101 Quick Tech Tips

Since this is tech week lets see if we can get at least 101 quick tech tips. Rod and Custom used to do this lets see if we can. We should be able to do more than 101. Don't worry if they are old tricks, new tricks or ones that have been done a million times. I'm sure there is sombody that will say they could use the idea.

I went through the shop and snapped of a couple of quick ones. I'll get a couple more when I have more time.

I'll start off with an easy one. I took an old speaker and busted the magnet off of it. Then I stuck the magnet to the side of my drillpress. Now I can stick the key and several drillbits right to the side of the drill. Helps to keep from loosing the key.
Clark

What's a cooler in the back of a RPU have to do with tech?

It's a battery box! Just bolt a cheap old metal cooler into the bed or in your trunk and put a big enough hole in the bottom for battery cables. I got this one at a yardsale for fifty cents. You could use one with a rusty bottom, but I wouldn't use your wife's good Coke cooler.

No....it won't keep your PBR cold anymore!
Clark

[gregg]

???I don't see a cooler. Looks like a battery box. Aww, ya beat me to it!

I used to get pissed off every time I made spark plug wires. The cheap tool they give you to crimp the ends was hard to use by yourself. You had to hold the wire and the one half of the too while you hit it with a hammer. After smacking my hand a couple of times I found a better way. I welded the tool to an old pair of plyers. Now it's a lot easier.

[ray]

heres one for those of us who are always removin tires and wheels for some reason: how many times have you tried every end of your 4-way wrench trying to find the right size to fit the lugnuts? i paint eash bar of my wrench a different color, coded to cars. i use silver for the end that fits all the chrome mag wheel nuts, one bar red, to match the lugnuts on the red car, etc. that way at a glance you grab the correct end of the wrench. same thing could work for your sockets and wrenches, they can be color coded by size, wo when you're hunting for the 9/16 it will be easy to spot cause it's PINK! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I still put half of the crimping tool in the vise, but it's a lot easier to hold everything now.

I think there is a fancy tool that does this now but I had these and they work good enough for me.
Clark

[Hot Rod To Hell]

Ok, here's one I figured out in High school. Done it on everything since!

Since we had the discussion about tranny dust covers the other day it reminded me...

If you are running a GM auto trans (I don't know if it would work on others) without the dust cover in place, cut the ears that it bolts to off of the bellhousing.
It will usually make the difference between having to lift the motor to get full length headers in, or just droppin 'em in! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Cool!! Some of you guys are already speaking up.

I didn't even think to use the one about the 4way lug wrench. I used electric tape on mine. One band is 3/4 and two bands is 13/16.

Here's one that has been brought up here many times and I got it from here. 65 Mustang radiators work great in Hot Rods. I have put one in several cars and so far non have had overheating problems. Here is one in a 29 Ford grill shell.
Clark

[roadstar]

Good one Clark. But you are a genius anyway so I expect stuff like that from you http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

My tech tip:

When Butt welding a patch in and you notice things start to warp on you keep in mind it is the weld area shrinking, and pulling the surrounding metal out of shape.

So whatever you do only correct this buy stress reliving the weld. You do this by hammer-on dolly the weld. This will streach the weld area back out and relive the stress to the surrounding metal.

You will see the warped area magicly go away if you do this right.

The bigest mistake people make is to try and work the area that gets out of shape. The problem is there is nothing really wrong with that area and you only cause a problem by trying to work that area without dealing with the situation that caused the metal to move.

This may seem slightly advanced for some but it is the most common proplem I see when guys start welding tops, patches, or whatever.

If you want try a test piece. get a couple of pieces of 20 guage sheet meatal and butt weld them togeather. Preferrabley with a tig or gas(the Henrob is good here).
Make the piece about 8 or 10 inches long. Go ahead and weld the two pieces togeather and dont worry about any warpage. when you are done you will notice it will warp quit alot actually.

Now take an all purpos dolly and hammer directly on the weld working your way across. Don't beat the hell out of it just enough to flatten the weld some and you will notice the wavy part of the sheet metal will start to flatten out on it own.

Just be carfull not to over hammer it because then it will start to streach too much and then you have the opposit problem. Then you will need to shrink it back down. but thats another tech post http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

This is my last one for now. I've gotta get back in the shop and get some stuff done.

I would be lost in my shop without this cheesey ass table. It's made of 1" angle iron and get's used for everything. We weld and cut on it. With a couple of clamps and a peice of angle iron it is turned into a sheetmetal brake. I paint parts on it and with a little foam pipe insulation (there's a peice on the one side in the pic) it's great for wet sanding fenders and such.
Clark

[4t64rd]

Swap meet/Pick-up tech -

You got to the swap meet early to get the best deals, first thing you see a pair of 40 Ford front fenders NO RUST!! $50 pr.! You don't plan on dragging them around all day, so you walk back out to your truck in the parking lot and toss them in the bed. Someone else looking for parts is getting a much better deal than you did by waiting until you are out of sight and snatching them.

Always bring a lock and a long length of chain or wire rope with eyes with you, if you just bought a pair of rust-free 40 Ford fenders, you don't want them riding home in the back of someone elses truck, then seeing them on ebay a few days later.

Lock your stuff to the loops inside the bed or through another hole on the truck.

[Mr 42]

Take wo pieces of Angle iron.
Weld them together in an X shape.
And you have a good help when drilling holes into tubing.
You will hit center all of the time.
Here is me drilling without using only one hand, and its not on the tube ;-)

[caffeine]

MOtorcycle, and im sure EVERYONE knows about it... but still tech...when pressing in neck cups and races, its virtually impossible to do without cursing and a very big hammer.....get some all thread (petty thick) about 10 washers, 2 nuts and a wrench or two.....viola.

I use this same technique only backwards and with sockets at each end for tightening up a belt. and alighing primary....below is a pick of that too, but not my picture. i ripped it off bikernet.


http://www.kustompinstriping.com/other/choppermentary/IMG_1516.JPG

http://www.network54.com/Realm/tmp/1091587406.JPG

http://www.network54.com/Realm/tmp/1091587406.JPG

[slowpoke]

I'm still lurnin' so I don't have much to add other than one I learned from...Bob Villa! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

On your (preferably new) sockets take some white/bright color paint and wipe/brush it across the etched sizing on the socket. Then carefully wipe off the excess leaving a more visible and legible socket size.

Note: if the things are etched very shallow…no matter how careful you are the paint will wipe off or come off with very little use.

[Mike]

My tip: No mess, easy water pump gasket seal.

I learned this one from some old flathead guys. On the 59A and earlier flathead, the water pumps are lubricated with crankcase oil via a passage in the front of the block. If you were to install a water pump using some sort of silicon goop as a sealant, there is a very good chance that the goop will ooze and clog the passage. As you can imagine, this would result in water pump faliure in about 50 miles.

The trick avoid this is to use spray paint as a sealant. Spray a solid coat of paint (what ever color you want) on both sides of the gasket. Let it sit a few minutes until the paint becomes tacky. Then install the gasket and pump as normal. This gives you an excellent seal without any oozy (not Uzi) mess.

I've used this method on all of the water pumps (not just flatheads) that I have installed in the past 5 years, plus I used it on the intake manifold for my flathead. It all looks really tidy, you don't get goop all over everything and I have never had a leak.

[praisethelowered]

Always check when you change your oil filter to make sure that the gasket came off with the filter and isn't stuck to the block- especially if your block is painted. If it is then you will end up with two gaskets on there- one will blow off to the side somewhere down the road and you will loose oil pressure instantly.

This caused the early demise of a motor I built once. . . when i figured out what had happened I was not happy with myself.

Like they say in Texas. . . "Fool me once- shame on you. Fool me twice . . uh . . uh . . we won't get fooled again."

[zman]

Get a cheap engraver and engrave your initials on all of your tools at least twice. If you work in a shop with other people it'll stop arguements. If your tools get stolen it'll help identify the thief. All in all a good idea...

[ric]

Better yet, engrave your driver's license number, that way if they do get stolen you have a hope in hell of maybe recovering them, the police will try and trace a driver's license number back to owner.

[Christian]

must be a classic but I only started doing it after seeing it in a classic-bike mag:
when dissasembling parts with little parts (balls, springs..) like a carb, first drape a cloth over your bench, all wrinkly, don't smooth it out, all parts that fall or jump out will be lots easier to find.

[chromedRAT]

had to sand some concave curves, like the fender lip, on my 65 chevy. used the same sticky strip paper i had for the longboard and stuck it to a piece of small PVC tubing, instant longboard for curves. there ya go fellas, my poor attempt at tech http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

[Slick mo fo]

I love the magnet on the drill press. These guys never put their bits back, or the chuck key.

