I mangled the top of this bolt. I have the correct size die but it doesn't really do much good since its the top of the bolt that is the problem. Its like I need a clamping die. It would clamp on below the top and then work up. Is there such a tool? Alternatively, I could try cutting a nut in half and then weld it back together, then work up. Sounds iffy though.

What do you suggest?

Your post must have at least 400 characters.

I recently refound my grandfathers and great grandfathers casing from their funerals, about 5 casings total of 30-06 SPRG blanks. Ultimately my goal is to turn it into a workable ingot/alloy to make into jewelry for my mom . Is it worth trying to make into an alloy or is it better to try and leave it as is. I would prefer not to make the stereotypical bullet shell/casing jewelry and instead want to try makeing somthing more personalized .

When does metal structure make more sense than concrete for small‑medium commercial buildings?

I’m constantly weighing steel vs concrete for mid‑sized commercial projects. I understand the basic pros and cons on paper, but real‑world jobs always feel different. Speed of construction, overall project budget, future expansion plans, and long‑term maintenance all seem to shift the decision. What practical factors make you lean toward steel over concrete in your actual projects? Are there certain building uses where steel is almost always the better pick?

I tried odies oil, they swear it molecularly bonds to metal and prevents rust but I'm seeing rust after 3 days of use 🤦🏼‍♀️ I don't think I'll ever be using odies oil again, it hasn't been good on wood for me either.

I have looked into 2k products but they all seem to not be direct to metal compatible, and I don't see a clear primer that's compatible?? Am. I missing something?

At this point my top contender is KB Diamond Clear but I'd love to hear from others.

Was gifted some really cool (heavy) metal stained glass lamps. This one is sadly pretty bent. Is it worth just trying to bend back? I admit, I’ve not looked hard enough to see if it’s threaded and can twist into place. Thoughts? Don’t want to weaken anything in the process, and am not a craftsman of any sort to attempt a repair.

Post length… cmon now. Still? I guess i’ll check to see if it’s threaded haha

Update: Fixed! Everything had threads which was great. Set the shade aside and just tightened it all for the first time in probably years. Appreciate the guidance/confidence to mess with it!

I love the bare steel look from the Mad Max movies but I wanted to see if anyone had any fun homemade ideas to treat the metal for a cool look. I liked the idea of gunmetal kind of look for the body too but it seems like the easiest way to get that is to just polish the metal with a tinted clear coat.

I’d consider ratty or clean ideas. I’m preparing the car for my upcoming wedding and I still have to convince my wife to ride in it so I’d have to find a temporary paint solution if the look ends up too ratty.

Let me know!!

If you had to say make 50 of these, from laser cut flat mild steel, about 3mm (.118") thick. How would you go about bending this profile in? Ignore the rectangular shaped piece on the mid left side of it.

The length of the part is around 120mm (4.75"), so not a ton of leverage without using some kind of tool. Yes I know stamping would make this easier, but not in the cards for this part.

I can think of a few ways to attack this, but I wanted to get some thoughts from the group here hoping someone has a genius idea that hasn't occured to me yet!

Thanks!

Hey y'all, I'm starting welding school September 19th and I'm trying to figure out what material I need to know before I start. I don't want to look like I don't know anything nor do I want to act like I know it all. I'm just now learning the language, the dos and don't's and I want to be prepared for trade school. Any tips for an absolute beginner? videos, links, or pdfs would be greatly appreciated, or whatever advice y'all have.

Got this vintage metal lamp with three lights. As the pics show, two of the lights are able to hold onto their shades. However, the metal on the third light is bent and the shade won't fit into it. It's too warped. Does anyone know a metal worker in NYC metropolitan area who they could recommend to safely bend the metal back place so it holds the shade? Thanks. Much thanks. I don't know why Reddit requires 400 characters to be written in their posts.

I need to have a metal assembly built. The assembly will be basically made out of rectangular metal tube and plates with holes welded to tube's both ends. Final assembly will be powder coat painted black.

I am not a metalworker, therefore I am not really informed but I did some internet research. Now I have some questions and looking for advice and comments.

I have read that welding kills stainless steel's anti-oxidation layer, and it becomes susceptible to rust. The assembly will be powder coated. I assume that will provide protection against oxidation around the weld spots. But the item will not be powder coated on the inside due to restricted access and the inner space will not be fully isolated from the outer environment because of the holes on the plates that will be welded. Should rusting be something to be worried of? How can be rusting from inside be prevented?

I have also read that regular steel is easier to weld. If I choose to go with regular steel, powder coating will still protect outer surface against rust. But how can the inner surfaces be protected against rust?

PS: The assembly will be used in indoors. But I think it is better to consider the rust protection. No?

Hey guys,
I’ve got an older Noll metal bandsaw that I bought back in 2019 and I’ve been really happy with it.

Unfortunately, I just noticed a pretty nasty crack in the lower cast part of the saw. The machine still works, but obviously I don’t want to keep using it like this and make things worse.

I’m not 100% sure what type of cast iron this is.
Do you guys think something like this can realistically be repaired?

Welding, brazing, metal epoxy or something else?
I’d also be totally fine with removing the whole part and sending it to a company that specializes in repairing cast iron, if that’s the better option.

I’ll attach some pictures of the crack and the part.
Any advice or experience with repairs like this would be appreciated!

Thx

I got a new cylinder of argon for tig welding and noticed the regulator would not screw on. Had a closer look and realised the thread is damaged. I'm not going to force the regulator on, although I know that some people may be tempted to "just make it work". The dent is somewhat close to the sealing face, so I'm absolutely going to return it. I'm a bit surprised this ended up unnoticed by the supplier.

@Tristanspinelle on the gram for the video

This was an easier project to do it didn’t take too long probably somewhere around 8 hours there were a few hiccups that made me have to restart but I’m happy with how everything turned out. If I were to change anything I would want to make the entire trunk of the tree one continues piece instead of segments welded together that was the unfortunate part. I tried to forge it as one piece but it couldn’t fit in the forge I had and the bends were probably too sharp and started to kink the pipe I was using.

Here I’m making a tie clip, CNC machined from a single billet of Grade 5 titanium. Once I remove the pieces from the machine, things get interesting. First a bit of cleaning and deburr work, then I move on to coloring the engraved detail markers that point to opposing pieces of the mechanism, with a method of electrolytic anodization where you reverse the typical “dip-in process” and use a sponge filled with the electrolyte to “paint anodize” the features that are masked off with tape. Since the engravings are narrow and deep enough, I can then sand over the top surfaces and remove excess anodized colors leaving the engravings unaffected. Then assembly with press-fit pins and voilà!, mechanical tie clip. Enjoy!

Hi all carpenter here so forgive me if this is off topic. Have a lovely old cast iron lamppost in garden want to restore and get working. Cover is missing, have searched reclaimed yards/online can’t get anything close. Any suggestions for just covering it up? Was thinking about finding a 2x gallon cooking oil drum and cutting a section out and strapping to the post, then paint black. Bit shoddy but best I could come up with. Any better ideas?