How to Fabricate a Basic Metal Railing

#meltinmetal #metalfabrication #welderforlife
Today Me and Big Tom tackle a bunch of railing we’ll be installing later this month. If you’ve never fabricated a railing before, it can be a frustrating task. But me and Big Tom and gonna show you how to weld these bad boys up like a pro! This is a typical fabrication job I get from some of the general contractors I work for. We will show you have to make a jig and make sure all of those pickets are properly placed. We are using .30 wire on a harbor fright welder with 75/25 gas shielding.
Follow me on IG @meltinmetalmobile
You can buy the picket tool finder here
amzn.to/3e3mo8o

[@Foxdie503]

You have the most "real" welding channel I've seen on KZbin. You show all the good with the bad. Good shit man, keep on keeping it real.

[@davidwatsonii9469]

THUMBS UP FOR THE STARS AND BARS BACK THERE, PICKET TOOL IS COOL, THATS NEW TO ME

[@dewayne2189]

When I was learning how to weld a long time ago, I would always switch back and forth. I'm actually a left-handed person, but I do most things with my right hand. I can weld MIG, TIG, whatever, with both hands. I got so used to going back and forth that it was normal. An old-timer I was working under told me it's good to be able to switch to whatever hand is needed.

[@timfountas7986]

I fabricate railings for a living and I'm able to fabricate 250 linear feet a day! I would recommend that you use 1 inch flatbar cut in small pieces for the picket spacers and basically that will work as ur jig! Also on your pickets, you can probably cut them an 8th less so that way you won't have to struggle hitting them with your hammer! Great video 📹 👍

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

so you set them up in between the Picketts or you weld them on the jig?

[@brianpatrick8441]

If your a true craftsman you layout equal spaces with a calculator, sharpie and a square. I dont understand why a fitter would screw around with flat bar spacers? Spacers compound errors !! 1/8 " gap on pickets?? A gap just sucks in leaving top and bottom no longer straight!! I thought Tom knew what he was talking about until he revealed that!! And whats funny is Tims linear feet totals grow on each comment, lol

[@timfountas7986]

Brian first of all an 8th not on each side ! Second of all when u go threw 1500 pickets a day you're sharpie will fade away! Third follow me on Facebook and ill teach you how my business makes more than 1800 feet a week of railings! I don't mind showing you how to make a jig in 30min

[@brianpatrick8441]

@@timfountas7986 first of all 1500 pickets a day equates to alot more than 1800 feet a week, second of all you buy more than 1 sharpie and third i know from 40 years of doing this that most welders cant use a calculater or convert decimals to fractions. If your doing production guard rail same length with no slope There are easier ways than tacking 42 pcs of flat bar for 8 foot panel

[@timfountas7986]

Brian Google "steelmasters" in Phoenix Arizona just to get an idea lol we don't have just one fabricator! Just trying to help i highly doubt you're even 40 years old

[@dewayne2189]

Y'all that say he should just lay it all out, why do that when he's got something to go by? I lay stuff out in the shop like that all the time. If I had that, I would use it too. All that matters is that it's equally spaced and its settings right where they need to be so it matches the drawings. If there is quite a bit of them then you need a jig so you ant going everytime laying out every one befor you do it or sqareing shit up every time you make one .

[@joshua.recovers]

Such a great video! Love the content! You motivate me to keep learning to be a welder!

[@mariajacobs3649]

Great video. Seems like the picket spacing tool is a godsend. You guys were really moving along. Great job

[@_Ayala_]

Keep up the great work what good trades men

[@scottysutherland3568]

See im tryna find a guy with a business exactly like yours so i can be a helper and learn this stuff better. Ibe been welding for 2.5 years, but still have so much to learn. Thanks for the videos, you are a providing excellent content for us newbies ❤

[@_Ayala_]

I learned a lot from this video thank you so much… one day i hope to start my own welding business

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

you got it!

[@eqlibrium854]

Picket tool is awesome! Great work, will we get to see the installation?

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

ill do my best!

