Body Rotisserie

Hookedtrout · Post by **Hookedtrout** » June 16, 2011, 12:53 pm

Rotisserie, I'm seriously thinking about buying a rotisserie for the Uni project and probably the Mustang in the future. Roughly what would the Uni weigh stripped down to just the cab and bed? I see 1500 lbs and I see 2-4000 lbs rotisseries? Don't want overkill yet I don't want underkill even less.

I have no intention on building one so I'm not interested in plans but I would be interested in any input on anyone that has purchased one, what brand and what you recommend.

Here is one company I'm looking at, I like built in the U.S.A. if possible.

http://www.accessiblesystems.com/

Thanks for any input.

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » June 16, 2011, 12:57 pm

That's the one I have and Joel is easy to work with and worked with me to design a bracket to fit on the hood hinge holes on the firewall, for a Slick body lift. Very solid construction and beautiful welds.
I bought the 1500 lb lift. Don't have any personal experience to share yet as I don't have my uni on the rotisserie as yet. I didn't order mine powder coated (mistake) and the pieces got wet and muddy when my shop flooded and then rusted, so I had to have them blasted and powder coated.
"Fixin" to put the Uni on it though!

just have to do a few more things to the truck before I'm ready to "rock and roll".

oldtrucks · Post by **oldtrucks** » June 16, 2011, 5:03 pm

Cory

I would recommend the 4000 # lift if there isn't a big difference on price. You never know what you will run into that you will want to put on one of these. I built mine and the 72 charger that is on it probably weighs about 2500 #. I usually overbuild every thing but that is just me. No matter which one you get you will always wonder how you ever got along without one. I can't imagine being without mine and the sandblast cabinet. I guess I'm pretty spoiled now.

Hookedtrout · Post by **Hookedtrout** » June 17, 2011, 11:58 am

Hopefully I will feel spoiled soon. I just can't imagine doing the welding on the cab mounts from underneath, that is the primary driver behind my getting one, however there will be lots and lots of other benefits I'm sure.

charliemccraney · Post by **charliemccraney** » June 17, 2011, 12:41 pm

Hookedtrout wrote:I just can't imagine doing the welding on the cab mounts from underneath.

It can be done without completely removing the body from the frame and it's really not that difficult. I Personally wouldn't bother to buy a rotisserie just for the cab mounts but I'd absolutely get one to do a frame off restoration.

Here's some inspiration.

http://s121.photobucket.com/albums/o214 ... %20Repair/

Hookedtrout · Post by **Hookedtrout** » June 17, 2011, 1:32 pm

I'm going to do a frame off so it'll be a nice addition to the new shop.

oldtrucks · Post by **oldtrucks** » June 17, 2011, 1:59 pm

Cory
You can mount the frame on it too, makes that job much easier. You sound like me, I'm a tool junkie. I have 3 welders a gas torch set up chop saw and a 2 ft X 4 ft blast cabinet and 2 roll aways plus 2 boxes of misc hand tools an electrical tool box and a travel bag of tools in each truck and the car. Just picked up 10 inch radial arm saw, the list goes on. I pretty well have tools for what ever I want to do.

My guess is that once you get the rotissouri it will become an indespensible tool with many many uses. Enjoy

oldtrucks · Post by **oldtrucks** » June 17, 2011, 2:06 pm

What year is the mustang? If it is a 60's I would highly recomend that you ditch all the original front suspention and go with a mustang 2 type. there are several kits out there and they are worth the money. Makes them way safer and drive much better.

Hookedtrout · Post by **Hookedtrout** » June 17, 2011, 4:12 pm

oldtrucks wrote:What year is the mustang? If it is a 60's I would highly recomend that you ditch all the original front suspention and go with a mustang 2 type. there are several kits out there and they are worth the money. Makes them way safer and drive much better.

1968 GT California Special, there won't be any major modifications to it, very limited edition collector car. Made only one year for half a year, a little less than 4000 made and probably half that many left.

Now the truck is going to get an independent front end, probably a No Limits, just haven't figured out when that investment will be best made, I keep finding things I need to do first like buy more tools to do what I need to do!!! And yes I am a tool junkie. If there's one thing I've learned, primarily through wood working, it's that if it's a pain to do there is probably a tool out there to make it easier so go find that tool.

Hookedtrout · Post by **Hookedtrout** » June 17, 2011, 4:17 pm

Speaking of tools, tell me what the best chop saw would be and what blade for cutting steel? I bought a cut off blade, stuck it in my wood chop saw and it cut one piece of angle and worbled out the center hole on the blade. I'm thinking I don't have the right saw or good blades? Suggestions?

oldtrucks · Post by **oldtrucks** » June 18, 2011, 4:22 pm

Chop saws aren't very precise machines so almost any brand will work. I'm using one from Harbor Freight. I use a good name brand blade tho. Any of the name brand from a hardware store are good. The chop saw is one of those tools one doesn't need to spend a lot of money on.

I forgot to mention in my last post I also have a plasma cutter. I am in the process of designing a cart to mount them all on. The two wire feeds and the plasma cutter that is.

