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Brit Pig Build
- Thread starter Ben
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- Oct 13, 2010
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so i got the bolt welded into the 4th leg.
spun a nut down each leg.
and cut off the protruding thread.
i was trying to think of a way to mark the position of the pigs legs on his belly. its difficult to mark something thats curved and rounded both ways.
so i decided to use a piece of paper.
positioned it on the pig and marked each corner.
i then centre punched each pen mark, before cleaning all the paint off ready for welding.
positioned a nut central to the centre punch mark, and then tack welded it on.
did this to another 2 legs and then decided to screw the legs on and see how the pig stands.
really wasnt happy with how the pig was sitting/standing at this point. the legs were far too splayed out apart, and the door wasnt level, so kept swinging shut.
time to sit, look and think, with a cold beer of course.
this is how far out of level it was for the door to be right.
so all the legs back off and old welds removed.
needed to move the bottoms of the legs in bit, so i welded 4 bolts to the bench top. the idea being the legs would fit over these bolts and be held in place.
i then hung the pig above the legs and tried to position it over the legs.
this wasnt very successful as i needed 6 pairs of hands to hold and weld everything.
next idea was, to make a square that could be clamped to the top of the legs and hold the tops of the legs in position while the bottom of the legs were held on the bolts welded to the bench.
so knocked up a square out of some scrap 10mm bar.
this idea didnt really work as i couldnt clamp the legs without the clamps jumping off.
been super busy so not had chance to look at it or do any on it for a week now, but im really struggling to work out the easiest way to weld the legs on at the correct angle, and position. any ideas?
spun a nut down each leg.
and cut off the protruding thread.
i was trying to think of a way to mark the position of the pigs legs on his belly. its difficult to mark something thats curved and rounded both ways.
so i decided to use a piece of paper.
positioned it on the pig and marked each corner.
i then centre punched each pen mark, before cleaning all the paint off ready for welding.
positioned a nut central to the centre punch mark, and then tack welded it on.
did this to another 2 legs and then decided to screw the legs on and see how the pig stands.
really wasnt happy with how the pig was sitting/standing at this point. the legs were far too splayed out apart, and the door wasnt level, so kept swinging shut.
time to sit, look and think, with a cold beer of course.
this is how far out of level it was for the door to be right.
so all the legs back off and old welds removed.
needed to move the bottoms of the legs in bit, so i welded 4 bolts to the bench top. the idea being the legs would fit over these bolts and be held in place.
i then hung the pig above the legs and tried to position it over the legs.
this wasnt very successful as i needed 6 pairs of hands to hold and weld everything.
next idea was, to make a square that could be clamped to the top of the legs and hold the tops of the legs in position while the bottom of the legs were held on the bolts welded to the bench.
so knocked up a square out of some scrap 10mm bar.
this idea didnt really work as i couldnt clamp the legs without the clamps jumping off.
been super busy so not had chance to look at it or do any on it for a week now, but im really struggling to work out the easiest way to weld the legs on at the correct angle, and position. any ideas?
warrenpfo
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- Jul 21, 2010
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- 2,895
Ben it is looking very good. I would say you where on the right track with the paper towel idea the only thing that may have scuppered the idea was that you did not seem to have a centre line to work off.
I may be wrong and you might have done this but I would place the body flat on the bench and get the lid sitting level and opening as you want. Then mark a centre line from top to bottom across the door and I guess right around if you can.
This will then give you something to place your paper on and get it even. To me it looks like all that went wrong was that the paper was sitting too far to the right and so that is why she is not sitting level. I would also guess you need to maybe go for a small piece of paper as this woul bring the legs in a bit and not haves them splaying out so much.
My 2c and you may have done this all in the first place.
I may be wrong and you might have done this but I would place the body flat on the bench and get the lid sitting level and opening as you want. Then mark a centre line from top to bottom across the door and I guess right around if you can.
This will then give you something to place your paper on and get it even. To me it looks like all that went wrong was that the paper was sitting too far to the right and so that is why she is not sitting level. I would also guess you need to maybe go for a small piece of paper as this woul bring the legs in a bit and not haves them splaying out so much.
My 2c and you may have done this all in the first place.
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Chas
Well-Known Member
That's a great project Ben, almost makes me want to do something like that, I've got the time (retired) got the inclination, got the space (garage) , now all I need is the tools and more importantly the skill to do it. Well done fella 
chadr
Well-Known Member
That does look like a interesting build.
I'm always amazed by you guys that not only knock these things up with odds and sods lying around with amazing skill but also manage to take pics at each and every step.
Would it be easier to approach this problem from the legs first - i.e. tag weld the legs to a tripod to keep the legs together and also level, then lower the "pig" onto the legs to the required height/level and then mark/weld the fitting points?
