A new Tear Drop starts

[Tom7707]

Gang,

I have went and did it. Got some metal finally and started to make a general mess of the garage. It takes a project like this to find out that your HF band saw doesn't really cut all that great and you need more clamps than you have on hand. Don't know what I would have done without my Dewalt 4 inch grinder However, the desire to build can over come most of these problems. I'm using my Hobart Stickmate stick welder to weld with and seems to be doing well. Here is a picture of the start.






I'm just getting things tacked in and checking for squareness. I was going to set up my laser today and check for level one more time to verify the bubble levels before I finish the welding. BTW, Warner Steel in Indianapolis is a great place to buy your metal needs. A small one man shop that let's you look around and will cut your metal to your request.

Tom

[aggie79]

Looking good Tom! You've begun the journey.

Thanks for showing the details in how to set up and clamp off for the frame build. Welding is a skill that I hope to begin learning in the near future.

By the way, your garage cabinets look better than the ones in our kitchen. That's my next project after teardrop #1 - organize the garage and build cabinets. Then to TTT #1 (build #2)....

Tom

[Tom7707]

Thanks on the cabinets.
When I got this place about 4 years ago the Garage was empty. Nothing for storage. Being the cost effective guy that I try to be, I went down to the local building surplus guy who has a surplus yard and a couple pole barns. He buys old houses and surplus building material. I found all my cabinets and some solid core doors for the benches for $350.00 (after some show him the cash) A coat of paint and new handles mounted on them and instant shop. I went looking at some of the "garage ready" storage cabinets and didn't like them to much.

Tom

[Tom7707]

Gang,


Here is how I checked the bubble levels with my laser. I just set my laser up on the bench and used a square to use as a reference to see how level the frame was. You can see the dot on the scale. Mine was off about 1/16" to 3/23" of being level at all corners. In my world that close enough.






It will be Friday before I get the axle mounted. Nice to be off this week.


Tom

[Ron Dickey]

The start is the first big step the rest are baby steps.
depending on how pickey you are about the finished look of each little project that mack the big one.
Do you want to do it right, plan out each step make minitures of each joint or draw it out and think it out.
I love my trailer and it took 4 years to make it.
The more questions you have the answers are here, show what you did we give great pats on the back and new ideas.
keep up the good work.

[Larwyn]

Looking good. Nice shop you have there.

Those Horror Fright bandsaws can use a bit of a tune up when you get them. Besides a good alignment, I have made several mods to mine, but if you look carefully you can still find the HF in there somewhere;