do you "tune up" everything you touch?

[laser3kw]

I can't help myself. It seems I have a compulsion to "tune up" everything I have. You know what I am talking about. We all know manufactured stuff isn't perfect. And if you have ever raced, you know that everything needs "blueprinting".
Of course, this applies to anything you buy at Harbor Freight or whatever you buy of Craig's list.
I found a air compressor on CL, 30 gallon upright, 5hp pump. It is a 1980 vintage Hartford (Sanborn family). The guy was pretty straight up and told me everything he knew. When he plugged it in, it kind of went "blah". didn't spool up quick. He was surprised and said it never did that before. We agreed on a price -$100 - with the caveat "it is what it is" / 30 ft or 30 second warranty.
Ok - so I get it home and proceeded to "tune it up". Pulled the shrouds, found a loose belt. And a suspiciously small drive pulley. Found the manual online and Yup! wrong pulley. Ordered the correct one and the correct belt.
Took apart the "dryer plug", found they had connected the green to the l2 lug and the white to the ground screw. Threw away the plug and installed the correct L6-20p plug and rewired motor and plug correctly. I also added a switch, Levatron dpdt 240v 30 amp as a shutoff. It breaks both sides of the line for total isolation.
swich link
The I disassembled the air outlet and re-plumbed with 3/8" brass - which I spun every ******, bushing and adapter on my lathe to chamfer all the in / out transitions to remove all sharp edges in the air stream.
Plugged it in, fired up, smooth and quite. Takes 30 seconds to pump up from cut in to top cut out.
So what say you? do you have to clean,shine, paint, trim, modify, add to....
whatever comes into your scope?

 

[TheBigMortboski]

do you "tune up" everything you touch?

I didn't like that my table saw was so boring...

When I buy old tools they get at very least a de-rust, polish, and paint.

And I've recently become single again after a long time, so I've decided that instead of buying new stuff (kitchen knives, furniture, lamps, etc.) I'm going to take thrift store "treasures" and completely redo them, so I can have neat custom stuff on a budget. So yeah, I'm with you.

 

[ilikedirt]

That's me with vehicles. Can't leave them alone.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Tinsnips; They leave a lot to be desired in the as manufactured state. I grind the cutting edges so they can get into tighter spots and so they don't have an overbite. Overbite meaning that when closed the tip of each cutting edge just meet and don't go past each other.

 

[laser3kw]

Yup Bigmortboski - That is what I am talkin' about!

 

[nine4gmc]

Good score and tuneup on that compressor OP!

TheBigMortboski, don't forget yard, garage and estate sales for necessities too.

 

[engineer2]

Yup, port and polish the snowblower engine intake and exhaust.
Connect my exhaust gas analyzer to the snowblower to see where it's at.
Take many things apart to see if they can be improved.
Add instrumentation to things.

 

[TheBigMortboski]

TheBigMortboski, don't forget yard, garage and estate sales for necessities too.

Oh yeah, just kinda slow for those in the winter time round these parts. Also the free/barter message boards.

 

[isb cornbinder]

My significant other and a few friends think I have OCD. I bought a 30 litre ultrasonic parts cleaner to wash my tools. I do not mind getting my tools dirty, but putting them away covered in grime is not likely to happen.
I have hundreds of antique and vintage tools that have suffered the indignity of cleaning and detailing. I even bought a PAASCHE air brush to colour detail some tools.

 

[EOC_Jason]

I like things to be mechanically sound, basically everything you did I would have too, except turning parts on a lathe. Also I would have changed the oil & at least cleaned the air filter (or replaced it)...

I will de-rust old tools I get and wipe them down with oil, but that's just basic maintenance if you want your stuff to last.

I haven't repainted anything in quite a while. I bought an old CMan radial arm saw today, lots of surface rust, needs a table, and replacing electrical cord.... Power cord is #1 priority... I've managed to get everything loose so now it all moves how it should. I have scrap wood I'll make a table & fence for. As for all the rust on the saw & base... It adds character, maybe if I get a big shop one day I will but for now I would rather use it than take it apart for several weeks...

 

[isb cornbinder]

And another victim.
I always wanted one of these BANKS cast aluminium air filter covers. After a few years of cruising Craigslist I found and bought this one for $50. I was dripping in grease and dirt and asking for some special attention. The filter assembly is being adapted to a Cummins 4bta in an L110 1952 International Harvester 4X4 pickup .
1) as found
2) after glass beading
3) polished and painted
The wheels are BBS mounted on a 1940 Ford Sedan. I have about 10 hours in each wheel. This includes deep cleaning, polishing the lip, masking and painting. The centre opening has been enlarged by .062" and given a milled grove for the detents on reproduction 1934 Ford hubcaps.

