BEFORE & AFTER....A Tool Polisher's Haven

[drivesitfar]

38 Dodge: the stand under those Buffers (old motors with attachments added later) is maybe worth half of what the seller is asking.

that said with the motors open to all that dust and **** that can come off a buffers wheel i might pass and spend a bit more money and get a nice used BALDOR BUFFER that is really made for buffing.

if you are handy and you can clean and maybe rebuild those motors then your call if you want to buy them, but i'd personally pass. that said I do already own a Baldor Buffer and about 10 grinders so i might be a bit more picky when buying another one.

LOVE THIS THREAD GUYS.

Eric: you've got a fun addiction shining cool old tools and looking forward to seeing what you shine up next. speaking of these old saws and drills and such have you shined up any of the old metal cases some of these came in yet?

 

[38 Dodge Coupe]

Thanks drivesitfar,for your insight. I was leaning that way as well. Over the years I have purchased some really good used tools that just needed a little bit of attention to put them back in top notch service, but in this case the purchase price would have to be a much lower price than I expect they would want to sell it for.

 

[bubinga]

Re: BEFORE & AFTER....A Tool Polisher's Haven

Grinder conversion is complete. I can convert back to original use in under and hour if ever needed. Should get plenty of use in this configuration.

Has anyone used one of these grinder wheel flex adapters before? It looks like you can add oil. Just curious what’s recommended. It’s an old craftsman model. Cleaned up pretty well with a quick run on the buffer.

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You made the stank Right, It's wild looking. Nice too though.

 

[don long]

I've been working on a vintage tire machine display and I grabbed this old tire hammer and cleaned it up for the display

2019-02-18 14.25.12 by don long, on Flickr

2019-02-18 14.25.02 by don long, on Flickr

2019-02-21 08.57.11 by don long, on Flickr

2019-02-21 08.57.20 by don long, on Flickr

 

[Bears Fan]

Holy **** Don!!! You sure done a number on that hammer

 

[Offcenter12]

That is some fabulous work Don! Years ago we had a Grove RT65 at work with calcium ballasted tires and the calcium was crusting up so we asked a tire company to remove it. They sent one guy, roughly late twenties, about 5' 10" and 165 pounds or so to do all four 16 x 24 tires. I put the crane up on the outriggers and told him I'd check back from time to time if he needed anything. Typical Seattle, it started to rain, cold and gray. You could hear the poor guy swinging his hammer for a mile on those lock rim rings as he broke each tire loose, cleaned it and reseated them. End of the day I met him in purchasing to sign the work order where he stood stoop shouldered and covered in black grease from the lock rings. I remember thinking I probably made twice the wage he did for half the work. I like to remember from time to time there are good people out there who make a difference by working hard and being honest regardless of all the **** on the news. His day might have been a little brighter if he'd had this hammer, but it wouldn't have looked like this at the end of the day. Apologies for the rambling, but the tire hammer brought that day back quite clearly.

 

[don long]

Holy **** Don!!! You sure done a number on that hammer

Thanks B.F.

I've been working on a tire changer display

That is some fabulous work Don! Years ago we had a Grove RT65 at work with calcium ballasted tires and the calcium was crusting up so we asked a tire company to remove it. They sent one guy, roughly late twenties, about 5' 10" and 165 pounds or so to do all four 16 x 24 tires. I put the crane up on the outriggers and told him I'd check back from time to time if he needed anything. Typical Seattle, it started to rain, cold and gray. You could hear the poor guy swinging his hammer for a mile on those lock rim rings as he broke each tire loose, cleaned it and reseated them. End of the day I met him in purchasing to sign the work order where he stood stoop shouldered and covered in black grease from the lock rings. I remember thinking I probably made twice the wage he did for half the work. I like to remember from time to time there are good people out there who make a difference by working hard and being honest regardless of all the **** on the news. His day might have been a little brighter if he'd had this hammer, but it wouldn't have looked like this at the end of the day. Apologies for the rambling, but the tire hammer brought that day back quite clearly.

OFFcenter

When I was a teen I had a friend whose brother worked in a tire shop
You are right THAT IS HARD WORK

 

[don long]

Here are the other tools I've cleaned up for my tire display and the rack they will sit in after I finish painting it

IMG_0291 by don long, on Flickr

IMG_0290 by don long, on Flickr

And here is the tire changer

Before

2 by don long, on Flickr

After

1

b by don long, on Flickr

 

[jhn9840]

Don, your work is beyond words. I doubt that any of those things were that nice when brand new.

jhn9840
John

 

[Offcenter12]

Don, your work is beyond words. I doubt that any of those things were that nice when brand new.

jhn9840
John

X100! What is the long tube with the lever and what looks like a gauge on it?

