In the press I had in mind the pins would be holding the load, however. The idea is that the press looks just like an H or a C press with square tubing instead of C channel. Obviously not as heavy duty, but that's the tradeoff of versatility. In a hoist configuration would be like an "A" frame hoist but two verticals and a broad tubing base. Beats unfolding the engine hoist just to move and engine on or off the stand. As a table or work surface you could use four legs or mount it to your hitch. The surface could be wood or metal, and would just have 2 1/2" square tubing pieces lying flat on the corners so that the other pieces could connect in whatever configuration works for the situation. My small drill press, vise,. grinder, and maybe a small anvil would all be mounted on their own plates with receiver sized tubing on the bottom, set up so that they can be attached to your hitch (maybe even more than one at a time, if you use the right combination of pipes, tees and ells) in whatever arrangement works, or moved to the workbench where I hope to have more than one receiver mounted. I'll have to mount the receivers actually independent of the work bench, to the wall and maybe the floor, because every time I bang on my vise the whole work bench (2x4's stoutly arranged, with countertop) rattles my mess about too much. I say hitch because folks get the idea of how it connects, but if you're thinking something, I'd really like to find out what you had in mind. Taking the load off of the pins is always a good thing. I also figure that it's a lot cheaper to jaw an idea over before spending money with the high price of steel, and less waste from getting a bunch of opinions instead of stuff I didn't think of.
"Bill Griffin" wrote in message news:crerfb$i7j$ snipped-for-privacy@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU... | I welded a piece of receiver tubing under the corner of my workbench and | then mounted my vise on a piece of 2". I leave it on the bench most of the | time, but it has been real handy to use on the truck hitch as well. If you | made other things mounted on 2" tubing the hitch pin wouldn't be taking the | load, only holding it in place. The press for instance would contain the | forces within it self, only the actual weight of the press would be on the | hitch if I'm picturing what you have in mind correctly. The hitch pins are | strong though, usually rated for pulling 20k pounds of trailer. | "carl mciver" wrote in message | news:nvnAd.11568$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net... | >
| > "Stuart Wheaton" wrote in message | > news:BPlAd.13431$ snipped-for-privacy@fe37.usenetserver.com... | > | carl mciver wrote: | > | | > | > For example, I could make a H or C press, small hoist, temporary | > work | > | > table, or other stuff by having the two inch tubing in "standard" | > lengths | > | > with holes evenly distributed along the length, and having the 2
1/2" | > stuff | > | > as connectors, angle fittings, and so forth to make the necessary | > | > connections. I was thinking of using the standard hitch pin in | > appropriate | > | > sized holes to hold things together. | > | | > | Before you completely re-invent the wheel, Look at Unistrut | > | product telestrut 9000 & 9200. 1-5/8" and 1-7/8" square | > | respectively, 9/16" holes on 1-7/8" centers all 4 sides. | > | Uses standard unistrut fittings. | > | | > | > Am I thinking safely here? Anything I need to be concerned about? | > | >
| > | | > | Unistrut also has extensive engineering data available re: | > | using this stuff as both beams and columns. | > | | > | Stuart | >
| >
| > Aha! I knew I had seen the stuff about and it was part of the | thinking | > behind the idea, but never knew it was a Unistrut product. Being on | dialup | > and at home for the duration of the holidays unfortunately I'm not going | to | > download the largest files that have the engineering information I need, | but | > with wall thicknesses of 0.14" Vs 1/4" wall from the square tubing I'm | > considering I doubt it would last very long if I attempted to make a press | > out of it and put my little 20 ton (or even my 6 ton) jack on it. | > The quick change and versatility of the system I like, but I figure I | > could get a much stronger joint if I had two 2 1/2" pieces of tubing | welded | > at, say, right angles with a gusset, as a corner connector or a tee than a | > simple ell bracket like the unistrut system. Not knocking it at all, but | I | > want something far stronger than that. | > I also want to be able to put it together and hang stuff off of my | > hitch, like a vise, charcoal grill, or an anvil. | > Thanks for the pointer! | >
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