What did you do "IN" your garage today?

[Dh3256]

What I mean is the big plastic thing with the round disk on top that locks into the top of the tank and holds the gas gauge sender and fuel pump. Is it intact and leak free? They're apparently not totally fuel proof.

Hmm, have not replaced that, I will check it. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[rsparks64]

Sweated. (central Texas)

 

[Old Man Roger]

No idea what started it yet. We know a neighbor reported the guy to the city a couple of weeks ago for code violations. The city hadn't got around to doing anything.

Sounds like a preemptive strike.

 

[Mike S.]

At the end of May I towed home a non running 94 Civic sedan as a side project. I got it running only to find that it had a blown head gasket.



I pulled the motor for a budget, home garage rebuild. It should be ready to go back into the car next weekend.



Long term plans will include a K24 swap, but for now it will be nice to get 40 mpg on regular octane.

 

[Swanny1953]

"Year THREE into restoration of a 9500 sq ft circa 1901 warehouse for my workshop, garage and retail office space."

RKTINC - we need a thread on this project - looks like a great space!

 

[ZRX61]

This is not your first rodeo

I wish I'd paid more attention during my first rodeo...

 

[niget2002]

Removed the 'mouse scarer 3000' from under the hood of the truck. The truck recently developed an "I don't want to start" attitude. Hit the start button and it just clicks. Takes 2 or 3 tries and then it will start.

Called the dealer and the guy mentioned it's probably a bad battery. I'm still under warranty, so he said to bring it in. Truck also has 4 recalls they need to do, one of which just came out last week. And I still have some free oil changes and tire rotations.

They're going to keep the truck and give me a loaner for a few days while they work on it.

The bad battery lines up with the research I did. Apparently the batteries that come stock from the factory are **** and a known issue. The ones the dealer uses to replace "if something happens" are better.

I did ask about the mouse scarer 3000 and the guy on the phone said it shouldn't be causing an issue since it has a low-battery shut off. He recommended going ahead and removing it from the truck so they don't try to blame the bad battery on the device. He's also going to find out which battery would be better for me to install auxiliary electrical stuff on for future use.

 

[Magnum440d100]

Well, the 38gallon bronco tank I had previously purchased to use under my 68 D200, but pulled out to put in the 78 F100 ended up not fitting. It was a different shape

But Rockauto came in clutch. Ordered a 78-older tank instead of a 79-newer tank. It arrived in TWO DAYS!

I was not expecting it to arrive this soon. I have other parts arriving, but had to mock it up.

Yeah those are original straps. I was planning on replacing them, or painting them. Thought I had more time. I will still do so, just making sure the tank fit. The original tank was 19 gallons. This one is 38. So if I can eek out 15mpg, I’ll be doin good lol. That’ll be right around 500 miles to a tank (I’m assuming 33-34gal usable fuel)

 

[Axehandle2]

Went out and fed the cats, sat down for a minute and dozed off. Woke up when Mama radioed to tell me it was time for me to head to work.
I would rather have stayed in the shop! So many projects so little time.

 

[Motorman55]

Assembled my old Craftsman portable router table and installed the old Craftsman router under it. Once together I ran and tested the router and it works just fine. I haven't used this set up in over 20 years. It'll get a good workout in the coming weeks.

 

[welder4956]

Not much in the garage today. I went in to get the mower key and mowed the front and back yard, then back in to get the string trimmer and blower to clean up. I did sit in the doorway to watch the midday thunderstorm pass thru and cool down occasionally.

 

[Metallitubby]

I did sit in the doorway to watch the midday thunderstorm pass thru and cool down occasionally.

Probably the same storms that just rolled through here. We needed the rain for sure.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Dropped **** on the bench.

 

[Outlawmws]

Nothing so far; Wait,,, I unpacked a vise!

Making brownies instead.

