Eric,
I may just zip-tie a couple of box fans up there and aim them down!!!!
Desperate times call for desperate measures!!!!
It will probably save me a small fortune on heating costs too by keeping the hottest air out of the rafters...
-G
CK5
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'72 K5 - Greg's @MightAsWellK5 Build
- Thread starter Greg72
- Start date
This is the build description. I will improve this later. (GB)
Eric,
I may just zip-tie a couple of box fans up there and aim them down!!!!
Desperate times call for desperate measures!!!!
It will probably save me a small fortune on heating costs too by keeping the hottest air out of the rafters...
-G
I live by my 2 box fans.. whenever I'm doing a blowgun clean out or bodywork stuff in the Lab™, I'll open the doors put the fans at the back and get all that air moving out the doors...
Oh yeah, I definitely play THAT game in the summertime.
My rear windows are the perfect size for a box fan. I can stuff it in there and then pull down the sash just slightly to "lock" the fan in there solidly.
When I weld, I can keep it on low-speed just to keep the fumes moving away.... for smellier stuff I can crank them up and everything heads right out the rollup doors.
CORRECTION:
"everything ends up settling on TOP of the rollup doors"... and when I roll them down, my wife screams at me that the white garage doors are brown again!!!!
-G
yeah, makes a huge difference! I picked one up used for $5 and it's great for keeping the warm air where I need it. Before I had the fan I'd be sweating standing up but laying on the floor I could see my breath.
Cleaning up the salt and water mess is a bit of a drawback but got to keep the wife happy!Thanks Bud...
You can see in these photos that I'm fully in the "winter build mode" environment now. The garage floor is constantly wet from the wife's car being parked in a warm garage... the sloppy snow in the wheelwells falls off and splashes salt and crud all over the place. Every time I want to work on the truck now, I have to go out early to turn on the space heater..... back her car out of the garage.... sweep/shovel the snow and slush out, then set up a box fan to dry things as well as I can as the space warms up.
There is salt residue everywhere on the floors, and it's just not a very fun environment to be in... but I figure if I can just power through it emotionally for the next 60 days or so, the weather will start to get warmer and by the time the snow is melted I can have this truck ready for some more outdoor photos!!!!That is the thought that keeps me warm (and motivated!) these days.....
....Charlie is really starting to talk a lot about having, as he calls them: "Adventures in the monster truck". So that's another thing that is really pushing me to work hard, even on super cold days when I don't really feel like it.
-G
Frame rails are looking nice Greg, also got to be nice hearing Charlie making comments of interest, that's got to be a motivator!
Out in the garage, doing a little winding down and I got to lookin' at the ass end of the rig and thought about what you have going on.
Granted, just a random idea, but have you thought about making some kind of jig for those long frame rails at the end.
I know you have a ton of plug welds and it should make it good for the circumference weld, but what about pouring the heat on that circumference weld and she comes back to hug ya a bit.
If it's one thing I've learned about this stuff, it's not like nailing something off and it stays put. The more nails (heat) you put to it, the more she comes back at ya. At I'm guessing, 4-5' that could be a bit by the time you hit the tailgate area. But, if they come back (warps/deflects) different......it's gunna be different for the whole ass end.
The only way I can think of it is off the lid with lumber, or off the floor in steel with a couple redheads or titans..
Again, maybe it's a non contender, but might be something you watch out for???
Granted, just a random idea, but have you thought about making some kind of jig for those long frame rails at the end.
I know you have a ton of plug welds and it should make it good for the circumference weld, but what about pouring the heat on that circumference weld and she comes back to hug ya a bit.
If it's one thing I've learned about this stuff, it's not like nailing something off and it stays put. The more nails (heat) you put to it, the more she comes back at ya. At I'm guessing, 4-5' that could be a bit by the time you hit the tailgate area. But, if they come back (warps/deflects) different......it's gunna be different for the whole ass end.
The only way I can think of it is off the lid with lumber, or off the floor in steel with a couple redheads or titans..
Again, maybe it's a non contender, but might be something you watch out for???
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I'd pre-weld those frame rails after confirming they fit right. Tack em back to back, weld em up, let em cool and see how much they sproing when you break em apart. Shouldn't be much.