 

[dffay]

Same here with all of that. I can't resist buffing off burrs or derusting and honing any tool I come upon. I'm a flea market and estate sale cruiser so when I get something, it goes into the tool box better than it was. All of my stuff is post-flighted so a pre-flight check before the job at hand is so much easier. That has to fall into the OCD scale somewhere.

Likewise, if I borrow a tool, it is returned cleaned, sharpened, lubed etc.

 

[MushCreek]

I rarely can leave something just as I found it. I bought a new wood chipper for my tractor, and even though the hardware was perfectly serviceable, I used button head stainless steel screws to assemble the feed chute. Button head so branches won't snag on them; SS so it will stay pretty looking (other than the ravages of branches being dragged through it!).

I rebuilt the old junior west coast mirrors on my '72 F-250 recently. Everything on them was SS from the factory- except the hardware! So all of that SS gets stained from rusting fasteners. Why would they do that? I bought SS bolts, washers, and acorn nuts, and cleaned up the original SS parts.

I like to make things prettier, stronger, and better functioning whenever I can.

 

[Bighead38]

I rarely can leave something just as I found it. I bought a new wood chipper for my tractor, and even though the hardware was perfectly serviceable, I used button head stainless steel screws to assemble the feed chute. Button head so branches won't snag on them; SS so it will stay pretty looking (other than the ravages of branches being dragged through it!).

I rebuilt the old junior west coast mirrors on my '72 F-250 recently. Everything on them was SS from the factory- except the hardware! So all of that SS gets stained from rusting fasteners. Why would they do that? I bought SS bolts, washers, and acorn nuts, and cleaned up the original SS parts.

I like to make things prettier, stronger, and better functioning whenever I can.

Pics of the 72?

 

[pepi]

That's is a good question, and yes most things need some tweaking.


Greg

 

[ms fowler]

Yep.
I think its partially an OCD thing, but yep. I buy a 30 year old functioning Battery Charger/Tester on CL. Nice HD unit. Before I ever use it, it is disassembled, cleaned, connections tightened, and painted. Same for jackstands--need to clean and paint them. And yet, an un-made bed doesn't bother me in the slightest ( although it drives SWMBO crazy).

 

[4 FN 27]

It does not really become yours until you make a change to it.

Do it all the time.

 

[pfmg]

Tune up sounds better than modified...lol.
The answer is yes! This winter I have been "tuning up". 2 stroke single stage snow blowers. I grab them not running or free off CL, Get them running and Then do some mods, the biggest is adding a throttle control so I can get the RPM wayyy up. They usually have no control, and run at one safe speed. What fun is that, ,they cost me nothing so who cares if they blow. I will say I have 2 good running toros now than when I want, I can get spinning so fast it's tossing snow 50'. It's pretty impressive, and loud. Sounds like a dirt bike!

 

[skeletonizer]

You guys are total failures at entertaining me. I need pictures off all of these upgrades... before and after.

Thanks. ☺

 

[dirt_dobber]

It does not really become yours until you make a change to it.

Do it all the time.

I'm guilty of this also.

 

[d.mcfarland]

I think the title is misleading. You're talking about tinkering with old, used, possibly abused items. It's not tuning up anything, it's more of a once over or a refresh.

I'm the same way so I know what you're talking about. I'll at least clean and oil anything just for peace of mind and also aesthetics.

 

[bwringer]

I don't paint racing stripes on everything, but I do have a habit of fixing and adjusting things without being asked.

For example, I've fixed and adjusted lots of toilets with loose handles or incomplete flushing.

Once, a good friend of mine rolled up my driveway on his motorcycle. While we were talking, I grabbed a screwdriver, stainless steel screws, and a new headlight bulb, and soon that stupid yellow 30 year old glow-worm headlight bulb was in the trash and he was able to see and be seen. He knew me well enough not to worry when I started taking his bike apart in the driveway.

Back in college, my roommate's Dad let him borrow his red 1964 Mustang convertible for a weekend (nice mostly original driver with the straight 6). We drove a few blocks, then I told him to pull over and pop the hood. He started getting worried when I removed the air cleaner and he was nearly in tears when I pulled out a small screwdriver ("What are you doing? My Dad's gonna KILL me!") I told him to quit sniveling and start the car.

A few seconds later, the idle mixture screw was properly adjusted, the idle speed was set correctly, and the car wasn't stumbling and dying at stop lights. It was making me absolutely crazy. A few days later, he told me his Dad couldn't figure out why the car was running better, and accused him of "messing with it". He ended up very happy when he explained it was just a small adjustment by someone who actually knew what they were doing. Not a mechanical family.

 

[laser3kw]

Also I would have changed the oil & at least cleaned the air filter (or replaced it)..

Actually... I did.
Even cut a piece f foam air filter to put over the stock felt - as a "pre-filter". Also replaced the stock phillips head screws with socket head screws.