That is a mighty fine re-finish on the grille Cory. I saw the Mustang in the background. A rare machine indeed. Looks like you are really enjoying your new shop.

Hookedtrout · Post by **Hookedtrout** » June 18, 2011, 5:22 pm

oldtrucks wrote:Chop saws aren't very precise machines so almost any brand will work. I'm using one from Harbor Freight. I use a good name brand blade tho. Any of the name brand from a hardware store are good. The chop saw is one of those tools one doesn't need to spend a lot of money on.

So I have a Craftsman (wood) chop saw, is there a difference in wood and metal chop saws? I bought the blade at Ace Hardware, the metal I'm cutting is a pretty thick angle iron, not your standard angle but thicker. I trashed the blade on one cut?

charliemccraney · Post by **charliemccraney** » June 18, 2011, 5:48 pm

oldtrucks wrote:Chop saws aren't very precise machines so almost any brand will work.

I beg to differ. I have a Hitachi and it's as precise as a miter saw with wood. If I want to cut a piece of steel 2ft, 3 1/16" it'll do it the first go and to whichever angle I need. I can't say that Hitachi is the best, it just fit my quality/price range, but after using it I feel great about that purchase.

If the blade was trashed on one cut, then it may not be a good combination with the wood saw. Also, if you try to force the blade through, it will wear out much more quickly. With something like angle iron, you will have a long flat and thick portion to cut and that can slow the cut because the blade is acting on more surface area. You probably noticed that it cut quickly on the vertical and slowly on the horizontal.

Hookedtrout · Post by **Hookedtrout** » June 18, 2011, 5:53 pm

charliemccraney wrote:
oldtrucks wrote:Chop saws aren't very precise machines so almost any brand will work.
I beg to differ. I have a Hitachi and it's as precise as a miter saw with wood. If I want to cut a piece of steel 2ft, 3 1/16" it'll do it the first go and to whichever angle I need. I can't say that Hitachi is the best, it just fit my quality/price range, but after using it I feel great about that purchase.

If the blade was trashed on one cut, then it may not be a good combination with the wood saw. If you try to force the blade through, it will wear out much more quickly.

Show me a link to the Hitachi you have, also what blade do you use? And yes...

Guilty of putting a little weight on it? Never worked with metal? I'm learning so cuss me out and tell me how it's done.

I got some scrap framework from work and I'm trying to cut some legs and frame for a welding table but trashing a blade on the first leg caused me to give up until I get a better grip on this stuff. I'm sure it's me.

charliemccraney · Post by **charliemccraney** » June 18, 2011, 5:56 pm

Mine's buried right now but I got it from Lowes. Here's a link to the current model at Lowes. It may be the exact same. It looks like it.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_205226-67702-CC ... facetInfo=

RE the blade, it's just a 14" metal cutting blade. Nothing special about it that I'm aware of.

For angle iron and thicker materials, a horizontal band saw will be the better choice. Chop saws work great with tubing. It will get the job done on thicker stuff but it takes longer and does not provide as clean a cut

Hookedtrout · Post by **Hookedtrout** » June 18, 2011, 6:26 pm

Thanks Charlie, that makes a lot of sense, it's obvious it's for metal cutting unlike my wood chop saw, my guess is the arbor that holds the blade is different in that it's wider to hold the fiber metal cutting blade. That's where my blade failed. Thanks again, Yahoooooooo I get a new tool!!!! Any excuse will do.

Alan Mclennan · Post by **Alan Mclennan** » June 18, 2011, 7:10 pm

We have a Hitachi drop saw at work! and I have a, a, a, cheap one at home, they both cut as well as one another, the Hitachi is just more solid!, the accuracy is like everything else!, take care setting up a cut and it will turn out alright!, also lower the blade slowly down on to the metal and once it has started to cut apply a small amount of pressure. I must say tho!, I always look away as soon as the wheel starts to spin!, better to have a mangled ear than no nose!

oldtrucks · Post by **oldtrucks** » June 18, 2011, 10:25 pm

charliemccraney

You are correct in that there are some chop saws that are very precise. I should have clarified myself a bit. In my opinion, unless one is building a frame or suspention parts that require precision one need not spend lots of money an a "chop saw". I built my rotissiory using my cheap chop saw and found that the quality of the blades greatly effected the accuracy of the cut. The cheaper blades will fill up with metal residue and begin to walk. Even with my saw if I take my time and set the angles right on and take my time with the cut I can make real accurate cuts.

I think that we can all agree that within reason we should buy the best quality tool we can for it's intended use. I will, should the opertunity present itself, add a quality band saw to the tool collection. Always on the lookout for tools.

paintballtruck · Post by **paintballtruck** » June 19, 2011, 9:35 am

a chop saw for wood turns at a higher rpm than one for metal so it will usually just eat blades if cutting anything very thick at all the blades arent made for that high of an rpm usually

Hookedtrout · Post by **Hookedtrout** » June 19, 2011, 2:09 pm

paintballtruck wrote:a chop saw for wood turns at a higher rpm than one for metal so it will usually just eat blades if cutting anything very thick at all the blades arent made for that high of an rpm usually

Thanks, that helps as well.

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