Here's my 2 bits-
Since we are doing the tech thing, here we go.

Shop rags:
Back when I was a kid, I remember my dad using my old diapers as rags. They absorb, they’re soft, and there were bunches of them between my cousins and I. Great for soaking up spilled oil, or washing and waxing.

Now days, between old shirts I like to use an old sweat sock. Take a razor and slit it up the middle so it’s not a tube any more. These are good.
Or when staying at a hotel, grab a hand towel each time. These are great, they are usually white, and in good shape.

Lately I’ve come across a new discovery. While in the bathroom, I looked under the sink and found some items in a box that described them as “extra absorbent”.
I grabbed the box and went outside. Come to find these are the best. They come in all sizes, some have wings, but even better than that, they have an adhesive back. Peel the strip and stick it to the palm of your hand. Blam! No more dropping your rag.
Then one day I found another device my wife had been hiding from me. This one came in a tube, kinda like a push-up ice cream. These worked great in tight spots like the valleys on your intake manifold, or cleaning the inside threads on something. Not only that, but it came with a string and gets larger as it gets wet.

One day getting out of the shower and unable to find a dry towel, I opted for my new discovery. I couldn’t find one with the sticky back, so I popped one out of the tube, grabbed it by the string and started swinging away. I felt like I was beating the hell out of myself with miniature/ half set of nunchucks.

Sorry I don’t have pictures. Good luck http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[modernbeat]

Magnet on the drill press refined. Get one of those key-on-a-leash retractable key rings and clip it to the drill press. Then put the chuck key on it. That magnet might just vibrate enough to walk off the press and drop your chuck key. The clip won't.

[burndup]

My vote for tech week winner:

Slik Mofo's "feminine by-product" tech!!!

[Smokin Joe]

I keep an old chunk of paneling or thin plywood in the garage. Great to lay on when you have to crawl under a car that just dumped a quart of oil, snow melt or tranny fluid on the floor. Works in the driveway too. Throw it same side down all the time and it'll last you quite a while.

Put a plug-in by your garage door and hang an extension cord on a hook next to it. I like to do most things in the driveway rather than in the garage when the weather allows. More light and room. I've found if you let your buddy put his car in your garage to swap an alternator, it'll take him weeks while he uses your space and tools to fix everything on the car. In the driveway, he'll have that alternator swapped out and be gone before dark! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[slammed]

Chuck a hand drill in a vice, now wire wheel those small part's.

[burndup]

Along the same vein as Smokin Joe's post, allow me to inttroduce the "Ghetto Creeper." Same thing, only its just a big piece of cardboard. Such an apparatus was great at my old apartment building, where the "asphalt" parking lot was really just loose, sharp gravel. And, you just throw it into the dumpster when its saturated with grease and oil...

[Slick mo fo]

[ QUOTE ]
My vote for tech week winner:

Slik Mofo's "feminine by-product" tech!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you, thank you very much. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
On behalf of those that shared info, I’m just returning the favor. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Slick mo fo]

or even better, I found using a piece of linoleum. No splinters, cleans off easy, nice and slippery, and doesn't soak thru.

[KIRK!]

TIP 1: Take of of those pen/pencil finger cushion things and put it on your pen. Do not use a pencil. This will help avoid blisters while writing checks.

TIP 2: Place your gold chain on the outside of your collar or cuff to avoid skin abrasions.

[wingnutz]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
My vote for tech week winner:

Slik Mofo's "feminine by-product" tech!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you, thank you very much. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
On behalf of those that shared info, I’m just returning the favor. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Gets my vote...!!!!!! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[av8]

To discourage folks from "borrowing" my 8-foot air hose and nozzle that I use on the porting bench, in a shop that will have a half dozen folks working at the same time, I changed the female end of the hose and the male ends of my die grinders and air nozzle to a different type than the type that's used throughout the rest of the shop. I wasn't a dick about it; I fitted a shop-common male end to my hose so that the hose bib on the wall is still useable by others when I'm not there. Haven't had to chase a hose since the changeover, and mine sits right on top of my tool caddy in plain view when I'm not there.

[scotth]

I spent hours trying to dig a pilot bushing out if the back of a SBF one time with one of the of the slide-hammer pullers. It was a nightmare, the material was pretty soft, so the puller just kept ripping chunks out and the bushing wouldn't budge. Finally, I managed to dig it out. Well, the next time I had to do it, I went to borrow a puller from a buddy, and he told me about the following method:

You pack the bushing hole full of grease, and work it around to fill the entire cavity behind and around the bushing. Then take a round object the size of the hole (as tight a tolerence as you can get, I used a stripped input shaft I had) hold it up to the bushing like you were going to insert it into the bushing. Give it a solid whack with a BFH. Tada! Pops out like it was nothing!

[burndup]

fat hack told us about that bushing trick last time on AS THE RATCHET TURNS... NEEEEEEEXT! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Baron Von Mike]

[ QUOTE ]
No splinters, cleans off easy, nice and slippery, and doesn't soak thru.

[/ QUOTE ]

We're not still talking innuendo, are we? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[av8]

Vern and I have been culling shop tips from really old copies of Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, etc., for inclusion in his new catalog, mostly for fun, but also because some of them are really clever.

Here's one that is so basic you wouldn't think it needs to be included. Well, trust me when I tell you that four out of five non-factory cotter key installations we see in the shop are wrong!

This isn't to say that an incorretly installed cotter key won't do its job. By its very nature, however, a cotter key is meant to be removed when the nut it locks in place is to be removed. The uniform and accepted installation makes the mechanic's job easier, plus when the ends of the key are flattened against the nut and the bolt or stud, they aren't likely to rip the skin on your hands when working around them. BTW, the handy hint omits an important point: If the ends of the key are long, trim them and particularly the one that folds over the bolt so its end is in the center of the bolt and tap it down flat against the bolt.

http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL64/2013751/4830291/62276719.jpg

[hotrod54chevy]

[ QUOTE ]
the "Ghetto Creeper." Same thing, only its just a big piece of cardboard.

[/ QUOTE ]
man,let me tell you..when my car was in my mom's garage,there was ALWAYS a huge piece of cardboard layin around,and if you lay it down the same way every time,it DOES last a long time!
Creepy

[QQMOON]

Sorry no pic,s as most are aware of the new shed well filling it with all the old shed contents has proved huge whith 27 engines to store under pallet racking and get out easy I bought some 65 mm casters and with a through bolt hole bloted 4 on each block at the front or rear which ever worked beter tipped them up on end compleate or incompleate and roll them around anywhere
JR

[whodaky]

Got a few things here, most are pretty obvious, but hey 'So What' wants to get the count up over 101.
First is using a machine vice on your drill press to hold round stuff
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/whodaky/TECH1.jpg
Second. I used to have all my dollies and body hammers etc in an old ammo box. You could always count on the tool I wanted being on the bottom. Also with all the tools in it, it was pretty heavy. So I finally got around to making myself, what I call my 'dolly trolley'.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/whodaky/DOLLYTROLLEY.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/whodaky/LINES4.jpg
Third, was reading about HVLV spray guns and decided to borrow a friend's to give them a go. My friend always just chucks his in the vice when filling them. Me being me had to do something better than that. I like these guns and am going to get a couple.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/whodaky/GUNRACK.jpg
For my last idea. I like to have my garage reasonably organised. But am always looking for other stuff to put in it, especially to store things. But I do like this stuff to look like it belongs in the big scheme of my garage. I recently was in a second hand furniture store and spotted a map drawer. I thought to myself I would like that, but where could I fit it into my garage. So I came home and looked at my garage and then thought; hey above my computer there is a lot of wasted space. So I went back and bought the map drawer. On getting it home I made a frame with castors on it and it sits over and around my computer table ( well it's more than just a table, it's something else I made), I have since actually bought another map drawer and mounted it just below the first one I bought. They are great for storing posters and all sorts of things. The bonus in this case is I ended up with an area on top to place lighter objects.The point here is in our garages there is so much wasted space up in the air. So much can be mounted above, just make sure the structure is strong enough to support stuff. Also when I built my garage I designed the cupboards that are in the main work bench area to go from floor to ceiling. The very top cupboard doors actually lifts out!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/whodaky/TECH3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/whodaky/TECH2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/whodaky/CUPBOARDS.jpg

[Digger_Dave]

[ QUOTE ]
To discourage folks from "borrowing" my 8-foot air hose and nozzle that I use on the porting bench, in a shop that will have a half dozen folks working at the same time, I changed the female end of the hose and the male ends of my die grinders and air nozzle to a different type than the type that's used throughout the rest of the shop. I wasn't a dick about it; I fitted a shop-common male end to my hose so that the hose bib on the wall is still useable by others when I'm not there. Haven't had to chase a hose since the changeover, and mine sits right on top of my tool caddy in plain view when I'm not there.

