Register now to get rid of these ads!

Technical Little tips and tricks for garage hobbyists.

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Ron Brown, Jul 30, 2019.

  1. I feel your pain but I still had a good laugh. In mid 90s I was in a tri-five club in Seattle. One member told me the high investment he had in his car cuz for every dollar he spent on his car his wife got a matching dollar to spend. I threatened him not to ever introduced my wife to his!

    1 more car I promise, Rex Winter
    Dry n windy Lubbock TX
     
    brEad, loudbang, slack and 1 other person like this.
  2. I was just doing some cleaning, and came across a home made tool that is really handy for welding. I have a 5 leg bottom from an old office chair to set on my table when I want to turn something while I am welding it.
    It has been a life saver for me sometimes.
    Bob
     
    32ford5, fauj, Jet96 and 5 others like this.
  3. To keep welding rods from getting damp, I use a length of 2" threaded end polypropylene tube, with matching screw caps. Bake the rods in the oven first, then put them in the tube while still warm.
     
    slack, Boneyard51 and loudbang like this.
  4. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 9,814

    BJR
    Member

    Mount an old mirror on the inside of the over head garage door and on the wall in front of the car in the garage. Works great for one person checking brake lights and turn signals etc while sitting in the car.
     
    Last edited: Oct 7, 2019
  5. I have a counter top oven that I bought at a Goodwill type store that I use for drying small painted items, and also for heating welding rod. I haven't been doing much stick welding since the MIG and TIG welders entered my life, but there are still jobs when a stick welder fills the bill.
    I just thought of this now, and haven't tried this yet, but I am going to look into it. If your wife has one of those vacuum machines for preserving food, it might work great for sealing up packets, containing the number of rods you would normally use for a job, This way, you can store your rods, knowing that you won't have to cook the moisture out of them.
    There is nothing worse than welding with crappy rod.
    Bob
     
    32ford5, Boneyard51 and loudbang like this.
  6. whitewallwilly
    Joined: Apr 2, 2012
    Posts: 208

    whitewallwilly
    Member

    I use masking tape all the time when working on my car


    Ideal for holding chrome or stainless trim in place,or around parts so not to scratch the paint, IMG_6499.jpg or for making lines on the car,like a centre line so you have a reference point each time your fitting a trial part IMG_6500.jpg or for the electrical wiring to remind your self what wires go through certain holes, IMG_6498.jpg or when you chip paint while assembling stuff, so you can go around and touch up all the chips in one go,

    Or to remind yourself to adjust the brakes,with tape round the adjuster slot

    If your installing say suspension parts ,I use tape an wrap it quickly around any bolts or fasteners that may need tightening later once the entire assembly has been assembled

    These are just a few things that tape can be handy with IMG_6497.jpg
     
  7. Gizzy
    Joined: Jan 20, 2008
    Posts: 761

    Gizzy
    Member
    from N.W,Ohio

    I do the same thing
     
    indianbullet, loudbang and Boneyard51 like this.
  8. Gizzy
    Joined: Jan 20, 2008
    Posts: 761

    Gizzy
    Member
    from N.W,Ohio

    I was in maintenance at a large factory years ago.I got a lot of heavy black grease on my hands.As good as gojo & scrubbing soaps were rubbing a light oil on my hands cut that really heavy stuff.Then used soap to clean the oil off.Worked
     
    loudbang and Boneyard51 like this.
  9. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 9,814

    BJR
    Member

    To start a screw in a hard to get at place, poke the screw through the sticky side of a small piece of masking tape. Put the screw on the tip of the driver and wrap the tape around the shaft of the screwdriver. Screw it in and just pull the screwdriver and tape off and done.
     
  10. superbowl01
    Joined: Mar 6, 2009
    Posts: 42

    superbowl01
    Member

    great to read your discoveries will continue to enrich my gray matter. thanks again
     
    loudbang and Boneyard51 like this.
  11. Ron Brown
    Joined: Jul 6, 2015
    Posts: 1,711

    Ron Brown
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Thanks....thats why i’m here as well.... the answer to purt near any question can be found on this site


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
  12. superbowl01
    Joined: Mar 6, 2009
    Posts: 42

    superbowl01
    Member

    very true, still learning to move around here. like to know how to post a photo of my 46 any help would be great and add to my profile
     
    loudbang likes this.
  13. I didn't read through all of the thread, but, put a dry erase board up somewhere in your garage! I did this 2 years ago and it has been a huge help in my build.

    I have a section for the next 5 or so things to work on, a section for what to paint next, a section for what I need to buy or order, and then I have a small section for tools I need. As I work on things, I realize what tool I need that is missing from my toolbox so I write it down right away
     
    drdave, kadillackid, loudbang and 6 others like this.
  14. dodored
    Joined: Feb 5, 2007
    Posts: 641

    dodored
    Member
    from Concord NC

    This is not really a trick, but it is a way to beat the system.