Regardless, look forward to the finished article.
As a slight aside, how are you planning to carry this in the Cruiser after use? Say you stopped for a quick brew, used the "pig" and then 30 minutes later want to pack up and move on - I'm sure the pig will stay quite hot for a considerable time and it won't be easy to move or store.
I'm always amazed by you guys that not only knock these things up with odds and sods lying around with amazing skill but also manage to take pics at each and every step.
ben said:...the legs are the only tricky bit from what i can see. once there done everything else will be fairly easy.
Would it be easier to approach this problem from the legs first - i.e. tag weld the legs to a tripod to keep the legs together and also level, then lower the "pig" onto the legs to the required height/level and then mark/weld the fitting points?
Regardless, look forward to the finished article.
As a slight aside, how are you planning to carry this in the Cruiser after use? Say you stopped for a quick brew, used the "pig" and then 30 minutes later want to pack up and move on - I'm sure the pig will stay quite hot for a considerable time and it won't be easy to move or store.
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thanks mate.
thats an interesting idea, i will have to look into that when i carry on with it.
regarding carrying it, im going to make a plywood box to stick it in, so that it doesnt rattle around while driving.
but i doubt i will be putting it away hot. i see myself using it for warmth and cooking on after a days laning. wake up in the morning and cook breakfast, then before we leave pour water all over it to put the fire out and cool the pig down.
more often than not when we wild camp its next to a lake or river.
at Lincomb, or when camping for a few days in a row, i can just let it go out and cool down naturally.
thats an interesting idea, i will have to look into that when i carry on with it.
regarding carrying it, im going to make a plywood box to stick it in, so that it doesnt rattle around while driving.
but i doubt i will be putting it away hot. i see myself using it for warmth and cooking on after a days laning. wake up in the morning and cook breakfast, then before we leave pour water all over it to put the fire out and cool the pig down.
more often than not when we wild camp its next to a lake or river.
at Lincomb, or when camping for a few days in a row, i can just let it go out and cool down naturally.
(know as a pig here) and passed on the thread for a while now.
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so finally some progress on this project! 
first though i had to [strike:3epqu2l7]move all the crap from one area to another[/strike:3epqu2l7] tidy up.
so with some space on the bench i could have another go at getting the pigs legs on.
so following on from Warrens excellent advice, i checked the bench was bang on level, which it was, and then used a spirit level to mark a plumb line through the centre of the door, and down the back.
this time i used a much smaller piece of paper.
folded it in half and lined the crease up with the lines on the pig.
marked and centre punched the pig were the corners of the paper were.
started tack welding the nuts on.
all on.
perfect!
i find ARC(stick) welding internal corners a bit hit and miss, some times they come out perfect then other times i get lots of slag and not very good welds.
might take it to work and use the MIG welder. so much easier! i think even monkeys could be trained to produce good welds with MIG!
anyway, porkys legs are finally on!
need to look at the hotplate and chimney next.
first though i had to [strike:3epqu2l7]move all the crap from one area to another[/strike:3epqu2l7] tidy up.
so with some space on the bench i could have another go at getting the pigs legs on.
so following on from Warrens excellent advice, i checked the bench was bang on level, which it was, and then used a spirit level to mark a plumb line through the centre of the door, and down the back.
this time i used a much smaller piece of paper.
folded it in half and lined the crease up with the lines on the pig.
marked and centre punched the pig were the corners of the paper were.
started tack welding the nuts on.
all on.
perfect!
i find ARC(stick) welding internal corners a bit hit and miss, some times they come out perfect then other times i get lots of slag and not very good welds.
might take it to work and use the MIG welder. so much easier! i think even monkeys could be trained to produce good welds with MIG!
anyway, porkys legs are finally on!
need to look at the hotplate and chimney next.
AndyCook
Well-Known Member
"i find ARC(stick) welding internal corners a bit hit and miss, some times they come out perfect then other times i get lots of slag and not very good welds"
same here, very tricky, hope to try a mig out soon to see how they are
same here, very tricky, hope to try a mig out soon to see how they are
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now offence intended Chris. 
MIG is a lot easier Andy. i can get perfect welds every time, and no horrible slag to chip off.
mind you you dont get that nice feeling inside, when you do a perfect ARC weld and the slag just lifts and peals off all by its self.
MIG is a lot easier Andy. i can get perfect welds every time, and no horrible slag to chip off.
mind you you dont get that nice feeling inside, when you do a perfect ARC weld and the slag just lifts and peals off all by its self.
isle of man
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- Jan 23, 2011
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- 205
What about this jobbie?
isle of man
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- Joined
- Jan 23, 2011
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- 205
ben said:WTF is that!
Click on photo for further information....