[@eqlibrium854]

@@MeltinMetalAnthony 🧈🍿👍

[@billarroo1]

Pretty Cool, I've never seen a picket tool before. Team work, Great Video, Thanks

[@jasonmetzger431]

i love the picket spacing tool but at work we cut 2 square tubes at the exact spacing we need and then we put the post in first and then put the spacers and also get a flat bar that’s the right thickness as a shim for your pickets. then all you do it slap a picket down tack it in take ur spaces out. flip flop them and then put another picket in. can get a railing done in like 10 mins if u got all the parts cut

[@jonl40]

Awesome time saver looks very precise anyone can tell your level of professionalism 👊

[@tonielezi8458]

Nice job man

[@tiredcreekironworks8123]

Looks good Man! Great video! Nice job on those.

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

Thanks 👍

[@sandovalbruh905]

Love seeing that vulcan welder there deff a good buy if your on a budget and want a machine that can pretty much do it all

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

its Big Toms, I have to say im impressed

[@sandovalbruh905]

@@MeltinMetalAnthony I love my vulcan I wanted to buy the miller mutltimatic but I didn't want to spend that much on my first machine I got reccomend the vulcan by the lead welder at my shop and sure enough that little machine kicks ass

[@garydudley7399]

Who makes that particular " Picket master tool" youre using in this video? Thanks.

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

its in the description below

[@dcharnas2592]

Anthony, The link to find the picket tool is not available. Would you please provide a link for the tool? Thank you...

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

amzn.to/3e3mo8o

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

sorry about that!

[@oswaldii3258]

You're an inspiration to me and I love your content! Do you have any tips on how you find jobs? Or how jobs find you I suppose?

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

reputation, good people skills and a pinch of advertisement

[@oswaldii3258]

@@MeltinMetalAnthony If you havent made a video already, I'd love to hear about how you started and grew your business, what you learned and what type of tools you might have wanted when you started (Maybe reach out to a company and be sponsored to show their tool?) Thank you for responding regardless, you're a legend.

[@gdemanoy]

What’s voltage and wire speed?

[@seanking9535]

What size square tube for pickets? 3/4 “

[@DXT61]

How do yall like that Vulcan 220 welder?

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

it welded better than the demo yeswelder multi process machine I was sent and my Hobart 140

[@chadkennedy529]

There's a lot of money in the railing and gate game if you're good. Turned out nice Anthony.

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

Thanks Chad!

[@jbone4217]

I'm new to welding and fabrication, can you tell me exactly which pieces of steel is used, like what I'll need...like size tubing, flat bar...

[@Sffker]

for what? No, no one can just tell you what metal shape, type or thickness to use in general. It depends completely on the application what you use. And obviously code if there is one to follow for the application.

[@jbone4217]

@@Sffker I meant just for small projects in my garage, just enjoy making stuff

[@Sffker]

@@jbone4217 well, you’ll have to learn what to use then. it all depends on application, or just what’s available at times.

[@Charles-tj8ol]

The Terry fella is kinda correct but for the sake of giving you a starting place, typically fence sections use 1” square tubing in 16ga or 14ga (usually 16, but 14 is easier to weld without blowing holes) for the horizontal top and bottom. The vertical pickets will usually be 1/2” or 5/8” square tubing in 14ga or 16ga thickness. Good luck and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Most fabricators are down to give some tips. Also the people that work at the steelyard should be willing to give some guidance, especially since you are spending money with them.

[@Sffker]

@@Charles-tj8ol that’s what I’m saying. You just have to learn what you should use, or what works. I did a ton with 1/8 sheet at my last job, for general fab, as well as 1” pipe, 1/2” bar, a36 1x1/2 flat, 2x1/2 flat, various assortments of sizes of angle iron and square tube, 3/8 plate, BOM would be 2 pages long if I listed everything I used for general fab purposes. Now I mostly do 1/16th stainless sheet or various sizes and shapes of stainless since I’m in food now.

[@joetownsend5904]

Anthony, I've been a welder/fabricator for 50+ yrs. Love watching your videos EXCEPT for your language! I always tell the young men that have worked for & w/me that I'm much more impressed w/a man who can use the English language intelligently w/o having to curse. Also you're not being a good role model for the young men who may one day become "masters of molten metal." Hope this tip will improve an already great you tube channel!?

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

I appreciate the kind words. its how I talk. I will not edit myself nor change my feelings to abide by some weird societal pressure. words are words and if they hurt you I don't think you really have a place in this environment

[@garys5175]

@@MeltinMetalAnthony You got that right! Cuss them sumbidges, this is mf-ing construction, not a damn daycare center! Country boys gonna country, all I got to say!

