Part nine- how I made my long arm quilting machine, stretching my sewing machine

           I knew that I wanted to stretch my sewing machine to 20 inches from the neck to the needle, It was already 8 inches. That meant I needed to add 12 inches in all. The bed of the machine needed to by stretched first, I needed to get a 12 inches by 7 inches steel plate, I could not find one, so I had to get two pieces. One 12 inches by 4 inches and one 12 inches by 3 inches. 

  I needed the machine to be level so I made a box for it to sit on. I  had some 1 by 2 boards. I cut the boards, making 2 of them 27 inches and 2- 7 1/2 inches, then nailed them together. I found the box to not be very strong, so I cut 5 more boards 7 1/2 inches. I nailed these to the bottom. much better.                Time to weld. I have never welded any thing in my life and had no one to show me. It was time to watch You Tube. I looked up tig welding for home use. Again USE ALL YOUR SAFETY GEAR . Welding helmet, Leather gloves, Long sleeves, and I used a bandanna on my hair. I welded out side on the side walk. I laid every thing out on my box, this is were I slipped the a  3 inch pipe by 14 inches long over the arm of the machine.  I begun to weld the plate , OK I could only see a blue flame nothing more. According to the videos I watched I should see a puddle of liquid bead, then keep moving it forward. I did not see it. I followed the blue light, it worked, but my plate lifted a little. 

As you can see I am not a welder.  Next the neck needed to be done. I started on the side with the neck because it fit tight. Welding on curves is not easy, I did not master this. How ever I did get it spot welded. I bet I could have done better if I could see what I was doing. Now to the head part, there was no way I  could weld this, it fit to lose. I filled it in with liquid weld putty, which had to sit for 24 hours. When it was dried I removed my jig( shelf brackets ). so far so good. I drilled 4 holes in the pipe and through the head which I put screws in. this made it more secure, so it would not move.