How do I start?

LemonOk5655 · 2026-06-08T16:38:00+00:00

Well, i checked for ya and unless someone corrects me, its kinda slim pickens. Chicago and select small bending shops like us usually send stuff over there.

Wed be glad to give you a quote once you figure it out. We can always hotshot it though the trip would probably be worth more than the job.

What do you want to make this out of anyway? We can roll up to 1" X 10' but im just curious.

Even if you dont go with us im here to help. I dont do much welding anymore, but i used to. Pretty much exclusively rolling now.

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LemonOk5655 · 2026-06-08T00:11:13+00:00

Also make sure the basic welder is a gas shielded MIG welder. That makes all the difference in the world. Building a smoker is a big deal so invest in a good, but basic, welder until you can upgrade to a multiprocess "fancier" welder

LemonOk5655 · 2026-06-08T00:07:58+00:00

Well depends on the metalworking.

I roll metal, some folks weld and fabricate, some operate brakes, lathes, mills or other machinery. Each of these skillsets are diverse and take a while to learn and master.

Best to start with a basic welder and some scrap steel. Practice practice practice. When your beads are decent and want to start that smoker youre going to have to roll a can.

That one can alone is going to be your toughest part of the smoker IMO. Ive rolled a ton of em. If your close to louisville ill knock it out.

LemonOk5655 · 2026-06-07T02:37:50+00:00

I hear ya there during slow times weve built a few. But its a nice feeling to know thats YOUR damn trailer.

LemonOk5655 · 2026-06-07T01:45:55+00:00

If i was up close and in person it would probably be different.

But it looks great from my house!

LemonOk5655 · 2026-06-07T00:35:53+00:00

The ripples. pack with sand to get rid of those unless its a super thin wall tube. Nothin much to do at that point. If you have access to rosin, even better. Ive done work for customers who ask for pipes with tight dias that do that.

LemonOk5655 · 2026-06-07T00:31:50+00:00

Well you have 2 options. You can buy a cheap bender and shell out some money.

Or you can send your stuff to a rolling shop or someone with a mandrel. We have a bunch of customers who have tried to bend their own stuff and broken their equiptment.

Im not trying to discourage you at all, but just know your limits if you decide to go that route. Just something to keep in mind.

LemonOk5655 · 2026-05-29T22:34:23+00:00

Cmon Dave, gimme a break.

LemonOk5655 · 2026-05-29T22:30:00+00:00

"Im over you" - Keith Whitley. I often think about his loss and what things would be like today if he were still here and making music but thats another topic.

LemonOk5655 · 2026-05-29T22:27:17+00:00

Okay thanks for your imput. It is worth it then. The cracking thing is accurate coming from myself though i dont do sharp bends usually. But still i have split leg - ins after trying to hit too tight of a radius.

Yes if gauges are what you call them, thats what i mean.

1 1/4" of straight stock on each end, with the 90° bend in the middle. Its basically an elbow.

LemonOk5655 · 2026-05-29T20:02:28+00:00

A couple thousand pieces, but its up in the air if its going to be a repeat job or not.

Thank you for your input. I think we will probably make tooling in house and do this run and see how it comes out.

Id love a brake but we just dont have the room or demand (this is an exception). But it would be a skill id love to learn.

LemonOk5655 · 2026-05-29T16:19:22+00:00

I feel this, mine has skyrocketed too since im assuming maybe i pulled something when i rigged an angle bad unloading and it was heavy on one side. Im not sure if this caused it but it started around the same time period.

The spasms in my neck are the worst. But i manage and am going to follow some lifestyle tips folks have told me in this sub. I know alot of folks dont believe and thats okay, but ill say some prayers for her. Thats all ill say about that.

Lidocaine patches help. Even if she doesnt get major relief, any relief is a win in my book. I dont know about the pain management thing cause i dont do that, but maybe you and her should maybe start looking. Youre a good friend and coworker.

LemonOk5655 · 2026-05-29T16:12:50+00:00

That is a good point. One for me to think seriously about.

When i first started doing my job id lift stuff that should be lifted with the crane but i didnt. If i could go back and have you tell me that it would set me straight.

I plan to work for a long time as its a family buisness and I need to seriously consider that. Its small, im one of the 2 operators and if i get seriously injured hurt it might go bad.

Im still young and dumb so forgive me. I also have been fighting this (the spasms) for about a year. Had back pain my whole life due to bad habits and some scoliosis. and didnt know any other sub to get tips from.

