darn impressive and logical custom welding project

[grumpyvette]

heres a darn impressive and logical custom welding project,
ONE MORE IN AN ENDLESS LIST OF GOOD REASONS TO OWN AND KNOW HOW TO USE A DECENT WELDER
I found posted on a different site and finding an older flex-plate or flywheel and a spare starter and gear for use with the engine stand as a gear drive and adding some custom crank handle, makes the stand more useable.
now I don,t know why I didn,t think of this, its a rather simple modification with easily obtainable components that would make using an engine stand easier.
the pictures, showing what needed to be done is rather self explanatory
YOU MIGHT WANT TO READ THRU THIS LINK
http://jniolon.classicpickup.com/enginestand/BDES.html

BTW most engine stand,s place an engine, fairly low so its not easy to tip over, but that also means you need to be bending over a good deal ,while working on the engine build-up. a mechanics seat that rolls easily , if its the correct height can be rather useful.
if you have a decent welder you might consider building a custom engine stand, or even engine crane, design. that makes mounting the engine easy.


HAVING A MILL AND LATHE, and DECENT MIG OR TIG WELDER MAKE A MILLION PROJECTS SO MUCH EASIER
IM SO JELOUS THAT I HAVE YET TO ACQUIRE A LATHE, AND WILL NEED TO REPLACE THE MILL I WAS FORCED TO SELL MOVING TO TEXAS
roseville carl

Did this a while back......

Material 1000 lb hand winch HF on sale 14.00, old chev timing chain and gears free, Alum stock 3.50 lb about 7 bucks worth, old cam slug free, and a days worth of my time, not worth much.......

first remove outer cable drum

drill out cam bearing to fit od of winch shaft and id of cam gear

Braise together

Cut inside and outside of coupling to match existing stand shaft
cam gear bolts to alum slug

Drill new pin hole and pin to shaft

assemble winch and gears and attach to stand with secure mounting points use at least 1/4" material

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/engine-leveler-and-swivel-hook.16160/

and wa la you have a cheap rotater for your engine stand
that will lock in either direction

<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->__________________
"Keep Em Between the Whites"........

ROSEVILLE CARL, SEP 12, 2012



Ive got two types of engine stands designs in my shop,(4 engine stands)but I added 4 of these wheels to each stand
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200442439

since the picture was taken,about 8 years ago, I added decent quality caster wheels to my engine stands in the shop, effectively doubling the cost of the stands but making them far FAR more user friendly, because they roll far easier, and you can lock the wheels when working on the engine making torquing the bolts far safer and easier, youll either weld the casters to the engine stand or use 8 squared u-bolts of the correct height and leg spacing to mount the casters.

Hampton Square U-Bolt, 3/8", 4 in Inside Ht, 3 in Inside Wd/Dia, Steel 02-3452-504 | Zoro

Order Hampton Square U-Bolt, 3/8", 4 in Inside Ht, 3 in Inside Wd/Dia, Steel, 02-3452-504 at Zoro.com. Great prices & free shipping on orders over $50 when you sign in or sign up for an account.

www.zoro.com

http://www.harborfreight.com/8-inch-cus ... 46819.html
these are very similar to what I used (6) of on the engine crane, having 6 large diam. CASTERS rather than 4 small casters and two wheels that don,t change direction is a HUGE IMPROVEMENT in how easily the engine crane moves once an engines suspended from it

the guy in the videos, not very helpful or skilled at making videos,
but you might get a few tips watching anyway

the video below is a combo of engine stand and test stand

 

[87vette81big]

Re: darn impresive and logical custom welding project

I printed off this picture Grumpy.
I am going to build an engine stand similar from an Old GM Flexpllate & old GM Delco 10 MT starter motor.
It is Ingenuous Yes.
Very Kool.

BR

 

[Crepitus]

Re: darn impresive and logical custom welding project

Aint that just slicker than frog spit!

 

[busterrm]

Re: darn impresive and logical custom welding project

Hey why not put on a small electric motor and us old geezers don't have to crank it. A reversible motor would be even more snazzy!

 

[grumpyvette]

Re: darn impresive and logical custom welding project

Hey why not put on a small electric motor and us old geezers don't have to crank it. A reversible motor would be even more snazzy!

THAT IDEA, sounds like a great way to play push the button and try to get out from under a falling engine stand as it flips to me!
BECAUSE I can just see some guy mounting a STARTER to the ENGINE STAND, and hitting the button and the engine start spinning well off balance on the engine stand

 

[busterrm]

Re: darn impresive and logical custom welding project

I don't mean a starter motor, I mean a very small motor just strong enough to turn it. Not one the will spin it fast. You might have to use a smaller flexplate and a larger motor gear to turn it slower.

 

[grumpyvette]

Re: darn impresive and logical custom welding project

PLEASE understand I assumed you meant a small low speed high torque motor to slowly turn the engine,
but I can,t get the idea out of my head that a significant percentage of the people reading about hooking a power drive to the flywheel
will instantly think,
hey starters turn flywheels,
the gears already match,
this should be quick and easy,
and presto! trip to the emergency room in the making

 

[busterrm]

I totally agree Grumpy! Hey guys out there, my idea was to connect a low speed motor, not a starter motor. Something that would turn the engine at a slow controllable speed! Hooking up a starter motor would be a recipe for disaster as Grumpy said a trip to the Emergency Room!

