Using The Metal Stump

[@twestgard2]

This channel doesn’t have 1/10th the interest it deserves. Nice system. That’s gotta be years of experience boiled down to something simple, cheap, and effective.

[@billsmetal]

Thank you..!! I appreciate that. Yes I've been shaping metal for about 35 years or so... and still learn something new almost every time I go into the shop.. Modern equipment helps, but the basics are used every day and are still in the simple hand tools..

[@twestgard2]

@@billsmetal I’m a good carpenter but a novice metalworker. What you said about modern tools applies just the same to woodworking. But you probably know that already.

[@KRAMPUS1933]

I think - after reading many of the comments here - that everybody agrees this is a brilliant tool... Well, it is. Its a fantastic ingenious tool. But what is even better than that, is the way somebody actually takes their personal time out to share his ideas for nothing in return, and pass on his priceless knowledge, which would otherwise be lost forever. It is high time that others began to do this sort of thing, so precious traditional skills and crafts like the ones being shown here are passed down the generations and not lost. Well done!

[@billsmetal]

Thanks.. !!

[@KRAMPUS1933]

You so deserve the praise my friend. Keep it up!

[@mecabrico]

​@@KRAMPUS1933​: Your comment is full of... common sense.

[@fjbowen3155]

That's quite the 'tool' you have created!!! Thanks for making this video!

[@kennethcarver9687]

Just found your tutorial, what a great idea 💡for a out of date tank,great additions to the tank,will be building one for my shop,great to see knowledge being given and not making a profit with it,I also give what I know back to the younger generation being a farm,auto,small engines and heavy equipment mechanic,well done👏

[@shackman9566]

Love it, I've seen a lot old tanks that have no paperwork for sale cheap and always thought they were useless and have even seen them at the scrap yard. Now I see they are gold. Thank you.

[@descargaelbano]

this is the best homemade tool I've ever seen on KZbin ever!

[@rdspeedfab]

Fantastic tool. Thank you for taking the time to share. It’s important that we pass on the knowledge that we have, so it doesn’t die off. All this stuff is becoming a lost art. Thank you again!

[@Dannymurmaid]

Wish I found this video when you put it out. Fantastic idea!

[@vwaudiwelder]

From one weldor to another, thank you sir! This really is a marvelous use of readily available materials. I picked up a leather shot bag long ago, now this will compliment it. I also got a nylon mallet but I like your idea of a baseball bat hammer. Time to chop up an extra bottle and restore my 1966 VW splitty bus. It is getting a year 2000 TDI engine and upside down Audi transmission. Porsche 951 suspension, front hubs and 372mm rotors already mounted.

[@mikmacarthur]

Nah no TDI, give her a 5 cyl Audi petrol turbo

[@brianadams1907]

How has your 1966 VW project turned out ? Would like to hear more about it and see it if possible. Thanks. !

[@kenhughes]

i have my tank with a plate on the bottom with a threaded hole so you can fill with sand to take the ring out of it,also makes it steadier ,great video thank you.

[@roderickgordon-smith7063]

Great idea, the steel stump is more versatile than a wooden stump. That is not to say there is not a place for the wooden stump, but there are so many accessories that can added. Thanks for the inspiration & ideas.

[@Sirak202]

Thanks a lot for all ur tolls

[@marcellemay7721]

Thats a great tool for shaping metal. I bought an old tank at auction. Paid $10 for it. Nobody will fill it. Now I have a use for it. :)

[@roderickgordon-smith7063]

I have been going to get a tree stump, now I am going to make a metal stump like yours. Thanks.

[@matthewpolansky1762]

One of the most useful fixtures I've seen. Going to add one to my stable. Thanks.

[@AllodialTitle]

Bill, great idea. I have an old cast iron C02 tank. I'm going to give it a go when it's empty. Thanks for the vid...

[@NialPowerCork]

Soooo simple, but brilliant and I have an old gas bottle sitting outside. Love it and thanks.

[@rc166honda]

Brilliant! Really clever use of an old gas bottle, got to find one now!

[@joell439]

Amazing creativity. You make it look so simple. I'm hunting for a used cylinder now. This for sharing! Joel

[@evanhall27]

Thank you so much for taking the time to share this..I'm building one now! You have a new subscriber! thanks Bill!