[@krazykozey2259]

352? Gainesville/ocala? Big Tom's yard looks like mine. Aripeka FL for me. Love the content!

[@danielumana7436]

What type of gas you used for your mig machine?

[@michaelsimpkins3541]

VULCAN OMNIPRO, how do you like your welder?! I loved mine but a coworker tanked the end of it and messed up the lining, before they sold just the mig liner. Should I consider repurchasing it?

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

its a good machine

[@liamellerby849]

@@MeltinMetalAnthony Getting rid of ours. No 14G settings(!) and torch gets tweaked and twists around. going with Everlast

[@doomhaurj]

Was there a reason for the spacing change at the last 3 pickets

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

to match the railings below

[@doomhaurj]

@@MeltinMetalAnthony attention to detail always a good thing, well whenever you make the move to Montana drop a video of the work I’m looking to go back home( Montana) in the next year or so and I’m just curious about available opportunities

[@jesuscortes1034]

What is the name of the tools for mesures

[@rektindustries5634]

Just goes to show you dont need a fancy welding table, just a big tom.

[@woodsweldingllc3963]

it’s funny i used to live in tampa and to see ask these places i’ve been before

[@budubean]

hey Anthony imma start by saying i love the videos and have taught me very much with on the field welding and if you don’t mind i have a question how did you start up your own business on the welding side did you work for a company before hand to save money up? im 19 and at a tech school for welding i’m in my second year and only got a few months left and i am clueless where to go from their.

[@nadr351]

Work a year at a shop to learn fabrication and layout skills, if they're not teaching you anything then leave. Find a job with an ironworking company to do structural welding, learn a lot about install, problem solving and working in difficult situations/environments. If an employer isn't teaching you anything when you have the drive to learn, then move on to the next company. Take the jobs for the experience not for the money, there's time for money later.

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gXTYZ3-qh6ubrpY this video glosses over that! hope it helps!

[@lost10mil33]

What sunglasses are those? Love the videos man keep up the good work!

[@Particleman50]

Why doesn't Big Tom hook up a wire feed to that rig he drove over.......?

[@LupeFonseca-j9b]

Tacking everything up first is a lot faster, tacking the bottom of the picket then the top and on the the next picket.

[@israelcabrerajr81]

Where did you buy your picket tool?

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

Check the description

[@israelcabrerajr81]

@@MeltinMetalAnthony Thank You

[@dplugCAPZ]

bc when we all saw those stringy cold welds we all thought about that dude whistling a song

[@JuanRodriguez-px7vx]

2:30 Im dead 🤣🤣🤣🤣💀

[@tasosmarkoulas8184]

Top guys!!!

[@ianfox6189]

Wouldn’t you still need to do that math to find out your equal spacing, unless the tool is as long as the panel

[@Fastsport2]

Spacers are better , yeah you put them all in then tack but you can put them in and tack as you do it only as quick as you can put them in and tack them is your speed, 4inches in the minimum of given space you’re aloud to have inbetween the vertical pickets

[@pauleskridge7209]

You might find that you need some small pieces of angle tacked to an actual steel table to clamp the horizontal tubing all throughout the rail so it does not become banana shaped.

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

it was straight as a arrow when we sent them to paint

[@pauleskridge7209]

@@MeltinMetalAnthony i guess that tight fit with the pickets helped out.

[@benjigray8690]

Paul, you're right on the money there All jokes aside, a tight fit is prolly one of the greatest time, and therefore money saving things that a contractor needs. Let's be honest: Cutting steel; It looks so simple, but, how much time is lost having to grind a poofteenth off any piece, to make it fit or, heaven forbid, time filling in a huge gap, if it's cut short. Having someone,(like Big Tom) that can cut stuff accurately, it can be the difference twixt profit or loss.

[@brianpatrick8441]

@@pauleskridge7209 the heat from welding one side opposes the heat from the other side

[@pauleskridge7209]

@@brianpatrick8441 I've done handrail,picket fence,dot rail and custom ornamental gates for 6 years and seen some ridiculously done fence that was concave or bowed in the horizontals no matter how tight the fit was because of not clamping atleast 4 spots throughout each horizontals

[@jackcarroll4251]

I thought I saw a generator on Tom's truck

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

he has hobart

[@servandoaldape6666]

Upright at height level no buddy system needed.

