Obvious tool hacks that you never thought of
- Thread starter PCustoms
- Start date
garfunkle24
Well-known member
1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" key stock drilled on both ends for a small hair or cotter pin. A good way to store your crowsfeet in a very compact way. Couldn't find a pic easily.
eg I can store my 3/8" 10 - 19mm set on a 3 or 4 inch piece of key stock and they travel well.
Edit: Stole this pic from the Mac site so they obviously thought of it too
eg I can store my 3/8" 10 - 19mm set on a 3 or 4 inch piece of key stock and they travel well.
Edit: Stole this pic from the Mac site so they obviously thought of it too
mreisner
Well-known member
I'm real happy with these from snap-on, they slipped inside each other and hold firmly and they're under 20 bucks
southalabama
Well-known member
My five year old is still learning to read. She’s looking over my shoulder and wanted to know if we could cook with this. She thought it make a good spoon to stirI'm real happy with these from snap-on, they slipped inside each other and hold firmly and they're under 20 bucks
. She will learn soon enough spoons are cheaper than snap on.Ratcheting adaptors. Homemade or store bought. These silly little things can be used with old or new ratcheting box wrenches (straight or offset), even old female drive ratchets, to use sockets. I keep accumulating different styles of them and they are so handy. I found a set of them with built-in QR which is really nice.
I keep a Gearwrench or long DBE ratcheting wrench handy in all my tool boxes with an appropriate adaptor, and can switch between box or socket as the job requires. I keep a small supply of O-rings handy to act as spacers when switching between wrench styles.
I keep a Gearwrench or long DBE ratcheting wrench handy in all my tool boxes with an appropriate adaptor, and can switch between box or socket as the job requires. I keep a small supply of O-rings handy to act as spacers when switching between wrench styles.
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I got a small plastic cap stuck in a bathroom sink drain last night. Tried to scoop it out with a small pick, pick got stuck too, whole handle.
i pulled the trap and got it all out and I noticed a lot of sludge on the pipe walls.
i took some wadded up paper towels and a 12” 3/8 socket extension and tapped it through with a small deadblow like it was a cleaning rod for a rifle. Did it a few times.
thought it was a creative use for a 12” socket extension
i pulled the trap and got it all out and I noticed a lot of sludge on the pipe walls.
i took some wadded up paper towels and a 12” 3/8 socket extension and tapped it through with a small deadblow like it was a cleaning rod for a rifle. Did it a few times.
thought it was a creative use for a 12” socket extension
Could also use that female plug to store a metal fork for lunch.
niget2002
Well-known member
I told my son to go hose one out with a water hose one time. Poor kid didn't think about the fact it was curved. He sprayed the water in one side and soaked himself with nasty water out the other.
Pretty sure everyone has done that. Smarter people have done it just once....
niget2002
Well-known member
We'll see if history repeats itself the next time I have to clean a drain.
Nick Rivers
Well-known member
Beerhippie
Well-known member
I'm currently struggling to think of something I've never thought of... but it's late....
RoninB4
Well-known member
-This is an old one but I'll throw it out there for the new members of the Knuckle Busters Club
First time I saw a buddy do that ( a few decades ago) I thought, "that's brilliant."-This is an old one but I'll throw it out there for the new members of the Knuckle Busters Club
If I got caught doing that, I’d probably get written up.
acer66
Well-known member
3/4” or better 1” pex cut offs ideally curved slipped over the handles on 5 gallon buckets.
Tip was posted here years ago and it was truly one of those wtf?!? why did I not think about that myself moments for me.
Big thanks again to whomever posted that.
Tip was posted here years ago and it was truly one of those wtf?!? why did I not think about that myself moments for me.
Big thanks again to whomever posted that.
I believe I had did a thread on that. I generally use 3/4" PVC or 1/2" copper. Believe it or not, the copper actually feels good on the hand.
5 Gal bucket handle mods
So I'm currently working on the basement, lowering the floor level, stoning and pouring some concrete. I'm hauling all the dirt out, stone and concrete back down in 5 gal buckets. The issue I have run into, as many of us have, is that the bucket handles are breaking. Other than the handles...
www.garagejournal.com
acer66
Well-known member
Good to know, I deal more with pex than copper and have a coil of 1” pex that has the perfect bow in it for my hands.I believe I had did a thread on that. I generally use 3/4" PVC or 1/2" copper. Believe it or not, the copper actually feels good on the hand.
