Where would I find?

[GPster]

Does anyone have an idea of a site that I can go to for standard sizes and measurements for standard metal objects. Now that I've got that out let me try to explain. The other day Enjenjo explained that for his steering column project he used a piece of 2"EMT conduit that was measured I.D. That is only one instance of what I'm looking for. How about the O.D. and wall thinkness. What about the dimensions for 1/2", 3/4" 1" and 1 1/2" and is there a 1 1/4"? Black iron pipe has an entirely different scheme as it seems to have a standard O.D. per size but that O.D. is nowhere near what they call the size of the pipe. The pipe size seems to be more I.D. inspired but it also figures in the schedule of the pipe with the heavier wall the pipe is the closer to the I.D. of what that pipe is called. Also where can I find standard sizes of flat iron strap and rectangular tubing. I can go to Loews with a tape measure and get some of this but there's not much chance that they will have Schedule 80 or 120 and when I got on the computor to find a close supplier for rectangular tubing it was suggesting places in Pittsburg. I have hit a wall with the exhaust for the V6 in the Jeepster and it looks like I'm going to end up with a home made set of "T" bucket style headers. I've done this before with EMT and strap iron and a hole saw but now I can't think anything through and I could use some dimensions to at least get me started. GPster

[enjenjo]

Go here Joe.   http://www.mcmaster.com/  Find the product you are interested in, and there is usually a tech sheet giving engineering dimensions.

Also  http://www.allmetalsinc.com/index.html  Has many flats and structural shapes listed by size, and thickness.

This will be a start.

[Dave]

Yup thems good sites for info. the only other thing would be if you could find an old alro metals book or anyone that deals in metal. The list all the sizes and grades in thier books.
Dave

[Bob Paulin]

I find two publications to be general, all-around, go-to lifesavers in my shop....

First is the standard "Machinery's Handbook".

This is a thick metal-working reference book that any self-respecting machinist would not be caught without.

They run around $60- $70 new, but you can often find them in used book stores for much less. I've seen them selling for $6 to $35 used.

They have a lot of different tables and formulas about metal in general including trig formulas that help me to bend tubing so it fits on  the first try.

Also, an old-time machinest suggested I find some older copies since they have the older, pre-cnc  machining processes outlined and explained along with more math. I, of course, have an older lathe and benchtop milling machine sans computer.

Current edition is Number 27. I have a Number 25 from a few years ago along with a Number 15 from the mid-'50s.


The other book I use a lot is called "The Pocket Reference".

I picked it up for something like $12.95 at the checkout counter of a hardware store, and it is the book that they featured on "Mythbusters" as their favorite reference book.

Hope this all helps......

B.P.

[GPster]

Thanks for the help. One of the reference lists that I have used in the past is the list on the back of my drill index which listed the sizes of holes for tapping bolt threads. Most of my other sizing has been from memory of what worked. Maybe I should print out the pages of McMaster Carr so then I'l know where to go for what I think I need. When I worked at the Shell Plastics Plant I could go through the dumpster and shop at night. I made a roll bar for a "T" bucket with a  turtle deck for bracing using a powered conduit bender and it was a lot easier than bending 1 1/2" EMT with a hand bender. Because the exhaust ports on this V6 look more square than round I thought maybe some rectangular tubing to make 6" long spacers between the heads and stock manifolds might be an option.Then I'd have to make four plates instead of two and I wouldn't be using hole saw holes. When I don't have enough information at hand to weed out the bad ideas I can't dismiss them. Then they confuse me because I still don't have a solution. I've been through the WEB and Ebay for days looking at thousands of options compared to what my mind thinks I need and I found a set of manifolds off a '79 3.3 liter but they dump into the steering box on the left or the motor mount crossmember on the right. Spacing them out 6" would put the outlets out-side the frame rails but hanging cast iron on the end of tubing with bolts may not be good and it may be easier to make it all rather than make an adapter between the two. An other option today might be to see about having a professional cut and weld cast iron. If that idea seems an option than I can start looking for a mate to the selected manifold. I typed this out to remind me what I thought of before breakfast and to make sure I thaked people for their help. GPster

[Slick 50]

Do you have Excel?
I can send you more data that you want, but it's in Excel format

[GPster]

Do you have Excel?
I can send you more data that you want, but it's in Excel format

My wife just Excel erated our computor. I'll send you a PM with our personal address so you can send it that way if you want. Thanks GPster Joe

