The Tinbasher » JOB BOOK (work we do)

Refuse Vehicle Cleaning Platform for Burnley & Pendle Binmen

Paul Woodhouse — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 21:16:02 +0000

Not the most progressive way to clean the back of your bin truck.

There’s one main difference between American and English weddings:

At English weddings everybody on the dance floor is thoroughly banjo’d and needs to be to get up there in the first place; it’s only the sober, infirm or the dead that remain sat at their tables.

American weddings tend to be the exact opposite; all sober folks dive for the dance floor like the upper classes on The Titanic, and those who’d been chipping away at the free bar remain glued to their seats.

Being a pissed Englishman at an American wedding this past weekend, I didn’t know what to do!

Although instinct soon took over.

But nothing really tops the English Christmas ‘works’ do’. For drama, drunkenness and ridiculousness very little matches it.

Attending on one side of the bar is one thing; working behind it is another.

Before I moved over the oily side of the pond I had a spell working behind the bar at Nelson Cricket Club.

One Thursday before Christmas we’d been asked if we could host Pendle Council’s Yuletide bash. Now this was going to be a big earner. Bigger than New Year’s Eve as the entire council staff were in attendance from admin to bin men.

The thing is, not only did it start at 4pm with those who wanted being able to start razzling and a dazzling at lunchtime, but the council hierarchy led by the mayor had banned any council parties from their own premises – including The Silverman Hall and The Muni.

Apparently, they’d trashed some other council haunt the year before or something.

Not that me or the steward were overly worried for our health and safety. We’d oiled and tested the shutter for ease of closure and had the filth on speed dial.

It must be reported that everybody was impeccably behaved – other than our steward, who refused a member of the council’s media relations team (or intermediate big wig with contacts) a glass of water by suggesting they find an empty glass and use the sink in the ladies’ toilet.

That wasn’t the last time Dave made the Nelson Leader either.

Safe mobile maintenance platform for bin wagons.

But Pendle’s refuse collectors need struggle no longer gaining access to certain cleaning essentials.

Recently, we teamed up with Go-Plant – the guys responsible for the council’s refuse and recycling truck fleet – to design and fabricate a mobile platform for ease of access to clean and maintain their vehicles.

Dangling into the back of a bin wagon sets as many health and safety alarm bells off as your average drunken bin troupe descending on NCC might do.

Feel free to head over a take a look at a few pictures of the mobile refuse truck cleaning trolley and read a more sensible account of our collaboration with Go-Plant.

NEC Exhibition Stand for Axess 2 Limited

Paul Woodhouse — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:18:57 +0000

Here’s an exhibition stand we recently fabricated components of for Axess 2, who specialise in platform lifts for most purposes you can think of. The following pictures (which I think Axess took) show their entire stand from various angles while they where down at the NEC in Birmingham.

I’ve been told the Butler Sheetmetal guys were responsible for the flooring, the glass posts and the signage.

Floor leading to platform lift.

Exhibition stand interior with shiny logo.

Back of the stand.

Full frontal of Axess exhibition stand.

Somebody enjoying a ride in a lift.

So, to avoid any confusion, if you’re looking for a custom lift get in touch with Axess in Clitheroe; and if you’re looking for an exhibition stand, have a word with us down the other end of the A59.

I know how easily confused some of you people can get.

Manufacturing Exhibition at Reebok, Bolton

FREE Research Report on Stainless Steel Design & Fabrication of Buses & Rolling Stock CD-ROM

Paul Woodhouse — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:23:00 +0000

The closest we ever get to the fabrication and design of buses is beating the living panels out of the local Tyrer fleet after they’ve pranged a bus shelter. Although we (and by we I mean Matt) did happen to design a fuel arm loading bracket to prevent the overspill of diesel while fueling locomotives for Virgin Trains.

Simple Fuel Arm Loading Bracket

Anyway, if you particularly like the sound of free in relation to stainless steel bus and rolling stock fabrication and research therein, you can send off for the following CD-ROM by Euro Inox:

Under the acronym INSAPTRANS, a research report about the use of stainless steel in the design and fabrication of buses and rolling stock is also available now on CD-ROM.

