New project

[Rocky D]

I have been needing a mantle for my fire place for years. I had a carpenter take sime measurements once, but I never heard from him again...sooooo, after looking at what Royal Fe has built, I got the idea to build one....yep, you guessed it....out of rebar! I went to the local scrap yard and picked up, with some difficulty, some 1 1/2" or # 12 rebar and some 1/4" plate for $65. I'll post pictures as I go...I'm also testing my skill, using my HH90, the first Handler in the black plastic suitcase. .035, E71T-11 fluxcore.

Here's the print.

[Rocky D]

Here's a root pass

[Rocky D]

...and three passes later...

[Rocky D]

Top shelf setup to receive legs.

[Rocky D]

A little different shot of setup. Good ol' cinder block for a right angle.

[BillC]

Hey Rocky,

Nice project. I am amazed that you can achieve penetrating welds on 1-1/2" rebar with a 90 amp MIG welder, even with flux core. Did you preheat the joints first?

Thanks and keep the pictures of the project coming!

[Mowjunk]

Rocky D, you'll be able to do some fabricating on your mantle when you are done. It looks like it will be heavy duty.

But I didn't think that it gets cold enough in CA for a fireplace. I never did well in geography, either. Keep the pictures coming so we can see how it progresses.

[jniolon]

nice project Rocky..

keep the pictures coming.. it looks like an interesting Mantle.

Like your little welder...it's just like mine. Does a great job for a 120 volt box... but I'm looking for something with a little more heat... trying to line up a deal on a Millermatic 200.. for the bigger stuff... got to find a gun for it though... you haven't got a used 200 amp gun/lead lying around do you ???

john :D

[Dan]

Originally posted by jniolon
nice project Rocky..

keep the pictures coming.. it looks like an interesting Mantle.

Like your little welder...it's just like mine. Does a great job for a 120 volt box... but I'm looking for something with a little more heat... trying to line up a deal on a Millermatic 200.. for the bigger stuff... got to find a gun for it though... you haven't got a used 200 amp gun/lead lying around do you ???

john :D

John,

You can find the gun that your looking for at this site:WWW.Welding-direct.com (http://WWW.Welding-direct.com)

[Dan]

Rocky, Rocky, Rocky, man you let a perfect opportunity for a new toy get away. ;) Just think, a new Syncrowave 180 or MM 210 or 251 sure would have looked good setting in your garage. Personally, I make it a habit of taking advantage of such opportunities:D .

On a more serious note though, I enjoy looking at pictures of the step by step construction procedure of a project way more than looking at a picture of the completed project. So, please keep feeding us some of these pictures as you proceed.

Looks like your having some fun on your vacation. Must be nice to be able to weld on a project outside in November with out having to suffer in somewhat cold weather. Up north of you here in the great pacific northwest we have clear skys but the temperature is only in the lower 50's to upper 40's during the day and in the mid 30's during the evening. Looks like Ill be heading to my Dad's to work on a couple of new projects that I need to complete. One is for my wives horses, and the other is a rack for holding my sons little tubs that he stores his small toys in. I should have known that the cheap plastic rack that came with the tubs wouldn t hold up against my son.

Wife wants me to help her so I got to go.
Dan

[jniolon]

Dan

thanks for the lead on the mig gun... they're easily 50-60 bucks cheaper than my "buddy" price thru AirGas... if the welder works out I'll be ordering from them...

john :D

[Rocky D]

Originally posted by BillC
Hey Rocky,

Nice project. I am amazed that you can achieve penetrating welds on 1-1/2" rebar with a 90 amp MIG welder, even with flux core. Did you preheat the joints first?

Thanks and keep the pictures of the project coming!

No preheat, but I purposly didn't cope the bars, which gave me a nice "V" groove to fill up with three passes. It's not structural, only ornimental, so I'm not concerned about the strength of the welds. There will be enough strength, for what it is, as I add more to it.

