FyrMe's Tool Restoration Thread

[Fyrme]

FyrMe's Tool Restoration and Projects Thread

After being inspired by Thomas' (BB767) Restored Auto Shop thread with all the vintage tools he has found, and ZRX61's mad tool resto skills, I got a hankeren to start collecting vintage tools from before my time. I am going to take a shot at restoring some tools mostly for show but to be functional at the same time.

For my first project I wanted to be something cheap in case I totally fail. Well I had a set of wrenches for sale on CL for $40. After dropping the price to $35 I got a bite.
In my ad I mentioned that I would trade for old tools "Tools from grampa's barn" I met the guy and he brought the $35 cash and a few old tools just in case.
He had an old pipe wrench, an old mason’s 24" level, a hand drill, and a big hand plane. Well only being interested at this time in steel tools I could try and renew using the heat and oil quenching method, I passed on the wooden tools. Though I would like to have had the level to hang on the wall, but didn’t really need it. Anyway, I walked away with this...

At this time I know nothing about it other than it is a pipe wrench. It had a wooden handle at one time and is replaceable. (the bottom fastener is threaded.) The jaw does move but is stiff right now. Also there is some heavy pitting in a couple of areas but is solid. If anyone has any advice or info on manufacturer or where to search for one, I'm all ears. Like I said, I'm a total newb to this concept.

I can not jump on this project right away since I have a few irons already in the fire (pardon the pun) but will try and move it up the line. I just posted this early because I wanted to show it to someone that could appreciate it. My wife just rolled her eyes and said "You paid for that?" I hope to make this a regular hobby since my other automotive hobbies have been somewhat grounded due to their expense, and this is much cheaper. But I'll update this thread anytime I can with new tools and restoration results.

 

[ZRX61]

Guy tried to sell me one just like that a few months back for $75, it still had the wooden handle & worked etc. It was dated 1870s IIRC
As the wood is gone on yours either soak it in vinegar & keep a eye on it for a few days or soak it in molasses & leave it for a month.

 

[Fyrme]

Man I was hoping you would chime in. 1870's? Holy ****! I was thinking like early 20th century. So vinegar or molasses huh? I was going to try electrolysis just to learn how but you know this stuff way better than me. Where were the markings located on it?

Thanks!

 

[ZRX61]

Electrolysis will work as well, just depends on how impatient you are Cant remember where the markings on it were, I only had it in my hand for maybe a minute. I think the wooden handle was hexagonal, not round though.

 

[Fyrme]

Awesome, thanks. I'll have to research some to make sure I can duplicate the handle correctly. I would imagine it was made of oak or hickory, but I doubt I'll find a 140 year old piece of hard wood at the lumber yard, lol.

 

[Fyrme]

Small update on the wrench. I have been soaking it in vinegar for the past week. A VERY slow process but it seems to be working. I have uncovered some wording. It appears to be a Bemis & Call 15" pipe wrench.

From a web search, I found this:
Bemis & Call H. & T. Co.
Springfield, Massachusetts
1835-1888

and this,

So it looks like it is indeed from the 1870's era. Possibly made after that, but I'm not sure.

 

[Fyrme]

Here is another challenge I brought home today. It will likely be done over time. This is what I consider a huge project with my current lack of knowledge and skills for this type of work.

It's a Walker Roll-A-Car. Patent Dec. 1922. It is completely frozen in the position it's in with a lot of rust and repairs to be made.

 

[Fyrme]

Update. The vinegar process was going really slow. This is a week on each end the upper has been wire brushed while the lower half was just pulled out of the vinegar.

While not the best set up, I just did a quick cut of the top of the jug and dropped it in to see if I liked the results...

I didn't like it, so I spent a couple hours and spent $5 on a tub. I had some 1 1/2" flat bar on hand so I whipped up a electrolysis tank. I only wanted to make this once so I put a little time in it and ended up with great results.

30 seconds after power up

And 25 min in. You can see the outline of wrench

It's still cooking while I type this so I will have to report back later

 

[hobbitss]

Bump..
Looking for an update..

 

[Fyrme]

Sorry Joe, I do have some progress, not much but some. I will try and get my new pics up tonight. I had quite a bit of trouble with the nut on the bottom of the wrench. It REALLY wanted to break the stem off. But with some patients and a little heat I finally got it off. Now I need to send it through the tank again since it is fully dissasembled now. I am going to have to find a buddy or someone that has a wood lathe to turn me a handle for it. I might try and find a piece of old hickory or oak to cut it out of. Stay tuned. Not much progress on the jack. I did pressure wash it yesterday and exposed some paint. So far I found a light blue and red. I don't know which would be the original color though. And the internet is not proving to be too much help figuring that out. It may end up just being a choice thing.

