Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT Bob Heine's Auto Emporium

[Grumblebum]

Bob, that would have been a good little video if you had one of those silly in car camera things they are flogging on the TV these days.

556 HP...nice. Bit more than my little Hilux.

GB.

 

[metalhead140]

We had a few who would show up in our street a while back. There was only a couple of houses in the street at that point, and these p plate clowns would show up and drag race side by side up our 2 way street... One of them nearly took out our front fence losing control of a burn out. Now I've done my share of stupid things, but never down an almost suburban street with houses close to the road. They showed up a couple of times, so when they arrived again I wandered down near the road and started taking pictures and video. They stopped and looked at me for a minute, and then took off and haven't been back since.

 

[bj383ss]

Bret,I make the same assessment when it's a pickup or a tuner and hold back... but minivans are toast.

Bob this cracked me up. For sure I do the same. I have been a very fortunate Dad in two fold. First the wife hates minivans and we will never own one, second I got to keep my 2 door muscle car even with 2 kids. So I love throttling up on those poor dads that are driving minivans and lost their hot wheels. I can be an a$$ sometimes.

Bret

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob, that would have been a good little video if you had one of those silly in car camera things they are flogging on the TV these days.

556 HP...nice. Bit more than my little Hilux.

GB.

GB, I'm already paranoid about having a navigation system in the Caddy. Having a camera tracking my every move in the car kinda freaks me out. I know it's helpful in the event of an accident but it's also going to record all the brothels and opium dens I visit. OK, that's just silly but what if they do put up All **** Dancers or More than Pot signs?

I hear you on the Hilux. I had hoped to get a powerful sedan when I moved to Australia. I got some $$$$urprises -- at the BMW dealer, the Ford Dealer, the Holden Dealer and even the Toyota dealer. Anything with a V8 exceeded my annual income and the $5,000 premium on a V6 in the Toyota Camry (plus the insurance difference) made no economic sense. The Camry 4-cylinder wasn't exciting to drive but it was reliable and kept my speeding citations limited to to just one.

 

[Bob Heine]

We had a few who would show up in our street a while back. There was only a couple of houses in the street at that point, and these p plate clowns would show up and drag race side by side up our 2 way street... One of them nearly took out our front fence losing control of a burn out. Now I've done my share of stupid things, but never down an almost suburban street with houses close to the road. They showed up a couple of times, so when they arrived again I wandered down near the road and started taking pictures and video. They stopped and looked at me for a minute, and then took off and haven't been back since.

Andrew, your solution is almost perfect. The section of my street connects two major east-west multi-lane highways. It's also two blocks from the railroad tracks, along which are industrial buildings. Several of those buildings house high performance auto and motorcycle shops. You can hear the race cars on the two dynos when the wind is blowing our way (most days). We're also the next block over from the police station and that may be part of their middle-finger salute to authority.

If I or my neighbors had small children, I would be practicing my bowling skills in the roadway every time I heard one winding up through the gears but I can't bring myself to kill someone for being young and stupid. I thought about taking pictures and videos but I would need to sit in a chair at the end of the driveway because it only happens a few times a day (some days not at all). At my age, sitting at the end of the driveway with a camera is just going to look sad.

On the other hand, if I could buy a worn-out police cruiser cheap, having it at the end of my driveway.... rats, it has to be registered and insured. Never mind.

 

[G20-Budo]

...At my age, sitting at the end of the driveway with a camera is just going to look sad.

On the other hand, if I could buy a worn-out police cruiser cheap, having it at the end of my driveway.... rats, it has to be registered and insured. Never mind.

Bob, you are cracking me up over here!

I have to admit when I was young I did a lot of stupid things in a car, and probably the worse was driving "fast" through residential area's. Of course I was young and *thought* it was fast, looking back now it really wasn't that fast, but faster than I should have been.

These days seeing someone speeding when people are walking around (like in a store parking lot, or neighborhood) irritates me greatly. I try and provide a good example for my kids. And let them know the dangers, I figure at this point that's all I can do to help pay back for my stupidity when I was young.