[@TheFrameoff]

That is really cool .. great idea going to have to try making one , just a thought but you could put a L shape bracket going from the bottom side of the tank on to the ground and use it to step on to hold the tank from moving .. if it does . Like I said just a thought

[@litemup67]

Thanks for the great video, I made some improvements to my metal stump last night after watching this and made some more dollies.

[@peteboss4519]

Thank you for sharing your experience and insights!

[@autojumbleusa]

Great video and great tools you made.👍 ☆☆☆☆☆

[@charliebardo6255]

You can usually get the tanks at you welding supply place. The get them back from being tested. If they don't pass they have to scrap them . You can get them usually pretty cheap

[@jeffsandling5981]

Charlie Bardo Got mine free that way, was better for them for me to haul them off than they'd of made on scrap. It's definitely worth it to check your local shops for out of service bottles.

[@fitzyholden1036]

Thank you very much for that idea mate. Got an old cylinder that size laying around I can use to make one of those.

[@philbimpson8758]

Yo. Man I can't believe I've found this video. I'm just making one of these "Tree Dolly's" out of a old Argon bottle. You and the Motorcycle shop plus me make three shops Globally with this tool. Don't let snap-on find out. Peace and love from Liverpool England

[@Jbutbe]

one of the best videos i have ever seen ! great craftsmanship

[@kellyjones334]

That's some good info. Thanks.

[@markcarey3548]

Well done, creative and brilliant. Thank you for sharing your tricks!

[@AlphaBobFloridaOverlord]

Greatly appreciate you taking the time to make this video - extremely useful tool and making your own tools is the sign of a genuine craftsman! Unrelated, metal shaping is new to me and I'm hoping you can tell me what type of aluminum you're using in the demo - I've got access to some 3003 1/2 hard; would this work to practice?

[@billsmetal]

That is the perfect material to work with.. It's good that you have access to it.. Most supply houses only stock 5052, which is literally a pain to work with. The 3003 is very compliant and retains it's shape when you shape it, with very little spring back. And it responds well to annealing, 6061 can be annealed as well but work hardens much quicker than the 3003. Here's a good explanation of what the numbers mean.. www.alcotec.com/us/en/education/knowledge/techknowledge/understanding-the-alloys-of-aluminum.cfm

[@FISHBREATHH]

Excellent Bill, Thanks

[@stude1953]

Neat video Bill, thanks for sharing.

[@hugharmstrong760]

The more I swatch I am impressed

[@billsmetal]

Thanks..

[@carylamari6546]

You are a genius Bill

[@ПоследнийИван]

Thank you for showing us. Greeting from Russia.🤝

[@starforged]

Thank you for sharing. Great video.

[@MrAllan9]

Wish I would have seen this year's ago. Thanks.

[@facesmasher4216]

great piece of valuable equipment thank you

[@bradbender6301]

Simple and effective, Thanks So Much...

[@johnw.peterson4311]

Great idea sir, nice job.

[@TheAntipedy]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH SIR

[@eduardobignami4520]

Amazing creativity..... Tks

[@jimzivny1554]

Great idea, thanks for sharing

[@Rowganlife]

cool tool...thanks for the video!

[@toddenglert4815]

Good video bill

[@SlowEarl1]

very cool thanks for sharing

[@thegoodearth7]

Incredibly helpful! Subscribed!

[@wyattoneable]

Great tips, thank you.

[@ExcelsiorFML]

Amazing tool and thank you for the explanation! May I ask how you made the dish on the top?

[@billsmetal]

It's already there... That's the bottom of the oxygen tank.. it was a 331 cubic foot tank that had out lived it's usefulness and couldn't be re certified... so the Welding Gas Supply houses sell them for scrap.. you can get them cheap, either from them or from the scrapyard..

[@JoeNunes345]

Hi. Great video. I want to make one like that. Could you please let me know, what size receiver you used, and is there a good practical reason why it is set out from the cylinder. If so, how far out? Would there be a disadvantage if it was welded straight on the side of the cylinder? Many thanks for any advice that you can give me, on this project. Kond regards, Joe

[@billsmetal]

It's just a scrap piece of 2 X 2 Square Tubing.. You can use whatever you want, as long as it fits whatever you want to put in it..

[@JoeNunes345]

Thank you very much for your reply.

