Metal working question...

Sort of follow up on my earlier thread, I was able to find some 20 MM ammo cans. The next thing I need to do, is to remove this reinforcing brace from one side of the can. Any thoughts on the best way to do that? I tried using a chisel and wrecking bar, but it seems like that?s going to take a long time. The brace is just tack welded on, and I know others have taken them off. Besides the wrecking bar and chisel, I also have access to an angle grinder.

I also have a propane torch. Would it make sense to heat this before I try and pry it off?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...5a04929d01.jpg


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Do you have an oscillating tool? Metal cutting blades can be had. Doesn't look like much space to get it in there though. I bet it'd work.

I'm interested to see what you're making.

Angle grind over spot welds until they are thin, then chisel.
If you have a drill press and an end mill you could also drill them out. If you dont care about divits then use a regular 118 degree drill.

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Originally Posted by Irving

I'm interested to see what you're making.

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Same.

Also, the propane torch is going to be useless for what you are trying to do.

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Originally Posted by Erni

Angle grind over spot welds until they are thin, then chisel.

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Yeah this.

As said, grind welds thin then chisel, clean remaining weld with grinder.

Drill the spot welds

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Originally Posted by buffalobo

As said, grind welds thin then chisel, clean remaining weld with grinder.

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A flap disc will take off less material at a time than a grinder, and with smaller stuff to clean up would probably be better, IMO.

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Originally Posted by Irving

A flap disc will take off less material at a time than a grinder, and with smaller stuff to clean up would probably be better, IMO.

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So is a flap disc something I put on the angle grinder or does it go on another kind of tool?

Flap disk will work with a grinder. But I would use it for the final finishing after chiseling off the side plate.

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Originally Posted by Martinjmpr

So is a flap disc something I put on the angle grinder or does it go on another kind of tool?

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Originally Posted by Erni

Flap disk will work with a grinder. But I would use it for the final finishing after chiseling off the side plate.

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Yes to both.

This is a flap disc. You've seen them before. They are more expensive than a grinder wheel, and don't last as long, but they take off material at a slower rate and leave a way better finish. These work great for removing paint and milscale and stuff.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0r...=w1112-h625-no

You can also use sanding disks made for grinders.

Well, obviously my primary concern is how to remove the reinforcing strip without puncturing the can itself since that would either require a repair that I couldn't do myself (welding up) or would make the cans useless.

So would it be best to grind down the area of the spot welds very carefully until I got close to the surface of the can itself? Or would drilling be better? I'm reluctant to drill because I don't want to put a hole in the side of the can.

Right now I'm trying to use as small chisel, but maybe I need a bigger chisel specifically made for metal and a BFH to hit it with?

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Originally Posted by Erni

Angle grind over spot welds until they are thin, then chisel.
If you have a drill press and an end mill you could also drill them out. If you dont care about divits then use a regular 118 degree drill.

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So an end mill is like a drill bit but it's squared off on the bottom vs pointed?

Grind the spot welds down with an angle grinder. I have cans just like that that I keep all of my camping gear in. Looking at them the dimples/welds are easy to spot and should be easy to grind off without hitting the regular part of the can.

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Originally Posted by Martinjmpr

So an end mill is like a drill bit but it's squared off on the bottom vs pointed?

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Yes.

Thermite....

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Originally Posted by Duman

Thermite....

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He said no holes, otherwise yes.

Go to Harbor Freight and get a spot weld cutter, just like a hollow end mill. Low rpm and oil.

Ain't pretty, but I'm calling this a success! I did get the spot weld cutter from Harbor freight, it works sort of OK. Ultimately though, the grinder and the chisel did the work.

Second picture shows what it looks like after I de-burred it with a grinder. Onto the next step


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I haven't had anything to add to this thread but I am anxiously waiting to see what you're making.

Does anyone know a LOCAL source where I can get an industrial cabinet hinge like this one:

https://www.thehardwarehut.com/catal...SACEgJtifD_BwE

Home Depot/Ace Hardware etc only have small ones. What I need is one where the measurement "A" is 3/4"

Attachment 79969

Would like to find local both for speed and so I will know that it is what I need.

Thanks!

I feel like I've seen those some where around town, but couldn't tell you where. Likely a Habitat for Humanity Restore or one of the similar places. That's a real crap shoot though, because it's not like they are regularly stocked.

Grainger.

Best thing to use is a die grinder with a carbide burr. Use it to lightly grind through each spot weld. Carbide will keep the heat down the best when going slowly. Only grind through each spot weld till you just barley get through to the parent metal. Then just lightly chisel or twist off the brace off. An angle grinder will work with either a closed stone wheel or flapper as others have mentioned. Those will just create too much heat. Just depends on what you are looking for a finished product. Any over heating in the thin sheet metal of an ammo can will result in shrinking or “oil canning” of the material. This will give the cleanest result.