With all that said, your caddy sounds like it would be fun getting on a freeway.

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob this cracked me up. For sure I do the same. I have been a very fortunate Dad in two fold. First the wife hates minivans and we will never own one, second I got to keep my 2 door muscle car even with 2 kids. So I love throttling up on those poor dads that are driving minivans and lost their hot wheels. I can be an a$$ sometimes.

Bret

Bret, my wife and I are with you. In 1968 we traded in our '62 Rambler station wagon for a practical family vehicle (350hp)....

To save gas on my commute I needed something economical (1971 Vega GT 110HP). The gas I saved went into the V8-powered boat.

With a much shorter commute in Florida and no need to carpool, I didn't need a 4-seater but apparently needed big block 4-speed lessons (1969 390hp 427)....

The cure was a more docile car with an automatic and a rollb... roof (1972 270hp 454). It's so much safer now that it's my therapy on jackstands.

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob, you are cracking me up over here!

I have to admit when I was young I did a lot of stupid things in a car, and probably the worse was driving "fast" through residential area's. Of course I was young and *thought* it was fast, looking back now it really wasn't that fast, but faster than I should have been.

These days seeing someone speeding when people are walking around (like in a store parking lot, or neighborhood) irritates me greatly. I try and provide a good example for my kids. And let them know the dangers, I figure at this point that's all I can do to help pay back for my stupidity when I was young.

With all that said, your caddy sounds like it would be fun getting on a freeway.

Kyle, so glad to hear I'm not alone but the older I get, the more fun being childish becomes. It's great having grandchildren and not having to set a good example. OK, when they are around I do behave. I used to take them to lunch for their birthdays in the Corvette with the top down (convertibles were rare when they were young) and I don't think I ever burned rubber with them in the car (that I can remember).

 

[G20-Budo]

Kyle, so glad to hear I'm not alone but the older I get, the more fun being childish becomes. It's great having grandchildren and not having to set a good example. OK, when they are around I do behave. I used to take them to lunch for their birthdays in the Corvette with the top down (convertibles were rare when they were young) and I don't think I ever burned rubber with them in the car (that I can remember).

Bob,

Oh, I used to goto the road course for years.. so every now and then I'll pitch my car into corner with my older son's in the car and get the rear end out (in a FWD car) on purpose. They think it's fun, but I rarely do it..and point out I make sure we're somewhere that there are NO cars or people around.

Funny thing is.. I'm into fast cars that can stop fast, turn fast, etc.. but my wife usually complains I drive like a grandma! When we're on the freeway, this is our exchange..
Wife: You're going to slow!
Me: I'm doing 5-10 over the speed limit..
Wife: But people are passing us on the left....
Me: Are we late?
Wife: No
Me: Are you in a hurry to get there?
Wife: No
Me: Then why are wanting me to speed more than I already am?
Wife: I don't know, I guess because they were driving faster than us.
Me: Let them attracted the cops, I'm good at this speed, and we're not late.

 

[Bob Heine]

Oh Kyle, you lucky lucky man. We were on vacation in England and I was driving a Ford Mondeo station wagon. It's a large and powerful V6-equipped car.

Our goal was to get from Gatwick Airport to Gretna Green on the border of Scotland, a 5 or 6 hour drive. I was keeping up with traffic and passing very few cars (stayed in the left lane most of the time). My wife glances over at the speedometer whenever I'm driving so when she saw the needle pointing between 100 and 110, she asked if it was MPH or KPH (she was used to KPH from our time Australia). I couldn't believe my luck and said "I'm sure it's kilometers" (knowing full well those were the smaller red numbers).

 

[rmalkow2]

Bob,
Your idea of the parked police cruiser is still a good one and possibly something you can get accomplished with your already paid tax dollars. Many police agencies will park an older vehicle as a deterrent when requested. It would be worth asking your local police if they can do that for awhile till things calm down. Or, they may also agree to add your street to more frequent drive through's to discourage those with youthful inexperience.

