Project Basketcase: Another ReSAS story

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Well media blasting was pretty much a failure. I probably had the wrong media. The stuff I bought was super fine, like dust. In that tiny enclosed space as soon as I started blasting there was an enormous dust cloud and I couldnt see shit. Between that and having to blast at night with nobody around so there was little light and 120degrees in that unit it pretty much sucked ass. Mostly I just sprayed 150lbs of dust around the storage unit, got dirtier than I've been in my life and cussed alot. So it was back to the drawing board.

Now I'm attacking this thing manually. Bought a new grinder and a stack of flappers and cutting wheels.

Friday was reasonably productive. Got all the brackets cut of the back of the frame for bump stops and shock mounts and get it ground down pretty well.

A 2" air grinder and a stack of 36grit sanding discs plus a borrowed needle scaler are helping a lot on the inside of the frame.

The hardest part was getting through the undercoat that was sprayed over EVERYTHING. Eddy gave me a good tip on that. He said to use a cutting wheel at an angle to lightly gring it away. Worked like a champ. Probably saved my a couple hours and a handful of gummed up flapper wheels.


THis isn't where I ended for the day, but it was the last picture I took




Also got a brace welded in for the front of the frame. THe prior owner cut the lower crossmember of the front of the frame for som unknown reason (He was a complete dumbass) so I welded a couple plates in to strengthen the frame and put a piece of 2x2 box between the frame horns. I'll add new bumper mounts later with 1/2" bolts as the studs instead of the crap studs attached to tin that Toyota used.

Keep in mind I have 0 welding experience. THis was the first attemp at welding, pretty much ever. Aint pretty but it'll stick. I cleaned it up with a grinder later


And this is what you look like after 12hrs of grinding in a 120degree storage unit. This was AFTER washing up a couple times throughout the day



After getting all that done Friday I couldn't wait to get back to work Saturday.
Then this happened:




Some dickhead decided to haul an oversize load down the street infront of the shop early Saturday morning. It snagged the power lines ripping it and 3 power poles down. So there was no power ALL DAY. And I got no work done. FUCKING SUCKS

Now I'm back at work. I'll probably swing by after work to hit the bare metal with a wire wheel and weld though primer so it doesnt surface rust while I'm busy this week.

So goes the saga

 

YOu know where the shop is, stop by some friday or saturday

 

That media blasting situation would have had me more than cussing and yelling. Not bad for your first weld at least it looks like solid penetration. You get some tips from your neighborhood welding gangster and you're set. Well done Cap.

 

$76 Norton Gemini Right Cut Right Angle Grinder Reinforced Abrasive Flat Cut-off Wheel, Type 27, Aluminum Oxide, 7/8" Arbor, 4-1/2" Diameter x 0.045" Thickness (Pack of 25)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009YMSEP8/ref=od_aui_detailpages01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These cutting wheels are awesome

As is this Porter Cable Grinder for $25

$62 PORTER-CABLE Angle Grinder, 6.0-Amp, 4-1/2" (PC60TAG)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004X5NNGG/ref=od_aui_detailpages01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Got a little more work done today. Finished grinding the rear of the frame inside and out till it was mostly bright then hit it with a high zinc weld through primer.

I tried some 2" flapper wheels on my little IR 90degree die grinder today and they worked great. Damn nice for $12/10 of Amazon

 

Also check out the skill 4.5" angle grinder. I have beat the piss out of two of them during my sas project as they were my only way of cutting, well evreything! They are cheap as well. Haveing 2 and keeping the cutoff on one and the flap disc on the other saves a ton of time.

Ill have to check out those cutoff wheels, i seem to shred the ones i find at the hardware stores (diablos and dewalts). Diablo flap discs kick some ass though.

Are those wheel spacers or bolt pattern adapters on the rear axle?

 

I believe they are just a 2" spacer but I haven't gotten them off yet I need a thin wall socket (21mm?). @ahspurlock is gonna bring one over sometime so we can take them off.

Biggest news for the weekend that I forgot to mention, GOT THE REAR CAB BOLTS OUT. Those bitches were rusted in solid and I relly thought I was going to have to cut the cab mount loose from the frame. Again @ahspurlock to the rescue. I soaked them in ATF and acetone all week and Adam brought over a 3/4" impact that finally got them free. So I'll be jacking the cab up this coming weekend to get some more work done on the frame rails.

 

I got my thin walled socket at Autozone for a few bucks, lifesaver! I found it over by the cheap chrome wheel accessories for pimping out a hooptie.

Seems crazy to be slapping wheel spacers on an already fullwidth axle!

You are using a hobart 140 right? If so i used one as well, and you may want to get some flux core wire for the heavy gauge material, it burns hotter and will penetrate better than gas on the thick stuff. It will splatter, but who cares, if some ones critiquing welds under your truck, kick them in the forehead.

 

As soon as I'm sure what size those lugs are I'll buy the correct socket. It's probably a 21, but we'll verify that first. Hadn't thought to check the Autoparts store for one. Amazon is my go to.

I think the wheel spacers were a bandaid for not enough lift for 42s, 15" wide tires, probably incorrect BS wheels ect. I'm not a fan of spacers so they'll probably come off permanently.

I'm using a Hobart 140 for the stuff I'm doing on my own. When the relink begins I'll roll the whole truck over to Eddy's shop (SOS Concepts) and we'll use his big Miller. I've got a little Flux core that came with the machine, I'll hang onto it in case I need to burn some thicker material before then. IF there was space over there I'd do the whole job in his shop, but there just isn't so this is how we're getting by.

 

You will need to ge the next size up wire and a new tip (.035). I was going to do the same thing as you but ended up doing evreything with the 140. Badass little machine for sure!!

 

We considered it but my little 20x20 unit only has two outlets on one 10amp breaker. I doubt I can turn the welder up hot enough to burn more than 3/16 without popping the breaker. I already tripped it trying to run a plasma cutter.

But it damn sure better than any of my previous work environments so I aint bitching

 

Ouch yea, that kind of limits things!!

 

I only run one tool at a time because of it. If I need an air tool I plug in the compressor and unplug everything else but my little box fan. when I'm done with it I unplug the compressor and plug in my 6amp grinder. Can't give up the fan though, its probably around 120degrees in that unit. I carry that bitch around so its never more than 4feet from where I'm working

I'm now a different kind of fan boy

 

It's thursday night. Working till 10, then I get 2 days to work on Basketcase

Damn I live a wild life

 

hey cap let me know if that socket works for you if not i might have another onr that will

 

IN

 

Got some work done this weekend but forgot the picture taking. Rear of the frame where theres two layers of steel are is all seem welded together. Spent a full day getting all the delaminated rusty steel out of the gaps, clamping and beating it together then welded up. Only popped the circuit breaker once

Got the cab jacked up high enough to clean the top of one frame rail and got it primed. Now I have to do the other side.

I leave for an 8 day wheeling trip (Kentuck Adventure Tour) in a couple weeks so progress will be haulted until I return. The other truck needs some attention before I leave. But the frame is probably 75% cleaned right now and getting closer to making real progress. Hopefully Septemeber will be a little cooler than August as well