 

[02Xterra]

Local hoarder lost his garage today.... & everything else on his property, which included 30-40 cars, RV's & derelict boats etc (which were all junk)

So this is really random, I read this article yesterday morning about the issues this family has been having with a hoarder/crazy neighbor.. is this the same place?! That would be wild..

https://archive.fo/dWmWt

 

[ZRX61]

So this is really random, I read this article yesterday morning about the issues this family has been having with a hoarder/crazy neighbor.. is this the same place?! That would be wild..

https://archive.fo/dWmWt

That's down the hill in LA, but we have a bunch of them up here.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Today was pretty busy. Done 4 brake jobs. All replace pads and machine rotors. Fixed another techs screw up. Car towed in with 4 loose wheels. They made it 55 miles before it started shaking and rumbling so bad that they realized they needed to stop. Pulled off an exit and called in saying that something was wrong. I walked out to the parking lot when it arrived and I was like uh I can tell you what’s wrong with it is these wheels are loose. Tech who done it is on two week suspension from blowing up 7 cars and doing brakes last week when he wasn’t supposed too as he is an express tech aka lube tech. We towed out a rental to the customer who continued on back to their house in West Virginia. Customer was on the wrong way concurrency of I-81 South and I-77 North where they overlap each other sitting on exit 72.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Today was pretty busy. Done 4 brake jobs. All replace pads and machine rotors. Fixed another techs screw up. Car towed in with 4 loose wheels. They made it 55 miles before it started shaking and rumbling so bad that they realized they needed to stop. Pulled off an exit and called in saying that something was wrong. I walked out to the parking lot when it arrived and I was like uh I can tell you what’s wrong with it is these wheels are loose. Tech who done it is on two week suspension from blowing up 7 cars and doing brakes last week when he wasn’t supposed too as he is an express tech aka lube tech. We towed out a rental to the customer who continued on back to their house in West Virginia. Customer was on the wrong way concurrency of I-81 South and I-77 North where they overlap each other sitting on exit 72.

I gotta ask. How did the screwup get his hands on a ticket for brakes? Sounds like a setup.

 

[Skyman]

I gotta ask. How did the screwup get his hands on a ticket for brakes? Sounds like a setup.

I gotta ask. How does a screw-up who's blown up 7 cars even get to continue to set foot on the premises?

 

[DGersic]

The big blue smiling jungle truck arrived today.

First, installed the replacement circuit breaker.



Then did most of the rest of the router table. Cut the T slots in the MDF, then glued down the hardboard top.



Finished the fence, and the top of the dust collection port.




Beryl has arrived, so I’ll make the last four cuts in the top tomorrow to finish the T slots, them it’s ready to use.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

I gotta ask. How did the screwup get his hands on a ticket for brakes? Sounds like a setup.

He up sold them and didn’t tell anybody. Used the excuse of well at my old job we were allowed to do anything we upsold. That’s what got him suspended he might get fired now though. Not only is he incompetent he is so annoying to work with.

 

[rktinc]

"Year THREE into restoration of a 9500 sq ft circa 1901 warehouse for my workshop, garage and retail office space."

RKTINC - we need a thread on this project - looks like a great space!

I have over 4000 photos of the process so far and have challenged my kids to create an Instagram for income generator to put them through college. That idea was met with a resounding THUD!!!!

 

[kaymccampbell]

He up sold them and didn’t tell anybody. Used the excuse of well at my old job we were allowed to do anything we upsold. That’s what got him suspended he might get fired now though. Not only is he incompetent he is so annoying to work with.

I don't understand. In no place I've ever worked did they allow a mechanic to modify the ticket without going through the front desk, and if the ticket got modified, and the car was at the grease rack, then the ticket would get split and the hard parts repair transferred to a line mech. Without a legit ticket to charge it to, parts would never release the materials.

Not only does your place hire effing goofers, and then keep them, they have **** materials and job controls in place.

 

[Jgaz]

I don't understand. In no place I've ever worked did they allow a mechanic to modify the ticket without going through the front desk, and if the ticket got modified, and the car was at the grease rack, then the ticket would get split and the hard parts repair transferred to a line mech. Without a legit ticket to charge it to, parts would never release the materials.

Not only does your place hire effing goofers, and then keep them, they have **** materials and job controls in place.

Amen!
Blowing up 7 cars?
Is your shop having that much trouble hiring competent help?

Anyplace I ever worked would have fired you after the first mistake unless you were an exceptional employee with a long standing, good reputation.

I know I’m a dinosaur when it comes to dealership experience (76 thru 85) but come on!

 

[LeonardY]

Opened the garage door to try to cool it down a little. It's going to be 104 today.

