# Plow Light Riser and Spreader Project



## TJS (Oct 22, 2003)

My plow lights were a little low and I wanted them wider. So I made up a set of risers. Not just any old risers though. These will bolt onto the existing light tower and if I ever want to remove them I can and then utilize the factory holes. The only mod I have to do is drill two more holes. 
Started with 2" x 1/8" wall square tube. Mocked them up so then sit in the center on the light tower. Fisher offsets the factory holes a little forward so I had to compensate for that. Used the digital readout so everything is the same and my holes line up. Turn down the hex on the nuts so they were not so big (LOL). TIG welded the nuts and I will grind the weld off smooth. Made up some 3/8" thick mounting pads for the lights. I will be cutting the end of the tube where the light mounts at an angle so I can get a socket in there. More to come soon. Almost finished.


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## TJS (Oct 22, 2003)

More pics. Nuts welded in and mounting pads made. More to come soon.


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## IA Farmer (Nov 7, 2004)

Nice welding, looks good. Are you reuseing the old lights? Post pics of the finshed product.


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## Stik208 (Oct 19, 2004)

Birdseed is one of a hell of a teacher, look at those welds.


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## TJS (Oct 22, 2003)

You are joking, right .


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## Morrissey snow removal (Sep 30, 2006)

im sure it will look great all of ur stuff does


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## 2006Sierra1500 (Dec 28, 2011)

Should do 2 stud and go to intensifires


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## Stik208 (Oct 19, 2004)

TJS;1520364 said:


> You are joking, right .


I was under the impression he taught you everything you knew....:laughing:


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## Holland (Aug 18, 2010)

Stik208;1520537 said:


> I was under the impression he taught you everything you knew....:laughing:


O man dont even kid about that!!!!

btw, nice sig! Thumbs Up


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## TJS (Oct 22, 2003)

I want to thank Birdseed for giving me great advice on my technique, hahaha. Project came out just as I wanted it to.I had to make the harness a little longer as well. Hooked everything up and aligned the lights. Final pics.


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## TJS (Oct 22, 2003)

Painted. .


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## Morrissey snow removal (Sep 30, 2006)

came out great nice job!!!! i had to make my lights taller and widder on my fisher aswell. do u do fab work for a living?


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## TJS (Oct 22, 2003)

Morrissey snow removal;1522501 said:


> came out great nice job!!!! i had to make my lights taller and widder on my fisher aswell. do u do fab work for a living?


Nope. I work in the Corp. world and have a full shop at my house. I do some side work though. I really want to start a shop, but not in this economy.


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## ducaticorse (Oct 16, 2012)

All in all, beut welds... Now tell us all how much that would have cost us layman for you to do that for us an for you to make it profitable..... What, $400 with stock?


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

TJS;1520035 said:


> More pics. Nuts welded in and mounting pads made. More to come soon.


Looks like your 1-2-3 blocks have seen some heat I have a old set I use the same way.Thumbs Up

Nice work.....as always.


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## Morrissey snow removal (Sep 30, 2006)

TJS;1522505 said:


> Nope. I work in the Corp. world and have a full shop at my house. I do some side work though. I really want to start a shop, but not in this economy.


with that kind of work u would do great but then again some people would want something done alot cheaper and half the quality, great job on this and all your other projects


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## TJS (Oct 22, 2003)

ducaticorse;1522508 said:


> All in all, beut welds... Now tell us all how much that would have cost us layman for you to do that for us an for you to make it profitable..... What, $400 with stock?


If I were to do these again it would take me not long at all as I designed as I went with the first set. TIG welding and all. There are people out there who do pay for custom work like this. I just modified a tractor plow set up for someone who went to several places and nobody would take his money. I did.


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## ducaticorse (Oct 16, 2012)

TJS;1522516 said:


> If I were to do these again it would take me not long at all as I designed as I went with the first set. TIG welding and all. There are people out there who do pay for custom work like this. I just modified a tractor plow set up for someone who went to several places and nobody would take his money. I did.


My GF's dad is the 1st selectmen of Ridgefield.... I'd pay reasonable prices, so would many others.. Your welds look tight.


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## jasonv (Nov 2, 2012)

Beautiful work, but may be a bit overboard.

For others looking to do something like this, you can get the same results with a lot less work by cutting a few corners. I'm talking to you ducaticorse.

Tools you need;
- Tape measure,
- Grinder with cutoff wheel, OR sawzall with metal cutting blade and a FLAT FILE, OR if you really want to be a ******* metal worker, skilsaw with a 7" abrasive metal cutting blade. You could even do with just a hacksaw and a file.
- Drill with an assortment of bits.
- Box wrenches.
- Optionally RIVNUTS and install tool.

