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Submitted by vinflictor on Mon, 09/17/2012 - 10:46am
Thanks Dorn! All about vetting out each persons skills, and practical forte'- why we are here.
I agree with your points, but in the same sense, as we lay groundwork in this community- we realize many folks have varying talent.
On that point- in the old days we would have gone to the nearest "blacksmith"/ Machine shop / Ferrier, buddy-with-a-better-shop when we couldn't keep it simple with our own basic set of tools. That doesn't mean "make it vs. buy it", it just means working smart, and not investing a gazzillion bucks on a full-on metal shop, when it isn't necessary on an average farm workday. Some other guy/gal might have other talent/equipment.
I mean really, how many practical farmers need an endmill -to the extend of that equipment investment, but more importantly, the time it takes to learn the nuances of milling a new part from stock. Sure, alot of my parts are metal, but no way does it consume that much of my workload- if made correctly, a metal part shouldn't keep me in my metalshop all day. With the equipment listed- one could service 10+ area farmers. Kinda pointless to have all this stuff on every farm, no? I spend much more time worrying about crop/animal health, USDA regs, water pumps, harvest distro, etc.
So, I kinda have to go back on my earlier statement: Any "Farm Hack" realist will understand that Water management is incredibly more important to start "Wikiing" over your $50,000 metalshop wishlist.
Again, just my 2 cents/ input/ personal experience
Submitted by vinflictor on Fri, 09/14/2012 - 11:26am
I'm a little confused. ( i usually am). But this list looks more like dremers list for a "Metal Shop". When looking at MY shop/setup, this list merely covers the "metal" side, and is used partially compared to all the other "fix-it" methods in my routine.
Without going too crazy with my own list- here are things I think are essential, and missing from this list:
soldering iron? (lots of electrical connections/ electronics in most items these days)
Backup electrical hack kits like Transistors/Resistors/Caps, wire leads, limit switches, multimeter (more than one) are all essential.
Plumbing parts? Come on! Farms rely on WATER, and plumbing tools/repair supplies are crucial. Backup pumps, piping, hoses, irrigation connectors, Pvc bits, impellers, self-adhering super tape, etc. This is MUCH more important than metalshop equipment IMO, Water management is everything.
Wood! shoring something up with 2x4's or sheets of ply are always used in numerous ways.
I use my miter saw 10x more than any welder. .. and I love to have an excuse to weld. Table saw? oh yeah.
I have a flashlight and a 4-in-1 screwdriver in every place i work, car, tractor, etc. Multi-tool and a blade are always in my pocket.
Breaker bar- gotta have it. Wrenches- good ones, SAE and Metric. Mini- tweaker screwdriver sets, cuz manufacturers are making screws smaller and cheaper. Sledges and impact hammers, soft and hard. Files, rat-tails, rasps - I use all the time, You wont find me trimming a small 1 minute job on a mill when i can just file it down. Speedy stitcher- Yes, the leather/canvas repair stitcher, cuz not everything is made of metal- great tool, will last forever.
Small butane torches- why lug a big Victor out when you need to loosen a bolt?
Ranger Bands- these are just old inner-tubes chopped into bands of rubber. Crazy useful for everything from cord management to wrapping up a stray wire/tube/pipe. also work as mini clamps.
Measuring and layout tools- this is a list in itself, and certainly more important than much of the gear on the above list. If you cant make a straight line, you aren't ready for TIG welding. incremental tools, straight edges, compasses, protractors, angle finders- learn this before you go out and drop cash on an English Wheel!
Air tools? Tire repair kit?
First Aid/ Trauma pack? I know you have some safety gear, well- you need a human mending kit too.
Jack? it's like a clamp for your car/heavy equipment. Get some.
Arbor press, rivet setter, hex wrenches, bailing wire, fence wrench, lineman's pliers, duct tape, pipe clamps, heavy tarpaulins- all MUCH more essential than the welder's dream rig listed above.
on the metalwork side- i think your list is great, but overwhelmingly complicated. Do you really need all of this stuff or could you be more resourceful? the website is farmHACK right? Much can be done with less, and you don't always need a bridgeport and 3 different welding methods at the ready.
Oh and you forgot about marking fluid. if you are in a metalshop, you'll no doubt need some of the blue stuff.
Not trying to be critical, but it seems this is quite heavy on metalworking. Many of the best "farm hackers" i have known don't have half this stuff. My grandfather, and yours too probably, did most metalwork with a Victor torch, a vice and a hammer, not much else. And when the irrigation pump starts to smoke, you're gonna need a different set of tools to diagnose the problem.
the Blacksmiths creed is there, this list isn't living up to it.
