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Post by 1dave on Nov 26, 2013 18:44:57 GMT -5
We would stuff stainless steel pipes and make "Belt Buckle Logs," weld both ends, then saw a half inch off an end with a band saw, weld the face again, saw off another half inch until we had enough for the whole crew and friends. Weld on stuff to hold the belt and a hook. Grind and polish the front, and everyone was happy.   |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2013 18:59:32 GMT -5
Pretty cool. Even cooler that you still have it.
The power plant I worked at we cut a two inch stainless tube on a slope, cut that in half and flipped one end so both ends of the buckle flared out, welded on the loop and hook, laid it face down on waxed paper, laid in whatever we wanted showing on the front then filled it with epoxy. Not sure who got away with the one I had.
A lot of art work used to go on at a power plant job. If there was a day with no prints they could not send you home so they just said get lost. Sanded a lot of stainless way up to the top under the main steam tank.
Jim
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Post by 1dave on Nov 26, 2013 19:05:15 GMT -5
Pretty cool. Even cooler that you still have it. The power plant I worked at we cut a two inch stainless tube on a slope, cut that in half and flipped one end so both ends of the buckle flared out, welded on the loop and hook, laid it face down on waxed paper, laid in whatever we wanted showing on the front then filled it with epoxy. Not sure who got away with the one I had. A lot of art work used to go on at a power plant job. If there was a day with no prints they could not send you home so they just said get lost. Sanded a lot of stainless way up to the top under the main steam tank. Jim Yes, there was a lot of that going around. "Get out of sight or pretend you are busy. You guys know how to play the game!" We had a pipe fitter that was an artist with a cutting torch. As soon as the BIG BOSSES found he was on site, his plumbing days were over. They supplied him with 1/4" and 1/2" - 4 ft. X 8 ft sheet steel and he spent his days carving out bucking bronco's etc. for the gates to their ranches. One man at the end said: "We came with the experience and they had the crimped green. Now we are leaving with the green, and they have had the experience." |
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Nov 26, 2013 19:16:17 GMT -5
That smokes all forms of belt buckles i have ever seen. Holy cow!
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Post by 1dave on Nov 26, 2013 19:46:56 GMT -5
I googled a few more:   |
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Post by connrock on Nov 27, 2013 9:04:43 GMT -5
I made 1 stainless steel belt buckle and have NO want to ever do it again! From this,,,,  To this,,,,   is a LOT of work,,,for a ham n egger! LOL connrock |
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Nov 27, 2013 9:49:46 GMT -5
Laughing with you conrock. Nothing more obnoxious than stainless. I ran into the same ' remove the burr issue'. And broke the monster's back with the tumbler. 15 pounds of cutoffs. I felt like David whipping Goliath. But it took the tumbler forever to smooth the burrs off. But in a 15 pound lot who cares.Some burrs still remain. The dark coating quickly buffs off. Love my tumblers  |
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Post by 1dave on Nov 27, 2013 10:39:56 GMT -5
@wampidy, Was that the Bridger powerhouse you worked on? Around 1970-74?
I worked on the Blundell Geothermal experimental plant by Milford, the Castlegate plant at Helper, Huntington Canyon #1 & 2, Orangeville #1-4(they have another name for it now -I think Hunter), Deseret #1 & 2 east of Vernal, and the big one - IPP by Delta.
We bragged we "worked the big jobs with 4" handrails."
The "bosses" learned not to screw with the men.
One's pickup disappeared. He finally found it several months later on top of the precipitater. The crane that put it there was long gone. I don't know how he got it down.
One messed with the ironworkers. They wired electric tools into his wheel wells and called his license plates to the guards and told them he was steeling tools. Got him fired.
A lot of years and a lot of miles on the road.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2013 11:10:23 GMT -5
Colestrip Montana
Jim
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2013 11:12:46 GMT -5
I made 1 stainless steel belt buckle and have NO want to ever do it again! From this,,,, To this,,,, is a LOT of work,,,for a ham n egger! LOL connrock Exactly the way we did them. Cooooool Jim |
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Post by 1dave on Nov 27, 2013 11:20:32 GMT -5
You learned about COLD! I understand they manufactured wind just north of there. |
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Daniel Green
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Post by Daniel Green on Nov 27, 2013 11:49:16 GMT -5
I wear one my Grandfather made. I re-polished it and set some new stones in it a couple years ago. And made a new emblem for the center. I'll have to get some pictures of it. Plus have many blanks he made up ages ago. He was a Union PipeFitter And a metalsmith/rockhound that I learned a great deal and inherited most of his tools.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2013 23:38:53 GMT -5
this is a 6ad@55 thread! Mosaic pipes welded and cut into slices for belt buckles! effin' ay right! You guys are awesome.
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adrian65
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Arch to golden memories and to great friends.
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Post by adrian65 on Dec 3, 2013 23:43:42 GMT -5
You guys are metal wizards!
Adrian
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2013 23:51:32 GMT -5
That has to weight a pound or two??  TSA approved tactical belt buckle. Swing that like a mace knock----- that fugger out! |
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Post by 1dave on Dec 4, 2013 7:56:14 GMT -5
It ain't heavy, it's my buckle!
I never did get around to mounting jewels in it like others did.
Perhaps some day . . .
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 4, 2013 15:01:02 GMT -5
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2013 15:31:56 GMT -5
yeah, they have a way to suck black epoxy into a 18" tube of mosaics, when it hardens you get what you see above. I met a man whose wife does that for her sole livelihood. She can make 20ea 18" pieces an hour. She gets $20 a piece wholesale. The profit is there. Can you sell enough to make it a worthwhile venture? If we spec'd out Dave's powerhouse buckle and made a couple hundred of them, what would they cost out at? Pipe comes in 20ft lengths. Including kerf that is 375 or so from one 20ft section. My guess is that it would cost less than $10ea with brand new pipes/tubes, would they sell for $25-30each? 30 minutes to assemble, weld, cut and polish per buckle? Seems like a pretty good venture. With jamesp's scrapyard prices for stainless, he could really do well. |
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 4, 2013 18:07:50 GMT -5
That would be intriguing little business. I was curious about the filler. You got knowledge Scott.
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Post by 1dave on Dec 4, 2013 19:37:48 GMT -5
I like the way you guys think!
Of course at the Power houses the labor and material was free . . . to us . . .
EDIT: Actually better than free, we got paid to do it!
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Maybe you can post some pictures here