[GPster]

An other option today might be to see about having a professional cut and weld cast iron. If that idea seems an option than I can start looking for a mate to the selected manifold.  GPster

My professional said that you can't count on cast iron. It either does or doesn't. The one manifold I took him looked like it might fly but the only other one I could find that was close was from an earlier car and has smog pump fittings on it and I had to dig it out of the mud. I haven't paid for the first manifold yet but if I change it or it breaks,it's mine. If I buy the second one it's the same story and I would need to come up with two manifolds and new plug wires and a new dipstick tube arrangement so that narrowed my choices down. I made a decission.  I bought 2 pieces of 1/4" by 2" stap iron and have been busy with the drill press removing all the metal that doesn't look like header flanges. If I can't find a conduit bender to borrow/rent I can do what I want with pre-bent 90s. I'll have to start looking for clothes hangers to use for welding rod. I hope this half a page of typing makes Dave happy. GPster

[Carnut]

An other option today might be to see about having a professional cut and weld cast iron. If that idea seems an option than I can start looking for a mate to the selected manifold.  GPster

My professional said that you can't count on cast iron. It either does or doesn't. The one manifold I took him looked like it might fly but the only other one I could find that was close was from an earlier car and has smog pump fittings on it and I had to dig it out of the mud. I haven't paid for the first manifold yet but if I change it or it breaks,it's mine. If I buy the second one it's the same story and I would need to come up with two manifolds and new plug wires and a new dipstick tube arrangement so that narrowed my choices down. I made a decission.  I bought 2 pieces of 1/4" by 2" stap iron and have been busy with the drill press removing all the metal that doesn't look like header flanges. If I can't find a conduit bender to borrow/rent I can do what I want with pre-bent 90s. I'll have to start looking for clothes hangers to use for welding rod. I hope this half a page of typing makes Dave happy. GPster

Well, just be careful with the clothes hanger welding, they do come in varing grades of wire diameter, usually color coded.

Black wire hangers are the thickest dia, next comes the Gold wire hangers with medium dia and the lightest grade dia are usually a Light Blue or White hanger.

I think the Black hanger wire might be too large for welding most exhaust tubing and the Light Blue/White hangers might be too light duty, so I'd recommend using the Gold wire hangers for header tubing welding.

Course you might make use of the Black hanger wire on the tubing to flange welding.

Now, I don't yet have a speadsheet for this info, so you'll just have to save the this post for the info.

[Bob Paulin]

....I'll have to start looking for clothes hangers to use for welding rod....

When I taught school, I had a couple of students who wanted to do a lot of practice welding.

Shop budgets being what they are, I couldn't justify spending the long dollar for "real" welding rod.....and the welding instructor wasn't about to give me any more than a stick or two out of HIS budget.....especially since I taught Automotive and HE was the welding teacher.

A friend of mine worked part-time at the local Sears. He told me that the clothing that comes in on wire hangers is usually transferred to Sears hangers before it is put on display.

A couple of telephone calls, and a week later I had two boxes - the size of those tall bottle/can recycling boxes - full of wire coat hangers.

Of course, we had to do the untangling......lol!

B.P.

P.S. - And since I had way more than I needed, I shared with the other shops - Auto Body, Small Engines, etc.....all except the welding shop, of course.

[GPster]

Of course, we had to do the untangling......lol!
B.P.

Sounds like an "Extra Credit" project. Because of where they came from the would have been Craftsman rod. GPster

[enjenjo]

Of course, we had to do the untangling......lol!
B.P.

Sounds like an "Extra Credit" project. Because of where they came from the would have been Craftsman rod. GPster

   

I have been known to burn a coat hanger or two  I wouldn't weld a nuclear reactor with them, but I see no problem with using them to weld a fender.

In a welding magazine some years ago, they sent some coat hangers for analysis, and were suprized to find it was decent quality steel. Of course this was before they were all imported from China too. They did find there was more carbon in them that you would generally want.

[GPster]

They did find there was more carbon in them that you would generally want.

Maybe I should burn the paint off of them first? GPster

[kb426]

My copy of the machinests handbook is copyrighted in 1942 and has no version number. I may have to upgade.

[enjenjo]

My copy of the machinests handbook is copyrighted in 1942 and has no version number. I may have to upgade.

Must be the same edition I have. With the tools I have, it's right up to date.