Once they're fit in place I think a simple brace at the rear should do the trick, as long as you weld it up 'opposites'. Weld an inside seam, next weld should be the opposite outside seam. Find each weld's opposite. Doing that the 'pull' constantly cancels itself out and leaves you a straight piece.
Once they're fit in place I think a simple brace at the rear should do the trick, as long as you weld it up 'opposites'. Weld an inside seam, next weld should be the opposite outside seam. Find each weld's opposite. Doing that the 'pull' constantly cancels itself out and leaves you a straight piece.
That's what I've been doing thus far as I welded up all the cuts.... It makes sense to do the same thing for all the fishplates as well.
Ultimately, I'm building a beefy c-pillar rollcage support that will lay across these rails at the back, so that should help add some extra bracing in addition to the rear receiver mount (which will also lock the rails together)
-G
chulisohombre
1/2 ton status
Wow Greg that looks awesome man. It's always hard to Keep the garage clean when the salt and snow Keeps Getting dropped in there. Hopefully you have some kind of sealer on it so the salt dowsnt soak into the concrete. It takes A toll on it after a few years. All the sidewalks around my house are pitted from all the salt. I can't believe the transformation of your truck Over the years. Great work.
Stomis
Professional Amateur
Greg odd sidetrack question. What are you using for markout on steel? Are you just shading with a blue sharpie and keel/soapstone over it?
it's layout die and a scribe I believe... I only do it on real critical hole drilling type gigs..
Depends on how accurate I need to be.
For really precise work, I use the brush-on Dykem and then scribe my cut line with a carbide tipped pen. I cut close to the line and then dress them down to the line using my 20" disc sander.
For most of the frame work lately, I just use a fresh blue Sharpie. It's still thinner than the cutting discs I use, so as long as I stay centered on the line it's close enough.
-G
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Greg72 Blue
I'm thinking since there is a Ryoken Green we "might as well" call brush on Dychem Greg72 Blue.
I too am a big fan of the blue sharpie. Over the years I found its the best thing to use on steel. I don't know why the other colors don't last as long or mark as well.
I admire how you keep a clean shop. Your work is killer as always.
Carry on...
I'm thinking since there is a Ryoken Green we "might as well" call brush on Dychem Greg72 Blue.
I too am a big fan of the blue sharpie. Over the years I found its the best thing to use on steel. I don't know why the other colors don't last as long or mark as well.
I admire how you keep a clean shop. Your work is killer as always.
Carry on...
I like it...yup, I have lots of various black sharpies around for all kinds of stuff.. but always grab a blue when working on steel...
Thanks!
Weight-wise..... I've got no idea. Too late to go back and design for lightness, so it's going to be whatever it is.
Probably 6000Lbs if I had to throw out a wild guess. At some point I'll buy a set of race scales and collect detailed weights for each component,mount that's still a ways off.
-G
Average weight of a fully built up K5 like most of us do give or take has been about 5800 to 6500 lbs. fully caged, D60/14FF big block....and the list goes on and on lol.
It's looking great as always Greg, I like the new frame rail.
FYI, for reference in the weight thing, my shortbed BB with "tons" weighs 5300 lbs, no cage yet though.
FYI, for reference in the weight thing, my shortbed BB with "tons" weighs 5300 lbs, no cage yet though.
speaking of, always meant to ask... Greg, what do ya figure that monolith weighs? that things gotta be in the 75 to 100 lb range I'd figure.. some fuggin plate going on there!
speaking of, always meant to ask... Greg, what do ya figure that monolith weighs? that things gotta be in the 75 to 100 lb range I'd figure.. some fuggin plate going on there!
I cut a lot of speed holes in it....so probably only 10Lbs?
Seriously, I have no idea. It's heavy, and bulky to install. I'll weigh all of the parts individually someday and post up the results for ya!
-G
Just go and buy a set of racing scales, ya know you want them anyway 
Then you can change the name of the thread to "Big Bertha"
Then you can change the name of the thread to "Big Bertha"
Just go and buy a set of racing scales, ya know you want them anyway
Then you can change the name of the thread to "Big Bertha"
I just dropped 5 grand on a TIG welder...... How about you let me catch my breath for a second?!!!
-G
