Moving Door midship, need thoughts on step build out

[GillyGoGo]

Looking at hinges for the door and wondering what type of fasteners to use. I am leaning towards self tapping countersunk into some form of piano hinge. Got any you really prefer? Screws and/or hinges.

 

[Hooker-SKO]

I was considering doing a door move too. I was hoping to not get this complicated with it though. I was hoping to find a straight stairwell out of a donor bus, like a RE bus, then bolt it in just like the stairwells are done and not have to get into major fab work.

 

[GillyGoGo]

Yeah I seem to be a glutton for punishment and have bitten off lots and so this build is taken tons of time.

 

[Cheezewhiz]

Re: scavenging material:

Bedframes are a great source of angle iron. They're higher carbon than you might expect, so they'll crack instead of bend, but good design and over-engineering it will keep it good.

Or I guess you could anneal them, lol

 

[sportyrick]

Be careful using bed frames, they are heat treated medium carbon steel and if you don't anneal your weld they will crack and break eventually. I try and get the weld and surrounding area red hot while welding by making a large hot puddle and it seems to help on the cracking. If you don't believe me take 2 pieces and shoot a quick cold butt weld and you can easily break them apart after welding which will show you that the steel is brittle at the weld.

 

[nikitis]

Be careful using bed frames, they are heat treated medium carbon steel and if you don't anneal your weld they will crack and break eventually. I try and get the weld and surrounding area red hot while welding by making a large hot puddle and it seems to help on the cracking. If you don't believe me take 2 pieces and shoot a quick cold butt weld and you can easily break them apart after welding which will show you that the steel is brittle at the weld.

Hrm.. never knew that. I've made many things from bed frame angle iron. I just recently build a welding cart out of one to save $300 I picked up off of the side of the road ready to be picked up for trash. The welds seem to hold well for me though, but I've never put it to the test. But holding up so far fine. I use flux core, so not sure if that matters or not.