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Originally Posted by buffalobo

Grainger.

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Do they have a store? I thought they were mail order only.

EDIT: Never mind, found it.

EDIT#2: Grainger doesn't have that part listed. I'm going to go ahead and mail order it from the link above. I doubt I can find them any cheaper here and while I hate to wait, I hate driving all over town to look for something even more. I have time on this project.

McGuckins in Boulder?

Any updates? New pictures?

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Originally Posted by Duman

Any updates? New pictures?

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Next piece comes in the mail tomorrow (the hinge I pictured above.) Probably the next update will be this weekend.

THE BIG REVEAL!

OK, here it is. I was using the ammo cans to make hard sided panniers (side cases) for my motorcycle, a 2002 Triumph Bonneville.

I'd been wanting to add "hard luggage" for a while but I didn't like the options that were available to me. They were either too expensive or I just didn't like the look.

So, I ordered a set of Happy Trail side racks (Happy Trail in Idaho is a company that makes accessories for "Adventure Bikes" like the BMW GS, V-Strom, KLR, etc.) The racks looked good and stout in the photos and that's what I needed.

I ordered the rack last June and it sat in my garage while I did other things. But eventually, I got around to putting the rack on the bike and it was rock solid:

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Next step was to figure out which boxes to use. I ultimately went with the 20mm ammo can size, which is honestly a tad large for what I need. I may "downsize" later. Nice thing about this mod is that the ammo can is about the cheapest part of the whole thing!

Ground off the reinforcing strap so I could put the lower mounts on (picture posted above.) Next I had to figure out the lower brackets. I can't take credit for the idea to use an industrial cabinet hinge, that came from a guy on ADVRider. But I mail ordered the hinges (since I couldn't find any locally.) Ordered on Monday they arrived Thursday. Put them in the vice and cut the rotating hinge off to use the S shaped bracket:

Attachment 80029

Next I removed one of the side racks so I could fit it more easily to the can. I "mocked up" like this so I could drill the holes for the mounting screws:

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After I had the lower brackets bolted in, I drilled the holes for the upper mount. The rack comes with an M8 threaded captive nut so all I had to do was buy a plastic knob with an M8 threaded bolt to go from the inside to the outside:

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It bolts through from the inside. As you can see I used two different styles of knobs because that was all that was available at the local ACE hardware:

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The reason it screws in from the inside is that once I get locks on the cans, you will not be able to remove them without getting inside the can.

After that, since I had two holes left over on the lower bracket, I went ahead and drilled holes and riveted it in, since this is what bears most of the weight:

Attachment 80033

And after everything was done, this is the result:

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Took it out for a nice little ride, they stay on great, no rattling or anything.

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Now, it's not done. Before anyone asks :rolleyes: yes, I'm going to paint them (maroon and silver to match the bike.) Then I'll put some U bolts in so I can put locks on the cases. I'll also waterproof the holes with some silicon sealant and probably rubber washers for the mounting knob holes. I'll also add reflectors from an old trailer kit that I had and then some reflective decals for visibility.

Good job. That thing looks wider than my Road King.

That looks awesome. Beautiful bike and nice job

Cool idea, good job. They don't interfere with your legs while riding at all?

Are you using locking washers or anything on those plastic knobs inside the boxes so that they don't vibrate off will riding down the road?

Now you're ready for Zen.....

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Originally Posted by Irving

Cool idea, good job. They don't interfere with your legs while riding at all?

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Not a bit, they're far enough back not to. And I never ride with a passenger so that's not a consideration.

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Originally Posted by def90

Are you using locking washers or anything on those plastic knobs inside the boxes so that they don't vibrate off will riding down the road?

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I have both lock washers and some rubber "sealing" washers that I'm going to use to keep water from getting into the cans. As a final securing method, I may put wing nuts on the outside of the bolts to keep them from backing out.

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Originally Posted by Duman

Now you're ready for Zen.....

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You know, I tried to read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Mainteance and about halfway through I realized that I just didn't care anymore about the whole thing. I think that's one of those books people put on their shelves so they can look "smart" but rarely actually read. I thought it was boring as hell.

BTW same thing happened recently when I tried to read Joseph Heller's WWII Classic "Catch 22." Got 2/3 of the way through it and said "eh, I just don't care about this story anymore" and went back to reading history, which is what I usually read. I just finished Barbara Tuchman's "Stilwell and the American Experience in China" and I'm currently working on "The War that Made America" which is about the Seven Years War A/K/A the French and Indian war from 1754 - 1763. It's written by a CU professor, Fred Anderson.