Now what OP did with welding the nut into the square pipe. You could do with rivnuts, OR you could do with a LOOSE nut and a long wrench, OR you can buy nuts that have a little piece of metal on the head, not sure what they're called, but you put the nut down the tube, get the bolt started a bit, and the little piece of metal on the head will keep it from turning in the tube.... OR, you could drill all the way through the square pipe and drop a bolt full way through.

******* way to line up the holes is to use c-clamps to hold the piece of metal in place, and drill through the existing holes with a regular hand held drill. Its nice to do things the mathematical way, but sometimes its easier and just as effective to ******* your way through.

What OP did welding the light base onto the square pipe... really not necessary since the bolt will hold it in place.

Now don't get me wrong, what the OP did is beautiful work, but reality is that it is a bit overboard if the result was just the functional final product, he surely went to such extremes because he ENJOYS it (and I ABSOLUTELY appreciate that motivation).

Now myself, I had to do the same type of modification to my Arctic plow. Stupid kit came with light antlers that would position the plow lights BELOW the truck lights. No alternatives available. So to the scrap yard I went, with a $5 bill, and came home with a twisted piece of 3/8" x 2" flat bar and $1 left over. With a sledge hammer, two bricks, a pipe wrench, and a vise, the twisted piece of scrap turned into a nice 8 foot piece of flat bar, not even much rust on it -- more or less brand new, just twisted.

With something similar to this;
http://www.princessauto.com/pal/product/8000447/Metal-Benders/Universal-Metal-Bender
(mine is actually a better unit than that one, but they don't seem to sell it any more)
I bent the flat bar into a configuration that would take the original light antlers and move them 11 inches up and 4 inches out from their original position. I don't have an actual photograph of it, just initial drawing of the plan -- not to scale. The red part in the picture.

So $4, a bit of work (fun), primer, paint, and 4 bolts, objective achieved.


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## TJS (Oct 22, 2003)

Jansonv,
I do appreciate your ******* creativity. However, I would have went to my local steel supplier which I have used for years with 20 bucks in my hand and came home with the same material you have (new straight, and rust free by the way) and stopped for a burger on the way home with the remainder of the 20 bucks. After eating the burger and taking my time while you are still beating the flat bar into shape with the sledge hammer, brick (really?) and pipe wrench I am still ahead of the game when I get home. Nice straight piece of material. Plus I never really have seen a Chicom bender come close to bending 3/8” thick flat bar. I would have bent it in my home made bender that is stout.

Ok. Onto the next subject: you wonder why I welded the light pad to the square tube; I did a full weld on this because I hate water/salt/chemical intrusion where I can prevent it. I made sure I had no anomalies in my welds for this. Plus it looks cleaner.

The fabrication I perform might be overkill; however I never have problems with something I made for me or a customer. Plus, I could not even do a poor job if I forced myself to. Also, I try and make my work look as professional as possible. Who knows it maybe a selling point later on. 

As far as making a profit that was brought up by someone else: My posts here are not spam, they are mostly for entertainment and are primarily one off projects that give that different look to my stuff as well as give people here some ideas. However, the difference between my equipment and your ******* equipment is that I am production ready if I ever have to make something again and again. Yes it would take me longer to do the first one or two and may take some time to make jigs and such, but while you are still cutting your un-square steel with a cut-off wheel, and drilling holes with a hand drill. I am already at or beyond the next stages closer to completion. 

Here are the major tools I have used for this project and by the way they have all paid for themselves over and over as well:
-Horizontal Band Saw with Hydraulic feed rate and auto stop.
-Bridgeport Milling Machine with DRO with abundant of cutting tools.
-SouthBend Lathe and cutting tools.
- Bench Sanding belt set up, removing sharp edges. Faster than a file.
- Miller Dynasty 300 DX TIG welder and Bernard Water Cooled torch and consumables.


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## Holland (Aug 18, 2010)

jasonv;1522699 said:


> Beautiful work, but may be a bit overboard.
> 
> For others looking to do something like this, you can get the same results with a lot less work by cutting a few corners. I'm talking to you ducaticorse.
> 
> ...


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## TJS (Oct 22, 2003)

Holland;1522907 said:


> jasonv;1522699 said:
> 
> 
> > Beautiful work, but may be a bit overboard.
> ...


