What would be the necessities for doing basic hot rod stuff like making brackets and that sort of thing? No body work. I've thought of arc welder, oxy acetylene torch, bench grinder, drill press, vice and assorted hand tools. I have no experience with this sort of thing and I'd like to be able to calculate my expenses before diving in.
You have a vise ,torches and I take it a hammer! That's enough to make brackets ! You could get a plasma cutter and a grinder if you want to make more intricate brackets, gussets, what ever!!
It just depends on what you want to end up doing. If your learning how to weld a Mig is probably the easiest to learn how to use. HRP
With no experience I would start with what you have listed but replace the bench grinder with a good 4 inch angle grinder. Than as my experience grows, I would add a bench belt sander, drill press with bits, tap and die set, air compressor w/ assorted tools (die grinders),and than a plasma cutter. After more advancement with those move onto a metal brake, bead rollers and hand formers. The list can go on for ever
Speaking from experience,it has taken me a lifetime to accumulate some of the equipment,I have added new tools and equipment over the years. HRP
Where do you stop, large CFM compressor for plasma and air tools (grinder, cut off wheel), drill press. Hammer forms, pipes of various diameters or solid bars, vice, sturdy bench, RHS steel, flat bars. Various vice grips, hammers, dollies and clamps. You can use lots of off cuts to hold and shape metal. Bench grinder with belt sander. List is endless however basics can vary.
Vise, hacksaw, hammer, a few files, and an electric drill will get you most of the way there....the rest just speeds things up.
we used one of those when I was a kid, we didn't have electricity for a year when my dad built a new house. I still use a hacksaw and a file often, but never a manual drill.
For years and years and thousands of pieces in the finished pile. A good tape measure A combination square Thin line soapston Scribe Center punch Hammer ( usually a small one &a big one ) A 1/2 hand drill Good drill bit index 2 handfuls of clamps Pencil, compass, scissors, hole punches for patterns. 4" grinder 7" grinder Cutting torch Welding machine. Damn good level Saw horses A plate for a table Assortment of structural steel drops. In that time I saw nothing that I couldn't make. Now I have more and it does make it easier but I don't need it. A vise is nice but clamping to a beam works the same. Also worked at places with polished granite layout tables and all sorts of toys. Been in the field and had nothing but a 4" grinder and a drill too.
Right now I am in a project where I am using steel 1/8 to 1/2 thick square tubing from 2" to 4" and hydraulic cylinders are involved so some stock to make pins. I have a metal cutting band saw, MIG and stick welders, (stick is for 3/8 and 1/2) a plasma cutter, an oxy-propane torch 4 1/2" grinder, drill press with full compliment of drills, counter sinks, and hole saws. (I buy hole saws as I need them) hammers, chisels and punches and a belt sander. I could get away without the belt sander, one of the welders (if I limit my metal thickness) either the plasma cutter or the torch, and if I was younger, the band saw. Hacksaws are slow, but they will get the job done cheap. What I've tried to do over the years is choose projects I could do with what I had, or buy the tool that will make the job doable as long as I can afford it, or it is cheaper than hiring the job done.
Amen to that. I'm 67 and just in the past 5 years have collected most of the "metal working tools I have. I agree with who ever said forget the bench grinder and get a 4-1/2 inch angle grinder. Better yet get three of the ones Harbor Freight has on sale right now an put a cut off disk in one, flap wheel in the second and cup brush on the third and for around 60 bucks you don't have to stop and swap back and forth between one thing and the other. I've got a bench grinder on the other leg of the post that holds my vise. I use the wire brush on it all the time but seldom use the grinder. I picked up a used horizontal band saw a couple of years ago and it gets used on almost every metal fabricating project. The 14 inch chop saw hides under the bench and is headed to the back shed pretty soon. It makes too much of a mess in the shop and hardens the end of the metal it cuts. The drill press I got about six years ago that sits beside it gets used on almost all projects. You don't need a fancy one but they sure make drilling straight holes exactly where you want them in a piece of metal you are fabbing something out of a lot easier. The 6 inch wide Craftsman belt sander with 9 inch disk sander on it that I got for 40.00 from someone selling her dads tools off after he passed away gets used on almost all projects too. I buy every genuine Black and Decker Workmate (heavy duty with the folding base legs) that I find at yard sales if the price is right. They hold stuff you are working on without a complaint and serve as mobile work stands in the shop and outside. The tops of them do burn if you weld too much too close to them though. Still, it's buy what you need as you need it or buy things that you find a great deal on that you can use a lot if you have them. Watch yard sales, estate sales and flea markets for hand tools for metal working.
Whatever tool you buy always buy quality. It only costs more the first time. I have a nice workshop with a lot of tools and equipment I have bought and I still have most of the hand tools I bought back in the '60s. Take care of them and don't loan them to anybody that you can't kick their ass if they don't return them.
Tools you could write a book about! You start with simple hand tools, then onto power, air compressor and air tools, and on and on. Besides the basic hand tools, a drill and a grinder, I would really recommend getting an oxy-acetylene outfit, instead of a MIG or Plasma. Much more versatile. Cuts, heats to bend, or break loose frozen fasteners. Welds steel, stainless, and aluminum, with some education and practice. Solders, brazes, and do lead work. It takes a bit more skill to master it, but when you do, the others (MIG and TIG) come easy!