 

[Toolfool]

With your luck, Bob, that performance shop is probably where the police interceptors get tuned, and you're SOL on getting popo help.

 

[Terrick down Under]

Bob, I like your KPH instead of MPH line, I had something similar with my blue/white 55. We were driving home from Albury one Monday arvo, when the 1100 Holley started to over fuel, (rubbish in the float bowl). So we had to go faster to use it up or not get home as I had no tools in the car. About sunset we were just outside of Yass and it was getting worse, remembering now that it got 10mpg when driving normally. She looks over and says "**** now the speedo is broken", I say,"no, its just over on the right hand side of the trim". We made it almost the Canberra border but ran out of fuel, so my brother came out and towed us the couple of miles to the house. Exciting but stupid! the voice of experience.
Note: My DW knew about me getting booked for doing 245 in a 110 zone a few years before that ( actually the day I first got it registered) and first question was " is it really over fuelling?"

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob,
Your idea of the parked police cruiser is still a good one and possibly something you can get accomplished with your already paid tax dollars. Many police agencies will park an older vehicle as a deterrent when requested. It would be worth asking your local police if they can do that for awhile till things calm down. Or, they may also agree to add your street to more frequent drive through's to discourage those with youthful inexperience.

Rmalkow2, that's a good idea but my city parks their deterrent cruisers at the entrances to religious properties. The street I live on has four churches, two synagogues and a mosque within a mile of my house. I think the synagogues purchased theirs because they never leave. Weekends have the real cruisers with flashing lights and officers directing traffic -- I did mention this is all a block over from police headquarters.

With all the religious buildings on my street, maybe I can call on a higher power. If God was going to punish someone for bad driving, I BELIEVE she would do it on my street. Nothing has happened yet but maybe I'm not praying properly.

I can also request the mobile speed camera sign. They have set one up in the past. Ours have the posted speed limit mounted above. It doesn't take a picture of the speeder or issue citations. I think the speeders use it to check the slow-speed accuracy of their speedometers (99 mph and below).

The police also have set up speed traps out front and I gave permission to use my driveway to stack 'em up six at a time. They turned me down, reminding me that some carry permit people don't take kindly to popo helpers.

 

[Bob Heine]

With your luck, Bob, that performance shop is probably where the police interceptors get tuned, and you're SOL on getting popo help.

John, I don't recall seeing any of the new front-wheel drive cruisers over there but you never know.

The irony is that quite a few of the cars from those shops pass by with their engines revving but they are in first or second gear and much closer to the speed limit than the tuners and crotch rockets. Day before yesterday a Stone, Woods & Cook style Willys gasser cruised by my house. No drama, no stunts, just a car lover taking his baby out on a beautiful fall day. Karma

 

[rmalkow2]

Bob,
I guess then you have limited options. Those "Your Speed" signs are a joke if not actually catching people. I know I check my car speedo against them when I go by.
I guess you only have a few time honored traditional American options.
1. If you can't beat them: Join them and make use of the Caddy power.
2. Armed Escalation: One up the CPL dudes by sitting out front with that camera and a big 12ga camera extension. (Add the can of PBR in your lawn chair cup holder for extra effect.)
3. Financial Gain: Stock up on tire prep and start charging them to do burnouts.
4. Retreat: Move to a gravel road. I never get any Willys Gassers cruising my road. Especially after a good rain.
5. Pray More: We probably can't go any more into that choice here on the forum.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Great comments all around. The kph trick backfired with me. Sharp eyes. However years ago we were commuting in our Honda Prelude, and I was doing about 80. My loving wife asked about the speed since she could not see the speedometer from her angle (loved that car) and her friend in the back seat announced "we're only doing 25 on the little speedometer" (that would be the tachometer centered in the speedometer.

After all, it is called a speed o meter.

Bob, isn't your Caddy white? All it needs is a half car cover (black) covering the hood and front fenders, and another black cover on the trunk and rear fenders. At speed it doesn't matter whether it has a name on it.

