Baja inspired light bar
06-13-2011, 11:18 PM
#31
CF Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Posts: 2,523
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Those are sweet lights... Menards started near Eau Claire Wisconsin and the headquarters are in town, have seen menards in mn too... But I was hoping you were from around eau Claire when I saw that because I want to see this rack in person!
06-14-2011, 07:20 AM
#33
CF Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Littleton, CO
Posts: 2,765
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1991
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 2001 4.0L
thx again guys,
yea i figured when i posted where i picked the bender up from i prolly should have posted (any basic home improvement super center). (BTW yea i know where newaygo is, ever been out to Baptist Lake??)
Unfortunately though when i really got moving on this project this passed friday afternoon when i got home from work..... I drastically underestimated the
DANGERS of welding galvanized without a filtered Mask
.... No, a plain bandana will not suffice
.... "my stupidity" so i have been sick as a dog with Galvanized Poisoning since....(basically gives you a hardcore flu sickness) 3 -days now, nothing but hot soup n tea and not leaving the bed.
I hope to have this finished this week, after i pickup some sweet face masks
Only have about 5 more pieces to weld on so it wont take much
SO PLZ everyone wear proper Venting and filtering masks when welding galvanized anything.....
yea i figured when i posted where i picked the bender up from i prolly should have posted (any basic home improvement super center). (BTW yea i know where newaygo is, ever been out to Baptist Lake??)
Unfortunately though when i really got moving on this project this passed friday afternoon when i got home from work..... I drastically underestimated the
DANGERS of welding galvanized without a filtered Mask.... No, a plain bandana will not suffice.... "my stupidity" so i have been sick as a dog with Galvanized Poisoning since....(basically gives you a hardcore flu sickness) 3 -days now, nothing but hot soup n tea and not leaving the bed.I hope to have this finished this week, after i pickup some sweet face masks
Only have about 5 more pieces to weld on so it wont take muchSO PLZ everyone wear proper Venting and filtering masks when welding galvanized anything.....
if this happens to you ever again, drink milk right away. i have heard from a few welders that it will help fight it. but i have to agree, wear the correct safety equipment.!!!!!
any time i weld galv. steel, i grind as much of the galv away with a saning disc. i also hold my breath while i am welding and step outside the garage every few mins to get fresh air.....even with a mask!!
light bar is lookin good. i am planning on building one into my exo cage on my new project......its a baja inspired crawler.
Last edited by MallCrawlXJ; 06-14-2011 at 07:24 AM.
06-14-2011, 08:21 PM
#34
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 2,152
Received 295 Likes
on
244 Posts
Year: 1987 MJ, 1973 J2000, 1986 XJ, 08 JK
Model: Comanche (MJ)
Engine: 4.0L H.O
Alright, this is the damn close to being completely done post....
NOW, lets start off by noticing my strategy to a successful day of welding.....
1: my super short haircut.... keeps my head cool in this heat so i don't swet my a$$ off
2: Fu@k welding indoors, outside in the free air and breeze
3: My sweet (prolly not correct still) filter mask
4: Part of a good offense is a good defense..... Not shaving my face since friday = what????......... Girlfriend not hanging on me..... which in tern = Time For Welding
So i legitimately was very cautious when welding this afternoon, anytime smoke came in my mask... i immediately stopped welding and walked away and let it cool down and the smoke go away. On top of making many steps in my welding, i also took a few breaks. During each break i would drink a glass of milk.
i also at any given time when messing with the galvanized if it be with the sanding paper, welder, grinder, cut-off wheel etc GLOVES AND MASK at all times.... still not feeling so awesome after getting sick from welding it so i was ready to get this thing done and over with
so i started today with getting my measurements and cutting up my uprights for the inner part of the light "cage". I did 4 tacks per side of each tube, then filled in the gaps, 1 section of each row at a time.... took about 35 mins lol
i didn't get an immediate after shot of doing the support tubes for the upper hoop, but i did the same action with both support tubes.. 4 tacks per tube and 1 section per side at a time... Then did some finish sanding and cleaning before picking up some paint.
before i started paint, made sure it would mount up satisfactory... and all is well...
so i got a good amount of sanding into it.... did 3 coats of primer, 4 coats of high gloss black, and 1 coat of clear coat... All Rustoleum rattle cans
should have this sucker fully fitting with the lights and wired up by this weekend
NOW, lets start off by noticing my strategy to a successful day of welding.....
