ok guys dont go crazy

[davidjohnperry]

Next year if all goes well and employment is still strong I need some guidance to the starter fabricator tool guide what tools are good to start with I've got grinders welders gas cutting plazma rule stilsons tapes sprit levels hammers. And where's a good place to look I find ebay troublesome

 

[sardine]

Shed load of clamps.

 

[Badger1bear]

Shed load of clamps.

And then buy some more because you never have enough

 

[davidjohnperry]

Fair enough any recommendations where's a good place for squares I want good but fair price

 

[Parm]

A small screwdriver is also quite useful, quite often before the big hammer is used

 

[Hitch]

Squares, Ive had a set of 'workshop grade' squares or about 15 years, came from a J&L/MSC specials flyer. Was about £20. They still have the same set in there quite often now, not much dearer.
Passed every calibration check they have encountered.
4,6,9,12" In the set.


A good combination set is worth having too....but dont come cheap.

As is a 600mm rule....along with a 300....and one of these you will find is an essential once you've had one for a bit.

A good set of prybars is very usefull....

A decent heavy ratchet strap....

Some steel wedges....

Clamps, as above...all shapes and sizes....Piher, Carver, you could spend £500 and still not have enough.

A copper/hide mallet, No3 or 4....

Then you get into stuff like spanners and such, but depends on what you are planning on doing....strictly fabrication....maintenance repairs/fabs....

 

[davidjohnperry]

I do most things I do structure steel as my job and maintenance work with my dad which can be a simple cracked bracket to broken digger arms buckets ect

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Lots of clamps of various sizes , including massive carver clamps! Dogging wedges (easy tiger) a selection of hammers, both metal and soft faced. A decent 6" square, a decent roofers square of a few foot. A decent rule and a decent tape measure. Couple of pry bars, a decent ratchet strap or chain and bottle screw

 

[davidjohnperry]

Dogging wedges oh behave lol but what are they.

 

[Maker]

A mag drill must be pretty useful to a steel fabricator.

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Dogging wedges oh behave lol but what are they.

Steel wedges, generally used for flushing off plating, you tack a plate onto the lower of the two plates you're trying to flush. The play you tack on has a hole to knock the wedge thru, and you belt it in it flushes off the plates so you can tack them, if that makes sense!

 

[Tinbasherdan]

http://www.finelineboatplans.com/building/ideas/plating.htm

That's the best link I can find for now, the rest were of dubious nature

 

[davidjohnperry]

My dads got a mag drill not sure where it is tho and one came in the scrap last week I just need to see if I can get it to work I've got a bacho combie square heavy cast ally body brass attachments

 

[davidjohnperry]

I've used that sort of wedge not that exact but its like a c shape we put it over the top of a haunch and used wedges to close the gap between the haunch web and the top flange of the beam

 

[davidjohnperry]

But that is cleaver and ill make some

 

[Hitch]

I tend to use a plate about 100x100, with the corner notched out 50 x 20.
Wedges are useful for separating bundles of plates and such too.

 

[ukracer]

Squares, Ive had a set of 'workshop grade' squares or about 15 years, came from a J&L/MSC specials flyer. Was about £20. They still have the same set in there quite often now, not much dearer.
Passed every calibration check they have encountered.
4,6,9,12" In the set.


A good combination set is worth having too....but dont come cheap.

As is a 600mm rule....along with a 300....and one of these you will find is an essential once you've had one for a bit.

A good set of prybars is very usefull....

A decent heavy ratchet strap....

Some steel wedges....

Clamps, as above...all shapes and sizes....Piher, Carver, you could spend £500 and still not have enough.

A copper/hide mallet, No3 or 4....

Then you get into stuff like spanners and such, but depends on what you are planning on doing....strictly fabrication....maintenance repairs/fabs....

And this

 

[davidjohnperry]

Decent square is next on my list not sure what else a decent rule maybe got decent tape

 

[rory1]

2ft platers rule, the proper name for them is a line of chords rule.

You also need a pair of deviders to use them to set/measure angles.

They also measure circumference using the diameter of a circle

 

[davidjohnperry]

I always understood that dividers did circle but I've never seen them for angle