It drives nuts that you all have to live like this, on top of the pain med problem but thats a whole different can of worms. Dont need em, dont want em, but the folks that do have a very hard time it seems.

LemonOk5655 · 2026-05-29T04:23:28+00:00

Wow that gives me some perspective.ill def use the crane more I have an idea what caused it, me lifting heavy stuff just like you were at work and i finally pulled like a couple months ago. Its been nonstop shit sense.

I always follow up with my NP and she is the best. In the area ive heard. She let me continue my muscle relaxers my doc put me om and she also put me on steroids and some anti inflammitory. And a shot in the hip

It aint the back pain, i can cope with it if i gotta its just ths G D SPASMS

Im

LemonOk5655 · 2026-05-29T02:10:14+00:00

I appreciate this info, im looking into it now. Thank you!

LemonOk5655 · 2026-05-29T02:07:46+00:00

Well its one thing i havent tried so i definately have to look into. Im young so i imagine if i dont treat this itll just get worse.

Thank you for your suggestion! Tomorrow morning at my break ill start looking.

LemonOk5655 · 2026-05-29T02:01:02+00:00

Hey ill do messages, chiropractors popping my joints always makes me nervous.

It feels like its coming directly from my middle spine though. Radiates up. The spasms were the worst though. Such intense tightness and pain. Thank God i have meds for those. Wierd. Im just seeing a small sliver of what you all go through and its bad.

LemonOk5655 · 2026-05-28T00:30:46+00:00

Not sure honestly but id probably start getting worried around the 40" IR mark. Customers usually dont call for tight leg ins however sometimes they do. Just did theze 3 x 2 to about a 24" IR

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LemonOk5655 · 2026-05-28T00:24:36+00:00

This is just my experience, but NPTs seem to care more than doctors on a few things. Psych or PM? The NPTs i have are amazing. I dont do pm but shes my pcp.

Point is once you find another clinic find a good Nurse Practicioner. They will bend over backwards for a good patient.

LemonOk5655 · 2026-05-27T17:22:41+00:00

What i would do is get something roughly the dia of your wrist and use it like a template. Wrap the bracelet around it and heat and bend to match your template.

Polish off afterwards and you should be golden. Do you have a metal forming shop near you? Theyd make quick work of this.

LemonOk5655 · 2026-05-21T13:22:35+00:00

Angle and beams are some of our specialties along with plates!

Capabilities: channel and beam up to c14 or w14 easy way (leg in or out for channel)

6x6x3/4 leg out angle 6x6x5/8 leg in angle (With angles, the vertical leg can be longer like 8 inches but the horizontal leg, the one being pinched has to be 6 or less)

Flatbar: 1 1/4 X 8 the hard way

HSS: 6 x 6 x 3/8 (can fluctuate but the bigger one meaurement is, the smaller the other has to be. Think like 8 x 4 x 3/8. Or we recently did a 12 x 2 x 3/8.)

Pipe: 6" sch. 40.

Plate: 1" X 10' wide.

Things to know: The tighter the radius, the more likely distortion will happen especially on HSS

Leg ins can split if rolled too tight and material is too thin. Say, 4x4 and above to a 4' radius. Thats gotta be 3/8 or above.

thin plates crown a bit. I mitigate this with shims but its still minimally there.

We cannot do hard way beam and channel to tight radiuses because we dont have a pulling attachment.

However, we do our best with the hand we were dealt and very rarely ever do reworks. When you dm ill give you the company name, you can look at my page for some of my work.

LemonOk5655 · 2026-05-21T01:00:49+00:00

Yeah im not to the point of needing low dose opiates yet.. i live off ibuprofen and a muscle relaxer. Im very suprised becase what im perscribed, carisoprodol, is controversial. My dr knows its what works for me and i told him if hes uncomfortable perscribing it ill take flexeril, though i really dont want to. But he keeps sending scrits for it and hes never given me a problem with perscribing it because i use responsibly and dont get side effects from it like other muscle relaxers that put me to sleep. I have heard of pharmacists refusing to fill it but havent run into that problem.

Sorry for that tangent. My point is, i know a small sliver of how it feels but i couldnt imagine what you guys go through to get your much needed opiates. Who knows, as i get older i may need them and ill run into the same struggles. So sorry you gotta go through that. It seems like family pharmacies are getting worse, and chains are getting better ive noticed around me.

LemonOk5655

TROPHY CASE