1: my super short haircut.... keeps my head cool in this heat so i don't swet my a$$ off
2: Fu@k welding indoors, outside in the free air and breeze
3: My sweet (prolly not correct still) filter mask
4: Part of a good offense is a good defense..... Not shaving my face since friday = what????......... Girlfriend not hanging on me..... which in tern = Time For Welding
So i legitimately was very cautious when welding this afternoon, anytime smoke came in my mask... i immediately stopped welding and walked away and let it cool down and the smoke go away. On top of making many steps in my welding, i also took a few breaks. During each break i would drink a glass of milk.
i also at any given time when messing with the galvanized if it be with the sanding paper, welder, grinder, cut-off wheel etc GLOVES AND MASK at all times.... still not feeling so awesome after getting sick from welding it so i was ready to get this thing done and over with
so i started today with getting my measurements and cutting up my uprights for the inner part of the light "cage". I did 4 tacks per side of each tube, then filled in the gaps, 1 section of each row at a time.... took about 35 mins lol
i didn't get an immediate after shot of doing the support tubes for the upper hoop, but i did the same action with both support tubes.. 4 tacks per tube and 1 section per side at a time... Then did some finish sanding and cleaning before picking up some paint.
before i started paint, made sure it would mount up satisfactory... and all is well...
so i got a good amount of sanding into it.... did 3 coats of primer, 4 coats of high gloss black, and 1 coat of clear coat... All Rustoleum rattle cans
should have this sucker fully fitting with the lights and wired up by this weekend
06-15-2011, 01:06 AM
#35
Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Southern Indiana
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1988
Model: Cherokee
Engine: I6 4.0L
Nice work. It'll look so good up there! anxious to see it all said and done. I keep making changes to my rack while I wait for those JCR mounts to come in. Do you possibly remember how long it took for them to come in for you? just wondering 
If you remember can you try to get an "after dark" pic? I'd love to see how well those lights do!
Keep up the build man it looks great!
If you remember can you try to get an "after dark" pic? I'd love to see how well those lights do!
Keep up the build man it looks great!
06-18-2011, 04:31 PM
#36
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 2,152
Received 295 Likes
on
244 Posts
Year: 1987 MJ, 1973 J2000, 1986 XJ, 08 JK
Model: Comanche (MJ)
Engine: 4.0L H.O
while i am pretty satisfied with how this turned out (fab wise) i'm not too crazy about how it looks..... i havent yet wired it in or anything, but i did mount it to the top of my XJ with the lights and the cage look pretty gaudy. I'm a little particular to how the rack looks, and it looks like an Elvis hair poof (so my buddies have told me).
SO.....
I'm pretty set on cutting the top of the rack support off and mounting it like i had done previously:
SO.....
I'm pretty set on cutting the top of the rack support off and mounting it like i had done previously:
06-18-2011, 05:40 PM
#37
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Leadville Co
Posts: 726
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 2000
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.7
I think you oughtta try moving it back some before you go chopping stuff off. Looks like a big rig visor knda right now
06-18-2011, 06:10 PM
#38
Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Southern Indiana
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1988
Model: Cherokee
Engine: I6 4.0L
06-18-2011, 06:20 PM
#39
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I think it looks cool, give us a picture from the front if you could.
The abnormally large size gives the XJ character (lol)
The abnormally large size gives the XJ character (lol)
06-18-2011, 10:39 PM
#40
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 2,152
Received 295 Likes
on
244 Posts
Year: 1987 MJ, 1973 J2000, 1986 XJ, 08 JK
Model: Comanche (MJ)
Engine: 4.0L H.O
i cannot move it any farther back, i designed the rack to sit over the windshield a little bit and its already as far back as it'll go. If anyone is within driving distance i'll glady make ya a deal on it and you guys can run it on your rig(s) is ya want
then i'll just use the money to make another one... i may end up making a rear also.... little different design in structure though
06-20-2011, 05:05 PM
#41
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 2,152
Received 295 Likes
on
244 Posts
Year: 1987 MJ, 1973 J2000, 1986 XJ, 08 JK
Model: Comanche (MJ)
Engine: 4.0L H.O
So here we are finally!!! done, painted, glossed, mounted and wired!!
much happier without the top bar/cage
much happier without the top bar/cage
06-20-2011, 05:13 PM
#43
Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Southern Indiana
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1988
Model: Cherokee
Engine: I6 4.0L
Hey quick question, how did you run your wire to the roof? I'm trying to keep it from leaking and trying to do it without drilling a hole through the roof
06-20-2011, 05:44 PM
#44
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 2,152
Received 295 Likes
on
244 Posts
Year: 1987 MJ, 1973 J2000, 1986 XJ, 08 JK
Model: Comanche (MJ)
Engine: 4.0L H.O
mine currently are running straight back to the hatch seal..... hasn't leak at all today and we had some crazy rain.... i'll pic it for ya l8r
