www.TK560.com

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The next portion of the build I will go over is the lift handle.

The first part you need to do is have all your parts properly measured and cut out of the correct guage steel. This includes all of your little steel triangle pieces described in the protoform instructions.

The triangle tabs were cut and drilled from the proper guage plate steel using a metal chop saw, grinder, drill press and c-clamps.

The next step was welding all the main pieces together. Don't worry about the hinges yet.

- Tip - MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS WELDED STRAIGHT, EVEN AND PARALLEL WHEN REQUIRED. If you don't you will run into problems later on and have to cut parts apart, move them, grind off the old welding rod metal, replace in new area, reweld and then reclean new area. It can be a pain in the butt.











I fixed a lot of the crappy welding prior to painting.

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When it came to the front handle I didn't like the open holes in each end of the pipe. I ended up using that Mighty Putty stuff like you see on TV. It is a two part rolled putty like some forms of something else called JB Weld.



You get two rolls in a box. I ended up using the whole box to fill in the two holes. I would have used less if I had of used it right to begin with. After rolling and squishing it until it was all mixed together. I made the mistake of shoving it in and having small holes left.

The best way to do it was to make a thick mound a little bit wider than the width of the pipe hole. After this is done, press the open hole in the mound as if it were a cookie cutter. If you have more left over, keep repeating. Leave a little leftover on the outsides. Once it hardens you can grind it off later.



The handle after the putty is cleaned:





The handle after it is painted:

[PARATECH1]

Once your welding is done for the lift arm section you should have two primary pieces. They should look like a big C and a little C. The big C is your actual handle. The little C is the section which will have the hinges and be welded on the inside of your machine.

On the big C (actual handle) you should have your two big triangular tabs in the proper location as described in your protoform directions. Make sure you weld your tabs on the inside portion on the top of your two outside bars.



The little C is the piece that will have a "U' shaped notch cut out on each end. These notches are for the placement of welding two small steel tubing sections.





Below are the two steel tubing sections. Make sure you sand off the outside galvanized type coating as described in your Protoform directions. The left steel tube has been sanded and the right one hasn't.

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I used two small pieces of cardboard to help line up my steel tubing in the proper section.



Here is a photo of the round tubing welded to the steel square inside small "C' section.

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The next step is welding a pair of your previously cut triangular tabs onto the big 'C' bar.

One of the best ways to begin this is to go ahead and secure them to the two welded round tube sections on the little 'C" piece.

Start with one end of the little "C" piece that has the welded round tubing.

1. Place one of the required triangular tabs on each side.

2. Place a washer next to each triangular tab.

3. Place a bolt through the first washer, followed by a triangular tab, welded round tubing, another triangular tab and finally another washer. Secure this together with a proper size nut.

The bolt should be as thick as possible but yet be able to still spin freely through the washers, triangular tabs, and the section of round tubing.







There should be enough overhang of the triangular tabs to be able to fit over the tops of the big "C" piece end. This overhang is what will end up welded to the big "C" piece.

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The next step after the above section is to place and weld your triangular tab for the oven switch.

Picture your self standind in front of the machine (The side with where the handle will be). The placement of the tab will be on the bottom / rear second upright post. Place the bottom portion of the tab at the top of the chassis bar. This is where the second upright post is welded. Hold tab in place with angled magnet.

- See Photo -




The next photo shows another proper placement of the tab. This photo has the rear little "C" welded in place.

- Yours shouldl not be welded yet. -

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The next step is attaching the oven switch. The tab and oven switch will go ahead and be properly placed prior to welding your rear little "C."

This is so that you will get proper placement of the rear little"C."

Below are photos of the boxed oven switch that was used. They will most likely not have this item at Home Depot or Lowes or even Radio Shack. I ended up getting mine at an electronics parts store.





Mount the control switch with the button down and facing toward the rear of the machine.

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For the hinges I just used a 3" generic steel type.



I used a c-clamp and a grinder with a metal cut-off blade in it to size up the hinges. I basically just cut one in half.

I didn't mention it before but a definate cheap tool to get for this build is a handheld cut-off saw. I have gotten some of the newer ones from Harbor Freight on sale for under $10.00.

[/url]http://www.harborfreight.com/4-1-2-half-inch-angle-grinder-95578.html[url]

If you get one of these make sure you get a pack of metal cut-off blades.

The grinder will be used to help prepare and clean all your welds.



Photo of the cut hinges. Edges don't have to be totally straight. Welding will cover them up.



Follow placement of hinges in manual and weld into place on the chassis.

Make sure you evenly space the rear little "C" bar prior to welding bar to the other side of the hinges.

Some of the below photos will help you in the proper placement of this bar.



















The welding "TOTALLY SUX" in the above photos. I was placing everything temporarily to see if it was going to raise properly and also push/release the oven switch button when raised lowered.

Everything was later cleaned and fixed.

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The next step with the lift handle portion of the build is to weld your two other pairs of triangular tabs to the front portion of your handle (also known as the big "C."

This step is a lot easier to get proper placement when you already have both sets of tabs attached to the nut and bolt portion of the back portion of your lift arm (the little "C").




Slide the triangle tabs onto the rear post of the front handle section in the location described in the manual.



Make sure you have both sets of tabs the same distance from each end when placing on the front handle posts.

Clamp in place.











Once this is done, tack weld in place.

Tack welds are used as a temporary means to hold the components in the proper location, alignment, and distance apart, until final welding can be completed.

Just tack weld two or three beads on each triangular tab.



Hopefully the tabs will be placed right.

Start by opening putting all the washers nut and bolts back on as listed above. Open and close your two pieces to see if they are binding.

If so:
1. See if you tightened your nut / bolts are too tight.
2. See if your tabs are straight and even
3. Make sure all tabs from both post are lined up with each other.

If any of the above three things are messed up, go ahead at this time and fix them.


- The next step is making the two center posts that fit between the upright chassis bars.
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PARATECH / AQUATIC CREATIONS - WORKING TODAY FOR A BETTER TOMMOROW

[PARATECH1]

- NOTE -

This has to do with the next step regarding the center bars that fit between the uprights on the chassis.

This step should have actually already have been done. I forgot to list it as part of the lift frame. These bars are welded to this frame.

Anyway, we will do this next. Sorry for any confusion.
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PARATECH / AQUATIC CREATIONS - WORKING TODAY FOR A BETTER TOMMOROW