[/ QUOTE ]

Mike took your idea one step further. I just finished installing an air dryer. (humitity @ 78% today) To make sure no one (well mainly me) can "mix" the hoses to my air tool caddy; I used 3/8" conectors off the dryer and 3/8" air line. I have a retractible 3/8 " air hose reel (25 feet; used in reverse) mounted on a "caddy" on casters, with a regulator, a line oiler and a manifold (with different ends) so I can have more than one tool hooked up at the same time. I made "cubby holes" for each of the tools.

That way they can't accidently use one of the air tool lines (with oil in them) for painting. (they're also a different color)

[Mr. Happy]

Brakeleen..or similar.
I use it to kill bugs, clean grease off of my good shirts, degrease almost anything. It cleans brakes too. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Also, it evaporates, and doesn't leave a residue.
That, and it's cheap.

[Tony]

I know i have a ton of 'quick tips' i've picked up from friends, books etc..but can't remember anything but what i was just doing..

I'm finishing up block sanding my 53, and a friend gave me an idea he uses in the body shop he works at.

Take a piece of lexan, about an 1/8 inch thick. Cut it the size of your long board paper.

On one side i have 36 grit, and on the other i have 80 grit.
I'm using the 80 right now, so the 36 acts as a grip.
The lexan is VERY flexable, allowing you to follow compound curves very well which many of our cars have..

Very cheep (mine was cut from an old race car window) and from what i've seen on mine, works really good.

I'll see what else i can remember.. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Tony.

[earl schieb]

For you folks that actually USE paint around the garage...

I keep an old phillips screwdriver sharpened into a punch on my paint table, along with a hammer, and every can I open, I poke a drain hole in the groove where the lid seals.
Nothin like NOT having all that paint runnin' down the sides of the can and gumming up the lid so it won't seal.

Also, with paints like POR15 that dry in the can with a skim on top---turn the can UPSIDE DOWN after you hammer on the lid, that way the skim is on the bottom when you're ready to use it again and all the paint's at the top of the can.

My feeble contribution to Tech Week http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Does that count as two?

[roadstar]

Another use for WD40:

I have used it to disolve the dried rubbing compound in cracks and crevasas. Driprails are a problem area and door jambs. Just spray it on let it soak in some and then use a little stiff bristel brush, Repeat if nessary.

The oil won't hurt the paint.

[Leadsled51]

Another take on the "ghetto creeper", if you know someone who is putting one of those universal fit rubber mats in the bed of their truck and it is a six foot bed, snag the remaining 2 foot that is left over. You can then roll it up and throw it in your trunk, just in case of a roadside breakdown.

[hotrodsnguns]

Best thing for cleaning up spills, kitty little, less dust more absorbent, then any commercial product.

If you soak your hydraulic lifters in oil over night the pump up faster and are easier to adjust

Two favorite sbc tools

Pre-oiler made out of old dizzy. Clutch aligning tools old pilot shafts out of blown trannies works so much better than the commercial tools.

[Tony]

Ok, got a couple more..

For when your primering, or painting for that matter..
if your not taking your wheels off your ride, and don't have wheel covers, 60gal garbage bags work great...

and another..

I have a cell phone, like may of you i'm sure..and sometime's when i've been at a show, it go's dead.
Basically because i was a dumbass and forgot to charge it..anyway..
I bought one of those 3.00 power port's (cigarette lighter) from the local parts joint and mounted it up under the dash on both my '33 and '32.
I have a car jack for the phone in my toolbox, so if the phone dies when i'm away, all i have to do is plug it in and i'm good to go.
this way, if my car shit's on me, and i don't have the tools to fix it, i can call for help.
This also works great for the small, portable air compressor i carry in the truck too..

Tony.

[Yo Baby]

They work great as long as you don't have to idle around too long.IE:Mustang radiators. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[earl schieb]

[ QUOTE ]
Another use for WD40:

I have used it to disolve the dried rubbing compound in cracks and crevasas.

[/ QUOTE ]
Cool Rudy! All these years and I never tried WD40. The "recommended" crack cleaner is 1/2 distilled water, 1/2 rubbing alcohol.....

And on the ghetto creeper thing...I had a friend who brought me old water slide mats from the water park---padded and slick, soft and easy to wipe off...mmmmm....does that make me a ghetto goldchainer(tm)?

[zman]

Another paint can tip. Saran Wrap. If you put a piece over an opened paint can or POR-15 before putting the lid on it'll seal great and be much easier to open.

[Tony]

Yet another..

If we didn't spend so much time on the HAMB we'd get more done on our cars!! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[av8]

Here's a sweet idea from the wayback.

Let's say you need a very small bit of spray finish -- maybe a tiny repair or a detail on sign or trad graphics. Even with a touchup gun you're going to spend a lot of material that will eventually get washed away in the gun cleanup.

So, put the paint in a small glass container, like a baby-food jar, put it in the bottom of the spray gun cup, assemble the gun, and spray away!

I'd like to add a small tip to this and suggest that you punch a hole in the lid to a baby-food jar, just large enough to accept the spray gun siphon.

http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL64/2013751/4830291/62276713.jpg

[Nimrod]

The most used tool in my shop is this stool I built out of small block chevy (heven forbid) camshafts and flexplates I had lying around.

Used as a stool, step ladder, welding table, saw horse, short workbench, tube bending fixture, painting fixture, umbrella stand, ect.

[fab32]

1. Buy a couple of bolts that are longer than your transmission bolts. cut the heads off them and put a slot in the end. Screw a couple into the bellhousing before you try to install the trans. They will line up the input shaft with the spline in the disc. and the trans will slide right in. bolt up the remaining two bolts, remove the guide pins with a screwdriver, and install the remaining two bolts.
2. A variation on the cardboard creeper. When you are driving along and see those piles of used carpet beside the road waiting to be picked up by the trash man, stop and pick up a couple of pieces. Cut them into 2X5 or 3X6 pieces and throw them under the car when it isn't high enough to use a creeper. It's a lot more comfortable than cardboard and here in the north country its a lot warmer to lay on in the winter. When it gets dirty, put it out for the trash pickup and look for some more. Also throw a piece in the trunk its amazing how many uses you can find for it out on the road.

Frank

[lulabelle]

I use a speaker magnet under my drillpress to collect the shavings.
I use a piece of wrestling mat cut to board paper size as a flexable sander.
I'll think of another few after a beer.

[safariknut]

Thought I'd pass along a couple for the stripers in the audience.You've probably seen or heard of them before but here goes anyway:
When working over a sanded surface that is to be cleared after striping,buy some cheap cotton work gloves(the thin kind)at the hardware store.Use the offhand one(the hand you DON'T stripe with)whole and for your striping hand,cut off the thumb and index fingers to facilitate holding the brush.Keeps unnecessary fingerprints off the job.I use them when doing new cars at the dealership;saves cleanup time afterward.
A lot of times I use more than one brush at a time doing a job.If I lay down a small lettering brush,it invariably rolls off my palette and into the closest available dirt pile.Stripers usually are so short,they just fall off with the slightest jiggle of the palette.I buy small alligator(roach)clips by the package and slip them onto the ends of my small lettering brushes and then clip them to my palette when not being used.For the stripers,I clip them crossways just behind the wrapping and slide the handle into a hole in the palette or clip them to a larger clip I've attached to the clipboard through the hangup hole.
My palettes are just glossy magazines my wife gets a ton of everyday in the mail.Clip them to the clipboard and flip to the next page for the next color.CAUTION:Do NOT use these when working with HOK striping paint as the solvents attack the inks in the paper and transfers it to the paint!
Use a piece of aluminum or glass(not plexi)for HOK paint.
Another thing I do is when I'm painting outside the shop,I tape one of those plastic bags you get in most stores to my tripod to use for waste paper and such.Makes cleanup much easier.Also if you use Fineline or other tape as a guide for your brush,when you pull it off,roll it in a ball between your hands before discarding.It won't stick to the side of your plastic trash bag and piss you off because it won't go in.Simple shit but effective.
Guess that's about it for now.

[kentucky]

When trying to start a nut threading onto a bolt in a tight spot, put a piece of paper over the nut, then put a socket on the nut. The paper will wedge the nut in place and it will not fall out of the socket.

