I can't help it I look at something and this voice in my head says "you can make one of those"

This project hasn't got a name for some reason. My first 4X4 a 68 Chevy project was called Brutus and 52 GMC is called Maybelline. But for some reason this one hasn't got a name. Yet any way

 

I made a new longer pivot pin to work with the two stick mounts. Sunday I got four rod ends and this morning I picked up some bolts from TSC.
I have some trimming to do on the bottom where the rod ends go them done with the stick part for now.

 

I like that clamp for holding the round stock on the drill press...

Did you put bronze bushings in the sticks...or were they already like that?

 

The clamp is a welding clamp from Tractor supply. the little "feet" pivot to work on flat or round materials.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/...=welding+clamp


It's the one in the upper right corner




The bushings were already there.


Hopefully I can get this part done today so I can work on the linkage.

 

Todays fun. I made a little fixture to drill two 5/16" holes as close to exactly 180 degrees apart on a piece of 1" diameter tubing. The idea is to have a bolt go through one hole through the holes in the shift rail and out the other side.
Knowing that you cant just drill through one side of the tubing and have the other anywhere near lined up. The holes have to be drilled from opposite sides. square tube is easy, pick a side and work from only that side. Round tube isn't as easy.
Since I no longer have access to a milling machine and tooling. The first hole will have to be drilled and then used to locate the hole on the opposite side.

So here is what I did. I drilled the fixture then welded the angle 1/2" on each side. I used the hole and a pin in the drillpress chuck to locate the fixture. once tightened down all I had to do is clamp the tube to the fixture spot dill and drill the hole to size. Next remove and debur the tube. I then used a pin to go though the bottom hole and the hole in the tube then clamp and and drill the other hole. I left the pin in the hole to keep the tube from rotating while I drilled the second hole.

 

and the reason for all the above. The plan is to weld Taps to the sleeves that line up with my shift rods on my twin stick setup. so far I have around $60 into it.


ignore the crappy bolts they are just to check for fit

 

That is COOL.
Nice work!

 

Yeah...What Oliver said!

 

Thanks guys, I am sort of surprised at how well it is going so far.

 

I did some work on this this morning. Mostly to check for clearance of the shift rods. the threaded ends are just grade 8 bolts with the heads cut off. the rod part is tubing.

 

Clever way to make those rods...But should we expect less...

 

Thanks Brian, Some days expect less, much less. fortunately I don't have many of those days
This is just a mock up to get an idea what needs to be changed or what clearance issues I might run into. so I didn't bother welding it. It's sort of a design by the seat of the pants.

 

A wee bit farther today.

 

one more. wow crappy pictures today

 

Gonna have enough room for that second rod? Look a little tight with the room you have left.