Building Acme Screw Jack Stands for Fabrication

[@donaldhalls2189]

That plasma table is pretty useful, those stands look excellent, thanks for sharing, all the best to you and your loved ones

[@jondavidmcnabb]

Wow that is a great use of Send-Cut-Send. I like how you took a relatively complex object and reduced it down constituent parts that can be modified for larger or smaller use and applicability changes.

[@homemadetools]

Nice job, these came out great. We shared this video on our homemade tool forum last week 😎

[@NotEnoughKit]

Really well done! You could also do it where the wrench is not integrated, but separate, or 2 parts you can snap together into the same shape, but still remove if you needed more clearance. You could also have a swappable top so you could have other options besides the V-block.

[@TimWelds]

Those are great ideas! If the top was removable, the wrench could also just lift off. I couldn't think of a clever way to make a removable top without involving some amount of machining, though.

[@bunyanforgings7849]

I've been repurposing old car scissor jacks for fab work. They work OK, but are lacking in the stability department. Especially when lifting up really high. Your design is clearly superior. Thank you for sharing. Cheers.

[@TimWelds]

Thanks! Scissor jacks are a good idea as well. They would have a lot of range, but I can see how they would be less stable for supporting tubing and what not.

[@Bosbulls]

You just gave me a idea. I also have some old scissor Jack's. I'm going to use their threaded rods and nuts to make my own version of Tim's stands.

[@Bob_Adkins]

Glad you used the bronze washers, I've been disappointed every time I've used the thrust bearings.

[@TimWelds]

I think they'll be better for my particular application.

[@jim5148]

You make some nice stuff!

[@ericaluskin3421]

Great video, Tim! 😍

[@TimWelds]

Thanks!

[@p.t.anderson1593]

Scale it up a bit. Add another leg. Put nice large diameter caster wheels on the ends of the legs. Put a seat on the top. I'm thinking steel tractor seat. Now you got one of those cool shop stools that are so overpriced. I'm a fan of the tab and slot thing. I do that when I make my giant yard dice. You did a great job of it, super cool.

[@TimWelds]

That's a great idea. I've thought about making my own shop stool from cut plates, but my Amazon doctor stool works pretty good.

[@p.t.anderson1593]

@@TimWelds If you don't mind, I'd like to make one for me and maybe a bunch more to sell. lol I have a Langmuir Systems CNC plasma cutter in my shop... so...

[@jackdawg4579]

I still use an old automatic hacksaw, ( I find it nice and quiet, slow but reliable and perfect cuts every time). I find this sort of jack invaluable to support longer lengths of steel when using it, as the bed is about 30cm above floor height. Mine are just old caravan levelling stands that i have repurposed.

[@TimWelds]

An automatic hacksaw would be awesome to have. Don't see many of those around these days.

[@ALIENJUGGERNAUT]

*This is perfect timing.* *Is there a particular name for this type of screw jack?* _Where the adjustment nut isn't part of the top support._

[@TimWelds]

I'm not sure if there's a name for it specifically, but it works well.

[@programorprogrammed]

Great little project

[@TimWelds]

Thanks!

[@justintasht1067]

Absolutely awesome great work 👍👍

[@TimWelds]

Thanks!

[@melgross]

Very nice. It’s funny seeing it, but I do the same thing you did with the spacers for the table bolts. I’ve made a number of things for the table such as a small platform for the tungsten grinder I built, an arm that I can lean on and slide when I’m welding and a bunch of other accessories. I’ve even spot welded some of those bolts directly to the devices I’ve built so I can just take them off and on without having to get and put away bolts.

[@TimWelds]

I could use an arm like you're describing...that might have to be one of my next projects.

[@melgross]

@@TimWelds it’s surprisingly useful. But I did something odd. I added a long ball bearing draw slide to the top. When I slide my arm across, the slide moves and there’s no friction from whatever I’ve got on my arm, such as a leather sleeve. I also attach a holder for the torch or MiG gun and just slide it across when I want a really even weld. I’m working on an auto feed for my TIG rods.

[@beltdrivetypea6534]

I made some stands out of trench props. Loads of hight adjustment

[@TimWelds]

That's a great idea!

[@ahbushnell1]

Very good. Slot construction.

[@TimWelds]

Thanks! It's my favorite way to build things because it fixtures itself.

[@Bosbulls]

Tim, what tolerance are you using for the tab and slot designs?

[@DannyBrunt-k9t]

That is incredible, Tim. Thank you. What CAD software do you use?

[@TimWelds]

I use a lot of them. For this, it was Autodesk Fusion 360, which I have a license for because it's the most affordable for the capability. I believe there is a free version for hobbyists also. A really cool web based CAD package is onshore and there is a free version of that one for hobby use too. For 2D CAD, I use LibreCAD, it's free, easy and capable.

[@ned_mograph5957]

very cool! what was the cost of the send cut send order if you don't mind me asking

[@TimWelds]

Thanks! With the 15% discount code, it was almost exactly $400 for all the parts to make all 8 stands. I could make them thinner and save some cost, but I'd rather overbuild them a bit so that they'll last a lifetime.

[@sundaynobody]

@@TimWelds sweet thanks for the transparency! they look great!

[@n.nsh-ib8vw]

Hi what is the bearing capacity for the one inch Acme screw.

[@TimWelds]

For the screw itself, it's really high. The bronze thrust bearing is rated at around 2 tons rotating at full speed. The load is not distributed over the whole bearing, which reduces the capacity, but it's a static load, which increases it a bit. Where that lands, I'm not sure, but I expect that it would hold at least 1 ton without a problem. I doubt that I'll ever load it with more than 300 lbs, so they should be great for me.

[@tutteredboast1268]

Acme? What is this Wile E. Coyote?

[@TimWelds]

Totally! I'm pretty sure it was the trapezoidal thread form before Wile was born, though.