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob, I like your KPH instead of MPH line, I had something similar with my blue/white 55. We were driving home from Albury one Monday arvo, when the 1100 Holley started to over fuel, (rubbish in the float bowl). So we had to go faster to use it up or not get home as I had no tools in the car. About sunset we were just outside of Yass and it was getting worse, remembering now that it got 10mpg when driving normally. She looks over and says "**** now the speedo is broken", I say,"no, its just over on the right hand side of the trim". We made it almost the Canberra border but ran out of fuel, so my brother came out and towed us the couple of miles to the house. Exciting but stupid! the voice of experience.
Note: My DW knew about me getting booked for doing 245 in a 110 zone a few years before that ( actually the day I first got it registered) and first question was " is it really over fuelling?"

Terrick, great stories! My over fueling experience was more mundane. I foolishly rebuilt and hopped up the engine on my 1956 Chevy 210 2-door sedan (in 1963). It was totally worn out with a 235 6-cylinder and 3-speed standard transmission. I was 18 and bought the car one rainy night (I worked 7 days a week) because our Plymouth (similar condition) died for the hundredth time on the way home from work that day.

Among a number of modifications was a dual 2-barrel manifold with twin Ford 94 carbs. Started it up for the first time and didn't smell the raw gas coming out the tailpipe. A stuck float on the rear carb gas washed the two rear cylinders and by the time I realized I had a problem one of the rod bearings spun. A crankcase with a quart of gas thinning out the oil does that pretty quick. Another night on my back in the dirt under the car. Junked the car decades ago but kept the intake and carbs until 2009. Cleaned it up and sold it for almost 20 times what I paid for it.

You did well on your speeding violation. I think you maxed out the penalties (several thousand $????). I was very fortunate with the one ticket I got in Australia. I was probably doing 82K in a 60K section of 2-lane with the 80K section a few blocks ahead. The officer cited me for 19K over the speed limit, which saved me about $300 (20K over starts to get expensive). Being polite and admitting my mistake right away probably helped.

I used to wear an artificial arm with a stainless or aluminum hook on the end. Whenever a cop pulled me over, I jumped out of the car and held the hook up high. I didn't want someone who is rightfully worried about being shot to see a shiny metal object in my lap when they walk up on my side of the car.

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob,
I guess then you have limited options. Those "Your Speed" signs are a joke if not actually catching people. I know I check my car speedo against them when I go by.
I guess you only have a few time honored traditional American options.
1. If you can't beat them: Join them and make use of the Caddy power.
2. Armed Escalation: One up the CPL dudes by sitting out front with that camera and a big 12ga camera extension. (Add the can of PBR in your lawn chair cup holder for extra effect.)
3. Financial Gain: Stock up on tire prep and start charging them to do burnouts.
4. Retreat: Move to a gravel road. I never get any Willys Gassers cruising my road. Especially after a good rain.
5. Pray More: We probably can't go any more into that choice here on the forum.

You are a wicked wicked man! It's not nice to put ideas like that in the mind of an impulse-control-challenged old man.

 

[Bob Heine]

Great comments all around. The kph trick backfired with me. Sharp eyes. However years ago we were commuting in our Honda Prelude, and I was doing about 80. My loving wife asked about the speed since she could not see the speedometer from her angle (loved that car) and her friend in the back seat announced "we're only doing 25 on the little speedometer" (that would be the tachometer centered in the speedometer.

After all, it is called a speed o meter.

Bob, isn't your Caddy white? All it needs is a half car cover (black) covering the hood and front fenders, and another black cover on the trunk and rear fenders. At speed it doesn't matter whether it has a name on it.

Andy, the tachometer ruse only worked twice for me.

You may be on to something. The Caddy is "Thunder Gray" but that's close enough to black. A couple of coats of white Plasti-Dip on front and rear should work fine. My wife complains that the car doesn't stand out enough in the parking lot. Thank goodness it doesn't have a whip antenna or I would have a red ball or flower bouquet on it.... :supergay:

 

[HOTFR8]

Cleaned it up and sold it for almost 20 times what I paid for it.

