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Posted by James \"Cubby\" Culbertson on July 16, 2007, 2:10 am
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Hiya Folks,
Long time lurker in the process of teaching myself how to weld. I'm using
a Millermatic 175 and have made a few items around the house with success so
ready for the next project. I'm sticking to things that if they break, no
one dies! So, I'm looking to build stands to hold some rain barrels up off
the ground about 18". These barrels have a 200 gallon capacity so they
could get quite heavy should they ever be full (roughly 1600 lbs if my
memory serves correctly that water weighs in around 8lbs/gal). They are
made of plastic. I'm thinking of a few designs but was hoping for some
expert help from the group to dial it in. I was considering making an
octagonal shape support using square or rectangular tubing (14 ga?) and then
putting anywhere from 4-8 legs on the thing. I was also considering using
angle iron vs. the tube. I so far have way over-engineered everything I've
built so far so was hoping for some feedback in whether you think my plan is
sound or I should be looking at something different altogether. Thanks
very much for helping the Noob out!
Cheers,
cc
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Posted by Ernie Leimkuhler on July 16, 2007, 2:37 am
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> Hiya Folks,
> Long time lurker in the process of teaching myself how to weld. I'm using
> a Millermatic 175 and have made a few items around the house with success so
> ready for the next project. I'm sticking to things that if they break, no
> one dies! So, I'm looking to build stands to hold some rain barrels up off
> the ground about 18". These barrels have a 200 gallon capacity so they
> could get quite heavy should they ever be full (roughly 1600 lbs if my
> memory serves correctly that water weighs in around 8lbs/gal). They are
> made of plastic. I'm thinking of a few designs but was hoping for some
> expert help from the group to dial it in. I was considering making an
> octagonal shape support using square or rectangular tubing (14 ga?) and then
> putting anywhere from 4-8 legs on the thing. I was also considering using
> angle iron vs. the tube. I so far have way over-engineered everything I've
> built so far so was hoping for some feedback in whether you think my plan is
> sound or I should be looking at something different altogether. Thanks
> very much for helping the Noob out!
> Cheers,
> cc
>
I recommend using black iron pipe.
It is by far the cheapest tube you can get and has a heavier wall than
the tubing you are thinking of using.
It welds just fine, and can be bent for corners using a cheap Harbor
Freight pipe bender ($80).
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Posted by Grant Erwin on July 16, 2007, 12:21 pm
Please log in for more thread options James "Cubby" Culbertson wrote:
> Hiya Folks,
> Long time lurker in the process of teaching myself how to weld. I'm using
> a Millermatic 175 and have made a few items around the house with success so
> ready for the next project. I'm sticking to things that if they break, no
> one dies! So, I'm looking to build stands to hold some rain barrels up off
> the ground about 18". These barrels have a 200 gallon capacity so they
> could get quite heavy should they ever be full (roughly 1600 lbs if my
> memory serves correctly that water weighs in around 8lbs/gal). They are
> made of plastic. I'm thinking of a few designs but was hoping for some
> expert help from the group to dial it in. I was considering making an
> octagonal shape support using square or rectangular tubing (14 ga?) and then
> putting anywhere from 4-8 legs on the thing. I was also considering using
> angle iron vs. the tube. I so far have way over-engineered everything I've
> built so far so was hoping for some feedback in whether you think my plan is
> sound or I should be looking at something different altogether. Thanks
> very much for helping the Noob out!
If this rack will be freestanding, you have to think of how to keep the legs
from sinking into the ground under the weight.
I'm assuming your rain barrels will be vertically oriented, right?
If I were you, I'd make a square frame from angle iron, then put some cheap
plywood in the frame as a floor and put your barrels on the plywood. I don't see
that you get very much for trying to approximate the rounded shape of the
barrel. Making rectangular frames is a real good basic skill in learning to work
with distortion - see if you can keep the frame square to within 1/16" over 2',
and don't forget to leave yourself about 1/8" extra room around the barrel
(don't ask how I learned that!) :-)
To make a really great finishing touch, you could consider taking the whole
weldment, cleaned as good as you can get it, to your local hot-dip galvanizing
shop and getting it galvanized. Should cost you about $75, but then it won't
rust for many years.