COMMUNITY COLLEGE. find your nearest community college that has a welding class. seriously worth so much more than the minimal fee it costs. you'll gain access and hands on use with welding/cutting equipment. my "bare minimum" list: bench vice (look around at yard sales) harbor freight 4" angle grinder (i gave up on nice ones... these last a year and are disposable) hammer(s) (more yard sales) tape measures. a bunch of them, because they have legs and walk away. square. machinist square, carpenters square, slide square... whatever. good hack saw (seriously, a good hand hack saw is useful and cheap) sawzall (yard sales, pawn shops, etc) corded 1/2" drill drill bits (can start cheap with harbor freight, then grab all you can find at yard sales) files. not everyone is a fan of files, but i am. they get a *lot* of use in my garage. from there, accumulate. i'm really a big fan of yard/garage sales, as noted above. my opinion is usually old tools are better than new (with the exception of cordless; that's come a long way). i have an arc welder, but haven't used it in 10 years. oxy acetylene and MIG are my go-tos for most everything. i'll very occasionally drag out the TIG. i've got a plasma cutter that gets occasional use, too... but honestly not that much now that i'm just doing stuff for my own builds at home. i do have a couple drill presses, hydraulic press, lathe and other stuff... but honestly can do most build stuff with a minimal amount of tools/equipment.
not sure why anyone would recommend a Harbor Fright grinder. my 18 year old Milwaukee just stopped working a few months back. I've cut and ground so much stuff that the drain on my washing machine clogged up with rusty metal shavings and flooded the garage a few years back. I took it apart and it looks like the brushes are worn out, I looked online and saw they sell new ones... haven't got around to fixing it yet since I have 3 other grinders to use until then.
it could be broken down to simple tools the common hand tools(screw drivers hammers ect) a hack saw a angle grinder and id go for both a Lincoln tombstone(can be had cheap and works on thicker steel and a cheap mig(mig/gas not flux core). if you are going to go with a steel body you most likely will need to do sheet metal work so some hammers and dolly's would be something to have. if you want to go on a budget harbor freight(princess auto for us canucks) and upgrade when you can
4.5" grinder, hammer, vise grips, metal top work bench or surface, and a welder of some sort... you can make a lot of things with just those few tools. form brackets over the edge of the bench with your hammer and vise grips. if you learn to make stuff with those tools when you can get better tools it just makes it faster. i know its not much but with those few tools a made all the bracing for the cab of my rpu and supports for the quarters and cowl post. hammer flattened chisel to make the cowl post supports cut with 4.5" grinder and bent the square tubing by placing on jack stands and hitting down on it with a old sledge hammer i like to think that sometimes expensive tools are just that....... expensive tools
Like many here, took me a lifetime to collect tools, the better tools you have, sometimes the better work you'll turn out. Sometimes not, creativity is your biggest asset, I have a fir tree outside my shop door that bends metal real nice, a few whaps across it with some tubing will bend the tubing satisfactorily, old hammers with broken handles make good anvils to bend shapes, build a good solid bench to work off, you'll be glad you did. Visit other guys garages as you get to know them, see what they do, most serious backyard guys get by with what they have, and WON'T lend tools. Don't lend yours either, good luck and get busy.
First and foremost a right and left hand that can communicate with the brain. From there on cuss words, band aids and all the above mentioned.
Everytime you see a piece of metal tubing, flatstock or tubing, save it. All the tools in the world aren`t much good unless you have metal to work with. .Alot of times, the stock you have laying around will help in knowing what you need to build a bracket and how to go about it.
Personally, I've had good luck with Harbor Freight air tools. I don't know anything about their electric tools and their sockets, wrenches, etc are a let down. I think if you are selective about what you buy there you can come out money ahead. I look at it like this; I think I gave $14 for my Harbor Freight 6" DA(on sale). I've sanded with it ALOT and it's still going strong. Now if I buy three of those in my life I'm in it for $42(I'll grant you that doesn't account for price changes). That still beats $70 for a CP or $150 for a National Detroit.
^I have several sets of HF sockets and I'm perfectly happy with them. I haven't tried their ratchets, but the sockets are fine. I have an electric impact from HF. Cost $50. I use it now and then and I've had no problems. It is bulky and heavy though.
A decent set of hammer's and dollies, a 4" grinder, an o/a torch(for welding thin stuff) and a cheap wire feed welder will get anything done, including building a show car out of raw sheet metal but it takes practice
I hear you, but all DA s are not created equal. Just like anything in life though-there's decisions. Some times its just not worth buying cheap stuff and some times there's no need to buy anything but the cheapest stuff you can find.
My #1 tool for making brackets and suspension mounts is my vertical bandsaw. Then just add a drill press, belt sander (or cheap 4 1/2 inch side grinder with a flap wheel), and a mig welder. You can convert a less expensive wood cutting bandsaw to a metal cutting saw by slowing it down with a gear reduction box and changing the blade. I bend my brackets with a simple fixture made with angle iron in my arbor press. I made the batwing, motor mounts and hairpin mounts with these tools.
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