Why does that not surprise me. Well done.

 

[Bob Heine]

Thank you Simon. My wife suggested I throw it out a number of times in the 43 years it sat on a garage shelf. I finally agreed but when I said I'd sell it instead of throwing it out she gave me that "Why are you wasting your time polishing that piece of junk" look. Words cannot describe her face when I told her it sold for $600. My smile pushed my cheeks back so far I couldn't hear but I think she asked if I had any more valuable junk hiding in the garage.

 

[HOTFR8]

Hmm. Valuable Junk. Can the two words really work together? I guess in your wife's eyes they do.

 

[Terrick down Under]

B, I have a polished Hilborn injection and small Mr Gasket scoop for a SBC that should go but I want to convert it to LPG for my nomad...one day

 

[Bob Heine]

The week before my incident with the motorcyclist, I drove my wife to a medical center for x-rays and parked under a tree. I noticed droppings on the pavement but it didn’t register as a problem. Four days later it’s a problem. A vulture or flying elephant must have been in that tree and took a dump on the passenger side in front of the side rear-view mirror of the Cadillac.

I soaked the bird turds with detail spray and wiped it off with a towel (not washing that one). I can't imagine what the perpetrator was eating but it was gross.

Got a fresh microfiber towel and went through several cycles with the detail spray, expecting I was done cleaning it up. Nope! The droppings ate into the clear coat in several places. The worst was on the fender but there were etched marks on the door as well. After trying several polishes, I could still see the marks in the paint, right where the light fixture is reflected in this picture.

I tested my cutting and buffing skills again, starting with 1500 grit on a hard block (maple).

Went through finer and finer sanding grits until I finished with 3M 5000 grit Trizact.

Then I went through all four Chemical Guys polishes (32 through 38) with each one applied with a finer and finer foam pad. I did three other areas that were damaged but basically all the same process.

 

[Bob Heine]

Hmm. Valuable Junk. Can the two word really work together? I guess in your wife's eyes they do.

Simon, she never actually uses the word junk when describing MY stuff but the look on her face when she's looking at it is completely different from the look on her face when she's in a thrift store looking at linens. She sees a handmade treasure and I see a lace pillowcase that could soak up some fluids.

 

[Bob Heine]

B, I have a polished Hilborn injection and small Mr Gasket scoop for a SBC that should go but I want to convert it to LPG for my nomad...one day

Terrick, I completely understand you not wanting to show that 'valuable junk' because we have a pretty good idea where you live and it could go walkabout. BUT if you could just post a little teeny weeny thumbnail or two, it would mean a happy ending for many of us.

 

[Bob Heine]

Big shout-out to Zeke, who encouraged me back in post 946 (http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6084240&postcount=946) to find a one-hand TIG solution. He developed something that I thought looked great but I won't post it here unless he agrees.

From the sites Zeke pointed me to I tried my own version. Started with a foot-long piece of thick-walled 1/4-inch stainless steel tubing. It needed to hold the stainless wire or the filler rod so I put a slight bend in it, using an Eastwood brake line bender. The un-bent tube is the same outside diameter but thinner walled.

Using files, a Dremel tool with some diamond burrs, a Scotch-Brite EXL de-burring wheel and a buffer, I cut away a section of the tube.

A little more shaping and polishing and a 1/16-inch filler rod slides through quite easily but with some friction.

Unfortunately I can't get the rod to slide with just finger pressure if I'm wearing a TIG glove but it moves fine with bare skin. I can take a certain amount of heat but a molten pool of steel at the end of the rod is going to be more than a little uncomfortable. I am drawing pictures in my mind how to solve the advancing mechanism and I think it's going to be simple -- Famous Last Words!!

I wanted to move on to the torch mount for the TIG rod feeder. I went to my wood lathe and... oops, I don't have one of those, or a milling machine or precision tool of any kind. Drill a 1/4-inch hole in a block of wood at an angle, round off the block on a sanding wheel and hog a channel to match the torch with a rotary rasp. A hose clamp and I think I've got it.

I obviously can't use a block of wood but I can weld an angled bracket to the tube. First I have to make a short sleeve that slides over the open channel. A nut welded to the outside of the sleeve with a matching hole allows me to install a screw. The screw tip presses on the filler rod and the sleeve is loose enough to slide back to grab a bit more rod, press down on the screw head and feed more into the puddle. Turns out I have exactly the right size stainless tube in my tiny pile.

Now I need to figure out the perfect length for the outer tube. I can make a couple of mistakes before I have to order another foot of tubing.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Bob, now that is one heck of a smart idea..

Let us know how you get on with it..

Regards

 

[oldironfarmer]

Great job on the fickle finger of TIG fixture.

Tremendous job on the finger window. Can you move the window a little farther from the puddle? Or put a little radiant shield to protect the bare finger? I've been trying to visualize a thin sheet metal thumb operated lever which would push the filler metal when the thumb pushed down on it from the back.

This will be great when you get it to working.

 

[bolensboneyard]

Bob now that I have "time off" from being able to "work" in the shop I have decided to spend some down time going over early posts on some of the sites I visit. Just had to say after my broken ankle stopped pining away for its mate in your post, and the shock wore off for a second time in less than two weeks, that the laughter my wife and I have had riding along on the read more than outweighs my ankle reliving the nightmare! However, I'll never ride a bike again!! Bobby (please refer to post #74 I think) I am still a little foggy.

 

[bolensboneyard]

Bob looking at your design; good thinking. What about taking the area made of wood and make it out of aluminum first. Then bore a hole the size of the tubing through it at a level that would allow you to install a small, knurled, set of drive wheels inside it above and below on tubing which would now have to have a small scalloped cut in it further back to allow access for the wheels to make contact with the wire. The bottom wheel could be smaller in diameter and stationary and the top larger and pinned in a channel up and down allowing it to float so you can apply pressure as you spin the wheel with a thumb. I don't know how involved or sophisticated you want to get but the picture came up in my head and I though I would pass it along. Bobby

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob now that I have "time off" from being able to "work" in the shop I have decided to spend some down time going over early posts on some of the sites I visit. Just had to say after my broken ankle stopped pining away for its mate in your post, and the shock wore off for a second time in less than two weeks, that the laughter my wife and I have had riding along on the read more than outweighs my ankle reliving the nightmare! However, I'll never ride a bike again!! Bobby (please refer to post #74 I think) I am still a little foggy.

Bobby, I'm thrilled to have you visit. In a way your injury is more devastating than mine. From the day they amputated my arm to waling out of the hospital was 11 days and my physical recovery took less 2.5 months. Mostly replenishing my blood -- when you can stand up quickly without passing out, it's time to go back to work. (Couldn't find a one-armed Rocker)

I seek out the funny side of life so I don't waste so much time crying. Oh, and if you have any reservations about bike riding, post #130 may not help.

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob, now that is one heck of a smart idea..

Let us know how you get on with it..

Regards

Steve, you must be a total wreck from all the joy and happiness. You posted here a half-hour after posting your beautiful homage to your new grandson, Aiden Robert. Now go celebrate and I want pictures of the WELCOME AIDEN ROBERT skywriting over Shepparton.

 

[Bob Heine]

Great job on the fickle finger of TIG fixture.

Tremendous job on the finger window. Can you move the window a little farther from the puddle? Or put a little radiant shield to protect the bare finger? I've been trying to visualize a thin sheet metal thumb operated lever which would push the filler metal when the thumb pushed down on it from the back.

This will be great when you get it to working.