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

jasonv;1522699 said:


> Beautiful work, but may be a bit overboard.
> 
> For others looking to do something like this, you can get the same results with a lot less work by cutting a few corners.
> 
> I bent the flat bar into a configuration that would take the original light antlers and move them 11 inches up and 4 inches out from their original position.


JasonV what your design lacks is sturctural integrity. The lights will see a lot of vibration which will casue them to flutter before the plastic light housing fails and the light flicks off.

Talking a ******* approach doesn't mean doing things half @$$ed......


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## Holland (Aug 18, 2010)

TJS;1522915 said:


> LOL. No worries Holland it's all good.


ok so i may have gotten a little worked up haha, just bugs me when someone does something the right way and gets criticized. I can tell you take alot of pride in what you build. I do the same. Granted i cant tig, but anything i put together, i like to be able to say with pride, i built that! It bugs me when someone walks by and trys to tell me how i should have cobbled it together instead.

Anyways, sorry if I got off topic. Keep up the great work man! Thumbs Up


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## TJS (Oct 22, 2003)

Holland;1522925 said:


> ok so i may have gotten a little worked up haha, just bugs me when someone does something the right way and gets criticized. I can tell you take alot of pride in what you build. I do the same. Granted i cant tig, but anything i put together, i like to be able to say with pride, i built that! It bugs me when someone walks by and trys to tell me how i should have cobbled it together instead.
> 
> Anyways, sorry if I got off topic. Keep up the great work man! Thumbs Up


Sounds good. Thanks.


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## alldayrj (Feb 28, 2010)

When fabricating i like to ask myself "WWBSD" which roughly translates to "what would birdseed do". Then i do the opposite. I see that you follow the same mantra. Nice job. I need some of that equipment and welding skill. I'm just beyond bubblegum with the mig


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## jasonv (Nov 2, 2012)

TJS;1522865 said:


> Jansonv,
> I do appreciate your ******* creativity. However, I would have went to my local steel supplier which I have used for years with 20 bucks in my hand and came home with the same material you have (new straight, and rust free by the way) and stopped for a burger on the way home with the remainder of the 20 bucks. After eating the burger and taking my time while you are still beating the flat bar into shape with the sledge hammer, brick (really?) and pipe wrench I am still ahead of the game when I get home.


Brick is a spacer/support, not for hitting.



> Nice straight piece of material.


I was going to buy new, but couldn't find anybody that had any under 1/2 inch.



> Plus I never really have seen a Chicom bender come close to bending 3/8" thick flat bar. I would have bent it in my home made bender that is stout.


I specifically stated that the linked bender is not the same as mine, but if you do look at the specs on that one in the link, it states max 3/8"x2", which does happen to be the size of the metal I was working with.



> Ok. Onto the next subject: you wonder why I welded the light pad to the square tube; I did a full weld on this because I hate water/salt/chemical intrusion where I can prevent it. I made sure I had no anomalies in my welds for this. Plus it looks cleaner.
> 
> The fabrication I perform might be overkill; however I never have problems with something I made for me or a customer. Plus, I could not even do a poor job if I forced myself to. Also, I try and make my work look as professional as possible. Who knows it maybe a selling point later on.


Yes yes, again my point, you are a perfectionist to the point of overdoing it. Nothing wrong with that, if that is what you like to do. Thumbs Up



> However, the difference between my equipment and your ******* equipment is that I am production ready if I ever have to make something again and again. Yes it would take me longer to do the first one or two and may take some time to make jigs and such, but while you are still cutting your un-square steel with a cut-off wheel, and drilling holes with a hand drill. I am already at or beyond the next stages closer to completion.


Now you can't possibly be suggesting that everyone goes and buys or manufactures such fabrication equipment for dealing, as a hobby, with 1-off custom pieces, can you? Yes, I would love to have all the best, strongest, manufacturing equipment, but for my own HOBBY use, I'm quite happy with the equipment I have, and as needed, I am perfectly capable of devising bigger equipment or obtaining it as needed.

Realistically, what you've done CAN be done "very well" with about $50 worth of equipment and about $2 worth of materials. Do I suggest that YOU buy new ******* tools to do it? Of course not, but neither do I suggest that everyone who might be inclined to 1-off this for their own personal use outfit themselves with YOUR SHOP. Hence my explanation of how to ******* your way through a similar "almost as good" job using equipment that most people already have.



> Here are the major tools I have used for this project and by the way they have all paid for themselves over and over as well:
> -Horizontal Band Saw with Hydraulic feed rate and auto stop.
> -Bridgeport Milling Machine with DRO with abundant of cutting tools.
> -SouthBend Lathe and cutting tools.
> ...