    I had an old Mac tool box that was the cheap version without roller bearing drawers. It was a pain to use when full so I wanted to upgrade. Sticker shock set in when I priced new tool boxes and I believed that there had to be a better way. I stumbled across "Stanley Vidmar" industrial cabinets. Super heavy duty with roller bearings and all. They show up on auctions when large industrial plants are closing down, but I found one on a Craig's list search for $550. I sold my old Mac box for - you guessed it - $550. So I got a huge upgrade with no cash out of pocket. You would be surprised what you can find if you know what to look for. 2019-10-08 16.00.29.jpg 2019-10-08 16.00.58.jpg 2019-10-08 16.00.44.jpg
     
  15. superbowl01
    Joined: Mar 6, 2009
    Posts: 42

    superbowl01
    Member

    great score, still using my old ones but upgraded the roller sidles with kitchen cabinet roller slides from a garage sale find
     
    loudbang and Boneyard51 like this.
  16. Boneyard51
    Joined: Dec 10, 2017
    Posts: 6,440

    Boneyard51
    Member

    When I bought my Mac boxes back in the previous century, I was really disappointed with the way the drawer slid or actually didn’t slide, the kinda “ scratched their way in and out. After a few days I began to see shavings of paint on the slides!
    I took each slide out and filed the end of the slide. They were obviously sliced off and left huge burr on it. After careful filing and greasing...... they have been working perfectly for forty years! ( for non roller slides)

    Might work on any new tool box!





    Bones
     
  17. My car would disappear in a pile of small strips of masking tape.
    I use a piece of cardboard, that is cut into a 12 inch or so strip, and a black sharpie, to note all the things that require attention. I just leave the list in a highly visable place, normally on the windshield.
    I will have to try the tape, but I am pretty happy with my present system.
    Bob
     
    loudbang likes this.
  18. vetteguy402
    Joined: Oct 27, 2009
    Posts: 152

    vetteguy402
    Member
    from omaha, ne

    We have those at the U.S. Postal Circus
    Sent from my SM-G955U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    loudbang likes this.
  19. loudbang
    Joined: Jul 23, 2013
    Posts: 40,276

    loudbang
    Member

    enloe likes this.
  20. I don't have much experience, but here's a few tricks I've taught myself recently.

    -add 25% to the price of parts I need when talking to my wife. That way, when I show her how much money I "saved", she is a little less violent (She's Scottish)

    -add 3 days to any planned completion

    -you can never have too many latex gloves in the shop

    - cardboard is your friend, it catches most small spills and is easily thrown in the hazardous waste bin.

    Mike
     

  21. Latex gloves?? Hazardous waste bin?:D

    Ben
     
    King ford, Hombre, brad2v and 3 others like this.
  22. Bore a small hole in the back of your garage and stick one of those long transmission funnels in it ....Pee away !!!!
     
  23. I thought latex gloves were for prostate checking! I have never used them.
     
    loudbang and firstinsteele like this.
  24. vetteguy402
    Joined: Oct 27, 2009
    Posts: 152

    vetteguy402
    Member
    from omaha, ne

    Mike, don't keep any plastic sheeting in your garage. If your wife gets too angry, she might pull a Dexter Morgan on you. Gloves and plastic apparently help get rid of the evidence.

    Cardboard also helps you find the stuff you drop a little easier.
    Sent from my SM-G955U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    loudbang likes this.
  25. Boneyard51
    Joined: Dec 10, 2017
    Posts: 6,440

    Boneyard51
    Member

    You guys with your pee methods tickle me! I just step outside the garage/ house/ car/ truck/ tractor/ whatever and let her rip! Some folks are offended, some folks are envious, some folks laugh..... but bottom line ..... I’m relived .... and back at work! But that’s here in the out back!





    Bones
     
    Last edited: Oct 10, 2019
  26. oldpl8s
    Joined: Apr 11, 2007
    Posts: 1,487

    oldpl8s
    Member

    ..
    Try to keep a section of a bench clear so you don't have to work on the floor. - IMPOSSIBLE!
     
  27. belair
    Joined: Jul 10, 2006
    Posts: 9,013

    belair
    Member

    Love that light shade.




    Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  28. Drylake
    Joined: Jul 17, 2016
    Posts: 724

    Drylake
    Member

    I've used idle engine stands as a rotisserie to make it easier to weld, grind, clean up and paint a chassis. makes life a lot easier and old engine stands are easy to come by and normally cheap.

    I use a little butane torch on rusted bolts and parts to make removal easier. I also use citric acid for rust removal in our wheelie bin which is a good size for parts and the citric acid is low odour compared with molasses. The bin lid tied shut also helps stop evaporation.

    Home made sheet metal clamps made from 1" tubing have been very handy and also cheap to make and don't take long per clamp when you make a batch of them. A little hard to explain the clamps, I'll need a photo.

    Fire extinguishers I have in my shed are from my workplace, when the fella comes around to replace the out of date extinguishers I ask to have them, which I get for free. They work fine and I have half a dozen in the shed for those "ah shit" occasions.

    I think we all like a bargain, but what's better than a bargain...? Finding parts for free! I have an enormous amount of fun scouring bush land finding parts and cars from the 20's, 30's and 40's. Old forgotten rubbish dumps, and pits of sheet metal that were never filled in. I've also found a few porcelain signs. The key I have found is to look for low spots, ditches, signs of old earth moving, rusty tin in the distance and thick trees and shrubs. Getting out of the car and looking on foot has been by far the best method, if the good stuff can be seen from your car, it was likely picked up along time ago. Good exersize too! All the stuff I find is on public land and I have found it to be invaluable in getting my project to the stage it is in now. Saving and selling found parts to purchase the parts I need or occasionally finding the right part for my roadster. Hopefully you'll be surprised with what you find, when you really have look!
     
  29. I’m a junky for stuff like that! What else do you do with a flawed single cool valve cover?
     
    loudbang, 65pacecar and enloe like this.
  30. brading
    Joined: Sep 9, 2019
    Posts: 704

    brading
    Member

    Last edited: Oct 11, 2019

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.