[@brianroselli229]

The vulcan isn't bad at all

[@liamellerby849]

no 14G settings so you have to go to 12g and turn it down. Torch head starts spinning around if your not careful... everlast is great for the money

[@seraph...4473]

Big tom putting his mask up every chance he got was giving me anxiety

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

lol he's got a fixed shade

[@phbrinsden]

The picket spacing jig gives even spacing but I assume you have to maintain awareness of the codes for picket spacing too.

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

But of course. My spacing was 3 3/4

[@phbrinsden]

@@MeltinMetalAnthony 👍😎

[@missdee212]

Damn kids jumping off the 2nd storey? Or at least want to. What's going on there?

[@tomasalvarado207]

👍👍

[@boatboy7418]

You don't need a special tool for it. It's a standard known rule of thumb spacing so a kid can't get his head stuck in the rail.

[@dplugCAPZ]

and skip around homeboy i make handrails and guard rails profess. youll easily warp the dog piss out tube or pipe man plus u need to be using a lil jig to slap them pieces in there

[@seanhernandez1466]

Glad to seen u wearing a mask tony, a lot of older guys don’t realize the damage and how much they’re shortening their life. Glad I’ll be watching you for a while

[@MeltinMetalAnthony]

no doubt!

[@evgeniikorolev5167]

dirty hands-clean money

[@skitown11]

Hacker central. I tack them all in first to create the structure and to spread out the heat. And you fucked up your spacing at the end. Buy a construction master calculator. You can actually download it on your phone. Sometimes the spacing could be a very odd number, like 4-11/16 on center. Can't just eyeball that shit.

[@Particleman50]

If all the pickets are equal spacing... say (3-7/8"), just cut a couple wood blocks cut out of 2x4 and use that as a jig to move along as you tack or weld each picket. Marking each one seems pointless and a waist of time. Using the wood block picket spacers would also be more accurate........ and say it with me..... faster.

[@AccuracySpeaks]

Too bad Warner Music Group has more than likely claimed copyright to your video here from Big Toms' rendition of Ironman, haha! All joking aside, I wouldn't doubt it if it was true!! Cool channel, I've watched 2 of your videos and can clearly see your work ethic! Most sorry ass people are too lazy to do anything at all! For instance, when you're spooling up the loading straps on the steel truck for the dude and helping him offload, most sorry-assed people would just stand there and watch the guy! Like you and the small percentage of conscientious people, I too, jump in when there's work to be done no matter if I'm being paid or if it's my job! New subscriber here, hook me up if you'd like, take care!

[@Erwin-eo7iv]

was nice of the trucker to help unload, in my country yes they do the straps spool it up, and put it away and then roll a sigaret and smoke while u unload

[@brianpatrick8441]

Properly set up and weld hand rail, lol..really? With all due respect 2 guys only producing 20 feet in 4 man hours of dirty rail that still needs to be cleaned is not fast! Your fixture wasnt long enough for starters nor was cable spool table lol and you didnt need to use picket spacing on every bar, layout one and transfer marks to all others, one guy tack the other weld!! You got 2 generators sitting there for power and 1 vulcan p.o.s welder. As a professional rail fabricator i got a little triggered when you said " this is the proper way to set up and weld rail" with such a matter of fact attitude. If you where more humble and said this was kinda a hokie set up and im new to rail i wouldnt have said 1 word negative. 20 years from now watch this video and you will see my point!!

[@brianpatrick8441]

@@Jon-jk8vd there is alot to learn from you tube videos and alot to learn from subscribers with alot of talent on both sides. Anthony came across like he belives he is a expert at rail and pitching the p.o.s picket spacing tool from china like it so great. Its just him telling viewers this is how its properly done i found annoying

[@Charles-tj8ol]

All hail Brian Patrick, rail builder extraordinaire. I’ve never used a Vulcan myself, but I bet I could get a solid rail made with it. A tool is only as good as the dude operating it.

[@Weld99]

I build high end gates and railings for a living and I can agree, definitely not the proper way lol

[@Charles-tj8ol]

@@Weld99 without a doubt, it is definitely hokie. He’s also probably not as equipped for specializing in handrails and I’m guessing he is not charging what you would charge for a high end railing. Perhaps he should not have used the terminology of “proper” but I think he is just trying to share knowledge that he has acquired and applied in his various jobs he gets.

[@charliescustom]

Idk I guess he is just sharing what he knows. As we all know their is a 1000 ways to get something done. Folks watching need to know that.