And that is a well equipped shop indeed. Care to guess a dollar value for all of that equipment? Think that everybody who wants to make similar pieces who is NOT in the metal fabrication business should go out and buy all that to one-off their plow light extension?

BTW: My post wasn't a response to you. It was a complement to yours with a few ideas how ANYBODY could make something that is ALMOST as nice as you did.


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## jasonv (Nov 2, 2012)

BUFF;1522918 said:


> JasonV what your design lacks is sturctural integrity. The lights will see a lot of vibration which will casue them to flutter before the plastic light housing fails and the light flicks off.
> 
> Talking a ******* approach doesn't mean doing things half @$$ed......


3/8 x 2. Its quite solid. No "fluttering" or vibrations at all.


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## jasonv (Nov 2, 2012)

Holland;1522925 said:


> ok so i may have gotten a little worked up haha, just bugs me when someone does something the right way and gets criticized. I can tell you take alot of pride in what you build. I do the same. Granted i cant tig, but anything i put together, i like to be able to say with pride, i built that! It bugs me when someone walks by and trys to tell me how i should have cobbled it together instead.
> 
> Anyways, sorry if I got off topic. Keep up the great work man! Thumbs Up


I was about to come up with an in-kind response to you, but rather than that, I will simply state that I did NOT criticize. I COMPLIMENTED, while in addition, explained a SIMPLER, and yes, NOT AS COOL approach that will work for everyone who doesn't have HIS SHOP.


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## Holland (Aug 18, 2010)

Lets see a picture of your build.


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## TJS (Oct 22, 2003)

Jasonv,
I work in the Corporate Word and not a full time shop owner.

As stated before, all my projects are performed in my home shop in my garage, not at a commercial location. I also stated my equipment has paid for itself many times over. The most recent purchase was my Dynasty 300 TIG welder (3rd New TIG welder purchase) and that was in 2006 which was 4800.00. Again, this has paid for itself doing side jobs on weekends along with my other equipment. Also, the money I made I would re-invest it in tools and equipment as much as I can. I also learn as much as I can by reading books/documents and training materials (not internet hearsay or posts). I also learn and try to improve every time I make something as well as every time I lower my helmet. I am not a professional welder but I know I can keep up with the crowd. 


No disrespect but your posts seem very similar to Birdseed’s. He would start out kind of the same way you post: to do “this and that the ******* way” and that he was professionally trained in welding. Then he proceeds to post pictures of his horrific unsafe projects and try to justify his actions by stating it only cost me 5 bucks to do this and that and create a failure. So please DO post pics of your short cut projects as well as some of your welds. I would really like to see them. The excuse of “I don’t have any pics or a camera” is old. Everybody has a camera phone or a digital camera.


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## quigleysiding (Oct 3, 2009)




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## jasonv (Nov 2, 2012)

TJS;1523605 said:


> Jasonv,
> I work in the Corporate Word and not a full time shop owner.
> 
> As stated before, all my projects are performed in my home shop in my garage, not at a commercial location. I also stated my equipment has paid for itself many times over. The most recent purchase was my Dynasty 300 TIG welder (3rd New TIG welder purchase) and that was in 2006 which was 4800.00. Again, this has paid for itself doing side jobs on weekends along with my other equipment. Also, the money I made I would re-invest it in tools and equipment as much as I can. I also learn as much as I can by reading books/documents and training materials (not internet hearsay or posts). I also learn and try to improve every time I make something as well as every time I lower my helmet. I am not a professional welder but I know I can keep up with the crowd.
> ...


I never claimed to be professionally trained in any of these things. As I said, hobby, and I upgrade my equipment as actual needs dictate.

So it would seem that our approach is very similar. I just haven't collected the same set of tools as you have. Which doesn't mean that I can't do the job, and well, just that it takes a little bit more effort in some cases. I don't have a tig welder. I have a mig and a crappy AC stick welder. I don't have a metal bandsaw, I have a 13 hp bandsaw mill that I use to rip LOGS.

My welds won't win any prizes for pretty weaves, but they're solid, and I overbuild to make sure of that. I don't have any pictures of my welds, since quite frankly, I don't have any to take a picture of within 300 km of here.

But since you insist on pictures, here are three for your amusement;
The trailer is my own work. Its the best angle of it that I have on my phone. Tandem 3500 pound drop axles sprung under, hydraulic disk brakes. Sorry that there aren't any welds visible.


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