TheSamba.com :: View topic

Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:43 pm

My employee swiped the legs out from below a clients yard art. She wants it fixed. Isnt real picky about how but wants it back in the yard by jobs end. It’s some cheap ass brass alloy from China. Local welder said no luck. Another guy quoted me $600. I’m considering some repair involving jb weld. Not even sure that’s gonna work. Whadayathink?

Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:50 pm

2 part putty epoxy and mix some paint to blend the joint. Reinforce the tube with wood dowels going all the way from the legs to the body.

Fri Apr 16, 2021 2:07 pm

Step one- take 100 pics of that thing because your client is the type to say, "You know that bill looks a little more closed than it did before..."

Fri Apr 16, 2021 2:19 pm

I like the wooden pegs idea, but what happens if they fail from a hit and that thing lands on Fido! you will have even more problems!

It looks like the leg cavity opening is about a 1/2 inch. I would measure it, then buy a brass rod from a metal supplier or Amazon ($10 a piece). Insert each rod into the body and braze it in place. or epoxy them with a high end one. Then set the new rods into the legs using the same "adhesive" method or brazing. if brazing or adhesives are a no go. You can always drill a hole through the structure and the rod at the stubs and pin it with a 1/8" stainless steel rod. Like a mortised and pined wood joint!

Employees suck some times! Sorry man!

Fri Apr 16, 2021 2:43 pm

To explore Jim's idea a little more.....
If the leg openings as well as the holes on it's belly are somewhat round and have thick enough walls tap them for pipe thread and screw the legs on with a close pipe nipple.

Fri Apr 16, 2021 3:04 pm

how about that fake weld stuff? I repaired a rear view mirror arm with it, the kind you use a torch with.

Fri Apr 16, 2021 3:14 pm

this type stuff

https://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-low-temperature-aluminum-welding-rods-44810.html

Fri Apr 16, 2021 4:02 pm

I had a similar idea using rebar. Jb weld some rebar in the bottom piece. Let it dry. Fill 8” deep end sections of top piece with jb weld and mate the two before the top section is dried. Prepare to do some aesthetics work once it’s solid.

Sounds similar but w wood dowels. Rebar is plentiful in my work so scrapping up 2x6” long pieces of no 4 is not a problem.

I appreciate y’all validating my initial approach. I’ll post w my success/ failure.

Fri Apr 16, 2021 4:17 pm

Here is what I would do:

1. Mark where the legs would attach to the underside on the bird.
2. Drill the underside on the marks and install to rivet nuts (nutserts, blind threaded nuts, whatever it’s called in your neck of the woods).
3. Plug the holes in the legs by hammering in some pressure treated wood. Go a couple of inches deep in the hollow leg. Cut the wood insert flush with the top of the legs.
4. Take a bolt that would fit the rivet nut, a couple inches long and cut its head off. Now you have a threaded nut that fits the rivet nut.
5. Drill a hole in the wood plug in the leg and thread in on end of the threaded rod you made by cutting the bolt head.
6. Now you have a leg with a bolt sticking out of it. Thread it in the rivet nut attached to the underside of the body. Done.

Fri Apr 16, 2021 5:55 pm

Maybe stuff whatever size brass(if that's even the material), down the legs, and then braise the outside to the inner?

How expensive is an entire replacement bird?

Just an idea. I haven't any experience in that sort of thing.

Good luck

Fri Apr 16, 2021 7:49 pm

I cant see a picture but need to know what this giant bird is.

But maybe give the bird a wheel chair if it aint got no legs

Sat Apr 17, 2021 5:37 am

Cannot see picture either, why did your employee steal the legs from the art?

Sat Apr 17, 2021 10:57 am

Non-VW photo was removed from the gallery so it went dead

Post it on imgur.com or somewhere

Sat Apr 17, 2021 12:36 pm

I guess we will never know.

Sat Apr 17, 2021 5:41 pm

Never seen a bronze flamingo, I’d go ahead and shoot it pink.

Sat Apr 17, 2021 7:21 pm

Zundfolge1432 wrote: Never seen a bronze flamingo, I’d go ahead and shoot it pink.

Curiosity got the better of me... Apparently a bronze (sadly not pink) can be had for a measley $1300.

https://www.houzz.com/pvp/flamingo-looking-back-br...koQAvD_BwE

Sat Apr 17, 2021 9:33 pm

Is this samba or Facebook ?

Sun Apr 18, 2021 4:12 am

Erik G, excellent video, thanks for posting this and the link for the rods. I'm impressed this was done with low temp rods without damaging the project. I've never tried it and she sure made it look easy. I guess I'll keep what I break now. Erik G, can you post your work.

Erik G wrote: how about that fake weld stuff? I repaired a rear view mirror arm with it, the kind you use a torch with.

Erik G wrote: this type stuff

https://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-low-temperature-aluminum-welding-rods-44810.html

Sun Apr 18, 2021 5:18 am

Have client fix it to her satisfaction and send you bill. That’s ends the cycle of dis( re) pair.

Sit down with employee and discuss who is paying what share to mutual satisfaction.

Sun Apr 18, 2021 7:35 am

Is it legal to expect my employee to pay for a share of this? Id be more than happy to see this happen. This guy has been on a tare lately. He should be feeling some of this in his wallet. Maybe feeling the pain would end his carelessness.