5 Gal bucket handle mods
So I'm currently working on the basement, lowering the floor level, stoning and pouring some concrete. I'm hauling all the dirt out, stone and concrete back down in 5 gal buckets. The issue I have run into, as many of us have, is that the bucket handles are breaking. Other than the handles...
Thanks again for sharing NUTTSGT.
KnurledNut
Well-known member
Most of the seasoned guys here know about adding an o-ring to universal joints, but for the new guys:
One of the tricks my shop teacher taught way back in high school was:
If you lose your drill chuck key, you can use two screwdrivers. Stick a philips in the chuck key hole, and use it as a pivot for a flat blade screwdriver that you stick in the chuck teeth. Like this:
I've had to use this trick way more times than I should have, lol.
If you lose your drill chuck key, you can use two screwdrivers. Stick a philips in the chuck key hole, and use it as a pivot for a flat blade screwdriver that you stick in the chuck teeth. Like this:
I've had to use this trick way more times than I should have, lol.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
FIFY.One of the tricks my shop teacher taught way back in high school was:
When you lose your drill chuck key, you can use two screwdrivers. Stick a philips in the chuck key hole, and use it as a pivot for a flat blade screwdriver that you stick in the chuck teeth. Like this:
I've had to use this trick way more times than I should have, lol.
I grew up thinking this was the right way to tighten or loosen a chuck. IIRC, none of my father's drills had a key--for which he was more than happy to blame myself and brother.
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WWheeler
Well-known member
The o-rings do really help out a floppy set of universals. I like having different colors for SAE and Metric.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
We called that the "handshake trick". Works well with Allen keys, too.-This is an old one but I'll throw it out there for the new members of the Knuckle Busters Club
How the heck do I stick to Allen keys together?
WWheeler
Well-known member
I keep a small diameter piece of pipe for Allen wrenches. The pipe trick is a true breaker, because that's how I'm most likely to break an allen key, especially if it's a ball-end.
richfinn
Well-known member
What "hacks" have you seen that are so obvious after the fact, but you would have never thought of them?
Just saw this:
I've got a spare OBD2 port out of a Ford Focus, I'm stealing this trick so I can attach my scan tool dongle to my tool bag
The other option, my hack is to put an appropriate sized magnet on the head of the drill press. Just stick the chuck key to it.One of the tricks my shop teacher taught way back in high school was:
If you lose your drill chuck key, you can use two screwdrivers. Stick a philips in the chuck key hole, and use it as a pivot for a flat blade screwdriver that you stick in the chuck teeth. Like this:
I've had to use this trick way more times than I should have, lol.
I can get a picture.
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Sweetcorn
Well-known member
That's one of my go to things I do to anything that holds a chuck.
I also drill a hole and put a magnet in the handle of a chip brush for each of my machines. Never gets lost.
Since ratchet strength has generally increased with tooth count, making breaker bars less necessary, this is probably outdated, and most members probably already know it, but …
Rotating a six point socket 90 degrees on a square drive anvil results in an effective 30 degree rotation of the socket, enabling its use in tighter spots.
Rotating a six point socket 90 degrees on a square drive anvil results in an effective 30 degree rotation of the socket, enabling its use in tighter spots.
RTM
Well-known member
On the subject of Allen keys, in a pinch two smaller ones can be wedged into a larger sized hole, if your adolescent self lost the size you need.
Meursault74
Well-known member
where's @PelicanPines on this one? Trying that hack and thinking.......... hmmm I've seen this done someplace before.
KnurledNut
Well-known member
I recently used two painters tools to remove a sharkbite that was up against a fitting. Put the two curved roller cleaner sides towards each other to create an almond shaped oval. Thin enough to wedge in between the fitting and release ring.
Hannahranga
Well-known member
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Debcrow
Well-known member
Somebody called this a handshake wrench.-This is an old one but I'll throw it out there for the new members of the Knuckle Busters Club
Brought back memories that I was not going to mention here, but since someone named It guess I will share it.
My older brother that originally showed me this called it "Wrench 69"
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jeffmoss26
Well-known member
I just used a small Allen wrench to remove a bunch of Torx screws lol
Hannahranga
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- Mar 8, 2023
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Security pins in hex/torx heads just makes means you can use a flat head
larry4406
Well-known member
Wrench cheater. Clever.
How could you make this work for multiple wrench sizes? Looks like the block is sized to the specific wrench.