I have also done as others have posted - a single cylinder (or twin) is not safe around me.
I have saved more Craig's list orphan's than I care to admit. Problem is, I never seem to resell them!

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Me, too. I can't leave anything alone. It drives Mrs. LS6 nuts. I even opened up our brand new coffee maker and decided I didn't like the way some wires were routed. They are nice and neat now...

Tommy

 

[Warrenator]

You guys make me very happy.

 

[laser3kw]

You guys are total failures at entertaining me. I need pictures off all of these upgrades... before and after.

Here's another one.
I needed a pallet truck. Found one on CL, it was dirty, rusty and stuck in the up position. Bought it for $50 and started the " I'll just squirt some oil on it and use it" thing. Well one thing lead to another and before you know it I disassembled it and stripped it down to bare metal. Replaced the rollers and axles (they were rusted and stuck). Painted with Rustoleum using a roller.
I didn't get a before pic but here are "during" and after.

 

[mr_future]

do you "tune up" everything you touch?

I just bought a heavily used Honda mower for very cheap since it didn't run or cut well. I replaced the blades, air filter, spark plug, oil, and it runs like a dream. So satisfying. And this was LITERALLY a tune up since the spark plug was changed.


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[MikeF2316]

I don't normally repaint, but I do tweak and clean and lubricate. If there's paint where it shouldn't be it gets removed. If something is slightly bent, it gets straightened.

That said about painting, one thing I can't stand about most new cars is the outside mirrors. Most are half painted, with the base and underside often left black. I hate that look. Mine are completely painted.

 

[kaymccampbell]

That's what life is about. right?

 

[egnorant]

That is where the fun begins! It was once pointed out to me that I would rather buy a $5 wiget and spend $40 fixing it rather than buy a $45 one that works. Theory being that once I have been in and done the work it will be better than the $45 one, I will know the machine and have utter faith in it and have avoided exposure to the Kardassians or dancing "celebrities".

I bought a 2 stroke pole saw for 5 bucks just this weekend! $21 later I have rebuilt the carb with new parts, air cleaner, spark plug, hit all the lube points and grinned like I invented fire or something! Those pesky branches near the house never stood a chance!

I talked with a fellow that I followed to a restaurant on his date night just to talk about his cool car (1973 Mustang convertible). We discussed a few problem he was having and I just fixed 3 of them right there. Adjusted his fast idle solenoid, air mixture and found and repaired a vacuum leak! I just could not let him escape with a poor running machine!

I went into a hotel this weekend and noticed the automatic door was...sluggish and you had to be real close for it to activate. Quick nudge on the eye fixed it! Told the front desk what I did and on the way out they told me it was now awesome working and everyone always hated how it was working.

Don't even ask about the kids Power Wheels...

Bruce

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

Oh ya, I can't even assemble something brand new without tossing out the standard nuts and lockwashers and replacing them with nylocks. I have a very difficult time NOT changing SOMETHING on anything I buy that's shop related...there must be a term and medication for this illness.

 

[ilovevocs]

Personally I'm more into building than modifying but I do my fair share of "fixing" things that are not broken.

 

[Capt Chrysler]

Yep

Capt. Chrysler

 

[dffay]

Rhetorically, and on a different scale:

How many frame-off restorations began with a carburetor overhaul?

 

[MushCreek]

I've heard that a lot of plastic surgeons 'tune up' their wives...

 

[AldeanFan]

Stayed in a hotel this weekend and had to tighten all the bolts on the luggage cart. I've inherited my dads hatred of rattles.

Im helping one of my friends building a racecar. He picked up a horizontal bandsaw off Kijiji. I may take the saw to my house this week because I can't stand it. It needs a good hour of tuning up. Blade jumps off almost every cut, legs are loose so the saw sways and rattles, doesn't cut anywhere square when set at 90, and the cord is too short so it has to either be really close to the wall or plugged in to an extension cord and my friend only has one so we're always unplugging something to plug something else in.




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[egnorant]

Rhetorically, and on a different scale:

How many frame-off restorations began with a carburetor overhaul?

I had a broken alternator bolt that cost $500 before I was done...HINT powdercoating new aluminum engine accessories clear is the way to go!

Wonder if this would work on clean steel!

Bruce

 

[TheBigMortboski]

Another thing, I've been known to go around a room with a small slotted screwdriver and make sure all the screws on the outlet and switch covers are facing up and down. But that just might be OCD.

 

[engineer2]

Rented a drain snake at HD today. As they are doing the paperwork I'm tightening the housing screws.
Someone wanted pictures: Tecumseh 5HP port and polish.

 

[laser3kw]

I call it the "Mike Holmes syndrome"
that's where you start a simple project and it goes like this:
"This is nice, and so is this,,,
oh no - look, you can see a little of a previous paint job way under here, back up in the far corner ( with a flashlight).
Gut it! better fix it all .