A thread on threads.

I have continued to cut out parts for the suspension. Almost all of the stuff being cut out of 1/8" plate is done. I am also trying to make my torch a little better at cutting out multiple parts. I have a cutting jig that works well for circles. However, cutting straight lines and cutting out multiple copies is not the easiest. The plasma torch does not have a drag tip so it has to stay a certain distance from the cutting surface. Also, the sides of the torch's head are angled making it harder to be perpendicular to a fence. So, I took a piece of 1" schedule 40 and made a doughnut for it to sit in. This keeps the tip at a consistent distance, gives my a perpendicular face to drag along a fence and allow the torch to sit in a consistent vertical position making the cuts more accurate. I would love to have a CNC table for it, but even a used one is big dollars.

However, I have spent most of my time battling threads. Each road wheel swing arm has a 1" diameter spindle and a 1" diameter axle that has to have threads cut into them. Plus each return roller (6 total) has a 1" diameter spindle. That is 38 total. I was having quite a problem initially. The round bar kept slipping in the vice. I then took and tack welded some pieces of flat bar to the round bar giving the vice enough flat surface to keep it from slipping. Even with the fix in place it is still a very tough go at it. It takes a lot of horse power (man power more accurately) to turn the die around the round bar thereby cutting the threads into it. I have five done and am seriously thinking about trying to find a machine shop that would take pity on me and give my a good price on cutting the rest. They would use a lathe and probably cut 20 in in the time it takes my to do one.

I have also had a couple of other smaller projects that have been a pretty big distraction. I made a friend at work a small waggon for his four wheeler to pull through the woods and I made my loving wife a new plant stand. Both projects were good for the tank project though. I used them to practice banding metal which I will have to do, in spades, on the tank.

Next up is cutting out the parts I need from 1/4" plate. Hopefully I have learned enough cutting on the 1/8" plate as mistakes made cutting 1/4" plate get expensive, fast.