Cooling Rack - Part One

OK, it's time to get serious. I have not seen directions on the net for doing this, so I will document how I build this thing very closely.

You saw the pipes I got:

2" pipe from a local gate company. Seems to be good solid stuff, although it's very rusty and will get you filthy handling it.

OK, 2" pipe goes into vertical members. Logical choice?  3" square tubing. I hunted some down at the local steelyard, and cut it into sections. I test drilled one with my $13 hole saw:

And test fit:

It seems to work. The drill "wallowed around" a little on these cuts, and so the fit was really easy. Good to go!

Today, I spent a long morning drilling 2" holes (65 of them). Here's the end result:

I will have to weld flanges on the bottoms to bolt down to the rails of the truck. That will also trap moisture and send it along to the collection point at the end.

Just to see how it will work, I test fit several pieces. I learned that 2" pipe does in fact fit in a 2" hole, just barely. But rusty pipe with a tang on the saw-cut....doesn't really fit. It fits better after some serious banging and sweating. I will have to grind the edges, and wire brush them to get some of the rust off. It's a good idea anyway, since I am welding the joints. All 65 of them...

Here's the pipes for the front by the window:

That's all for tonight. Watch for part two!