and label the outside of the PVC and your done!
I was originally going to paint these white to cover the labeling that is always on PVC. I ended up using Acetone and cleaning the labeling off so I just left them as they are.
I've got $55.16 in parts so it wasn't a freebie but it works perfect for what I wanted and it's another thing I can say "I did it" to!

1
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d8...C/IMG_0147.jpg

2
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d8...C/IMG_0146.jpg

3
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d8...C/IMG_0153.jpg

4
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d8...C/IMG_0154.jpg

5
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d8...C/IMG_0156.jpg

6
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d8...C/IMG_0158.jpg

7
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d8...C/IMG_0162.jpg

8
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d8...C/IMG_0164.jpg

perfect, now all you gotta do is label them and fill em

Getting there!
I need a few more tubes

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d8...C/IMAG1639.jpg

I use PVC as well, just full length (for TIG filler). I also use a grease pencil rather than a sharpy to label them, since sometimes a few of mine will change. Example, no more 1100, just wipe it and write on a new size/type. Though you probably will not change much, 4043, 5363, ER70s, some 308 or 316 and you have the bulk of it.

Clean and compact TIG setup you have there. Everything within reach. Nice.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by everlastsupport

I use PVC as well, just full length (for TIG filler). I also use a grease pencil rather than a sharpy to label them, since sometimes a few of mine will change. Example, no more 1100, just wipe it and write on a new size/type. Clean and compact TIG setup you have there. Everything within reach. Nice.

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The Sharpie will wipe off with Acetone... I use Acetone for everything, lol.
It's starting to feel like "home"! I think the next step is a small venting system.

Oh, yea that would be a good idea to add venting. And with the TIG you could make your own. Keep the air movement down.

Neat tip I found, you can remove sharpy with Rain-X as well.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by everlastsupport

Oh, yea that would be a good idea to add venting. And with the TIG you could make your own. Keep the air movement down.

Neat tip I found, you can remove sharpy with Rain-X as well.

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Rain-X huh, have to give that a try!

I planned on putting a simple fan (bathroom vent fan) in the ceiling with some duct work to vent it out of the building.
But after doing some more research, I don't think that wil be enough to pull it up and out. It's 4' from table to ceiling.
I also thought about running a vent tube down to the table so I could place it close to the welds but I think I threw that idea out the window.

70% IPA isopropyl rubbing alcohol will take sharpie off too.

I use a dryer fan/motor that I pulled out of an electric dryer a while back.
I mounted it to the wall and sent its 4" duct out, and ran a 6" duct from its inlet to my welding area, then use a reducer to 5" and a flex-duct to position the intake about 10" from where I am welding at the time. It doesn't seem to affect the shielding, and I cannot smell even a hint of ozone or other fume. I would weld galvanized without a respirator and when I get done and lift the hood, I can see all of the smoke/fumes going into the inlet. I am quite happy with it.

A dryer motor may be hard to acquire, but if you go to your local HVAC installer and ask for a HVAC blower, they might be able to help you out, and one of those would be enough to make a large fume hood. I went to one of the places local to me, asked if he had any. He did not, but offered to hold a few back for me. I asked for three. Two weeks later, he called and had two nice blowers setting there waiting for me. All free :) I assume they pay to dispose of these things, so I am saving him money by taking off of his hands what he would otherwise have to pay to dispose of.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by parkour

70% IPA isopropyl rubbing alcohol will take sharpie off too.

I use a dryer fan/motor that I pulled out of an electric dryer a while back.
I mounted it to the wall and sent its 4" duct out, and ran a 6" duct from its inlet to my welding area, then use a reducer to 5" and a flex-duct to position the intake about 10" from where I am welding at the time. It doesn't seem to affect the shielding, and I cannot smell even a hint of ozone or other fume. I would weld galvanized without a respirator and when I get done and lift the hood, I can see all of the smoke/fumes going into the inlet. I am quite happy with it.

A dryer motor may be hard to acquire, but if you go to your local HVAC installer and ask for a HVAC blower, they might be able to help you out, and one of those would be enough to make a large fume hood. I went to one of the places local to me, asked if he had any. He did not, but offered to hold a few back for me. I asked for three. Two weeks later, he called and had two nice blowers setting there waiting for me. All free :) I assume they pay to dispose of these things, so I am saving him money by taking off of his hands what he would otherwise have to pay to dispose of.

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This is what I had in mind, fan in the ceiling and then a flexible tube down to the table. Is it noisy?
So just go to a heating and AC place and ask if they can save a motor for me? There is a used appliance store close, wonder if they could get me a dryer motor?

Thanks for the reply!! Get's me thinking!!

:)

No, it's not really very loud at all. It's about as loud as I imagine it was in the dryer. It's nothing like the fan in my 250EX.

All I did was ask if they had maybe three blowers ready to go to the dump. He looked, found none, and offered to hold some back. He got two blowers in about two weeks, called me to pick them up, and offered to get one more, but I declined. I didn't really need three. In spite of thinking I might have been saving him a bit of money, and how fairly straight forward fan removal is, I am still kind of surprised he gave them to me for free.

As for getting a dryer, I think that's a good idea. Something I learned about these kind of places is that they don't part things out, or deal in used parts. They remove the old stuff, and take it almost immediately to the dump (recycle). So; a) they probably won't have anything on hand, and b) they look at the whole thing as a burden to dispose of. They may also see your interest as an opportunity to make money on the thing rather than have it cost them to dispose of... which is kind of what I thought might happen at the HVAC place. Getting the dryer motor out is a bit more work than the HVAC blower. You would probably want to just ask for a whole broken dryer. Gas or elec doesn't matter. Asking for a broken one might also help to head off them thinking they could make some money off of you. My local land-fill/recycle charges $9 to drop off an appliance, but won't let you pick one up.