To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Fancy old mechanical floor jack project

To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

thehorse13

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 15, 2015
Messages
3,477
Location
Jefferson County, WV
All the pictures look fine to me.

Don, the one 1920s jack that I would drag home would be the one that Blackhawk made. It resembles yours and I did see one for sale out your way for 75 bucks a while back. Sooner or later I will trip over one. lol
 

Farmer J.

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 18, 2016
Messages
1,995
Location
UK, Cornwall/Hertfordshire.
Sooner or later I will trip over one. lol
Look forward to that happening.. and expect another back story of how you were driving around getting lost in some remote place and went in to a collapsing barn out the back and tripped on it in the dark. Then the grizzly old guy who owns the place and has been guarding his holy grail for decades gives it to you because you talk to him the right way, and he's so pleased are interested in it! :LOL:
 

thehorse13

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 15, 2015
Messages
3,477
Location
Jefferson County, WV
Look forward to that happening.. and expect another back story of how you were driving around getting lost in some remote place and went in to a collapsing barn out the back and tripped on it in the dark. Then the grizzly old guy who owns the place and has been guarding his holy grail for decades gives it to you because you talk to him the right way, and he's so pleased are interested in it! :LOL:
I believe that I need a reality show like a few other guys around here. lol.

These are the stories that I choose to share. I don't think that many people would believe some of the situations that I find myself in!
 
OP
D

don long

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Messages
8,843
Location
southern california
I found little time this morning to get the jack handle smoothed and in primer. I'm thinking of painting it black and doing the inner wheels at the same time

2021-08-16 14.02.44.jpg
 
OP
D

don long

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Messages
8,843
Location
southern california
Thanks bonneyman.
The internet went out on me last week so I'm a little behind answering.
I painted the jack handle and the center of the wheels black on Saturday and went to put them on the jack today and found that the polished pieces that I hadn't painted with clear yet had started to rust up some. That means tearing the jack apart again and repolishing a few pieces and clear coating each piece.

2021-08-23 18.25.14.jpg

2021-08-23 18.26.57.jpg

Here is an example of the rust that started to take over my parts.

2021-08-23 18.26.07.jpg
 

Oldtuleguy

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 4, 2017
Messages
10,458
Bummer about rust. It's been so humid here that some of my tools I use at work have started surface rusting.
 

1930artdeco

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 28, 2010
Messages
1,099
Location
Lynden, Wa
Don, That is such great job! At first when I saw it , I thought 'hey he made a little porcupine!' Well at least that is what theratchet wheel looked like at first glance. I hope my mechanical jack looks 1/4 as good as yours when I get around to cleaning it up and repainting it.

Mike
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
OP
D

don long

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Messages
8,843
Location
southern california
After a comment over on my party garage thread, I made the call and took the jack over to my friend that does all my lettering and pin striping for a little bling.
 

MikeL65

Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2022
Messages
5
Well it's been just over a month since I started this thread.
The jack is finally ready to find its spot in the party garage. The rust issue has been solved, the handle painted and attached, the wheels polished and the inserts painted black and the release rod is attached to the handle and works great2021-08-30 18.46.32.jpg2021-08-30 18.46.57.jpg2021-08-30 18.46.46.jpg2021-08-30 18.50.23.jpg
A
We can finally close the book on this one now. The jack came back from the striper and I've found a home for it on top of the Craftsman saw display case

2021-09-21 11.42.32 - Copy.jpg2021-09-21 11.49.25 - Copy.jpg2021-09-21 11.52.46 - Copy.jpg

.
 

MikeL65

Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2022
Messages
5
Thanks for posting your jack Mike
What did it look like when you first got it, and where did it come from?
Well it was pretty dirty! The handle was severely bent. I think someone took it off the jack and slipped it over a pipe wrench for leverage and nearly destroyed it. Had a buddy use a torch and a machinists vise and we gradually pulled it back to within 1/16” of straight. One of the three shafts was also bent most likely from being overloaded.
 

Attachments

  • F7F12800-8E90-45EF-9FBC-0F3125E67CE9.jpeg
    F7F12800-8E90-45EF-9FBC-0F3125E67CE9.jpeg
    542.6 KB · Views: 26
  • FBACE893-A48F-49A0-8136-CA0D2D4AF17C.jpeg
    FBACE893-A48F-49A0-8136-CA0D2D4AF17C.jpeg
    421.8 KB · Views: 23
  • 2F481FD6-97B5-4162-9F4E-2D28E797F20B.jpeg
    2F481FD6-97B5-4162-9F4E-2D28E797F20B.jpeg
    479.5 KB · Views: 20

MikeL65

Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2022
Messages
5
Well it was pretty dirty! The handle was severely bent. I think someone took it off the jack and slipped it over a pipe wrench for leverage and nearly destroyed it. Had a buddy use a torch and a machinists vise and we gradually pulled it back to within 1/16” of straight. One of the three shafts was also bent most likely from being overloaded.
I bought it 22 years ago at my wife’s uncle’s estate sale in south central PA. He was truly a car guy and the sale was held on two back to back Saturdays.
 
OP
D

don long

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Messages
8,843
Location
southern california
I bought it 22 years ago at my wife’s uncle’s estate sale in south central PA. He was truly a car guy and the sale was held on two back to back Saturdays.
Oh a family heirloom that's nice
Did you leave the bend in the middle of the handle It is there so you don't have to bend so far down.
I'm a little surprised how the release rod works what seems to be reverse of what I would call normal
My bend is just north of the loop for the push rod.

2021-08-23 18.25.14.jpg
 

MikeL65

Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2022
Messages
5
Oh a family heirloom that's nice
Did you leave the bend in the middle of the handle It is there so you don't have to bend so far down.
I'm a little surprised how the release rod works what seems to be reverse of what I would call normal
My bend is just north of the loop for the push rod.

2021-08-23 18.25.14.jpg
Yeah I left the bend after the release rod bracket.
 

Attachments

  • EA568827-25C3-4518-A227-76DBE7C46098.jpeg
    EA568827-25C3-4518-A227-76DBE7C46098.jpeg
    396.8 KB · Views: 28

calandrod

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 2, 2020
Messages
324
Location
Kansas
Thanks bonneyman.
The internet went out on me last week so I'm a little behind answering.
I painted the jack handle and the center of the wheels black on Saturday and went to put them on the jack today and found that the polished pieces that I hadn't painted with clear yet had started to rust up some. That means tearing the jack apart again and repolishing a few pieces and clear coating each piece.

2021-08-23 18.25.14.jpg

2021-08-23 18.26.57.jpg

Here is an example of the rust that started to take over my parts.

2021-08-23 18.26.07.jpg
Beautiful restoration! I really take a lot of inspiration from you. How durable is clearcoating the polished metal? I’ve wondered about that several times but it seems as though it wouldn’t stick to the surface very well.
 
OP
D

don long

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Messages
8,843
Location
southern california
Beautiful restoration! I really take a lot of inspiration from you. How durable is clearcoating the polished metal? I’ve wondered about that several times but it seems as though it wouldn’t stick to the surface very well.
All my stuff is on display so it doesn't see any abuse and the clear stays on just fine. Not sure it would hold up if it were put to work??
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom