Technical What did you do today?

I am a horrible insomniac, and I tend to do small projects like this in the middle of the night.
Hopefully my methods will help the first time builder with some of the frustrations of building your own parts.
Tonight I am building a bracket for the hydraulic clutch slave cylinder on a SBC.

Rule 1. Safety first. Eye protection and gloves necessary.

Start with a few basic tools. Cardboard or poster board for templates, marker, ruler, tape, and a square.

Determine the approximate size of the desired part and rough cut your desired shape, fitting and trimming until you have the fit you want. Transfer to your material, in this case 4 inch flat stock ,1/8 thick.

I used a cutoff wheel to this, as this would be the most readily available to the diy guy. Plasma cutters are nice, you could even torch it if you like to grind.

I also try to drill my holes before I cut the part off, its easier to drill and hold a large piece. If you cut first, then use a vise to secure the part when you drill. Cuts hurt...

Roughcut, ready to start fitting

Tacked lower mount on

And fitted to the block

And a little eye candy.

 

Tomorrow we will make the last piece, fit it all together, and paint

 

OK, last piece, can you find the centerline of your material, and your bolt spread, then overlay the two and drill?
Today we will learn both ways. If you cannot measure properly, or lack the correct tooling read on now, you will understand how to measure after we finish.

First, refer to rule 1.

Then set your cylinder on your 4inch flat stock. Center it as best you can. Look at it....again...go get your drill bits from last night. The smaller is henceforth called a pilot. A pilot allows you to precisely drill a small hole in the proper place. Easier to drill a small hole too.
Look at it again ..still centered? Good, mark the center of your first hole, carefully so as not to shift it. Do this with the small drill bit, in the drill at slow speed, then remove the cylinder, and drill it.



Now using pilot drill small hole, then larger hole, and reinstall your part whole. 1 bolt. Still centered?



Now, notice I used a small locknut to center my pilot as I mark the second hole.
Drill small then bigger, bolt it together...still centered?

Now we are ready for final length of this piece, and it is really up to you as long as you maintain your linkage length to operate your clutch, mine is cut to length meaning that I will decide and make the final cut on the rod itself.



Bear in mind to use your imagination as to final shape ...Make it pretty if you want.
This is a function part, designed not break under abuse. I hate waiting for a tow. Oh yeah, if it breaks, you are stuck, so pay attention.

Stay tuned for more, I am hungry.

 

I got up, made some breakfast, read the hamb, saw my picture in the newspaper, found some clean socks, and dreamed about the fun I'll have taking a few more parts of my 28 Chevy later this morning.

 

Got up,took a leak,did physical therapy, took a cold shower (damned water heater),called the plumber,Intended to have a coffee of cup but (no filters) ate dry toast (no butter or jelly) drank a bottle of water and made a grocery list and waited for the plumber to arrive.

Let the plumber in,went to the grocery store (forgot the list) but remembered everything but the coffee filters!

I am now awaiting the news whether the problem with the water heater is just a element or if I'm gonna get hosed and have to replace it.

I'm gonna get off the computer and go over to my neighbor Kris and borrow a coffee filter. HRP

 

Leftover pizza for lunch, save the box...gonna need templates in a few. First while the pizza settles, let's talk tools. I do this for a living, at my shop, at home. My business has been general repair for almost a decade, so my tools sometimes are more expensive than a broke hot rodder wants to spend. I have been putting off my projects to grow my business. Now my business is shifting focus, still general repair, nothing newer than 76 please.

My primary welder is a millermatic 210, but I started with this one, and for certain jobs I prefer it. I did convert it to gas, but I use it flux core too.




Cutting tools...my favorite, my dale St. signature series snap on cutoff wheel...very precise, but harbor freight's 10 dollar special will get you by too.



No plasma cutter here, just a torch, propane instead of acetylene cause its cheaper....

Other options, remember, many ways to skin a cat....but why are you skinning a cat anyway?

 

what did I do?

shit, shower, shave.
coffee-pie
read
respond.

still planning my next move.
I'll keep you posted.

 

These other responses have me beat, they cover it all. Some of us just aren't up to Danny's level of functioning.

 

yes, Daniel thanks for sharing, always good to see how the other guy does it.

 

Thanks for the welcome guys, I will try to get better at this. Now, out to the t bucket Nat's for a bit... I will take a pic for ya.

 

Well I didn't shower or shave. LOL

I did do some things that are new to the rotation but they are just life things.

my plan at this point is to go to the garage and spend some actual quality time with my bike. I would sure like have a way to get to and from again.

 

This is my slave bracket, made from 1/4" stainless.

Aside from that, crawled out of the sack at 7... fed the big cat & kitten. By 9:30 I had fixed my shifter issue (flipped arm @ the transmission) and checked the car over after last night's maiden voyage. Bled the brakes and improved the pedal.

Car is now in the exhaust shop and I get it back at 4. It was hard to hear anything over the noise of the no-exhaust last night.

 

Eureka!,I scored a filter and as I type the aroma of a fresh pot of coffee has permeated the entire house,even the plumber said that smells good!

I now feel like the day just might take a positive turn for the better,the water heater only had a bad element and the plumber gave it a good bill of health along with a bad bill for repair!

As Albert Einstein said, “A mathematician is a device for turning coffee into theorems.

I ain't near as smart as uncle Albert so I don't have a clue as to what that means but using Einstein and coffee in a quote just feels right. HRP

 

Shower and shave? Do I get partial credit for 2 dips in the pool?

 

I didn't build anything yet today, but I did get the wheels off the 28 Chevy. Hammer, torch, cold chisel....some things are more challenging than they should be.

 

Block sanded an OT pick-up bed. Now get off my lawn!
Sorry, BSS (block sanding syndrome) can make one cranky...

 

Great thread and nice work Daniel,but while we are skinning cats. HRP

 

Building a frame table.

 

Well personal hygiene has never been my strong suite.
I'll probably need both when I return from the garage. Still trying to get there.

@HOTRODPRIMER I have Woked the dawg but I aint never stir fried the cat.

The original post is sweet by the way. Always good to see something made not bought.

 

I took my pulley puller over to my buddies to help put the drive belt on his lawn tractor got back home and cut the bladder out of a Corvette fuel tank so I can put a bulkhead fitting in the bottom for a large fuel line to feed a blown big block.
Now its time to stop reading the HAMB and clean a detail the tank and reinstall it.

 

Nice bracket. What's the story with the chromed '38 Ford grille and HEMI transmission adaptor. Bob

 

Got up and went to a junkyard this morning and about ready to go to another.

 

Dang. did not do anything on the car this morning. Just got up & coffee pot failed so I just came to the workshop and made a couple of the bow strings I make for the Archery crowd instead. Got them in the mail box and went to town for the $4.99 special with coffee.
Notice in your avatar you have car similar to mine.

Jimmie

 

Morning shopping trip to the local junkyard. Scored some new seats I hope to use in my 37. Then lunch, walk around the neighborhood with my wife, and now off to a buddy's house on the way to a cruise night. All in all, a good day.

 

Went to early and later breakfasts with buddies, watched repair videos for an OT auto trans I need to fix, ordered a head gasket set from Rock Auto for my Studebaker I also need to fix, reading the HAMB, going to lunch, then work on said Studebaker......phew! may need a nap in there somewhere

Ray

 

Welcome to the HAMB Daniels Auto Repair.
Nice tech item ya did.
What have I done today? Had to work here in the cool. Too hot to go outside for long.
Still dreaming and planning for that next flat head.................

 

Wow, this thread will be popular I guess. Thanks much for the warm welcome. I have been very focused on building my business, now I feel like its time to share a little. There are many among you who are much more proficient than I, and I hope you will share as well so I may continue to hone my skills.

T bucket Nat's were sweet, lots of nice cars and people...







Pics I promised.

 

Woke up, drank coffee, drove to work, put a load of (my) crap in the dumpster here. No plans for anything car related today.

 

Mine is a 47 and nowhere near as nice as yours. Someone put a late gm front under it, and I am freshening a 350/350 combo for it. I plan to use it as a loaner car for the business, although the last time I did that, I never got the car back. I let a friend drive a 55 Chevy 2nd series while I chopped the top on his T sedan...happy ending was he bought it...lol.




You went where I dared not....You're a better man than I, no plumber alive would want to face me before coffee. I am a veteran, and I am also doomed to stand the midwatch. If you don't know, google it.

 

Sorry, last post was for Ol nobull. Still figuring this out, so if I am screwing up, then say something....bet y'all let me walk around with my fly open too,huh?