Then I checked on one of my clients' applications and found an urgent problem that needed fixing - so I wasn't out on site 8.30 am.

The first job was to prepare a work area for the large 4.5 m beams so that I could easily roll them around while welding.

It took me a couple of hours to clean up scrap metal and rubbish and to sweep up leaves.

The beams weigh about 160 Kg and are very difficult to move.

I used the low trolley and winch up trolley to manoeuvre the beam around without breaking my back.

Next, I used a wire brush on an angle grinder to remove all the rust flakes.

After that, I marked out 400 mm spacings, nicked the metal with a 1mm blade and then ground the face in preparation for welding.

It took a couple of hours to tack weld the 22 cleats in position.

Then probably another 4 hours to weld the cleats on completely.

I made sure I staggered all the welding to avoid warping the beam.

Tomorrow I will go back and try to finish the second beam as well as rust converting an perhaps apply a primer coat.

Sunday

Slow start to the day - I was out on site around 9.00 am.

I used the rotary wire brush to remove all welding slag and touched up a few of the welds.

I also drilled the four mounting holes out to 12 mm.

It took quite a bit of work to move the completed beam out and the next raw beam in.

The next beam needed exactly the same step.

I side tracked slightly to drill out its holes to 12 mm and to rust convert the completed beam I had taken outside.

In theory, as darkness descended, I was free to just complete the welding.

However, my lighting was not good enough.

I found myself attempting to weld by torchlight.

I am not happy with a couple of the welds and next week I will grind them out and redo them.