[@shahriariran44]

Your an smart guy very smart ,thanks for the video

[@guillermonieri4203]

Thank you.

[@learnplaystaydoggieresort8140]

I enjoyed watching this video !

[@danielrottino6230]

Thank you for sharing

[@mattlee007]

and the baseball bat idea aswell brilliant

[@richaroodledoodle]

Great video and very ingenious of you. This is better than using a wooden stump. I have an old Acetylene bottle laying around, and would love to build something like what you have there. Any safety advice for cutting the head off of the tank ?

[@billsmetal]

+richaroodledoodle ... First ...Don't use an Acetylene bottle..!!! They are constructed completely different and it will be dangerous..!!! The bottom is shaped differently and not usable.. They are filled with cork to absorb the Acetone.. and they are VERY unstable.. you could blow yourself up.. !!! Use an old Oxy or Argon or C02 bottle.. Don't use an Oxy Acetylene torch to cut the bottle.. Even if it's empty and purged, you can still introduce un-burned fuel and oxidizer into the bottle from the torch, and blow yourself up!!! ... Use a saw.. or a plasma cutter... I cut mine in half with a band saw first. Then after the end was open I used a torch to cut the shapes that I used for dollies.

[@richaroodledoodle]

***** I knew it was not a good idea, but I thought there was a way around it some how. I guess I'll had to find and old OXY bottle around somewhere. Thanks for replying so soon, and keep those vids coming. Good info and thanks for sharing with us..

[@rubenj.garcia6828]

outstanding

[@roestalker1117]

grate idea thanks for sharing

[@JohnDavis-yz9nq]

I’m needing to form shapes similar to bicycle fenders out of aluminum. Any ideas. Thinking about a arbor press with special made dies.

[@billsmetal]

If I'm only making one or two, I would use my English Wheel.. If you are making a bunch of them, you might want to build a Fender Roller. I also built a set of fender forming dies for my power hammer... Interestingly, when I built the test dies out of wood, they worked great. So I decided to build a more durable set out of aluminum, and they didn't work.!! You actually need the grip of the wood, to shrink the metal. The aluminum dies were too slick and the metal would slip in the dies, rather than shrink. It came out more like a potato chip than a continuous curve. Also you will want to use 3003 H-14 alloy aluminum, for forming that shape..

[@JohnDavis-yz9nq]

billsmetal I am building kinetic wind sculptures and will be needing a lot of them. I have been forming the blades with a blacksmith swage block and a plastic mallet. And then through an English Wheel. I am tired of all the hammering. It is a convex concave curve with a radius.aluminum 3003 16 gage. I start with 3”X28-34”. Anything is better than all that hammering. I have hammered out hundreds of these. Each kinetic requires 6 to sometimes 24 blades. With your experience I am sure that you know what I’ve been through. Not quite sure what a fender roller is. My email is [e-mail] Any information will be greatly appreciated

[@JohnDavis-yz9nq]

billsmetal yes I could see that you would need a certain amount of friction. Friction can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Only the wind sculptures I am fighting friction constantly.

[@hugharmstrong760]

Great video

[@BobNchannel]

very very good thinking. your cleaver i think that is one of the best uses of recycled materials i have seen so far.

[@TheWreckingYard]

Nice work

[@justinmason472]

bill question about how you made the dish on top? or is the bottle just upside down?

[@billsmetal]

The bottle is upside down.. The pieces that are shaped, which I show being put in the square holder, are made from the top of the bottle, where it curves toward the valve..

[@justinmason472]

thanks bill i appreciate the response , I'm just starting out metal shaping , currently just finishing my garage but looking to make some of my own tools.

[@kellyjones334]

Did you fill the tank with water before you cut it up ?