I had a machine breakdown, yesterday....I ran out of wire, and when I went to re-insert the new wire, the liner was wore out, so I changed to a new liner. To do this I unplugged the trigger leads inside the machine, so I could take the torch off to insert the new liner...but plugging the trigger leads back into the spade connectors, I pushd one of the spades though, and into the machine where I couldn't get at it! Sooo, I ended up taking the machine apart, (and this is the reason that Miller never made any more of the plastic suitcase models, is that you have to remove EVERY last screw and bolt out of the machine to work on it! )

I spent at least 6 hours on it, but I was finally able to fix that problem and a couple more, so now I'm back to square one and ready to go.

One reason could be that I changed from Hobart wire, to (gasp!) Lincoln wire. My little Hobart Handler wasn't having it. That Lincoln wire is extremely brittle, not like Hobart...It sucks! I have always been an advocate of Hobart wire, and this has confirmed it, once again!

I'll be doing more on this monster tomorrow, so stay tuned...

[Rocky D]

Here's a shot ot the shelf setup

[Rocky D]

A little closer from the other side

[Rocky D]

...and the other end

[Rocky D]

...and a different angle...I found that the wire brush cup worked well on this job

[Rocky D]

The finished product before paintiing

[Rocky D]

The finished product after painting...I took Royal Fe's suggestion and painted it clear coat for the rebar, and black for the shelves.

There's only one more, picture to be shown...when it is in place.

Thank's Duke for the inspiration!! Who says you can't teach an old dog, new tricks!:D

[Rocky D]

Final Picture...man, that beast must weigh 300 pounds!

[GWOL]

Very nice project Rocky! Only question I have is how often do you actually use that fireplace in SanDiago????

[Bob]

Rocky,

Nice sturdy mantle.

"Final Picture...man, that beast must weigh 300 pounds!"

Somehow I thought the 1/4 plate would cover the sides and top ... maybe for a different fireplace design. Perhaps absorb heat from the fire to release it slowly later on. Anyway, kinda worried the weight would make it a "boat in the basement" with all the 1/4 plate I thought was planned.

In the final picture a little worried about the weight so close to the ends of the support for those top tiles on the hearth. A little shifting and a small quake (we average about 200 per week counting the small ones) could snap those tiles.

Great Weldor On Line (GWOL),

About 100 miles north (colder??) than San Diego.
It was in the 80's yesterday where I am, Some drizzle today but still 70's. I burn with a screen for the radiant heat in Jan/Feb ... and to use up left over wood (suburban tree logs and wood scraps). Almost none of the fireplaces here have head recovery vents in the masonrey.

Bob

[Dan]

Rocky,

I gotta know. What is the clock setting on? Must admit that I thought you were going to lay the 1/4" plate across the rebars on top. But thats what I like about the step by step pictures. They add a litttle suspense to the veiwing of the project. I like the look of the finished project, but I could never have that in my house. Reason being, because to my son it would look way to much like a peice of play ground equipment with those shelves going up the sides.

Also, for the fun of it I looked up the approximate weights. Didn t have rebar, but 1 1/2" solid round is close enough.

1 1/2" solid rd.- 1/2 lb per inch or 6 lbs per ft.

1/4" plate - .07 lbs per sq inch or 10.12 lbs per sq ft

[Rocky D]

Originally posted by Dan
Rocky,

I gotta know. What is the clock setting on? Must admit that I thought you were going to lay the 1/4" plate across the rebars on top. But thats what I like about the step by step pictures. They add a litttle suspense to the veiwing of the project. I like the look of the finished project, but I could never have that in my house. Reason being, because to my son it would look way to much like a peice of play ground equipment with those shelves going up the sides.

Also, for the fun of it I looked up the approximate weights. Didn t have rebar, but 1 1/2" solid round is close enough.

1 1/2" solid rd.- 1/2 lb per inch or 6 lbs per ft.

