How to Make a Paint Gun Stand on the Cheap...(QUICK & DIRTY)

I recently started doing some DIY automotive grade painting... And well, in hind sight, I might have just paid $500 - $1200 to have my gas tank and fender for my motorcycle painted. It's expensive, time consuming, expensive, a lot can go wrong forcing you to start over, expensive, requires a lot of specialized equipment and cleaning supplies, expensive.... You get the point, but to drive it home just half a pint of valspar black gloss base coat was over $40. That doesn't count the thinners, additives, etc... I'll have to do a couple instructables on the subject.
SKIP THE INTRO:
So you started painting  (with a paint gun) so you're now broke... Just before you actually start to paint, you realize why it would be nice to have a paint gun stand for when you're ready to put the paint in the gun... But don't want to buy one when you just dropped a fortune on everything else.  Well, here is how I made a "quick and dirty" paint gun stand for FREE. I made it at TECH SHOP.

Step 1: Step 1:

Step 1: Search out the scrap metal bins at Tech Shop, looking for some suitable material. I knew I was going to MIG weld the prices so I focused on scrap steel. I located some skinny remnants of 12 gauge (maybe 16 gauge) steel, and a nice heavy square piece that would be a perfect base. It took a few attempts. 

Step 2: Step 2:

Step 2:  I used the press break shears to clean up the edges and get the general lengths for the pieces.

Step 3:

Step 3: I laid out the bits on a table with my gun to get an idea of how it was going to go together and where to make some bends.

Step 4:

step 4: I made some bends in the metal break at a little less than 90 degrees in the shape of a U for my cup holder. 

Step 5:

Step 5: I used the torret punch to put a quick curve on the end of the piece I was going to use to push the gun handle out and level out the cup when it was sitting in the stand. (It will be help full to have a nice level cup when pouring paint into the gun.)

Step 6:

Step 6: Use an angle grinder and flapper wheel to clean up your weld areas. Then start to place the vertical "beams" where you want them in the stand.  I opted to set this up to hold two guns when I'm done, since the bade was going to be conducive for that. Then tack weld your bases in.

Step 7:

Step 7: I then (quick and dirty) held the top extension beam where I wanted it and put a quick tack on it. I did the same with the "U".

Step 8:

Step 8: Put the gun in the holder, and determine the placement and angle you want your "brace beam."  Take the gun out (no need to ruin a nice expensive gun) and tack weld the beam in place.

Step 9:

Step 9: Go back and finish your welds. Nice thing about this project is if you have bad welds, ugly welds, contaminated welds...it's not that big of a deal... You're not doing 80 MPH on the highway on only 2 wheels if the weld fails. I figure they will be holding way less than 5 pounds ever.

Step 10:

Step 10: Put the gun in the stand.  If you don''t like the way it's sitting, it's metal and solidly welded, bend it... Key words "Quick and Dirty" also free.. And in my case I was killing time and practicing welding. That's what you call killing 3 birds with one stone. 
Now you're technically done, so go use it.

Step 11:

Bonus step: In the future I plan to finish the second gun stand on the base, sand blast and powder coat (because I can, although I have thought about getting it to rust then clear coating it just because). I also plan to wrap the "U" in electrical tape or something to limit/prevent scratching and marring of the cup on my paint gun.

P.S. if you noticed in the pictures, I used filler rod to build up some stalagmites on the end of the "U" (fancy geological way of saying bumps) to help prevent the cup from sliding out...probably unnecessary.

Ok, go make your friends jealous!