Hot Rods Porta Power? Are They Practical??

Fun to hear from other guys that used their porta power in their home improvement projects. I have a log home and it is normal for the logs to shrink and settle with time. During construction you need a gap over the doors and windows to let the walls slide down on the side of the jambs. Green logs are gapped at 1 inch per foot of wall height. All my windows and doors work great except the double french door in the dinning room. That door wasn't gapped quite enough, it would have thinned the log above it . Several times in the last 10 years I have got out my porta power with all the extensions and a couple of 4x4's to cure the door of sticking. Works good till next time.

 

You can build a frame where you slide it in to have a tube bender and still have your Porto Power.
I made a scissors car lift with one once. It was useful to lift light empty shells.

 

I have used mine for manty repairs over the years. The last time I had to spread the frame on a 57 Chevy to fit a junk aftermarket front bumper I bought from Classic Industries.

 

I have a rule if I dont use somthing once a year I get rid of it (I try to follow that rule)

I have a harbor branded porta power. I dont use it too often. But when I do its worth its weight in gold. Used it to everything from spread door jambs, push dents. move things. I even used it to save my ass when a concrete form started to give when i was pouring a retaining wall.

You might not use it daily, but youll be happy you have it when you do.

 

This thread blows...

I also have the tool buying cold sweats. I suddenly need to buy a porta power.

 

I built a cherry picker for mine. The nicest thing about that is I can now install an engine more easily if I have the cylinder valve control at my fingertips when it comes to nudging the engine slightly for such things as aligning mounting bolts, eliminating frame paint scrapes, etc.

 

When I was working that was one of my self rules for any tool.

 

Before we had one at the high school, we cut off bumper jacks and used exhaust tube for the extensions. It is amazing how much load you can put straight down the length of a piece of exhaust tube without bending it.

 

I used one almost every day as a shop iron worker when building skyscrappers, bridges, nuke storing containers, even handrails and etc. In my shop at home building my hot rod, misc. stuff, in 50 years I never came across the need for one. Leave it at that, up to you.

 

I have an old VW friction jack that I use for some jobs. It works well for pushing, but it is all or nothing on the release.
Bob

 

This is one I bought at Princess Auto years ago. It has not seen a lot of use, but when I needed it, there was nothing better.
It could even be use with an engine hoist for fine tuning the placement of an engine. The ram is 8 inches long.
I should add, never stand in the same line as the force, if a lot of force is being applied. If the chain breaks, things get ugly in a hurry. (I worked in the logging industry as a kid, and I remember things).
Bob

 

Yep, I used mine last week to replace on of the 8 ft support posts from a roof overhang. I just cut a shorter post, and jacked beside the original post socket until I had enough room to slide the new post in place.
Bob

 

Yep I've got one also, infact I think I have two.