Contents:

1. Introduction: stainless steels in transport vehicles
1.1 Rail applications history
1.2 Current rail applications
1.3 Bus and coach applications
1.4 Future potential

2. Materials
2.1 Grades
2.2 Delivery
2.3 Mechanical behaviour and design values
2.3.1 Tensile properties of the project materials
2.3.2 Design values and physical properties of stainless
2.4 Corrosion properties
2.4.1 Atmospheric corrosion
2.4.2 De-icing and dust-control chemicals
2.4.3 Corrosion resistance evaluation
2.4.4 Corrosion test results
2.4.5 Corrosion test summary
2.5 Stainless steel high-temperature mechanical properties: fire resistance
2.6 Selection of materials
2.6.1 Structural applications
2.6.2 Forming applications
2.6.3 Summary

3. Lightweight structures and design
3.1. Stainless hollow-section structures
3.1.1. Manufacture of hollow sections
3.1.2. Structural design aspects for hollow-section joints
3.2. Sandwich panel structures
3.2.1 Design principles of sandwich panels
3.2.2 Panel cross-section
3.2.3 Elastic response
3.2.4 Strength and deflection criteria
3.2.5 Structural optimisation
3.2.6 Design tools
3.2.7 Special issues in all-steel sandwich panel design

4. Manufacturing issues in lightweight structures
4.1 Bending of high strength stainless steel sheets
4.1.1 Verification of minimum sheet bending radius
4.1.2 Determination of sheet springback behaviour
4.1.3 Guidelines for bending ultra high-strength stainless steel
4.2 Tube bending
4.2.1 Types of mechanical tube-bending processes
4.2.2 Springback model
4.2.3 Rectangular tube-bending results
4.2.4 Design guidance for three-roll tube bending
4.3 Welding and joining
4.3.1 Arc-based welding processes
4.3.2 Laser-based welding processes
4.3.3 Resistance welding
4.3.4 Adhesive bonding

5. Properties of lightweight structures
5.1. Welded joint properties
5.1.1 Static strength
5.1.2 Fatigue and corrosion fatigue strength
5.2 Sandwich panel mechanical properties
5.2.1 Four-point bend testing of full-size panels
5.2.2 Three-point bend testing of panel sections
5.2.3 Summary and conclusions
5.3 Lightweight structure crash properties
5.3.1 Axial impact tests
5.3.2 Side impact tests
5.3.3 Tubular frame crash tests
5.3.4 Panel compression and crash testing

6. Life cycle issues
6.1. Effect of vehicle weight on life cycle cost
6.2. Environmental effects of bus-frame materials
6.3. Life cycle cost evaluation of bus-frame materials
6.4. Summary

In addition to the research report, the CD-ROM contains numerous papers with additional background information given at six regional seminars. These presentations are in English and some of them in French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish.

INSAPTRANS is a joint initiative of stainless steel producers, research institutions and Euro Inox. It was made possible through support from the Research Fund for Coals and Steel of the European Union.

If you do not have the report yet and would like to receive a free copy of the CD-ROM, please return an e-mail to info@euro-inox.org referring to the INSAPTRANS CD-ROM. Please do not forget to indicate your address detail.

Oh and don’t be asking where you can get a copy of the CD or whether we can send you one. Just note the email in bold above and drop those guys a line with the information also in bold.

I thank you.

Punched Metal Wall and Chair Installation

Paul Woodhouse — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:17:03 +0000

I have no technical nor functional description about the following other than it’s a metal wall/chair installation affair made from punched sheet.

Alas, the entire shaboodle hasn’t been pieced together as that was being done on site. So, you’ll just have to make do with the 40 or so pictures of the punched metal arrangement here.

You’ll also notice a well lit, freshly painted unit in the photos which is the self-same place they were moving into until somebody offered them a reasonable rapscallion for it and the gypsies next door said they could buy their unit and expand sideways.