Ghetto creeper #72 - old shower curtains! Also make good drop cloths, and can be used for masking wheelwells etc... or as a "grease guard" under an engine stand.

[Digger_Dave]

[ QUOTE ]
Buy a couple of bolts that are longer than your ........(fill in space)... cut the heads off them and put a slot in the end. Screw a couple into .........(fill in space) ... before you try to install the...
.......(fill in space) ... will slide right in/on.

Bolt up the remaining bolts, remove the guide pins with a screwdriver, and install the remaining bolts.

Frank

[/ QUOTE ]

Frank didn't mean to hyjack your idea; but it works for almost any part! Heads, manifolds, water pumps, etc. (especially if your working on flatheads!) Great for keeping gaskets aligned until the part(s) are in place.

[4t64rd]

Ratcheting nylon straps

For lifting heavy bulky things with your cherry picker, I use the ratcheting nylon straps to stabilize whatever is hanging from it, like pickup truck cabs, rear ends, etc. they also don't scratch paint like chains do.

They also work when you don't have one of those engine tilter doo-hickeys.

One more use, I have used them to temporarily mount axles so that a car can be moved without having to bolt everything together.

[Digger_Dave]

Mike that "small jar" in the paint gun idea is great!

Now I know why the old painter that touched up my '41 had an old INK BOTTLE in his tool box!

[crewcutkid]

This is tech fer model cars and small parts- and it will work- I dunnit this weekend.
So we can't afford a fancy-dan spray booth. What to do? Since I have a couple of dogs, and dust is prevalent in the area I typically spray in (outside) I had a smashing Idea! Build yer own.
Pretty simple, actually. Find an old cardboard box- I used a Jim Beam type box, and no, I don't drink- and a small (or large, but small works better) vacuum cleaner w/a hose attatchment and measure the diameter of the hose nozzle. Then, trace a circle to cut for this vacuum hose in the side of the box. Then, tape a piece of trashbag to the open end of the box to act as a flap to secure the parts from dust and debris after painting. Plug the vacuum nozzle into the side of the box (and wrap the nozzle w/ extra trashbag to keep the nozzle clean) and set up coathanger painting stands inside yer box. Place the parts and/or model to be painted inside the box and turn on the vacuum. Spray yer parts, then turn off vacuum and stretch aforementioned plastic over box opening, and tape down. Remove parts later. It works! It really does!
-Crew

[cosmo]

Cheap locking nut: Run monofilament fishing line through the nut, then thread it onto the bolt: instant locking nut!

An old fan belt and a set of locking pliers makes a strap wrench.

Grind a groove in both halves of an old set of pliers and you have a tool to get those pesky spring hose clamps on and off.

When doing your own driveshafts, after cutting the sahft and putting the ends into it, put it into the car where you can rotate it to check for out-of-round. To tack and final weld, put a large 'C' clamp on the middle of the shaft, and clamp the ground there. Have a friend rotate a tyre, while you weld (after at least four tacks, and a re-check of out-of-round). This will keep the current away from the 'U' joints, and is a ready fixture for both truing and welding.

Cosmo

[atch]

i'll go out tomorrow night and dig up something in the shop to add here. but in the meantime i've got some comments/questoins:

1. roadstar - what about all the horror stories i've heard about silicone (contained in WD-40) causing fisheyes when painting anything? will the WD-40 be all gone by the time you want to repaint your car, or will this cause problems even years down the road?

2. yo baby - if a radiator will cool on the highway but not while idling, then you don't have a radiator problem; you have an air movement problem. the solution isn't a bigger radiator but larger fan, fan with more severe angle to the blades, install shroud, etc.

3. nimrod - very cool stool. would it be a good idea to remove the starter rings? maybe easier on the hands when moving? more comfortable to sit on?

[bootie]

sick of door blowing shut in workshop?
take 1 rotor from rotary engine put in front of door da da!! (only worthwhile use for them)

[Josh]

Atch, WD40 does not contain silicone but you still dont want to be spraying it around a car BEFORE you paint it.

[Brad54]

More drill press tech:

I got a wooden file handle and drove the key into the end of the handle: much better leverage for tightening the chuck, and it's a lot harder to lose that way. Loss-proof it by putting a small eye bolt in the end and tethering it to the drill with the retractable key ring as stated earlier.

Get a couple of 6x6 timbers and put them under the drill press to raise it six inches. You frequently bend over to closely observe what you're drilling: raising the whole machine six inches is easier on your back and shoulders. Make the timbers much wider than the base of the machine and it will be more stable.

Get a two-or-three drawer tool box (mine is the red Craftsman 2-drawer with the deep storage compartment under the lid) and set it permanently on the base of the drill press: keep bits, hole saws, counter sinks, reamers, a C-clamp, and everything else you only use at the drill press in it. Pull the locking bar out of the tool box so you can open the drawers with the lid closed.

NEXT
Tapping holes: When cutting threads, turn the tap 1/2-turn forward, then 1/4-turn backwards to clean the shavings, then 1/2-turn, 1/4 back, etc. I haven't broken a tap since doing it this way, and I never seem to have cutting oil on hand so they're always cut dry.

-Brad

[JOECOOL]

Always buy tapered or starting taps. When they get dull use your cutoff wheel to make them bottoming taps.
Buy a garage sale drill index box and purchase the right drill for each tap size and keep them together so you won't spend so much time sorting for the right size.

[Slide]

[ QUOTE ]
To discourage folks from "borrowing" my 8-foot air hose and nozzle that I use on the porting bench, in a shop that will have a half dozen folks working at the same time, I changed the female end of the hose and the male ends of my die grinders and air nozzle to a different type than the type that's used throughout the rest of the shop. I wasn't a dick about it; I fitted a shop-common male end to my hose so that the hose bib on the wall is still useable by others when I'm not there. Haven't had to chase a hose since the changeover, and mine sits right on top of my tool caddy in plain view when I'm not there.

[/ QUOTE ]

This also works to keep specific hoses and equipment dedicated to paint work so you don't get oil, etc in your paint lines!

[Digger_Dave]

[ QUOTE ]
Yet another..

If we didn't spend so much time on the HAMB we'd get more done on our cars!! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Well .. if your computer is setup in the shop; saves time running back and forth! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Yo Baby]

Whodaky,You're a man after my own heart with that digger hangin' in the rafters. That's where I keep em when they are disarmed.Yo http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Yo Baby]

When you are assembling you're shiny new motor and making those critical valve adjustments ,do it with the intake off so you can see and feel the 0 on the pushrods before preloading then when you finish nailing it together you don't make an oily mess adjusting those hydraulics with the engine running. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[james]

As for ghetto creepers-- those kiddie pools that come rolled up, with the plastic sides and soft bottom-- when they leak, cut the sides of, makes a nice slippery creeper.

[Sinner]

To keep my por-15 from setting up in the can, I fill the can with argon from my mig welder just before closing it up.
Seems to work pretty well.

[hotrodsnguns]

Two more I keep a spool of thread in my tool box it is great for tying gaskets on pans then install the pan and cut the tread and pull lose before tightening

I also have kept some old drive shaft yokes to slide into the tail housing on transmissions when yanking them. Keeps the tranny fluid in the tranny not on the floor

[Yo Baby]

Old fan belts make great lifting devices for picking up heavy stuff by hand or with a hoist,especially things you dont want scratched or dinged.Another thing is how manny times have you gone to change a cashaft and those pesky lifters are slightly mushroomed or have so much gack on 'em they wont come out of the hole,don't worry just pull those lifters up until they stick in the bore then pull cam out.After cam is removed take a piece of cardboard or appropriatley sized thin wall pvc pipe and make U shaped tray and slide into cam bore allthe way to the end then just push the lifters into the tray and recover with a magnet. I say use magnet because if you pull out the tray with lifters in it you might spill one in the C-case and that would make a good deal go bad fast. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[safariknut]

Another quick paint tip:The catalyst used in most urethane paints will gel pretty quickly after it is opened if you don't use it up right away.This can get REALLY expensive in a hurry.Got this one from Frank Manning just before he left 1-Shot:put the container in the refrigerator.As long as the temperature of the catalyst is below 50 degrees F it will not start to set up.
I had thought about this and had called him to confirm it.I remembered when Eastman had first come out with their 910 adhesive(the ORIGINAL super glue)it had an extremely short shelf life but could be prolonged by refrigerating it.As it is a cyanoacrylate base(as is urethane paints)it follows that cooling it would aid in the shelf life.