 

[Crepitus]

I totally agree Grumpy! Hey guys out there, my idea was to connect a low speed motor, not a starter motor. Something that would turn the engine at a slow controllable speed! Hooking up a starter motor would be a recipe for disaster as Grumpy said a trip to the Emergency Room!

It might put grump in the hospital for a few months but the video shoul be halarious! I'll get the parts orderd

 

[Crepitus]

heres a little idea; a fork kinda like a tuning fork shape from key stock that will lock the rotation

 

[busterrm]

I totally agree Grumpy! Hey guys out there, my idea was to connect a low speed motor, not a starter motor. Something that would turn the engine at a slow controllable speed! Hooking up a starter motor would be a recipe for disaster as Grumpy said a trip to the Emergency Room!

It might put grump in the hospital for a few months but the video shoul be halarious! I'll get the parts orderd

I just got a visual of it! Grumpy in the floor with a engine stand there also and big block chevy stuck between his legs! :shock:

 

[Indycars]

I just got a visual of it! Grumpy in the floor with a engine stand there also and big block chevy stuck between his legs! :shock:

Not to worry, there is nothing there that still works !!!


I probably should send everyone my email, since I won't be on this forum much longer! :lol:

 

[grumpyvette]

I just got a visual of it! Grumpy in the floor with a engine stand there also and big block chevy stuck between his legs! :shock:

Not to worry, there is nothing there that still works !!!


I probably should send everyone my email, since I won't be on this forum much longer! :lol:

what are you....MY WIFES FAIRY GOD MOTHER. trying to let her get her wish granted
for her to do even less in the bedroom? :mrgreen:

 

[87vette81big]

:lol:

 

[Indycars]

what are you....MY WIFES FAIRY GOD MOTHER. trying to let her get her wish granted
for her to do even less in the bedroom? :mrgreen:

Fairy God Mother's make damn good money......how do you think I
paid for the engine I built !!!

I just hate the late night hours.

 

[busterrm]

omg did i start all this with a BBC in place of an nut sack?

 

[Indycars]

Yes, you are to blame for all this mess !!!

 

[busterrm]

I better put my email on your list too Rick, he has two feet, one to kick you out and the other to kick me out! :lol:

 

[grumpyvette]

I found this, info , posted by Bcap55 , else ware and thought it was rather interesting.

one more in an endless list of reasons you really need a LATHE, a MILL and DECENT TIG OR MIG WELDER in the shop
this bit of info could easily save you a couple of hundred dollars, because a geared engine stand usually costs in the $350-$600 range.
but converting a decent non geared engine stand should only take a couple hours and less than $50-$70 in parts

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200442439

"Building a geared head engine stand
I've been using one of those cheap import engine stands like everyone else over the years and I hate it. It's scary to use even with just a sbc. I will be building a bbc so I wanted a strong rigid stand that rolls easily and won't tip over and also I wanted it to have a geared head assembly. I had two options, buy one or build one. I chose to build one.
I did the usual search on the web for ideas and found that using a semi truck brake slack adjuster was a cheap and easy way to add the geared head to the stand.
I found the slack adjuster and matching splined shaft on that auction site and bought both for less than 50 bucks.
I removed the stamped steel covers and made new ones from plate so that the head assembly would have strong flat surfaces to turn on."

I made the head assembly from a piece a heavy wall pipe that I bored out on each end and press fit roller bearings to support the rotating assembly.

I cut off the splines from the shaft and turned a shoulder on the end. I turned a piece of bar stock to 1.75" OD to fit the bearing ID. I bored out the end and pressed on the splined piece. I also cross drilled and pinned the pieces for safety. Then they were welded to the 5/8" thick mounting plate.

I made the frame with 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" x .155 wall tube steel. Here is the finished stand, it rolls easily on the 4" casters. The slack adjuster worked better than expected, I can turn the bare block with ease using a 3/8" ratchet. I can set the motor at any angle and it stays in place since the adjuster uses a worm gear to turn the splined section.

I probably over engineered this thing, but I really wanted a stand that could handle a fully loaded bbc without worrying about it tipping over. I'm confident that it will do the job.


I FOUND SLACK ADJUSTERS ON SALE HERE BUT CAN,T FIND THE MATCHED SPLINE SHAFT YET
I CALLED GRANGER and a couple other suppliers and getting slack adjusters is no problem, but the matched splined shafts might be

Search Results For: Manual Slack Adjuster. Found 17 Items.

TruckSpring.com Search Results. Found 17 items matching - manual slack adjuster

www.truckspring.com

http://www.gasgoo.com/e-catalogs/detail-13838.html

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/Slack- ... Pid=search

 

[87vette81big]

That engine stand YOU BUILT GRUMPY IS AWESOME !!
Its Ingenous.
You & your boys have to build a few more & sell.
DC C4 & DCC3 !

You even machined a RADIUS RING for extra strength.
Just like a Mark Williams Race Axle Shaft is. made.
Redistributes high load area.

I just bought a new engine stand this past Saturday.
1250# 4 leg wide base & cast iron caster wheels. Perfoormance Tool brand.
$95.99. Needed it to build the 1948 Chevy 1 ton 3rd member. 200# assembled.
Nut busting heavy .
My 3 other engine stands holding my own project engines.
70 Poncho 455. '65 Olds 425. & my/ Bill's 410 sbc he left me to finish & enjoy in my 87 C4 vert.

Give you $200 for a homebuilt engine stand next time Grumpy.
Or sell the head only.
Truck slack adjuster. Ingenous. have them at work.

Get pics up tonight for you guyd.

BR