 

[ZRX61]

Today was pretty busy. Done 4 brake jobs. All replace pads and machine rotors. Fixed another techs screw up. Car towed in with 4 loose wheels. They made it 55 miles before it started shaking and rumbling so bad that they realized they needed to stop. Pulled off an exit and called in saying that something was wrong. I walked out to the parking lot when it arrived and I was like uh I can tell you what’s wrong with it is these wheels are loose. Tech who done it is on two week suspension from blowing up 7 cars and doing brakes last week when he wasn’t supposed too as he is an express tech aka lube tech. We towed out a rental to the customer who continued on back to their house in West Virginia. Customer was on the wrong way concurrency of I-81 South and I-77 North where they overlap each other sitting on exit 72.

Suspension?? The ***** is going to kill someone, just fire him... & weld his damn toolbox shut.

 

[Swanny1953]

Replace the headlights in the '57 Cameo with Holley RetroBrite units. Have them in 3 other older cars and love the increased light output.

 

[CoogarXR]

Cleaned up a puddle of transmission fluid for the LAST time.

My cougar has (what I assume to be) a bad front pump seal. It only leaks if you whale on it. I can drive it all over town, back roads, or whatever and nary a drop will spill. But boy, if I punch it up to 80 to pass somebody or anything, it dumps all over the place until it cools back down, then it will not leak until you beat on it again.

I rarely drive it, and when I do, I rarely drive it on the highway, so it's never bothered me much. It might do it's leaky-thing once or twice a year. But I had my van in the shop (also ironically for a transmission leak), so I had been driving the cougar every day in the mean time. I had to go on the highway twice, and it barfed ****** fluid all over the garage when I got home each night. That's it... I'm finally sick of it.

So my transmission guy called to say my van was done today. I asked him if he could get the cougar in if I just drove up there and swapped vehicles. He said he could, so yippie! I'm finally gonna have this leak fixed. I know it won't be cheap, but I'm finally fed up with it, lol. It's only been leaking intermittently for 15 years now...

 

[Skyman]

Vehicle incontinence drives me up the wall. It's worth good money to me to put an end to it, if it's a chore I don't feel like tackling myself anymore.

 

[rcktpwrd]

Ongoing, more Christmas lights... Different batch of candy canes, these go along our porch railing. Five separate sections. They had incandescent lights in them, but most had finally failed, time to rebuild! These actually were the last of the incan lights in our display, everything else is LED. Making sets that fit each section of the railing, so pulling the light string through the canes. I am cutting and adding about 12" of wire so there are no lights outside of the canes.

 

[Magnum440d100]

More eBay parts arriving.

One being a turn signal bezel for the Lincoln. Didn’t wholly need it, but it’s in better condition than mine. As well as the black paint still visible.


It now matches the lower trim (black stripe). I know I need to wash/polish the trim. Eventually.

Then, the rewind spring for the chainsaw. It broke the other weekend ago while cutting firewood.


There’s more, just not enough time.

 

[DGersic]

Finished the T slots, drilled the hole for the bit, and got the surrounding frame pieces installed.



Measuring pieces to be cut, and working out how to best get them all cut from a 4x8 with minimal waste.

 

[Jgaz]

Not much. I can‘t beat the heat in the garage, it’s always there now.
I just plan to work on something before the temp goes from hot to surface of the sun.

Repaired and relocated some irrigation drip lines.
Ran out of stakes to hold the lines in place on the ground. No the home store pieces sold for this purpose won’t pound into most of my ground.

Used my recently built bender and a length of 3/16” rod to bend up 8 or 10 more stakes.

This is the smallest radius bend I can get with 1/2” drive sockets.
Might try to modify the bender to accept 3/8” drive sockets. When it cools off……

 

[jives]

Was a busy two days, though I spent most of yesterday afternoon hunkered in my friend's basement during a tornado warning (our third in 30 years).

Continued to work on a modified table/workbench made from an old schoolteacher's desk and industrial table legs. It has been so humid that dry times for stain and poly and paint are doubled and tripled. Days to cure. Pics are in the Repurposing Thread.

Next, finally fixed the broken handle on my manual brush cutter with another broken handle, this one from a shovel. Every now and then that piece ya' just can't throw out actually comes in handy.

Next, the replacement plastic sprocket for my electric chainsaw came in. Took only a few minutes to install, but about 15 minutes to thoroughly clean the saw. Hasn't looked this purty since the day I opened the box.

