Update! SMS has aquired a CNC Plasma table.
Check out the new Stanford Metal Specialties page: HERE
At the present, I use the following tools for most of my cage/bumper/misc. fabrication:
Mid American E-Z bend tubing bender
Dies- 1" 1.25" 1.5" 1.75" tubing, up to 1.75" .120 wall chromoly tubing. I am a big fan of 1.5" DOM mild steel tubing, as it is strong but light, and easy to work.
Winners Circle tubing notcher
Hobart Handler 120 mig welder
Lincoln auto-darkening weld helmet
DeWalt 4" angle grinder
Delta Chop Saw (metal wheel)
Delta Drill press
various clamps, marking and measuring tools
Here is a shot of my shop and some of my tools:
Above: Mig Welder, Tubing Bender. Below Notcher and bending software station and chop saw.
As seen on my Festiva page, I rolled my autocross car, and decided to make a full "modified" car out of it. Why? Because I can, and noone else would. HA!
The cause:
The Result:
The Cure:
Bending the Main Hoop
Setting the front and rear hoops
Final touches and shock tower brace (below)
Once I again, I found myself needing something that just isn't available. You can buy Tein coilovers, but they aren't sprung heavily enough for what I need. I ended up fabricating a system out of suspension parts for other vehicles:
A 1994 Mitsubishi Galant specific KYB AGX adjustible shocks for the rear, a 1989 Mazda 323 part number set of KYB GR2 struts for the front, and a set of Ground Control coilovers with Eibach springs from a Honda application.
The front struts needed slight modifications, I cut off the stock spring perches and welded on a collar for the coilover sleeve to ride on.