I promise there’ll be a tale or two about that little negotiation.

Wycoller Panopticon Repaired

Paul Woodhouse — Fri, 30 May 2008 11:35:02 +0000

Wycoller Panopticon

Here’s a lovely picture of the Wycoller Panopticon that the boys back at Butler Sheetmetal have just titivated. Wycoller (if I remember rightly) is on the back road to Skipton if you go over the tops from Colne. So it’s the scenic route to Yorkshire, and a rambling point – that is, ramble-able from John’s house in Trawden (erm, it’s here). It almost makes me wistful for a trip home – apart from the fact that I’m sure that picture’s been photoshopped to improve the skyline from foggy, drizzling miserable moor to other-worldly celestial.

Now this is more of an East Lancashire skyscape I’m used to:

Although it doesn’t usually include our new lad, Kaine, obscuring the foreground.

But at least Jasper was at hand to look longingly at a plastic bag.

Hmmm, I’m just trying to work out which globe is the shinier.

Anyway, here’s the feedback from Nick at Lancashire Council on the repair job and clean up we did for the Panopticon:

Just to say thanks for the work on the steel ball – we have had some very positive comments about it since it was reinstated.

The quality of the finish in particular has been commented on, the mirror finish better than the original!

Thank you, sir.

And if you’ve been for a walk round Wycoller way and seen the Panopticon, why not let us know what you think of it in the comments.

Finding Just the Right Guys for the Job

Paul Woodhouse — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 04:53:23 +0000

As with many smaller sheet metal companies, there tends to be quite a bit of sub-contracting that goes on. Obviously, the smaller you are the less facilities you have in-house. And the busier you get, the more sub-contracting out you need to do.

So, it’s kind of important that you find half decent companies that have a remote idea as to what they’re supposed to be doing. We don’t have any in-house facilities for powder coating, so any planters that require a colour need to be done elsewhere.

The Butler boys recently did a rather large planter job for somebody in London and I think I recall the odd email between the powder coating firm and John fizzing through my inbox. I got an email last week with a few pictures of the planters leaving the powder coaters – Trevon Industrial Finishings in Colne. And, as John succinctly put it in his correspondence: “They really pulled us out of the shit with this one and did a fantastic job.”

Faint praise indeed. Now I have quite a pedantic eye when it comes to finishes, and I have to say that pictures do show a very good paint job. And the bottom line is that the customer is awfully pleased as well and will be sending us even more pictures once they’ve been planted up.

You see, it’s all well and good taking credit for a job well done, but on this one Trevon obviously went above and beyond the call of duty and really helped us out to the point that we’d have been in quite a hole otherwise. The customer isn’t going to care where you get the things painted, powder-coated, or finished. All they care about is the finish once they receive the finished article(s) – and quite right too.

It’s just that you might not be deserving of all the credit lavished upon you. Unless we deserve a pat on the back for sourcing the best industrial finishings company this side of Manchester that is.

Pair of Humdinging Globes

Paul Woodhouse — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 02:29:52 +0000

We always value feedback, especially when it stops us from confusing ourselves. I’ve personally no idea who the buggery Gouchy is, but I presume he knows John and Matt from a while ago from a former sheet metal life.

He was awfully decent to point out that one of the first jobs they did – the so-called John Lennon globe – isn’t in the new John Lennon airport but the old terminal. Personally I’m a bit lost, although I do know the one and only time I flew out of John Lennon I’d taken my camera to take a few pictures of the thing in situ. And, of course, I couldn’t find the thing in situ because that isn’t where it was situated.

Thankfully, Gouchy has come to our rescue by taking a couple of pics and sending them to us:

Stainless Steel Globe in-situ

Prior to being rolled out the workshop

People are being very nice to us this month, I must admit.

Recycling Bin Rack – ISO 800 f/5.0?