[flatordead]

I had it here while ago. But since we have so many newbys lately, here again. Wrench extension made from 4 different nuts and a piece of iron bar. Better than the usual pipe and you can attach it at an angle on tight places. I have that thing left over from my time as an farmequipment mechanic some 20 years ago.
http://www.oldhotrodparts.de/forum/IMGP1589.JPG
Next is a cam bearing puller for the flathead. Turned on a lathe and polished over. Its easier and safer to have the bearings "pulled" onstead of the pipe and hammer deal.
http://www.oldhotrodparts.de/forum/IMGP1591.JPG
Last is a puller that we build to get the stubborn timing gears off of the flathead crank. No heating, no more hammer and shisel.
http://www.oldhotrodparts.de/forum/IMGP1588.JPG
Have fun, Mike.

[Digger_Dave]

Storing camshafts; use heavy wall mailing tubes trimed to length, then with a felt marker, MARK on the outside of the tube what is in the tube.

Storing side trim pieces; stop by a store that sells drapery rods and "scrounge" a couple of shipping tubes, (they have a REAL thick wall and they throw them away most of the time) and place the trim inside and hang from the rafters of your shop.

Storing crankshafts; stop by a carpet store and "scrounge" a couple of roll "cores", cut to length and mark the outside. I seal the ends with a couple of plywood "plugs" held in place with screws.

Think that's going to too much trouble? Bought a flathead Merc 4" crank lately?
A coat of "Fluid Film" before storing cams and cranks, keeps the rust away.

[Slick mo fo]

[ QUOTE ]
I know i have a ton of 'quick tips' i've picked up from friends, books etc..but can't remember anything but what i was just doing..

I'm finishing up block sanding my 53, and a friend gave me an idea he uses in the body shop he works at.

Take a piece of lexan, about an 1/8 inch thick. Cut it the size of your long board paper.

On one side i have 36 grit, and on the other i have 80 grit.
I'm using the 80 right now, so the 36 acts as a grip.
The lexan is VERY flexable, allowing you to follow compound curves very well which many of our cars have..

Very cheep (mine was cut from an old race car window) and from what i've seen on mine, works really good.

I'll see what else i can remember.. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Tony.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have shit loads of the stuff. (I work in a plastics shop)
If you are local and need a chunk, feel free to PM me. I'll set you up. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Slick mofo

[Chopped50Ford]

When you adjusting the rockers on a SBC, and you have the motor running, get a set of old valve covers and cut them in half length-wise. Bold them on (side closest to the plugs) and it will keep the oil in the motor and not in yer face or floor.

I use these poly bushing for just about anything. I get them from one of the stainless exhaust guys at the bigger shows. They are intended for exhaust hangers. I have used them for exhaust, gas tanks and radiators. Here's what they look like when you get them.
Clark

Here's one on the bottom of a Model A radiator bracket.

By the way a quick count makes this 100 tech tips. One more will make 101 but I'm sure we can come up with plenty more.
Clark

[jalopy43]

I have lost small wrenches,working by feel ,in almost inaccessable places. When this situation arises again, I tie a length of 25lb. fishing line to them. When they drop,you can "reel" them back in.

[29SX276]

Old fan belts make great tacking strips when the old tar paper is missing or worn out.I used belts for the '36 tack strips,worked great.

[AssGasket]

(Obvious shit)...

- Magnetize screwdrivers... It helps when you're removing screws from hard-to-reach places... It also helps to hold the screw on when you're trying to get it back into it's hole...

- The hollow handle extention on your jack can be used to get leverage on over-tightened bolts by putting it over your wrench's handle

- Skateboards make great creepers...

- "Junk Stores" that buy shitloads of warehouse over-stocks have all sorts of useful stuff... I've seen assorted colors of nice car carpet for next to nothing... Carpet, as stated, makes great creepers, especially on gravel and dirt floors... Or, if you're "crazy", you could put it on you car's floor or something...

- If you treat your tools like shit and they get rusty, throw them in a bucket of sand and used motor oil for a few days... Shaken, not stirred... (This idea stolen from the last time we did one of these)...

- If you actually recycle/PROPERLY dispose of your motor oil, go to a local restaurant and get one of those 5 Gallon fryer grease containers... It will look like a cardboard box with a big white screw-off lid on it... Dumpster-dive that thing, and store your oil in it until you take it to Sears...

- Uniform rental stores throw a LOT of clothing away... Dickies, Red Cap, and the like... Coveralls, work jackets, shirts, pants, and ALL SIZES... They're ripe for the picking and you can unload them onto your friends... Ask the SoWhat crew, FatABone, and the Rumblers about this... hahaha...

You'd be amazed what kinds of neat shit you can find in a dumpster or on the curb...

[Unkl Ian]

For MIG or Arc welding,
if you don't have any Anti-Spatter Spray,
you can use liquid Soap.
Works great,especially on threads,
and cleans up with water. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[Slick mo fo]

another use for duct tape.
It removes warts, no BS.
A wart needs air to survive. Wrap the tape on the wart for about 4 weeks, wha-la, it dies. You'll have to change the tape from time to time.
This info came from my Dr.

[delaware george]

that's crazy about the warts....take your air hose and a blow gun in one hand and your mig in the other....weld and then wait a half second and blow....helps keep it cool

[fishtank]

For por-15 storage I like to use old rubbing compound bottles. When you need some, just pore it into a cup or a rattle-can top. No more fighting stuck paint cans. Always wipe the top and you should not have any problem. If the top should break off, plug the hole with a golf tee.

[bigron]

[ QUOTE ]
i'll go out tomorrow night and dig up something in the shop to add here. but in the meantime i've got some comments/questoins:

1. roadstar - what about all the horror stories i've heard about silicone (contained in WD-40) causing fisheyes when painting anything? will the WD-40 be all gone by the time you want to repaint your car, or will this cause problems even years down the road?

2. yo baby - if a radiator will cool on the highway but not while idling, then you don't have a radiator problem; you have an air movement problem. the solution isn't a bigger radiator but larger fan, fan with more severe angle to the blades, install shroud, etc.

3. nimrod - very cool stool. would it be a good idea to remove the starter rings? maybe easier on the hands when moving? more comfortable to sit on?

[/ QUOTE ]

wouldn't that be "pitch" on the blade??

[atch]

bigron - yes, pitch is what i meant.

someone said above that WD-40 doesn't have silicone in it. my mistake. i thought it did.

looks like i forgot to look for some tech tips last night. if my oldtimer's disease isn't active tonight maybe i'll remember to look around.

[Muttley]

[ QUOTE ]
You'd be amazed what kinds of neat shit you can find in a dumpster or on the curb...


[/ QUOTE ]

http://www.jdhodges.com/l_photos/1/photos_2003_07_13_springcreek_swimsuit_and_misc/dsc01908.jpg

[dvlscoupe]

[ QUOTE ]
- Magnetize screwdrivers... It helps when you're removing screws from hard-to-reach places... It also helps to hold the screw on when you're trying to get it back into it's hole...


[/ QUOTE ]
If you already have a set non magnatized screwdrivers, you can rub the screwdriver on a speaker magnet to magnitize it. It will stay magnitized until you drop it http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

[InPrimer]

a "bad" fact about WD40, my neighbor decided to stop the squeak in his wife's dryer, and when it got nice and hot it caught fire.just a reminder thats its quite flammable. On the other hand if you have a wasp nest and a lighter, makes a great blowtorch

[Yo Baby]

The Propelant in wd40 is propane.I've seen it blow up HEI dist.caps when used to dry 'em at the car wash. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Slick mo fo]

Can't you do the same by taking the screwdriver and touching it to the 2 posts on a solenoid?
On some models you might have to do 2 at a time, and you'll usually get a nice divit in the side of your new midified tools, if it doesn't tack them together.

Please corect me if I'm wrong..... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[tommy]

The speaker magnet works great to hold a ready supply of cotter pins on the lift if you pull a lot of front rotors. They never spill.

[Gr8ballsofir]

Couple of more uses for ratcheting Nylon straps:

Installing Bias ply tires on rims. If you can't get the beads to expand to the rims, wrap a strap around the center of the tread and tighten it until you crush the tire. This will expand the bead.

Lifting a tranny up to the engine while laying on your Ghreeper© in the snow underneath the car. Run the strap around the trans and the frame rails on either side. Start tightening and the trans will lift up to the floor pan.

[Slick mo fo]

[ QUOTE ]
On the other hand if you have a wasp nest and a lighter, makes a great blowtorch

[/ QUOTE ]

Turns them into big fire flys. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Another way for killing those mini dragons, headliner or upholstery spray adhesive (like 3M 90). I spray it on a nest everytime, I feel like spiderman. Stops them right then and there, from a good 3-4 feet away. A little messy, but WTF.