Grant
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Posted by James \"Cubby\" Culbertson on July 16, 2007, 3:00 pm
Please log in for more thread options
> If this rack will be freestanding, you have to think of how to keep the
> legs from sinking into the ground under the weight.
>
> I'm assuming your rain barrels will be vertically oriented, right?
>
> If I were you, I'd make a square frame from angle iron, then put some
> cheap plywood in the frame as a floor and put your barrels on the plywood.
> I don't see that you get very much for trying to approximate the rounded
> shape of the barrel. Making rectangular frames is a real good basic skill
> in learning to work with distortion - see if you can keep the frame square
> to within 1/16" over 2', and don't forget to leave yourself about 1/8"
> extra room around the barrel (don't ask how I learned that!) :-)
>
> To make a really great finishing touch, you could consider taking the
> whole weldment, cleaned as good as you can get it, to your local hot-dip
> galvanizing shop and getting it galvanized. Should cost you about $75, but
> then it won't rust for many years.
>
> Grant
Thanks Grant. I plan to put down pavers underneath whatever I build so I
don't anticipate the legs sinking into the ground.
I will take the advice on just making the frame square seriously. Surely
easier than trying to make an octagon! What sort of
gauge/size of angle would you recomment? Thanks much!
cc
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Posted by Grant Erwin on July 16, 2007, 4:31 pm
Please log in for more thread options James "Cubby" Culbertson wrote:
>
>>If this rack will be freestanding, you have to think of how to keep the
>>legs from sinking into the ground under the weight.
>>
>>I'm assuming your rain barrels will be vertically oriented, right?
>>
>>If I were you, I'd make a square frame from angle iron, then put some
>>cheap plywood in the frame as a floor and put your barrels on the plywood.
>>I don't see that you get very much for trying to approximate the rounded
>>shape of the barrel. Making rectangular frames is a real good basic skill
>>in learning to work with distortion - see if you can keep the frame square
>>to within 1/16" over 2', and don't forget to leave yourself about 1/8"
>>extra room around the barrel (don't ask how I learned that!) :-)
>>
>>To make a really great finishing touch, you could consider taking the
>>whole weldment, cleaned as good as you can get it, to your local hot-dip
>>galvanizing shop and getting it galvanized. Should cost you about $75, but
>>then it won't rust for many years.
>>
>>Grant
>
>
> Thanks Grant. I plan to put down pavers underneath whatever I build so I
> don't anticipate the legs sinking into the ground.
> I will take the advice on just making the frame square seriously. Surely
> easier than trying to make an octagon! What sort of
> gauge/size of angle would you recomment? Thanks much!
> cc
>
>
I am a former shipbuilder, so generally build things too heavy. I'd probably use
either 1-1/2 or 2" angle, probably 3/16" thick, if I had to buy new steel. You
could easily make this rack from old bed frame steel or in some other way use
scrap steel. Actually, how to obtain metal is entirely another topic, and it's
locality-specific information. My town doesn't have much of a scrap metal
selling market, so I tend to buy new.
Grant
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> Long time lurker in the process of teaching myself how to weld. I'm using
> a Millermatic 175 and have made a few items around the house with success so
> ready for the next project. I'm sticking to things that if they break, no
> one dies! So, I'm looking to build stands to hold some rain barrels up off
> the ground about 18". These barrels have a 200 gallon capacity so they
> could get quite heavy should they ever be full (roughly 1600 lbs if my
> memory serves correctly that water weighs in around 8lbs/gal). They are
> made of plastic. I'm thinking of a few designs but was hoping for some
> expert help from the group to dial it in. I was considering making an
> octagonal shape support using square or rectangular tubing (14 ga?) and then
> putting anywhere from 4-8 legs on the thing. I was also considering using
> angle iron vs. the tube. I so far have way over-engineered everything I've
> built so far so was hoping for some feedback in whether you think my plan is
> sound or I should be looking at something different altogether. Thanks
> very much for helping the Noob out!
> Cheers,
> cc
>