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    What's the trick to getting rivet shanks to break off cleanly every time?

    I don't need to rivet things very much, but when I do, I find that it's around 60-40 whether the shank will break cleanly or whether it will leave a stub attached to the rivet head. I'm using a regular hand riveter. Is there a special technique I'm not aware of that will ensure that the shank...
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    Could I build my own cheap brake pressure gauge? What am I missing?

    As part of diagnosing a brake issue on my car, I'd like to be sure that the master cylinder is holding pressure properly. The factory manual says the pressure at a front caliper with the pedal pressed should be 50 bar (725psi) for at least 45 sec, dropping no more than 4 bar across that time...
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    Am I using these shackles correctly to support my engine?

    I've borrowed an older type of engine support beam, and had to supply my own chains and shackles. The shackles are certified to 1 tonne (the engine weighs 450lbs), and my question is, is it safe to attach them as shown in the photos, with the load being carried by the pin rather than the...
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    Will these battery-powered pumps be OK transferring 80w-90 gear oil?

    I need to do a diff service on my Jeep, and I remember the arm-ache involved when I used a manual pump the last time I did the job. Any ideas if these sort of cheap battery-powered pumps on Amazon will work to transfer fluid with the viscosity of gear oil?
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    Need advice on servicing floor jack

    I've had my trusty 3-ton floor jack for about 10 years and never changed the oil. I bought it when I lived in Dubai; it wasn't a name brand, and I've long since lost the oil change instructions that came with it. It's the kind of jack where, when you turn the handle, you turn two sprockets...
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    Do pro mechanics use box-end wrenches with 12 or 6 points?

    It suddenly struck me the other day that it's hard to find regular wrenches with 6-point box ends. They pretty much always have 12-point ends. And that got me wondering, do professional mechanics make a point of sourcing wrenches with 6-point box ends and only use 12-point ones on 6-sided...
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    Roloc pad equivalents for Dremel?

    Can anybody recommend any Roloc pad equivalents that will fit a Dremel? I've just pulled the rear diff cover on my Escape, and cleaning all traces of the old RTV off the upper mating surface on the diff housing would have been so much quicker and easier if I could have got a Roloc pad in there...
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    Jack is sometimes tough to release - anything I can do?

    I have a no-name 3-ton trolley jack (doubtless Chinese-made) that I've been using for the past 7 years or so. The only issue I have with it is that the release mechanism isn't reliably smooth when you've got weight on it. It's the standard twist-the-pump-handle release, but sometimes it will...
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    Best 3/8" cordless impact?

    Hi guys, I have an IR W7150 cordless 1/2" impact, and I absolutely ****** love it. I have yet to find a bolt or nut it won't break free in a few seconds, even the biggest and crustiest suspension fasteners. The only downsides are its size and weight. I'm pondering getting a 3/8" cordless to...
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