My first "Real" Project
 

These are pictures of my first "real" metalworking project. It is a box for
my generator. The frame is 6061-T6 1*1*.125 aluminum angle. The skin is
050 sheet aluminum. The hardware is all stainless including the piano hinge
in the back. The box is open on the bottom and sits on a 3" concrete pad
with indentations for the wheels so it doesn't walk. The idea is that the
box can easily be detached and lifted over the generator so I can remove the
generator and take it elsewhere to run my welder or plasma cutter. I was
nervous about heat build up so the one end has a fan to keep air flowing
through. There is a screen in front of the fan behind the louver to keep
kids from cutting off a finger if they were to try and put their hand in.
The bulky device in the front is an external muffler from Jack's Small
Engines to quiet it down. Truth is, most of the noise comes from the
generator unit and not the engine. In the spring I hope to add some sound
insulation to the sides and lid and some baffles in front of the louvers to
quiet it more. I have one current problem. As the ground froze, it heaved
more in the front than the back. As a result it leans in towards the house
and currently I cannot open the lid all the way. This will make it
difficult to refuel. I will try to lift the back and put some stone
underneath to solve this when I get time. Ironically, this winter we have
not had a single power outage. Had several last summer. Any additional
suggestions or advice is always appreciated.

Of note, I was learning to weld on this project. First time I had welded
aluminum. Fortunately it is nonstructural. Some of the welds are nice
looking. Some are fugly. I believe they are all strong enough for the
application. Of course the skin helps hold it all together. All is
aluminum except the handles that hold the box down. I welded nuts in the
end of a tube with a cross handle on the other end. The frame of the box
sits over concrete anchors. I screw these handles down over the frame onto
the anchors to hold it down. This way I can reach them and detach the box
in about a minute. I just get some help lift it over the generator after I
remove the external muffler. I may or may not keep this muffler after I add
the baffles. If it does not contribute much to quieting it down I will
probably remove it as it is just another step in getting the generator out.


http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/GeneratorBox1.jpg

http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/GeneratorBox2.jpg


Barry

You did a really nice job...
"Barry" wrote in message
...
These are pictures of my first "real" metalworking project. It is a box
for
my generator. The frame is 6061-T6 1*1*.125 aluminum angle. The skin is
050 sheet aluminum. The hardware is all stainless including the piano
hinge
in the back. The box is open on the bottom and sits on a 3" concrete pad
with indentations for the wheels so it doesn't walk. The idea is that the
box can easily be detached and lifted over the generator so I can remove
the
generator and take it elsewhere to run my welder or plasma cutter. I was
nervous about heat build up so the one end has a fan to keep air flowing
through. There is a screen in front of the fan behind the louver to keep
kids from cutting off a finger if they were to try and put their hand in.
The bulky device in the front is an external muffler from Jack's Small
Engines to quiet it down. Truth is, most of the noise comes from the
generator unit and not the engine. In the spring I hope to add some sound
insulation to the sides and lid and some baffles in front of the louvers
to
quiet it more. I have one current problem. As the ground froze, it
heaved
more in the front than the back. As a result it leans in towards the house
and currently I cannot open the lid all the way. This will make it
difficult to refuel. I will try to lift the back and put some stone
underneath to solve this when I get time. Ironically, this winter we have
not had a single power outage. Had several last summer. Any additional
suggestions or advice is always appreciated.

Of note, I was learning to weld on this project. First time I had welded
aluminum. Fortunately it is nonstructural. Some of the welds are nice
looking. Some are fugly. I believe they are all strong enough for the
application. Of course the skin helps hold it all together. All is
aluminum except the handles that hold the box down. I welded nuts in the
end of a tube with a cross handle on the other end. The frame of the box
sits over concrete anchors. I screw these handles down over the frame
onto
the anchors to hold it down. This way I can reach them and detach the box
in about a minute. I just get some help lift it over the generator after
I
remove the external muffler. I may or may not keep this muffler after I
add
the baffles. If it does not contribute much to quieting it down I will
probably remove it as it is just another step in getting the generator
out.


http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/GeneratorBox1.jpg

http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/GeneratorBox2.jpg


Barry

On Sat, 5 Feb 2005 14:49:04 -0500, "Barry"
wrote:

These are pictures of my first "real" metalworking project.

Sure doesn't look like a first project! Very nicely done.

"Barry" wrote in message
...
These are pictures of my first "real" metalworking project. It is a box
for my generator. The frame is 6061-T6 1*1*.125 aluminum angle. The skin
is 050 sheet aluminum. The hardware is all stainless including the piano
hinge in the back. The box is open on the bottom and sits on a 3"
concrete pad with indentations for the wheels so it doesn't walk. The
idea is that the box can easily be detached and lifted over the generator
so I can remove the

Nice job Barry! The only thing I would suggest is arranging the cord in a
drip loop so water doesn't follow the cord into the enclosure.
Steve Peterson

Barry writes:

These are pictures of my first "real" metalworking project. It is a
box for my generator.

The metalworking is beautiful, but I'm skeptical that anything can be done
to improve a portable generator, if that's what you're enclosing.

Thanks for the advice. Must admit, I never thought of that.

Barry


"Sven" wrote in message
...

"Barry" wrote in message
...
These are pictures of my first "real" metalworking project. It is a box
for my generator. The frame is 6061-T6 1*1*.125 aluminum angle. The
skin is 050 sheet aluminum. The hardware is all stainless including the
piano hinge in the back. The box is open on the bottom and sits on a 3"
concrete pad with indentations for the wheels so it doesn't walk. The
idea is that the box can easily be detached and lifted over the generator
so I can remove the

Nice job Barry! The only thing I would suggest is arranging the cord in a
drip loop so water doesn't follow the cord into the enclosure.
Steve Peterson

Yes, it's a generator. The only purpose is to be able to keep it outside in
the winter so that when the power is out I don't have to wheel it out in two
feet of snow and 40 MPH winds to be able to hook it up. For that purpose, I
hope it will work fine. We'll see. In any event, it was fun to make and I
learned alot.

Barry


"Richard J Kinch" wrote in message
.. .
Barry writes:

These are pictures of my first "real" metalworking project. It is a
box for my generator.

The metalworking is beautiful, but I'm skeptical that anything can be done
to improve a portable generator, if that's what you're enclosing.

"Barry" wrote in message
...
| Yes, it's a generator. The only purpose is to be able to keep it outside
in
| the winter so that when the power is out I don't have to wheel it out in
two
| feet of snow and 40 MPH winds to be able to hook it up. For that purpose,
I
| hope it will work fine. We'll see. In any event, it was fun to make and
I
| learned alot.
|
| Barry

So, does that mean when there's two feet of snow you still have to go
outside to check the oil and fuel, start it, and all that?