1/4" plate - .07 lbs per sq inch or 10.12 lbs per sq ft

My figures bring it up to 188# with your formulae...it must've been the paint that makes it 300#:D

On the top I plan to put a sheet of 1/2" Lexan on the top...I thought of glass, but Bob reminded me of the earthquakes:eek:

For the picture, I had the clock setting on a piece of expanded metal:)

[Roger]

Looks great and original.

Could use as work platform when plastering ceiling. :)

[Dan]

Originally posted by Rocky D


My figures bring it up to 188# with your formulae...it must've been the paint that makes it 300#:D

On the top I plan to put a sheet of 1/2" Lexan on the top...I thought of glass, but Bob reminded me of the earthquakes:eek:

For the picture, I had the clock setting on a piece of expanded metal:)

112 lbs of paint ;)? thats gotta be some dense stuff:). What brand is it? I sure don t want any of it.:)

I like the idea of the Lexan top that should make it look pretty cool :cool:. Are you going to use clear or a smoke color. The wife likes the smoke color so in my house its always the smoke.

To be honest with you, once I saw that the 1/4" plate wasn t on top I was thinking glass, then again in the 34 yrs of my life, we have only ever had one earth quake in this area that I have ever felt. That one was only a 5.4 at that, but it scared the ****ens out of me because I was asleep at the time. Nothing like being awoken by a loud rumbling sound, and the entire room shaking.

[Bob]

Here is a quake site to keep you awake at night. This is one weeks worth.

http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/

[Rocky D]

Originally posted by Bob
Here is a quake site to keep you awake at night. This is one weeks worth.

http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/

Cool site, Bob...I hope I don't have to check it out too often:D

Of course, if one happens, I think I would know about it before they could get it on the internet! :D

[Royal Fe]

BEHOLD! The power of Rebar. That is too cool, that bad boy will last through any quake and just think some archeologist will find that thing someday and call it a religious artifact and say it was used for human sacrifice! What a treasure.

Did you use any support under the shelves? Might steel your idea for my water fall in the garden. I can't do the step by step thing with that because my wife says that archeologist will be digging before it gets done. The real reason is my digital camera has become the latest causality of my sons war on nice things so I'll post some pictures when I get another. Yes It'll be heavy and include Rebar! Have fun with that cheap stuff!

[Rocky D]

Originally posted by Royal Fe
BEHOLD! The power of Rebar. That is too cool, that bad boy will last through any quake and just think some archeologist will find that thing someday and call it a religious artifact and say it was used for human sacrifice! What a treasure.

Did you use any support under the shelves? Might steel your idea for my water fall in the garden. I can't do the step by step thing with that because my wife says that archeologist will be digging before it gets done. The real reason is my digital camera has become the latest causality of my sons war on nice things so I'll post some pictures when I get another. Yes It'll be heavy and include Rebar! Have fun with that cheap stuff!

Human sacrifice....yeah....me! My back hurt for two days after moving that monster in place! Any way, it was fun to build. Thanks, Duke, for the inspiration...who ever would have thought that rebar could be ornamental! :D

No, I didn't any use undershelf support...I coped the shelves in, to get more weld on them, and welded all around. I would have liked to have added some scrolls to it, but I haven't ventured into scroll bending as yet. Maybe someone could post some pictures on how to do it. :confused:

[Rocky D]

Now is it truly finished! I added the top, made of Acrylic 1/2" thick.

That piece of 2' x 8' x 1/2" cost $190, which is the most expensive part, but it sure makes it look nice. 3/4" would have cost me $300 ! Glass would have been cheaper, but we are over due for the "Big One" out here in earthquake country, so I chose plastic. :D

[Al T.]

Very cool looking mantel Rocky D. Who says art can't be functional!

[jimcaf]

Hey Rock,,,outstanding job,,that rebarb is so big it hard to tell it is.the shelfs add a nice touch to!!
Jim