[crewcutkid]

I gots a couple of wasp's nests in my backyard. There's a couple piles of bricks they call home, and I wanna destroy those little buggers. Unfortunately, my father put the nix on the fire idea, and orkin does the bare minimum. DAMMIT!
-Crew

[Brad54]

This has gotten a little off topic, so I'll contribute my wasp killer: nothing exotic, just a good can of cheap Wasp and Hornet killer. Work'd from like 8 feet away, and I don't know what that shit is, but it just had to get CLOSE to the nest to kill the bastards. (I took the SUNOCO letters off a building last week, and got stung 7 times before someone gave me a can. Every letter had big nests behind it. Moving slow didn't distrub the first two, but when I dropped the second "O" they went fucking nuts)
Not as fun as a torch, but damned effective.

Here, we'll make this tech-week friendly: Keep a can of wasp and hornet killer in your tool box for junkyarding trips.
Keep a can of OFF in there, too, for skeeters and ticks. (I always had the Off, never thought to put the wasp killer in)

Now for real fireball fun, let's talk brake cleaner and Florida's 2-inch long flying cockroaches!
-Brad

[bootie]

next time you have the misfortune to go to the dentist swipe (or ask nicely) one of the teeth picks/scrapers, they are great for getting broken keys out of locks, adjusting and cleaning washer jets and heaps of other stuff- wouldn't be without one in my tool box - one of the guy's i worked with, his missus worked for a dentist so we got heaps for free)- if nothiung else you can always clean your teeth

i've always had problems with stiff door locks and ignition - mostly cos when i go surfing i hang the key round my neck - salt and metal don't mix - anyways rather than trying to squirt wd40 in the barrels of the lock i squirt it on the key - saves ending up with little puddles on the carpet or overspray on the paint - dunno what you'd do with your keys if you've got shaved locks

[Missouri_Mike]

OK, I'll throw in a REALLY basic one here...

When you start to disassemble a car (or any portion thereof...) Ziploc bags and Sharpie markers are your best friend. Put each set of nuts/bolts/washers into a Ziploc, and label it clearly enough that you'll be able to identify it later.

For more involved systems, you may even want to use a Polaroid or digital camera to take pics of the disassembly, so you can reference them during reassembly.

[Upchuck]

my uncle was digging ditches with his backhoe to drain the back 40 and he'd keep a tiger torch on board and when he'd open up a wasp nest in the ground he'd bail off and fire that thing up and fry the lot of them, when I was there helping I'd drag it around and keep it lit and do the dirty deed, felt like I was trying to defend myself from hundreds of kamikaze pilots overy 10 minutes, an not one stinger got thru my wall of flame http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[lilbill]

1)put a 6" piece of garden hose on a spark plug to make it easier to install in tight places.
2)buy junk brand name tools at yard sales and trade them in for new ones.
3)use rustoleum brand gloss black paint and a good soft bristle brush to paint bike frames or undercarriage pieces. it lays down a good thick layer of paint and the brush marks disappear when it dries.
4)put some dish soapy water in a spray bottle or pressure sprayer for an "organic" wasp killer. it knocks them down and kills them on contact.
5)use a muffin tin to keep small parts and screws organised and seperated when rebuilding carbs, switches etc.

[Slick mo fo]

Having a hard time pin pointing that noise?
Use a 16"-24" piece of garden hose, put one end to your ear and move the other end around.
Poor man's stethoscope.

You can also kill wasps with it. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[HotRodHon]

Damn! I hate it when that happens. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
Somebody threw away a perfectly good HAMBone! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Cad Carver]

The only way I have ever managed to get the smell of gas off my hands was listerine(the yellow stuff). Use it just like you're using soap, it works.

[SLAMIT]

I had a few tips yesterday to add but when I checked it out today they were alredy on here. Oh well.

for stuck on hoses I use a cotter pin extractor. It has more of a curve than a traditional hose removal tool and gets smaller hose off better. I use that damn tool probably more than any other tool in my box at work for stuff like removing clips and electrical connectors, prying stuff apart pulling up stuck gaskets (be careful not to gouge the surface though) and anything else you can think of. I have one in all my tool boxs. They are about 5 bucks for a craftsman version.

Using dumdum on the end of your screw driver will hold on screws where a magnet cant. Again dumdum has about a million uses so be creative.

for a quick plug to plug off fuel lines and such use a short length of hose and hose clamp a bolt in one end and clamp the other end to what ever needs to be plugged.
I use white grease on the ring of Oil filters before I install them it seems to do a better job of keeping the filters from getting stuck than oil does.

When your using the box end of a combo wrench and you need more leverage take another wrench of similar size and slip the box end over the open end of your wrench to be used so that it locks into place and it will give you a lot more leverage.( I will try to take a picture of it later kinda hard to explain)

Ok thats all for now gotta eat dinner.

SLAMIT

[BELLM]

I keep a super soaker water gun filled with water and about a spoonful of liquid dish washing soap. Pump it about 10 times can wipe out wasp nests in my old car parts stored in the rafters of my tractor shed. Cheap, too. Very effective. Can get 'em about 20 ft away.

WD 40 also works good as starting fluid. Also good for hand cleaner, gets off grease, gasket sealer, paint etc.

[hotrod54chevy]

here's one i found out that i use quite a bit.if you're on a linoleum floor,and you see a mess of ants (or some similar insects) i usually grab my can of scrubbing bubbles and shoot at em till there's a nice,sudsy pile where they once were..that kills em rather quickly,and as you're wiping them away with a paper towel,you're actually cleaning your floor,too http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Creepy

[AntiBling]

[ QUOTE ]
The only way I have ever managed to get the smell of gas off my hands was listerine(the yellow stuff). Use it just like you're using soap, it works.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ill have to try that but the best stuff I keep at the station to keep gas off my hands is any kind of cleaner with orange citrus added to it.

Best soap to remove anything else from hands, regular dawn dish soap. All the farmers come in and always say "that soap works great" and they are all suprised when I tell them its ordinary dish soap.

Plastic storage containers are the absolute best alternative to throwing stuff in boxes. Everything is protected from the elements that may get in "Humidity, dirt, water" and protect from other things getting it, such as bugs and mice. They are pretty cheap now if you go and find them on sale at wally world and are reuseable.

If you are a cheap mofo and like to get every last drop of oil out of your quarts of oil, I just cut open holes to set the quarts of oil into a 2.5 gallon jug and let them sit overnight. Also a good way to drain funnels.

Shelving, ask around at gas stations and pop distributors and such, when I started working at the station im at now we had tons of old pop display shelves and such laying around in storage so I took them out and used them all over the shop. With as many as we had and as small of station we were Im guessing larger places are probably throwing away something like this all the time.

Cheap crappy wrenches can still serve a purpose, when I got to this shop, all the tools were missing the original wrenches, so for grinders for example I took some of the cheap wrenches and ground them down to work. I also took one and welded it to a chain that I hooked to the tire machine, so when i need to take off bolt in valve stems I always have it there and dont have to go looking for one.

Theres probably more, but im tired.

[Digger_Dave]

[ QUOTE ]
OK, I'll throw in a REALLY basic one here...

When you start to disassemble a car (or any portion thereof...) Ziploc bags and Sharpie markers are your best friend. Put each set of nuts/bolts/washers into a Ziploc, and label it clearly enough that you'll be able to identify it later.

For more involved systems, you may even want to use a Polaroid or digital camera to take pics of the disassembly, so you can reference them during reassembly.


[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly what I do. But when the parts are not familure to me (like a telescoping/tilt steering col) I draw diagrams of how the pieces go back together, and place the drawings in the Ziplock bags along with the parts. Use photos too, but sometimes the drawings (exploded and the sequence) make it easier to remember how it goes back together. (especially after a year has gone by!) If there is more than one bag (of small parts) then I put them in ONE big Ziplock and tape or tyrap it to the main assembly. (ever spent three days looking for the parts bags!?)

[manyolcars]

When I used to open POR-15 cans, I used WalMart bags between the can and the lid. Now I never open the can at all. I put a self tapping screw in the lid and another in the side of the can. Pour out of one, the other lets air in. I always refrigerate the cans and have had metal to metal and POR-15 last for years.