Thanks,
John

 

[don long]

X100! What is the long tube with the lever and what looks like a gauge on it?

Thanks,
John

Thanks for the complements John

The tube you mentioned is a bar that after the lip of the tire is popped over the rim that tool is used to pull the rest of the tire over. What you thought was a gauge is a wheel used as a guide the tool around the rim

 

[Offcenter12]

Ah, okay. And you're welcome on the complement. The accolades are well deserved!

John

 

[gman007]

Don
The tier changer and other tire tools look absolutely fantastic, but then again I wouldn't expect anything less from you

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Dammit Don, you should be making jewelry and not polishing hammers! Outrageously over-the-top nice.

 

[bonneyman]

Dammit Don, you should be making jewelry and not polishing hammers! Outrageously over-the-top nice.

Agreed! Exceptional work, sir!

 

[lis2323]

Thanks drivesitfar,for your insight. I was leaning that way as well. Over the years I have purchased some really good used tools that just needed a little bit of attention to put them back in top notch service, but in this case the purchase price would have to be a much lower price than I expect they would want to sell it for.

I see the ad has been deleted so I suppose it has been sold. I looked at the ad when you first posted and it looked quite interesting.

If it was near me I certainly would have checked it out. However hard to go wrong with drives’ advice on Baldors.

Here’s a few of my polishers.

 

[don long]

Wow
You guys have set a pretty high bar for me.
Thank you, each of you. I do enjoy seeing things go from rust to shinny then sit in my garage for all to enjoy

Here is the finished tire changer and tool rack

2019-02-26 11.43.15 by don long, on Flickr

I wish I had moved the angle iron before taking that shot

Here is the tire changer up closer

2019-02-26 11.46.13 by don long, on Flickr

2019-02-26 11.46.45 by don long, on Flickr

And the tool rack

2019-02-26 11.45.18 by don long, on Flickr

 

[gman007]

Wow
You guys have set a pretty high bar for me.
Thank you, each of you. I do enjoy seeing things go from rust to shinny then sit in my garage for all to enjoy

Here is the finished tire changer and tool rack


I wish I had moved the angle iron before taking that shot

Here is the tire changer up closer

And the tool rack

Don
Way nicer than when it was new too. This is hands down the best looking tire changer in the world!

I am specially mesmerized by the depth and shine of the black paint!

 

[don long]

Don
Way nicer than when it was new too. This is hands down the best looking tire changer in the world!

I am specially mesmerized by the depth and shine of the black paint!

Thanks gman
I'm very pleased with the new toys to put on display in my garage.
The paint is hi dollar automotive paint applied with a very expensive spray gun.
Much different results when I use a rattle can for quick fixes.

The tools on the tool rack are just polished steel and not chromed!!

 

[OCD]

Wow, those are so cool Don!!

I get a lot of inspiration from seeing your projects!!

 

[Mitchw123456]

I just picked up this little guy for $50 and it fully functions. Watching this thread really has me thinking about cleaning her up


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[Loose Ctrl]

I just picked up this little guy for $50 and it fully functions. Watching this thread really has me thinking about cleaning her up


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That's a good candidate for a revive.

 

[code4pay]

I just picked up this little guy for $50 and it fully functions. Watching this thread really has me thinking about cleaning her up


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I don't think you can post that on here then say your only thinking about cleaning it up

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[JMLangford]

I don't think you can post that on here then say your only thinking about cleaning it up

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Well, He's got the "before" covered......now, he just has to get the "after"




.

 

[ClappedOutBport]

I just picked up this little guy for $50 and it fully functions. Watching this thread really has me thinking about cleaning her up


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What a deal for a mag drill!

We got this for a fair bit more the other day, but still pretty decent. It's the big brother to yours but it didn't need any restoration.

The serial number on ours is interesting. It's 80090001. That makes me wonder if it was by chance the first production unit off the line.

 

[Frank2918]

I could look at these threads all day. Nicely done.