Bob looking at your design; good thinking. What about taking the area made of wood and make it out of aluminum first. Then bore a hole the size of the tubing through it at a level that would allow you to install a small, knurled, set of drive wheels inside it above and below on tubing which would now have to have a small scalloped cut in it further back to allow access for the wheels to make contact with the wire. The bottom wheel could be smaller in diameter and stationary and the top larger and pinned in a channel up and down allowing it to float so you can apply pressure as you spin the wheel with a thumb. I don't know how involved or sophisticated you want to get but the picture came up in my head and I though I would pass it along. Bobby

Andy and Bobby, thanks so much for the suggestions. I'm not sure when my multi-tasking skills went away but they did. Making coffee takes my complete and undivided attention as does drinking it. I'm going to try to implement the Etch-a-Sketch design in my head before someone bumps into me. Then I will re-visit these great ideas you've both shared.

Maybe you two can help me with a small problem. I want to cut threads in the thick-wall tube. That way I can remove, repair or re-design the outer sleeve if I need to. I have a $2 set of taps and dies and the 1/4-20 die won't even start cutting. I was able to make some deep scratches but not usable threads with the 5/16-18. My lathe is an Imagination Figment model that doesn't actually work so I was wondering if I need a better die or if there's a machinist magician trick that would work.

 

[Bob Heine]

Baby step progress on the Fickle Finger of TIG project. I cut a piece of tubing, drilled a hole and tapped it for a 6-32 screw. Last year I bought my first spring-loaded center-punch and it helped a lot getting the bit started on the recently acquired drill press (close as I'm getting to a machine shop). And yes, I need to weld a nut to the outside for reinforcement -- future baby step.

It didn't work because the screw tip just slides along the filler rod. I filed a curve in the screw tip and that didn't help either. It occurred to me it needed a longer and rougher surface to grab the rod. The file on the vise tested the theory and it worked surprisingly well. If I can attach a section of jeweler's file inside the tube I might have a winner.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Interesting stuff! But I'm dense. I see the last picture with the sleeve and screw tapped into it. Are you planning on moving the filler metal with the tip of the screw as you put pressure on the screw and slide it down?

If so, filing grooves in the tip may give you enough "grab" to move the wire. I like Bobby's idea of a serrated wheel, but you only would need one wheel to roll and push the wire.

I thought you were going to try to push the wire with your bare finger. I really think that would work if you had a heat shield below your push groove.

Unfortunately there will be a lot of friction between the wire and the tube and you are trying to overcome that with a small tip on the screw so it is slipping. Hence if it has some serrations or points on it to dig in with it may work.

An off the wall idea: if you bent your filler wire into maybe a 3" radius circle and clamped it to a 3" long arm which pivots about 2.9" from the tip of the tungsten, and you have a friction joint at the pivot point, you could use your thumb or a fickle finger to feed maybe two inches of filler metal before you had to stop and move the clamp back up the arc or install a new arc of filler metal. If you use lots of water mud can look almost clear.

And if you're trying to tap in the end of the heavy tube you need to look up what size hole you are supposed to have to use your tap and then measure the tube. If it's too big you have options: fill it with brass then drill it out and tap, heat it and forge it down to a smaller size around a mandrel the size you want, or look for a metric tap which might be a better fit, or weld a nut the size you want to the end of the tube. If you're trying to tap a hole in the side you've already done it so this is old news, but I like working on problems whether they exist or not.

 

[oldironfarmer]

You also might want to make a holder for your torch where your four fingertips have full control of the torch leaving your thumb free to manipulate the wire, kind of like brass knuckles to put your fingers through to give you more torch control with fingers only since the palm is so connected to the thumb movements.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Just one more thought.

If you like the circular filler metal on a little arm, if it is spring loaded to retract you would have very good control to dip the filler in the pool then pull it back just by letting the spring retract it.

The center of the pivot actually brings the filler metal into the puddle at an angle like with old fashioned two handed TIG, typically the tungsten and filler metal can be about 90 degrees to each other. But you could adjust that angle by where you place the pivot point with respect to the centerline of the tungsten.

I guess I need to draw this out.

 

[oldironfarmer]

OK, here's a sketch. Obviously the filler metal needs to be bent around a mandrel to get it very circular, not like I've drawn.