[TheForge] Re: Gazinta

Thu Aug 11 06:40:21 EDT 2005

An interesting alternative I've seen was a grid of RXR track welded in 4-8'
squares with the flange up.  Flanges were 1/2-3/4" apart, or so with the
concrete poured inside the squares level with the flanges.  all the tools
were on cammed wheels that allowed them to be bolted in place.  Seems there
was an exhaust system in the floor as well.  This was at a shop near the
Sauder Village in NW Ohio, I can't remember the smith's name.

Kevin D.

 -----Original Message-----
 From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
 [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Ralph Sproul
 Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 7:29 AM
 To: mspencer at tallships.ca; Sponsored by ABANA
 Subject: Re: [TheForge] Re: Gazinta

     Pete & Mike,  Two of the attachments that the square floor pockets
 (gazintas) offer is the ability to pull a tractor apart, and then reverse
 the come a longs to pull back together again.........of course using just
 one of these can pull a dead car or truck into the bay.  The fixture can be
 a tube with a hook welded to the top or just a tube with four nothches to
 that the chain can slide into as a notch (if the tubing is thick enough
 wall). I have two tubes that I welded towing hooks to for a real stout pull
 with a chain falls when needed to pull  a skidder apart to rebuild the
 center steering pin.

 Now we're beggining to talk placement of gazintas here.

     I have one at each end of the shop that is a drive thru (if you moved
 everything that I now work with - but didn't when I did more road welding
 and everything was built at the customer's shop).  The other ones
 are in the
 grinding area, an open place for the hossfeld, machinist vice, etc.  and a
 couple thrown in other open areas just for good measures.  This of course
 required knowing how your shop was going to be laid out prior to
 pouring the
 floor (which I did with a scale graph paper and stick on tools to move
 around easier than the real deals.........much lighter).

     Another option on this "in-floor anchor loops" is what my
 friend in Deer
 Isle Maine did.  He put 18" deep pipes with a real heavy flat bar welded to
 the bottom and a chain welded to that.  about four inches above that he put
 a 3/4" pin.  His plug ins take a smaller pipe.  When the bottom of the plug
 in is a smooth cut pipe the post can rotate (which he thought he'd want but
 doesn't use much). The other option is to cut four notches so the pipe can
 be located at any one of four 90 degree locations for positioning
 - which he
 uses all the time, and the third option was to pull the chain up from under
 the pin and hook another chain to it for pulling, straightening, etc.

 His holes also got debris in them - so a cover was made to keep
 that problem
 to a dull roar and the covers also allow you to roll a cart of creeper over
 non used holes without falling in. Beveling the edges of the covers helps
 with less tripping, or cart jolting to allow wheel to run up over easily.

 This may well be the approach you'd like Mike as pipe is cheaper
 than square
 tubing.

 Anyone doing this before the floor is poured be sure to run a ground cable
 to the welder location - that's another item that's pretty handy.
 It is one
 I didn't do, and wish the hell I did.

 Ralph

 ----- Original Message -----
 From: "Mike Spencer" <mspencer at tallships.ca>
 To: <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
 Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 3:35 AM
 Subject: [TheForge] Re: Gazinta

 >
 > > While you are thinking about it....putting in some in-floor anchor
 > > loops is probably worth the effort.
 >
 > Yeah, tell me, Peter.  I finally have a place I can get a vehicle into
 > to work on it.  Has been very handy for stuff like replacing a starter
 > motor in the winter, [1] formerly done in the back yard.
 >
 > Only I have no way to get a *dead* vehicle in single-handed (because
 > of a slight up-hill grade and a high sill.)  I need a big ringbolt for
 > a come-along in the floor opposite the wide door.
 >
 > Of course, now that the spiral stair is in place and anchored to the
 > concrete with four 3/8" bolts, I suppose I could put a chain around
 > the stair pole.  I dunno if I want to do that. :-)
 >
 > So yes, floor anchors.  Yes.
 >
 > - Mike
 >
 > [1] And I have a special blacksmith's tool for removing Cavalier
 >     starters.  See, they used a ca. 4" x 8mm bolt that is threaded all
 >     the way through 3" of cast boss and projects out into the air near
 >     the manifold where it can rust nicely.  You can't get a torch in
 >     there to heat the boss without burning up all the wiring and
 >     stuff.  If you twist that bolt off, you might well have to remove
 >     the engine to bore it out.
 >
 >     I finally welded a 5" long piece of 1x2 to a nice handle, heated
 >     it in the forge to bright red, quickly wrapped it in ceramic
 >     blanket and then held the end against the offending engine boss
 >     for maybe five minutes.  That was just enough to break the bolt
 >     loose so that it couled (eventually, resisting all the way) be
 >     turned out.
 >
 >     I wonder what they do at the Chevy dealership.
 >
 > --
 > Michael Spencer                  Nova Scotia, Canada       .~.
 >                                                            /V\
 > mspencer at tallships.ca                                     /( )\
 > http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/                        ^^-^^
 >
 > --
 >
 >
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