Paul Woodhouse — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 00:01:53 +0000

If I had my way then I’d incentivize (can you tell this American language thing is starting to rub off on me?) our clients and customers to get a bit creative and photograph the work they’ve had done for them by Butler Sheetmetal. Then again, if I had my way I’d offer incentives (but obviously not rubbing off too much) to the boys (and girl) back at the workshop to start clicking jobs as they’re progressing and before they leave for their new home.

You obviously don’t have to go all Anton Corbijn and make like you’re shooting a Depeche Mode album cover, as a plain old out-of-focus polaroid will suffice, but if I was judging then I’d be more inclined to hand prizes out to people who’d taken pictures more along the lines of the recycling bin rack above.

But, I don’t have any prizes. I know, boo.

The best I can offer is if anybody has any pictures of work we’ve done for them or would like to take some pictures and pass them along, then I’d be more than happy to link to your company site (or personal site, for that matter) within the body of the post and the anchor text of your choosing.

Now if that don’t get your fingers on the shutters then I don’t know what will.

Sheet Metal Fabrication: Can We Help?

Paul Woodhouse — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 00:23:31 +0000

Our bread and butter here at Butler Sheetmetal Ltd is – yes, you’ve guessed it – fabricating things out of sheet metal. We make everything from stainless steel autopsy tables and hygienic bin washers to more specialised designer fabrication. We aren’t averse to whacking the living daylights of the odd bus panel either – but that’s more of an executive stress relief thing. You’re more than welcome to see a small selection of what we do in our sheet metal portfolio.

Showing you a selection of things we can do is altogether different to what we’re capable of doing. We’re not the biggest sheet metal job shop in the world but this is our capacity:

* CUTTING: 8mm Stainless and Mild Steel.
* FOLDING: 10mm Mild Steel – 8mm Stainless Steel
* SHEARING: 6mm x 3mtr Mild Steel – 5mm x 2mtr Stainless Steel
* WELDING: TIG, MIG, SPOT & STUD – Aluminium welding
* DRILLING
* PUNCHING
* NOTCHING: 300mm x 6mm
* NC GUILLOTINE: 8mm x 3.1 mtr
* LASERING
* SAWING: 150mm x 150mm
* FINISHING: Powder Coating, Anondising, Painting, Polishing

We’ve fabricated jobs for clients in Scotland and installed projects for clients in London. We aren’t too fussy where you are in the UK. Obviously, we don’t necessarily always get to meet face-to-face with those who are further afield, but there’s always the phone and email. It’s probably only convenient for you to pop in to see us if you’re in the Lancashire, Yorkshire or Manchester area. Although, you can always judge for yourself by checking out where we are in relation to you here and clicking the search maps button.

So, if you’ve got some sheet metal fabrication that needs doing and you’d like a quote, feel free to give us a ring on 01282 870033 and ask for John. Or you can just fire us off a quick email, with or without drawings, and we’ll be back in touch. Our full contact details are here.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Ask The (Extended) Family

Paul Woodhouse — Thu, 10 May 2007 16:19:48 +0000

Do you remember Ask The Family?

I mean the 70′s version with Robert Robertson sporting a Donald Trumpian comb-over/weave but without the necessary product.

Robert Robertson

Do you remember the picture round where an ordinary everyday object would be photographed in extremely tight close-up and they’d zoom out until somebody realised it was a potato peeler?

Well it seems my own family at Butler Sheetmetal are playing the same game with me regarding this particular photo:

On first inspection I thought it might have been a cladding for a nuclear reactor that had got stuck as they were trying to carry it out of the workshop. I was thinking the red thing was our sliding front door and that the photo had been taken after somebody had fallen flat on their arse. And then I wondered if the red thing was the floor and the grey thing was a new front door. The only problem with that being that there was never a lip leading out of the workshop before and there’s no red paint on the floor since I originally painted it and it was back to the original concrete within two weeks.

My only educated guess is that it’s another workshop or factory somewhere.

The more I look at it the less of a clue I have as to what or where it is to the point whereby I’ve now reached that state of clueless singularity: a point of infinite density.

So, the person who comes closest to what it is wins something nifty.

Fingers on shonky buzzers people.