Next, the handles on my wheel barrow finally rotted off. I could probably find in the shop some 3 x 3 oak, ash, or hickory to do a direct replacement, but what is the fun in that? I've got some old galvanized fencing and will try and fab up a 2-wheeled rig. It will be easier for the wife as she is the one using it the most in the garden. I'm hesitant to weld galvanized, but I think I can drill and bolt what I need.

 

[Magnum440d100]

Yet more eBay parts arriving.

I’m really kinda bummed that I’ve resorted to eBay VS junkyarding to get parts. Just everything so far out here has no older cars anymore. And the one that did, are scrapping them to make room for late models. Anyway, I digress…


Still sorting out a signal problem.

FINALLY found a “decent” left turn signal housing on the ‘bay. Peep it on the left.

Reason for swapping it out? Spliced together wiring, for one…



And this gem, my grampa did.

The socket was coming out of the housing. And as such, was not making ground/contact. So he stuffed a piece of wire in there to wedge it in, and to make ground contact.

Took the “new to me” housing apart to add a bulb. It’s clean inside.



Still having signal issues, but now that 67.275% of the spliced wiring issues have been resolved, I can move forward in replacing the turn signal switch in the column. It does not stay engaged in the right position, and is soft in the left position.


Now to head to the ‘bay to find one…

 

[Beelzeboss]

I lathed up a press fit bronze bush for my hot rod brake pedal to replace the long-lost plastic OEM bushes.



And then I replaced the brake booster mount plate with one to suit my new booster and pedal location.



Also did a heap more, but it's all here in my garage thread:

CNC's and Hot Rod's, a Sydney Garage

I reckon that's the way to do it, or maybe 3D print a tool like this: Over the weekend I tidied up a few little bits and pieces. First I remade the top brake pedal mounts to move the pivot point closer to the driver for better geometry. I also made them from thicker steel and one side is...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[DGersic]

Final assembly of the router table.



Took some scrap 3/4” plywood out of my shed to make some test cuts. Overall happy with the rabbet cuts and the morice reliefs for the hinges (planning cabinet doors).



Went to set up the round over cut, and had to get the hole saw to make the hole in the table bigger to clear the bit. So, first cuts, and first modifications complete.

 

[Magnum440d100]

Well, after much wire tracing, headlight switch swapping, and bulb checking, I’m fairly confident it’s the turn signal switch inside the column.

This doesn’t help either…


Looks like I’ll be replacing the switch in the column for sure.

After tearing this apart, I remember doing this with my grampa. Man, that had to have been 30 years ago already AT LEAST.

I remember now, we had to cut the wires to pass them through the column. Knowing what I know now, I would have unpinned them.

Thank you grampa.

 

[Jgaz]

Final assembly of the router table.



Took some scrap 3/4” plywood out of my shed to make some test cuts. Overall happy with the rabbet cuts and the morice reliefs for the hinges (planning cabinet doors).



Went to set up the round over cut, and had to get the hole saw to make the hole in the table bigger to clear the bit. So, first cuts, and first modifications complete.

Well done! Table looks great.
I was going to ask about the size of the bit hole but you answered that.
What is the purpose of the two round disks that are in the table slots behind the fence?

 

[Prospecter]

Was a busy two days, though I spent most of yesterday afternoon hunkered in my friend's basement during a tornado warning (our third in 30 years).

Continued to work on a modified table/workbench made from an old schoolteacher's desk and industrial table legs. It has been so humid that dry times for stain and poly and paint are doubled and tripled. Days to cure. Pics are in the Repurposing Thread.

Next, finally fixed the broken handle on my manual brush cutter with another broken handle, this one from a shovel. Every now and then that piece ya' just can't throw out actually comes in handy.

Next, the replacement plastic sprocket for my electric chainsaw came in. Took only a few minutes to install, but about 15 minutes to thoroughly clean the saw. Hasn't looked this purty since the day I opened the box.

Next, the handles on my wheel barrow finally rotted off. I could probably find in the shop some 3 x 3 oak, ash, or hickory to do a direct replacement, but what is the fun in that? I've got some old galvanized fencing and will try and fab up a 2-wheeled rig. It will be easier for the wife as she is the one using it the most in the garden. I'm hesitant to weld galvanized, but I think I can drill and bolt what I need.

2 wheeled rigs are one of those seemingly great ideas that don't work so well. The twin wheels throw the handles about and are hard to manage on anything but a smooth, flat surface.