 

[Madc]

Don,
Hate to ask as I'm sure you've answered before, but any chance you could detail the steps you took to get the tire hammer looking like that, I'm trying to restore/polish a sledgehammer to a similar finish for a friend as a present.
Thank you
MADC

 

[hpw]

minor contribution...

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[hpw]

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[don long]

Don,
Hate to ask as I'm sure you've answered before, but any chance you could detail the steps you took to get the tire hammer looking like that, I'm trying to restore/polish a sledgehammer to a similar finish for a friend as a present.
Thank you
MADC

Lotz of sanding

I started at the belt sander and knocked out all the big chips and gouges
Next it went to my work bench where I took a 3 " grinder with several different grits of paper started dressing the hammer down starting with 80 grit then 150 grit next came a pass with 220 grit to chase the sand scratches left from the previous sanding grits With 400 grit starts the polishing followed by 600 grit then 800 grit and on to 1000 then 1200. By now the metal has started to shine up quite a bit so over to the baldor polisher and black compound to finish it off before spraying the hammer with clear paint to keep the shine from fading back in a couple of months

Hope you can follow my follow my thoughts

Good luck

Don

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Lotz of sanding

I started at the belt sander and knocked out all the big chips and gouges
Next it went to my work bench where I took a 3 " grinder with several different grits of paper started dressing the hammer down starting with 80 grit then 150 grit next came a pass with 220 grit to chase the sand scratches left from the previous sanding grits With 400 grit starts the polishing followed by 600 grit then 800 grit and on to 1000 then 1200. By now the metal has started to shine up quite a bit so over to the baldor polisher and black compound to finish it off before spraying the hammer with clear paint to keep the shine from fading back in a couple of months

Hope you can follow my follow my thoughts

Good luck

Don

LABOR is apparently the name of the game.

hpw, Is Don's method what you did more or less? Did you spray with clear?

Don, On things like the tools do you spray with some kind of rattle can clear, if so what brand? I'll assume full gloss. Or do you break out automotive grade clear with hardener?

 

[don long]

Sorry for the late response Dan. I lost track of this thread.
I use a lot of rattle can clear with smaller projects but if I'm painting the project I will shoot the automotive clear on the entire project as the last thing
I don't have a specific brand rattle can clear but I usually get it from O'rileys

 

[jgromada]

Well I am not sure if Milwaukee 38 Hammer Drill 5392-1 (made in USA) which is only partly metallic (Aluminum) qualifies to be posted on this thread or not but for whatever it is worth here it is.

Recently I bought two US made hand drills (Milwaukee 38 Hammer Drill 5392-1 and Millers Falls Electric Drill Model B 260A aluminum body) for grand total of $10.


The status of internal wiring insulation as well as cords for both was a bit of concern (as an example see first photo). So I changed the the internal wires as well as the extension cords

The second photo shows the Milwaukee after rewiring (but before full restoration). Since the side handle for the Milwaukee was missing I made an Aluminium (threaded) rod which I planned to use to build a side handle with (see last three photos).

The 3rd photo shows the Milwaukee after publishing and painting.

I used the aluminium rod (after cutting it to length) in conjunction with a $2 bicycle handle grip to make the side handle. Since the original side handle had a guard, I used to center of an old blank DVD case to make a similar guard.

I have an old Milwaukee right angle D-handle drill missing its side handle so that will be helpful.

 

[rickhigginshtbr]

Did a quick test on my ‘57 Craftsman 110.7600 sander tonight. Wanted to see if, it was already in decent shape, would just using the bench grinder and some rouge would get close to Don’s masterpieces. Close, but not quite.





Some day I’ll do it Don’s way. For now it’s nice enough to look at.


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[don long]

I just love the old Craftsman aluminum power tools.
That old sander looks pretty fine for just polishing it up

 

[don long]

Here is my latest polishing projects.
An old air compressor for air brushing

1 by don long, on Flickr

Today it looks like this

2019-05-13 14.34.59 by don long, on Flickr

And a little mechanical floor jack
I polished rather than sending parts out for chrome


1 by don long, on Flickr


2019-05-13 14.49.05-1 by don long, on Flickr

 

[trijeff]

Holy camole and geez Louise on both as always Don, but WOWSERS on that jack. Serious skills, almost unbelievable. And that's just one small piece of your amazing tool inspired empire. Kudos and hats off sir!

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[rickhigginshtbr]

Thanks Don! And as always, wow to your two latest!


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[Craftfab]

Before:

 

[Craftfab]

After: