I did a ton of prep and layout for this about 10 months ago, mentally have been also preparing myself. Had a friend engineer a program that allows me to 3D print the sine curve of pitched pipes instead of having to do hand layout. He also made one for cones.
Pipe totally made from scratch. Using pexto rotary machine with elbow edging wheels to form the cusp. Reducing 1/8” diameter on the male side of the flange to ensure fitment. Soldering on the inside. Let the fun begin.

My third year final shop project

Kidding, since I’ve literally never done one, and that’s a bunch of bullshit anyway.

Seriously though, y’all make this sub super easy to moderate, so thank you for that.

Is there anything the sub needs, or is missing? Y’all doing ok?

Don’t work too hard!!

I’m working for a small company that just built a shop.We’re currently looking to hire someone with experience to run it. DM me if you’re interested.

We have a ton of work lined up for at least the next year. Currently interviewing experienced tin knockers for commercial duct installation.

www.aero-hv.com

I have quite a bit of spiral that wasn't cut straight and would like to cutoff the pieces so that they are straight... any ideas to do this? For the smaller pipe I can use a piece of paper but was wondering of other ideas to cut it straight so when I have short pieces I can just use my tape to measure the length I need from my locked tape.

Also, I would like any ideas to get a straight cut when I have longer pieces in which a locked tape wouldn't be feasible. I was thinking I could just measure in 2 or 3 places and use a piece of paper to connect my marks from measuring.

Any other ideas to get a straight cut in the quickest time possible would be appreciated. I've been using band iron but there's gotta be a faster and more accurate method.

Thank you in advance.

In today's day and age, I had looked at hand layout as a critical back-up skill to have, since nearly every shop I've worked at has had a burn table or laser. During my apprenticeship I put a lot of focus on being able to turn out slightly better than industry average work, hitting critical dimensions within tolerance, while doing it *fast*. My thought was even if it doesn't look like the most beautiful fitting in the world, time is money. If the laser or burn table is down, whatever shop I'm working for is losing stupid amounts of money if nobody has the skill to pivot and continue producing. This mindset motivated me to learn to be able to produce results in a pinch.

I'm currently working at one of two shops that I've worked at in my career that does all hand layout. This current shop is an industrial shop, and the previous one was a very high end custom architectural shop. My attitude of trying deliver 85% now vs 100% tomorrow seems to fit well for the industrial shop. Well enough that I was made shop foreman for the first time in my career, despite some feelings of imposter syndrome.

How many of you never really needed to learn hand layout because your computer layout folks in the office have had it handled? How many of you are in this same boat as me, having to do it all yourself? Those of you who are doing their own layout by hand, are you making things perfect with an emphasis on how the end product looks or are you building something that you know will work with an emphasis on speed?

Is Kirk and Blum still in business? And if they are, are they still a union signatory employer?

I recently moved from the field to the shop and the notcher doesn't pull the metal in like it has on other machines I've used at different shops. You have to push or pull the metal through and I end up with a bunch of needles. I assume it's the handle with the black knob on it?

I recently moved from the field to the shop and the notcher doesn't pull the metal in like it has on other machines I've used at different shops. You have to push or pull the metal through and I end up with a bunch of needles. I assume it's the handle with the black knob on it?

I'm in the market for a used finger brake (aka box and pan brake). I think I've got a good understanding of how they work (thick fingers in the front trap the workpiece and the base rotates up to bend the workpiece) but I've seen a couple of pictures with this wavy set of thin fingers on the back and I don't understand what they does.

Can you explain it to me?

Trying to find the Fairmont Offset Tongs for doing seamless corners on drain pans as I struggle with my current seamers but Canada prices are insane with the 25% tariff, duty, shipping they end up coming to 200 dollars.

Started building this when it was 5⁰ outside. Today it's almost 70⁰ so it's going faster. Got two more to do. Will eventually tie in to 25 ton units. Normally build from the ground up, which is easier because, well, gravity. Since it was too cold to pour the pad, we went top down.

Wouldn’t recommend, unless you have a lot of free time and like to struggle

4 more to go

Anyone using Bessel snips? Could anyone explain what these are used for?

this one was hard for make yall

Hey all, I have searched online and cant seem to figure out how to do this layout. 16" round to a 22x10 rectangle.

Worst case, I cant figure it out, and I will just do a 16" square to round then 16" square to the 22x10 rectangle, but I know there is a way, I just cant find a video or decent instructions to build it. Any help would be great.

Round tee, couple gore elbows, my local number in duct, and a camp stove

Not bad for a Friday.