# Forum Home Renovation Metalwork & Welding  Prime mover

## PlatypusGardens

Making one of these for my neighbour....
...or something similar anyway            
I'm not trying to copy it....really....but looking at the pics now it's pretty close so far.     :Unsure:

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## Godzilla73

Cooooool... Or Hot, either way I likey vedy much...

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## Bros

Has it got any useful purpose or is it just a talking point?

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## PlatypusGardens

> Has it got any useful purpose or is it just a talking point?

  
Well if you look at the pics of the black one it has a small fire inside it......

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## Spottiswoode

Saw the 'original' on a facebook feed last night. Nice work PG. Do you still do any gardening?

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## PlatypusGardens

Yah, people show me things from FB and Pinterest all the time and say "you should make this and sell" 
Meh I'm not in to copying other people's work.  
My neighbour sent me these pics and jokingly said "Make me this!"
And yes, he's a truck driver...  
I thought, that is pretty damn cool and I will make him one.  
And here we are.  :Smilie:    
Gsrdening/landscaping is very quiet up here as are most trades part from air con installers....  
Starting a small turf job tomorrow, weather permitting.   :Smilie:

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## ringtail

Kenny or Mack PG ?

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## PlatypusGardens

> Kenny or Mack PG ?

  
Haha well ol mate drives a KW but the Duel truck was a Peterbilt   :Wink:

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## Bros

> Well if you look at the pics of the black one it has a small fire inside it......

  And?

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## PlatypusGardens

> And?

  .....and...... it's a small potbelly fireplace that looks like a prime mover....   :Unsure:

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## Bros

> .....and...... it's a small potbelly fireplace that looks like a prime mover....

  What I was asking. :2thumbsup:

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## PlatypusGardens



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## Marc

How will you get the smoke into the stacks?

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## PlatypusGardens

> How will you get the smoke into the stacks?

  Well...I cut a hole where they're mounted. (Window height on the "cab")  
then cut a line down the middle of the stacks, cut across and folded the two flaps open (imagine two saloon doors) and tucked them in the hole in the cab.
Will weld all around it and hopefully *some* smoke will get in the stacks..... 
?....if that makes sense?  
I'm thinking,,,,,having the stacks open at the bottom end might draw some air through and suck some smoke out.
 Or maybe connect the bottom of the stacks to the cab as well......? 
Mmm.
 Some trial and error may be in order....  
It'll look cool either way.   :Smilie:

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## PlatypusGardens

Also have some cool stainless sheet with holes in it to wrap around the stacks for heat guard effect   :Wink:

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## PlatypusGardens

Just sent the last pic to my mate.
he's loving it.   :Smilie:

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## PlatypusGardens

I'm half thinking of making this a rigid truck rather than a prime mover.......make it a rigid logging truck with struts and keep the firewood on the back!   :Biggrin:

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## Marc

Even better!

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## PlatypusGardens

> Even better!

  
Innit!   :Biggrin:

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## OBBob

It could be a fold up logging truck for easy storage!

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## PlatypusGardens

Well.....didn't think I'd be building a truck from an old water tank and a BBQ hood and some RHS     :Unsure:                
It's fun though.    :Smilie:   
(And very frustrating........but I know what to do different next time....should there be a next time)     
.

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## ringtail

Getting there PG. Good to see that supagal doesn't rust  :Tongue:

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## PlatypusGardens

Everything rusts up here
haha

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## ringtail

How many houses are sitting on them ?

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## PlatypusGardens

Mhmm

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## ringtail

:Rolleyes:

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## PlatypusGardens

:Biggrin:  :Biggrin:

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## PlatypusGardens

Now if I could just find something to make wheels from I'd be laaarfing    :Unsure:

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## ringtail

Back bit for timber storage ? Covered in mesh ? Wheels, hmmm. Surely you could knock something together out of the grinder guard mountain you have ?  :Biggrin:

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## PlatypusGardens

> Back bit for timber storage ?

  yes 
 Log truck    :Smilie:        

> Covered in mesh ?

  might line it with mesh           

> Wheels, hmmm. Surely you could knock something together out of the grinder guard mountain you have ?

  Too small...needs to be 220-250mm dia     :Wink:

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## OBBob

Old terracotta pots?

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## PlatypusGardens

> Old terracotta pots?

    :Rofl5:

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## OBBob

What? You can't weld terracotta?

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## OBBob

Metal cable drums,  paint tins,  cogs with something wrapped around them. You need to visit the scrap yard.

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## ringtail

Beer kegs ? You would have shares on a brewery surely ?  :Biggrin:

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## PlatypusGardens

The girls at the drive-thru bottle-o go grab my carton as soon as they see me pull in. 
Gotta love that

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## ringtail

Nice

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## PlatypusGardens

Finally got something to make wheels from.
Been on the hunt for something for ages now.....had to be minimum 220mm dia and want the rear wheels to be 100mm wide and fronts about 50 
Tried so many things that were a bit smaller and it just looked stoopid.     
So ended up with this massive bit of pipe....correct diameter and 8mm wall thickness.
Lots of cutting ahead.        :Smilie:

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## PlatypusGardens

Sooo....that took the best part of an hour but now I have 6 wheels.   :Biggrin:

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## PlatypusGardens

Trying to keep it as simple as possible I went for the hubless, floating look

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## ringtail

How many cut off wheels ?  :Tongue:  Or did you use that fancy plasma cutter to been them all ?

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## ringtail

Looks way cool though mate  :2thumbsup:

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## PlatypusGardens

> How many cut off wheels ?   ?

  
3 plus a couple of half used ones I had laying around. 
Prick of a job but it's done now.      
Hmm.
Still have a fair bit of that yellow pipe left.     
*Googles rocket stoves*   :Unsure:

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## ringtail

Yesssss !

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## OBBob

Looking good... not a cheap thing to make time-wise.  :eek:

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## PlatypusGardens

No....as usual I got a bit carried away....and also did it the hard way.
Could be done a lot easier and quicker.....especially by not cutting all the wheels from super hardcore thick wall pipe.... 
Anyway.            
You should be able to see the flames flickering through the grille....We'll see.
Probably give it a test today.         
It's 1400mm long and about 500 wide. 
And very heavy   :Wink:

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## OBBob

Now to convert it to a rocket stove!

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## Uncle Bob

Very good PG!
I reckon it would be good to have actual wheels to make it easier to move around.

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## PlatypusGardens

In its new home and lit up.   
Already got a paintjob and a tray added to it hehe.          
Once all the paint burnt off it was a lot less smoky.
Some of the smoke even came out the stacks!  
I told him about the potbelly black/stove paint and he's looked it up on eBay already.    :Smilie:

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## ringtail

Cool. Don't show the union though  :Tongue:

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