home made tools and equipment...

A good friend of mine died several years ago. In his casket his fingernails looked just like that. Crazy that seeing your pix reminded me of him.

 

May we all go out with grease under our fingernails.

 

most of us here are have grease under our nails everyday. Couldn’t get it out if we wanted to. I’ve had that since I was 15. I had it when I got married, holding my son right after he was born, and I will till I’m gone. Hot Rods are my religion.

 

Not much of a tool; I wanted to cut a bunch of sorta equal sized pieces of shrink tube for my wiring project. Usually just snip pieces by eye; but some always end up uneven. Thought I would try something different. A paint stick broke up and taped together made a giz to slide & chop a bunch of even pieces quickly.

 

Sorry if this was already posted.

Cheap Axle bearing remover:

24” 5/8-11 threaded rod
2 - 5/8-11 nuts
2 large washers
2 larger washers
1 Borrowed slide hammer


This is for use with an axle that the carrier has been removed.

1) Remove the seal from the axle
2) The outside end of the tool needs to be loaded
3) Push an end of the threaded rod into the axle, add the washers and thread on the nut
4) Pull the tool against the bearing and use as a slide hammer

 

Another crude; but pretty useful "tool"; I've had around and used for years. Hole sawed a 1-1/2" hole in a chunk of 2x4, then sawed half of it free. Holds a Ford column securely at any angle without crushing it. Add a rag to protect a column in finish paint.
Also have piece with a 3/4" hole for working on steering shafts.

 

Stolen from YouTube with permission. A bolt shortening tool. Thread the bolt through to expose the excess, tighten the nuts, cut the stub with a bandsaw or hacksaw.

 

Years ago I bought a tubing bender, being on a budget I only bought a few dies. Over time I have needed more but not enough to justify BUYING them...so what's a fella to do??? Well if you're a Cheap Bastage like me - you make 'em. It goes like this: I "needed" a 1" die...which after all said and done left me with some extra pieces which I then modified into an 1-1/8" die...waste not want not. Yes it is interrupted by having to make a tool for the lathe to cut the radius...for the FIRST die. The second die...well you'll need to see the pics to see how I opened that up. I hope you enjoy.
Every good project starts with a chunk of scrap steel. I made this so I could more easily cut a radius - crude but effective Radius cutter bolts onto a regular tool holder radius cutter - slow going but works great Looking good If you drop these just right you can get them to break right where you want them! Chips! Done! Scrap aint always pretty
Wipers (made a couple extra)
1" Die set COMPLETE! But WAIT! There's MORE! Remember that extra chunk we had left over? We gotta do SOMETHING with that RIGHT! Let's see I don't have a 1-1/8" die in my set... thing is I don't have a face plate big enough on my lathe to open this slot up from 1" to 1-1/8" hmmmmmnnn have Bridgeport Will Travel!
That's bolted pretty good.
I did find a 1-1/8" endmill - this should make things easy. Endmill worked like a dream!
Finish is pretty good too.
1-1/8" die is done - off to the wiper die!
The piece of scrap that just keeps on giving!
Remember those "extra" squares we made - yep they came in handy! Touched them with the endmill and viola good to go
Pair of wiper dies in all their glory. Here's a birthday present I made for the wife from some more scrap - and if the WIFE'S happy - there's always more time to work on the cars!!!

 

I built a parts washer with a barrel. I put a thick plastic bag in it. I added about 8 inches of water at the bottom. The dirt falls in the water and does not mix with the mineral spirits in mine. The pump is above in the mineral spirits.

 

Maybe not exactly a work tool; but I never had a good place to keep tape rolls convenient and in good shape. Grabbed a couple racks out of a junk stove. Cut the depth down, welded on some pieces of 1/8" pipe and screwed then to the bottom of one of my cabinets. Worked out good. Took the other rack and made it deeper for sleeves of sandpaper.

 

Nice rack. Nyuk nyuk.

Great job with the scrap too, in the tube bender dies.

 

Modified these vice grips of an extended reach.

 

Cool, good idea

 

One "tool" that I have found very useful in the garage, is simply a 2 ring, kiddie inflatable pool. It works perfect
whenever you need to drain your radiator or change out your thermostat housing, etc. I simply blow it up, but not
all the way, and scoot it under the front end of my car. It fits perfectly under tie rods, and between the tires
without having to jack the car up. When done, simply pull it out and put the liquid back if you are re-using it.
No more mess on the garage floor! Catches any spills that you can't prevent.

 

A very simple holder but better than clamping a distributor in a vise.

 

Ever have your aerosol nozzle plug up? Does it drive you NUTS like it does me? Here’s my solution: just so happens this old air gun has the perfect sized opening. A little burst of air while you hold the nozzle in place works near every time. Stubborn ones I soak in thinner then try it again. WARNING: If you have a tendency to Lick Glass, Trip over your own feet, Own but do not wear Safety Glasses THEN this tip is NOT for you! Move along as this is definitely NOT OSHA approved. Do not try this without proper training and PPE (Safety Glasses)!!!!!

 

Damn, you just solved a problem for me! I just got a points distributor that I need to disassemble to clean and inspect. I was planning on just clamping in the vise between 2 pieces of wood, wasn't real happy with that but your solution is much better.

 

Screw OSHA, that looks like it's definitely approved in my shop. I probably have 5 or 6 non-approved air nozzles already, but that's a great idea. I think I'll just custom drill one to fit and dedicate it to the rattle can shelf.

 

Easy To Make For Removing Rusty Door Hinge Pins...

 

They usually clog when I'm in midspray on something. I just grab an aerosol can of carb cleaner and insert the little red tube in the bottom of the nozzle. Instantly cleans it..............

 

I have been blowing the spray nozzles out for approximately thirty years, using the air duster. It works like a charm.
Bob

 

Those air hammers are really handy for all sorts of odd jobs. I had to remove some concrete in my garage, in an area too tight for my electric jack hammer. I used the air hammer, and although it took a little longer, it did a beautiful job.
Bob

 

I've got a jar of lacquer thinner on the shelf full of nozzles off spray cans. Nozzle clogs, take one out of the bottle and stick it on, keep spraying.

 

Yep; me too.

Right next to the jar of marbles removed from rattle cans.

 

Good to know you haven't lost your marbles.

 

I use this when butt-welding sheet metal. Take a small piece of your MIG wire and form it into a 'bow' and slide it over one piece of the metal, it keeps the parts the proper distance apart and has the bonus of being consumable and you're pretty much guaranteed to have the material to make it in your welder.



Plus I hate using these... they work, but are a pain to get the panels the correct distance apart.

 

Well, I didn't make this but it's a pretty simple "how to".
You should really own a 13 MM impact socket. When you encounter those stuck or rusty 9/16 headed intake or exhaust manifold bolts, just take a hammer & make that socket fit!

I revisited a desirable intake in the salvage yard that someone had rounded off 2 bolts while trying to remove. That $200+ intake went home with me instead

 

Sometimes it’s as much as getting creative than just the tool

 

Good thinkin'