Thanks Dorn! All about vetting out each persons skills, and practical forte'- why we are here. I agree with your points, but in the same sense, as we lay groundwork in this community- we realize many folks have varying talent. On that point- in the old days we would have gone to the nearest "blacksmith"/ Machine shop / Ferrier, buddy-with-a-better-shop when we couldn't keep it simple with our own basic set of tools. That doesn't mean "make it vs. buy it", it just means working smart, and not investing a gazzillion bucks on a full-on metal shop, when it isn't necessary on an average farm workday. Some other guy/gal might have other talent/equipment. I mean really, how many practical farmers need an endmill -to the extend of that equipment investment, but more importantly, the time it takes to learn the nuances of milling a new part from stock. Sure, alot of my parts are metal, but no way does it consume that much of my workload- if made correctly, a metal part shouldn't keep me in my metalshop all day. With the equipment listed- one could service 10+ area farmers. Kinda pointless to have all this stuff on every farm, no? I spend much more time worrying about crop/animal health, USDA regs, water pumps, harvest distro, etc. So, I kinda have to go back on my earlier statement: Any "Farm Hack" realist will understand that Water management is incredibly more important to start "Wikiing" over your $50,000 metalshop wishlist. Again, just my 2 cents/ input/ personal experience
I'm a little confused. ( i usually am). But this list looks more like dremers list for a "Metal Shop". When looking at MY shop/setup, this list merely covers the "metal" side, and is used partially compared to all the other "fix-it" methods in my routine.
Without going too crazy with my own list- here are things I think are essential, and missing from this list: soldering iron? (lots of electrical connections/ electronics in most items these days) Backup electrical hack kits like Transistors/Resistors/Caps, wire leads, limit switches, multimeter (more than one) are all essential. Plumbing parts? Come on! Farms rely on WATER, and plumbing tools/repair supplies are crucial. Backup pumps, piping, hoses, irrigation connectors, Pvc bits, impellers, self-adhering super tape, etc. This is MUCH more important than metalshop equipment IMO, Water management is everything.
Wood! shoring something up with 2x4's or sheets of ply are always used in numerous ways. I use my miter saw 10x more than any welder. .. and I love to have an excuse to weld. Table saw? oh yeah.
I have a flashlight and a 4-in-1 screwdriver in every place i work, car, tractor, etc. Multi-tool and a blade are always in my pocket. Breaker bar- gotta have it. Wrenches- good ones, SAE and Metric. Mini- tweaker screwdriver sets, cuz manufacturers are making screws smaller and cheaper. Sledges and impact hammers, soft and hard. Files, rat-tails, rasps - I use all the time, You wont find me trimming a small 1 minute job on a mill when i can just file it down. Speedy stitcher- Yes, the leather/canvas repair stitcher, cuz not everything is made of metal- great tool, will last forever. Small butane torches- why lug a big Victor out when you need to loosen a bolt? Ranger Bands- these are just old inner-tubes chopped into bands of rubber. Crazy useful for everything from cord management to wrapping up a stray wire/tube/pipe. also work as mini clamps. Measuring and layout tools- this is a list in itself, and certainly more important than much of the gear on the above list. If you cant make a straight line, you aren't ready for TIG welding. incremental tools, straight edges, compasses, protractors, angle finders- learn this before you go out and drop cash on an English Wheel! Air tools? Tire repair kit? First Aid/ Trauma pack? I know you have some safety gear, well- you need a human mending kit too. Jack? it's like a clamp for your car/heavy equipment. Get some. Arbor press, rivet setter, hex wrenches, bailing wire, fence wrench, lineman's pliers, duct tape, pipe clamps, heavy tarpaulins- all MUCH more essential than the welder's dream rig listed above.
on the metalwork side- i think your list is great, but overwhelmingly complicated. Do you really need all of this stuff or could you be more resourceful? the website is farmHACK right? Much can be done with less, and you don't always need a bridgeport and 3 different welding methods at the ready. Oh and you forgot about marking fluid. if you are in a metalshop, you'll no doubt need some of the blue stuff.
Not trying to be critical, but it seems this is quite heavy on metalworking. Many of the best "farm hackers" i have known don't have half this stuff. My grandfather, and yours too probably, did most metalwork with a Victor torch, a vice and a hammer, not much else. And when the irrigation pump starts to smoke, you're gonna need a different set of tools to diagnose the problem. the Blacksmiths creed is there, this list isn't living up to it.