CK5
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'89 R3500 Crew Cab 2wd to 4wd conversion & beyond

Started out with 2wd TBI350 with SM465 to current 4wd with 454, 700r4, NP241
FYI I was told by a man more knowledgeable than me to always cut across the narrowest part of a piece of metal to help keep chips from plugging the teeth. As in cut across the 3/4" way instead of the 12" way in your example if possible.
 
FYI I was told by a man more knowledgeable than me to always cut across the narrowest part of a piece of metal to help keep chips from plugging the teeth. As in cut across the 3/4" way instead of the 12" way in your example if possible.
Interesting. I've always debated about that. I tend to stand the shorter widths, but we laid the 12" wide stuff flat. Our thought process was there would be less chance for the blade to drift.
 
Blade does not get as hot doing the thin thickness cut. You are correct about blade deflection. So you have to decide what works best for your machine. If I have a 12 wide piece to cut, the plasma comes out.
 
We don't have a plasma cutter. I recently quoted a big job that would about require us to have one, so I made sure to factor that into the bid. If we get that job, we'll finally have one.

My second favorite feature of the band saw is a dial we can turn to change the decent speed. On a cut like that 12" plate, we slow it way down.
 
We have a huge industrial vertical bandsaw at work and when the blade gets towards the end of its life it cuts real crooked across something wide.
 
ya I'm serious, just shoot me an address, I can ship it from work for free. (just hoping the wife hasn't already gotten rid of it lol)
It would just be the business address:

Biltrite Sign
4315 Industrial Pkwy
Evans, CO 80620

Thanks!
 
Spent several hours Saturday rotating the bed and finishing welds. Then wire wheeling all the welds so I can inspect them and also clean them up for paint. It's time consuming.

I made a mistake on the corners grinding bevels too deep on thin wall tube (14ga). I had a lot of blow through and fill in with weld. So I beefed up the corners with angle on the edge and flat stock over the top.

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Also got the lower bumper flattened out better with some persuasion.

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And drilled mounting holes for the tool boxes.

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Like a dumbass I made the clearance too tight. Gonna have to modify the tool boxes. Luckily the area that would normally sit on the bed rail is easy to shorten.

Gonna be some more work happening tomorrow.
 
They will barely open, but paint would not stay on the steel in a couple places. Technically one side is dead nuts perfect but I can perceive that changing after a few trail runs or accidentally backing into a tree. Gonna take 1/2" off the ends just to be sure.

Making tolerances too tight seems to be my build theme on this project.
 
I like the toolboxes,, lots of storage. Have you gotten the driveshaft figured out yet?
Yes, the local shop got it done in 2 days. That's one if the items to install Monday. Gonna need a new crossmember for the carrier bearing. I really want to get the angles dialed it to smooth out the drivetrain.
 
Got a functioning truck again. Driveshaft in and exhaust plumbed with lots of help from @Raggedy_Ann.

Going for the simple exhaust. I've come back around to liking louder exhaust. You can see the end between the frame and frame.

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If I decide it's too much, I won't be hard to run the tailpipe further out past the axle.

We modified the carrier bearing crossmember I had been running. I've found the output on the tcase has a 3° down angle. I sloped the intermediate shaft an additional 2°.

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I dropped the intermediate shaft to improve the angle of the 2nd shaft to the pinion angle.

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I haven't set this in stone yet. I will do a final check once the bed is on and loaded down.

My youngest son has been helping me with this project. Today he helped out with something several people have asked for.....

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He painted the back of the cab white!
 

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