[kritz]

ok, a couple of no-brainers for all of you...
first off...
plastic milk crates are the best thing around for storing medium sized parts in. they're availible at any grocery store for free if you go around the back of the store after they close. they stack real nicely, you can put screws through the bottom and into the wall to give your garage or storage area that cubby hole look. need more storage space? once you've filled them with junk and stacked them on top of one another, throw a piece of wood on top or between 2 stacks for a new workbench or shelving unit.
they also work well as a stool, or step ladder.

next....
use saran wrap (or any plastic wrap ) to cover open valleys, intakes, heads, etc. it clings to just about anything and will keep dirt, water, or even wasps out.

another..
empty laundry detergent jugs work well for storing used oil.

last one...
for those of you with garage heating issues.
an oscillating or box fan placed in the rafters blowing down GREATLY improves heating...heat rises, the fan blows it back down.

just a few stupid tricks i've learned.

[nzsimon]

The correct way to magnetise a screwdriver is to wind some insulated wire tightly around the shaft in one direction and then touch the ends briefly to a battery
Will then be extremly magnetic

[rev616]

here is a good one for getting lifters out of harley's.take a paper clip and bend it into a u and take the ends and slightly bend them out.squeeze the clip and insert into the oiling holes on the lifters,and pull them out.i have a half a box of paper clips in my toolbox just for this.here is a picture

[Digger_Dave]

Here's something I just did last night. (I had forgotten about it)

Need to take small "nicks" and "burrs" off motor parts (rods and pistons); use the kind of emmory boards that are used for doing finger nails. (or toes) The boards are flexible and usually come with two different grits. They don't last long, but they are cheap.

WARNING, the grit comes off easily, so make sure to clean the parts when your done.

[J'st Wandering]

To prevent the front tire from catching the lip of the fender and bending it, bend a length of 3/4 inch electrical conduit, that galvanized stuff, to fit inside the fender lip. Weld the conduit to the fender lip. Remove the galvanizing from the area where you will be welding it. The tire will still hit the fender but the conduit prevents the tire from catching the lip. I did this to my 50 Merc and would work on the cars with the rounded lip. Neal

[eberhama]

Here are some cheap jack stands I make to hold up stuff to prevent me from becoming mushed. You put two 2x4s one way and put two the other way and nail them together and repeat until you have the desired height(I like 14"x16"by 9 courses high) If you dive in construction dumpsters you can usually scrounge enough to make them for free. They're cheap, easy, store nice, and are virtually indestructible.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v456/eberhama/block.jpg

[Bugman]

Hose clamp a cow magnet or two onto your oil filter. It'll catch any magnetic particles to small for the filter. They also work well inside oil pans, but then you can only clean'em when you take the pan off.

-Jeff

[HotRodHon]

I'm sorry but what the hell is a COW magnet? I didn't even know cows were magnetic? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[slammed]

Tin-foil work's great when needing to mask part's not to be painted or touched up. Motorcycle's included.

[atch]

when using a chop saw or horizontal band saw to cut angle iron put the angle up. sort of like the roof of a house. cuts MUCH better that way than if one leg is horizontal and one vertical.

[burndup]

Wasps? Spiders? Carb claener and a lighter! One puff of flame and even the biggest of black widows are goners...

Same apparatus also works well to seat a tire bead on the rim! Sparay some carb cleaner inside the tire, then launch some fire down in there, and POP! it'll make a funny whine as it burns a little inside and consumes all the oxygen... and the tire is partially pressurized, too! I learned that by watching some discovery channell thing where they were changing some snow tire in the arctic... but they used ronsenol...


The MAGNAbroom(tm)...

harvest the strong as hell magnet from a harddrive... or a microwave oven magnatron.... put it on the end of some sort of stick or broom handle... put a heavy ziplock freezer bag (or similar thisk plastic) over the magnet, and magnetically "sweep" up metal shavings. Then, hold it over the trash can, remove the heavy plastic, and all the metal shavings will fall off.

Good luck tho, of EVER getting the shavings off the magnet if you omit or puncture the plastic....

[Petejoe]

Learned this from an old 70 yr old hotrodder this past weekend on the RPU.
Was having trouble getting it to idle and had detonation terribly upon acceleration.
Tried everything...timing, carburation.. etc.
The coil didn't seem to be giving off enough spark.
He advised to check each cylinder fire by taking a drip of water on the headers of each cylinder on a hot engine.
By watching the water boil or just dry up. On the road you can easily pinpoint where the problem is.
Found the two front cylinders only steaming off and the rest boiling. We new we couldn't drive the car with this condition.

[Smokin Joe]

Use the cheap see thru plastic containers with snap on lids when you're working on carbs, alternators, starters or whatever. When you pull things apart all the little jeezus clips, springs and balls stay in the container instead of rolling off the benchtop. When you leave to do something else, snap the lid on to keep it all together. I also use them when I'm working on the car to stick all the bolts in while I pull the tranny or whatever. When you put it back in, all the bolts are in 1 container instead of scattered or kicked around the shop. Throw the tools you're useing right in with the bolts till you're done. I HATE having to climb out from under the car to find that socket that got kicked to the far corner under the bench while I was manhandling the tranny.

I also keep lots of cans of brake cleaner around to wash off all those greasy dirty slimey parts you take off an old engine so you can work on them. It gets off the gunk and evaporates.

[Dirk35]

Just a few additions or add ons to others ideas:

For lock mechanisms, dont put any type of liquid oil in them. Itll gather dust and youll have to clean them latter after the oil or liquid lubricant dries out and dust gathers on them. Use graphite lube! If you dont want the spend the $2 whole dollars for a tube of Graphite lube, just use a number two pencil and color the key black, the "lead" in pencils is actually just a stick of graphite. Now, if you have already gummed up the lock, or it is rusty, youll have to clean it 1st as this will NOT help to un-gum it after you have spent the past few years gumming it all up!

Another: Use lysol for a torch when indoors spraying bugs/roaches/wasps, whatever. I recommend the Spring Fresh Sent. Its not as explosive as some of the other mentioned spray products, and after you use it, all you need to do is take a paper towel and wipe away the offending critter and the spray. It wont leave any residue, its dissinfects, and it will make the place smell nice also! It makes a great ant killer for under the kitchen sink.

[CruZer]

The tinfoil ( aluminum foil ) as a masker works great. I use it on door handles;headers;exhaust pipes;mirrors. It molds to any shape and seal tightly.

Here's one. Use empty wire spools nailed to your garage walls about 3 feet apart to wrap your extension cords around to keep them off the floor.

You guys that put carpeting or cardboard under your cars: Keep a fire extinguisher handy in case you get flammable liquid on them and it gets ignited. I almost lost a car last year because this happened to me.Luckily I had an extiguisher close by.
On extinguishers,the Halon kind don't leave a mess to clean up but only use them in a well ventilated area.

[swazzie]

Alright , never posted a tech tip here , so I hope this helps .I know alot of us deal with old bolts some rusted , others just stuck so when I was trying to loosen a bolt on an old chrysler strut bar and broke a 3/4 inch breaker bar and two snap-on sockets ( one of them an impact ) I was getting a little discouraged .Some are saying "just torch the damn thing off or heat it up" but torching it off was not an option since it is near impossible to find the part for it and just heating it up didn't help. So this older gent lets call him my neighbor says bring it over , I can get it loose. He gets his torches out and this wad of dirty stuff wrapped in burlap from his tool box and says watch this . He proceeded to heat up the bolt and nut just as if he was sweating copper and unwraps this STUFF and lays the edge of it against the joint where the two meet and it smokes , bubbles and coats everything including the inside threads. At this point my curiosity like yours is driving me mad , but He has to have a smoke and talk shop for a few minutes . Now I'm going nuts in anticipation of the next step.You see , I worked on this damn thing for 4 hours and not a budge. Next he goes to his tool box again and pulls out a crescent wrench and comes back to the car . There ya go , he says.He hands me the wrech, I put it on the nut and the damn thing comes right off. JESUS! what the. . . . here. he hands me the stuff. What is it I say. That's incredible .! Tom just smiles at me and says .. bees wax .

This was some years ago when I hadn't yet realized that I didn't know shit.Hope it helps fellas. swaZZie

[cosmo]

A cow magnet is a magnet (duh) that is approx. 2" long (50mm) and rounded on both ends. It is simply fed to the cow. Purpose is to catch metal particles that the cows ingest with their food. It stays in the cow until death; won't hurt the cow (unlike when the metal exits the natural way - OW !!); and is powerful.
Buy them at any farmer's supply store (Farm and Fleet 'round here).
Cosmo

[Mel]

Wrap your torn driveshaft dust boot in plastic wrap and hose clamp in it place, holds up better than leather.

Soak your rusty parts in vinegar for a few days to a week. When you pull them out very little scrubbing is needed and they'll be down to bare metal. This will even take off old paint without much effort.

[AssGasket]

* Use a coffee stirrer to blow your graphite into where you want it... MacGuyver did it...