[@billsmetal]

No .... It's not a Fuel Tank... it was an old Oxygen, or Argon Tank, or CO2 tank.. You don't want to use a Hydrogen Tank, or a tank that held anything that's flammable. An Acetylene tank not only flammable, it is the wrong construction, as it is filled with cork and doesn't have the concave bottom and it's made of too thin of material. Propane tanks are too thin as well, and obviously flammable.. If you do use an Oxygen Tank, obviously it is an oxidizer and while it doesn't burn on it's own, it does accelerate a fire. So it's a good idea to purge the tank a few times with your air compressor. Or unscrew the valve from the top and drop an air hose in the tank and let it blow out (dilute) any residual oxygen.......... I answered this question about 5 years ago, so it's way down in the comments.. Here's a copy and paste of the answer I gave someone who said they were going to use an acetylene bottle, back then....... First ...Don't use an Acetylene bottle..!!! They are constructed completely different and it will be dangerous..!!! The bottom is shaped differently and not usable.. They are filled with cork to absorb the Acetone.. and they are VERY unstable.. you could blow yourself up.. !!! Use an old Oxy or Argon or C02 bottle.. Don't use an Oxy Acetylene torch to cut the bottle.. Even if it's empty and purged, you can still introduce un-burned fuel and oxidizer into the bottle from the torch, and blow yourself up!!! ... Use a saw.. or a plasma cutter... I cut mine in half with a band saw first. Then after the end was open I used a torch to cut the shapes that I used for dollies.

[@kellyjones334]

@@billsmetal I have some old tanks like yours that are probably 20 years. They have the same bottom and are built out of heavy steel. I watched another video back awhile and the guy screwed the top off and then filled it with water and then took his cut off grinder to it. I've been going to make one for years now but have just never got around to it. You did a great job on yours.

[@shawnnolan5782]

Hi Bill,This is a great video. I agree with the comments below; a great use of recycled material...and...simple and effective demonstrations of compound curves. Is the slapper a piece of maple?

[@billsmetal]

+Shawn Nolan , It's actually a piece of Oak from a shipping pallet...

[@pnr9730]

Awesome from Australia

[@markwhitfield5412]

get an old empty large propane tank cut the top off square cut the foot shroud off fill it with concrete nice convex dome, u could add to that like you have done with your stump..good idea u have there. Regards

[@hugharmstrong760]

How did you mount blacksmith vise to garage floor?

[@billsmetal]

Check out my Garage tour video and it shows how that was done.. I have several tools that fit in the holes and there are 4 locations in the shop where I put those holes..

[@Chevy-ud1ec]

what did you make your wooden slapping tool with?Thanks

[@billsmetal]

+Chevy3939 ... It's Oak from an old shipping pallet..

[@EarthtonesCymbals]

Very cool!

[@fokinlordsamaels]

I quess you filled it with the concrete or something?

[@billsmetal]

+Lord Samaels ...Nope.... it's still hollow... they are a half inch thick and plenty strong...

[@fokinlordsamaels]

i was more concern about extra weight and less noisy

[@betodefreitas7631]

+Lord Samaels That's a really good idea. I think this is really really noisy.

[@billsmetal]

You are beating on a piece of sheet metal.!!!!... I can tell you, with the open end sitting on the floor, you don't hear anything from the metal stump.. All you hear is the sheet of metal being hit..... and if you are worried about noise... you are in the wrong business..!!!..LOL

[@7111962peedee]

what gauge metal is best to use

[@billsmetal]

If you are talking about the hood..??? I used 20 gauge, cold rolled... but 18 gauge would have been good too.. just a little harder to work..

[@lennygrindler9653]

clever idea !!!!

[@lacaver64]

yo have make a lot of aplications with the gas fles my father has a wooden tries stam but the fles is better and is steel good multi tool for working the plateworking very nice ideas

[@markwhitfield5412]

fill the stump with concrete, keep the sound ringing low, weight will keep it stable just a thought regards..

[@TroyBlass]

Sand would be better, then you can drain it

[@rick3095]

sweet

[@dannyoktim9628]

I am not scraping my old tank now!!!

[@rick3095]

I want one

[@jandippenaar6943]

Exellent

[@motoputz3201]

kool

[@fredjones1238]

cool i have old tank new project

[@thomaserke4197]

🤯🤔🤯

[@fishingpalakes220]

you need a bigger mallet.

[@RussellTelker]

Yeah, that's not a 32 Ford btw... it's a 28 or 29. Nice video though...

[@billsmetal]

+Russell Telker .... Yep.... the car is a 29... but the radiator Grill Shell is 32.... I should have clarified that....

[@hugharmstrong760]

Great baseball bat

[@rdspeedfab]

Fantastic tool. Thank you for taking the time to share. It’s important that we pass on the knowledge that we have, so it doesn’t die off. All this stuff is becoming a lost art. Thank you again!

[@jimzivny1554]

Great idea, thanks for sharing