* Watch MacGuyver religiously.... He welds with jumper cables and quarters, unlike Frank Morris (Alcatraz), who welds with matched and Mercury dime shavings...

[zman]

All the tech to the top...

[scotth]

Be real careful when using carb cleaner as a torch, I'd used Right Guard in the past and got 3-4 feet of flame, I switched to a can of B-12 and it shot a good 10-12 feet and scorched the wall. That would have been a hard to one to explain to the old lady... "Well you see honey, there was this wasp..."

[34Hupmobile]

Keep a roll of Glad "Press n Seal" plastic wrap in the shop. It works great for temporarily sealing off ports or carbs so junk won't fall in. Its also works very well to prevent rust or oxidation on bare metals if it might be a few days before painting.
If you can't find a magnet to magnetize that scredriver in a pinch simply strike the shaft near the tip a few times with a hammer...instant magnet.
The rounded end of a wrench clamped in a vise works well as a dolly when shaping small metal parts.
A couple of tablespoons of gasoline tossed from a cup will kill any insect it comes in contact with instantly. Keep in mind the fire hazard.
Use mothballs to keep snakes out of the shed. Just scatter a few around any openings.

[willowbilly3]

Home made tools;
In a pinch once I built up the end of a piece of 1 inch cold roll round stock with brass welding rod and shaped it on a grinder, for nearly 30 years this is still my favorite brass drift. The cold roll is just soft enough not to chip off but much tougher than brass so you can really lay into it if needed. When the brass gets beat up I just redress it and when it gets wore down I build it back up again. I also have scavenged the brass shaft from old plumbing valves to use as small brass drifts.
The best large prybar I have ever used is one I made from a Ford pickup tierod. It requiired some black smithing to hammer it into the shape I wanted but it has a much better fulcrum on the flat end than any offerings from Snappy or Mac.
I have a 1 inch section of heater hose over the rachet end of several 3/8 extensions. This makes them alot easier to turn, like when installing spark plugs.
I wrap some of my looser wobbly sockets with electrical tape. It makes them stay in the position you want if you are trying to spot bolts with a long extension, like in a bell housing. They still flex and after a while when the tape wears out just put on some more. Also a piece of tape over the bolt head will keep it in the socket when you are trying to spot one into a tight place.

[willowbilly3]

A cow magnet is a cylindrical magnet about 1/2 inch in diameter and 2 inches long woth smooth rounded off ends. They are made to shove down a cows throat as a treatment for "hardware disease" which occurs when cows ingest metaliic objects. The magnet will gather all the metal and keep it from killing the cow. I have a couple of these and find them to work well as a retrieval magnet when placed in a section of hose. The hose keeps the magnet from sticking to the sides of the area you are fishing in.
Back in the 70s and 80s people were taping these magnets to the fuel line because they thought it increased fuel mileage.
Pesonally I prefer the newer rare earth magnets for contamination entrapment. One of them will stick to the pan or filter quite well. One the size of a nickel will lift a 4 pound hammer.

[Brad54]

This may sound like an unnecessary luxury, but have two of every socket and ratchet, and four of every sized wrench. Friend's dad told me about this when I was a youngster. When you're working on a car, there are two of just about everything, so your buddy can be thrashing on one side of the vehicle, while you're going on the other. You'll really appreciate this when you're installing a hood.

I've taken it a little further and have two full sets of wrenches also hanging on the pegboard, with the 7/16, 1/2 and 9/16 wrenches about 8 deep. You're always laying down a wrench and then can't find it. When the last 1/2-inch wrench is gone, it's time to stop and clean the shop. It's not much of an investment when you limit the buying to garage sales and swap meets.

Put a short length of rubber heater hose or fuel line on the handle of your 3/8-inch ratchet--that's the ratchet you use most during final assembly, and the rubber handle will protect your fresh paint if you whack it while tightening a fastener.
-Brad

[J'st Wandering]

{Home made tools;
The best large prybar I have ever used is one I made from a Ford pickup tierod.}



Reminded me of using leaf springs. I have a piece cut from a leaf spring about one foot long. Sharpened up one end. Comes in handy when prying in a small space. Also works good separating spot-welded sheet metal. The leaf I cut up was thinner than the average and made the "pry chisel" nicer to work with. Neal

[magoo]

The brake adjusters on my car have a small 1/4 inch post to turn.I dont have the proper tool for this.I use the drive end of a 1/4 drive socket and turn it with an allen key

[cosmo]

Hose clamp 'round a piece of tubing helps keep the cut square.

A digital camera can help a lot when doing electrical work. Lets you see how it was before you tore into it. And you might not even need to process the pics, if the preview window shows enough.

Ordinary wheel bearing grease works fine for weather-proofing electrical connections.

When faced with a broken plastic lever (turn signal and wiper controls on lat-er models), first drill a hole as deep into the stub as you can, sizing it to fit a cut-off allen key (which need not be over-large), then the same with the broken-off piece. This has worked for over 5,000 kms on my 2CV6, the signal lever of which retails for $54.00 American !!
Cosmo

Thanks for all of the tech tips. I figured it would make the 101 mark but this just keeps on going.

Right now I'm using one of them. I've got some parts soaking in vinegar to get the rust off. It works!!

Here's a couple more.

You want to fill the bed rails on your pick up? I used to cut little circles add a crown to it and weld it in. Well here's an easier way. Freeze plugs. Get the size that fits into your rail and weld away. It has a little bit of a crown to it already and it will hold itself in place before you start welding.
Clark

Need a little organization? Find a grocery store that's going out of business and get the shelving. Some stores have extra in the back. Ask friends that work at theses stores, sometimes they have extra shelving that is just in the way.

The upstairs of my shop is a mess as it is. With out the shelving I'd be lost.
Clark

[Digger_Dave]

SoWhat, maybe you should re-name this topic
201 Quick Tech Tips!

Trouble is I keep printing it out; then someone ADDS some MORE GOOD STUFF! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[atch]

dave,

that's why i'm gonna wait 'til it's on page 6 before i print it out.

hope that's a long time...

[BELLM]

Back in 60s I had a 46 Ford cpe with a J-2 olds engine mated to a Ford stick tranny & original closed driveline. I became quite good at replacing driveshafts. Threw a bunch away but still have one around here somewhere makes a good prybar, fencepost tamper, trailer tongue mover- over etc.

[KIRK!]

Hey Tech Week is over.....this is O/T week.

[cougardan]

One more for good measure. I'm not sure if I knew this already and forgot it or just figured it out. Anyway, I built a frame table this morning and needed to make an adjustment- needed to spread the pieces a little. I love pipe clamps, they're so handy, but it occured to me that by taking the clamping end and the dead ends off and turning them around I got a manual porta-power. Worked great. I may be the last one around to learn this one but maybe not.
Dan

[SnoDawg]

If you have to haul a drive shaft with the U joints in it take and slide a old sock over the Ujoint It will hole the caps in place and keep grease from getting smeared all over. Have to have a sock that doesnt have the toe worn out.

[Sniper]

Finger print your engine or anything else for that matter. Intakes are a hot item, I'll use that for an example. Pick a spot that is in the open that's unlikely to be ground away or polished. Add a smear of grafite or pencil lead, and apply clear tape over it. It will pick up the texture of the metal, and you have a 'finger print' of that part. Stick the tape to a sheet of paper, label it, and where the print came from. If you get ripped off, you can identify your parts. No one knows it's been done, so they won't try to hide it, by grinding it away, like a name or serial number.

[flacoman]

Two simple ones:
For sandin contours, tape a sheet of plastic wrap to the contour in question. Build a box around it with cardboard and fill with spackle or water putty . When set, you have a perfect mate to work the panel with. !
Soda pop removes rust and sets a coating when rusty fasteners soak in it overnight ( phosphoric acid ) .
OK , one more (repeated)
When using hole saws , drill a few holes tangental to the main one so the chips have a place to go ;otherwise you're spending time clearing chips and jams .The saws last a lot longer that way also
HTH
Jorge

[punkrex]

When changing your oil and removing your oil filter, take a plastic grocery bag and wrap it around your oil filter so you dont get a shot of hot oil to the head when it comes free.

[JaysinSpaceman]

OK I know tech week is over but here's one more. When I work with multiple air tools such as die grinders, cut off wheels and body saws and I don't want to keep losing them I have an old drum brake that I use as a portable stand. Just stick the male air chuck end through the lug holes and viola. It also geeps the grinding dust out of them as the open end is pointed down. My welding table also has a few holes in one corner for the same purpose.

Thanx for all the great tips.