 

[DavidB]

Electrolysis should work well on that. I've used the process succesfully on several pipe wrenches. I also do some wood turning. If you can't find someone local with a lathe, I can probably turn something for you. I've posted about it some on my site in my sig.

 

[e-tek]

LOVE the jack!

 

[woody 73]

When you get it all cleaned up you can buy a drop dead gorgeous piece of wood (the sky is your only limit) and turn a brand new handle. Call woodcraft at 1-800-535-4482 and ask for a free catalog, ask them for the nearest store next to you and be sure and look at all the different kinds of small wood blocks for your new handle.

PS: Even though I love the Pink Ivory it is so rare I hate to see any more trees being cut so go with something else; if only to save a few more trees.

 

[rickhigginshtbr]

subscribed can't wait to see the tear down on that jack.

 

[ZRX61]

Here is another challenge I brought home today. It will likely be done over time. This is what I consider a huge project with my current lack of knowledge and skills for this type of work.

Same process as the wrench.. just more of it

 

[Outlawmws]

Sorry Joe, I do have some progress, not much but some. I will try and get my new pics up tonight. I had quite a bit of trouble with the nut on the bottom of the wrench. It REALLY wanted to break the stem off. But with some patients and a little heat I finally got it off. Now I need to send it through the tank again since it is fully dissasembled now. I am going to have to find a buddy or someone that has a wood lathe to turn me a handle for it. I might try and find a piece of old hickory or oak to cut it out of. Stay tuned. Not much progress on the jack. I did pressure wash it yesterday and exposed some paint. So far I found a light blue and red. I don't know which would be the original color though. And the internet is not proving to be too much help figuring that out. It may end up just being a choice thing.

I know Walkers in the more modern era are blue but a med. dark blue, maybe ping Hiball ans see what he knows or can find out?

 

[Gregg33]

Why not use EvapoRust? I've had good luck with, especially for non-chromed tools.

 

[Fyrme]

I posted some pics last night but it didn't submit the post so here it is again.

The electrolysis tank works great. And now that I have the wrench completely apart, I'm goin going to send it through again to get everything that was missed. after removing the rust that I have so far shows quite a bit of pitting that I dont know if it's restoreable. I can grind it down flat on the head to improve the surface but as far as the the screw, I don't know.

Here is another pic of the wrench completely torn down ready for the bath again.

I hope I can get it ready for oil quenching by this weekend.

 

[fordbroncodave]

slightly off subject but I have a cast carburetor, marvel shwebler or what ever you call it that has rust inside that I cannot get with a brush or pick. would electrolisis do the job or ruin the carb?

its all steel with the exception of a few brass plugs

 

[Fyrme]

After hitting it with the hotwater pressure washer. I found 4 colors. The blues may all be the same blue just in different stages of fading. Any input on color would be great. The internet is proving to not provide the needed info. A lot of people just paint them what ever they want. And I read where someone suggested that Walker custom painted these jacks to the customer specified color. It would be cool to find out if this was an original service station jack and match the companies colors.
The colors I found were.......
Red, light blue.........no wait, medium blue, or maybe it was dark blue?

 

[Fyrme]

slightly off subject but I have a cast carburetor, marvel shwebler or what ever you call it that has rust inside that I cannot get with a brush or pick. would electrolisis do the job or ruin the carb?

its all steel with the exception of a few brass plugs

If it is a all steel carb then you should be safe with electrolysis. If you had access to a ultra sonic cleaner, it would be a good idea to run it through one of those after the rust removal. I love my ultra sonic tank. I'm the only guy I know that gives his hand tools a bath in it every so often.

 

[fordbroncodave]

can you explain how you made that simple electrolisis tank? I have been kicking the idea around but have not got very far. still haven't finished my bubbler tank

 

[Fyrme]

can you explain how you made that simple electrolisis tank? I have been kicking the idea around but have not got very far. still haven't finished my bubbler tank

I'll try and get some pics up tonight. It's very simple and as complicated as you want to make it. Alot of people use rebar. Ilike the flat stock because 1. I had it. and 2. It is easier to clean than rebar. You can google images for them and turn up a ton of info. and they are all shapes and sizes. I consider this one a "portable" tank. I can take it to the fire staion with me and drop in a few tools in the moring and check on it through the day. I'm pretty new at this whole thing. So everything you see on this thread is pretty much a first timer thing for me. The power suppy seems to be the topic of debate on these things. I am using a old transformer type battery charger with 12v 2/12 amp. I thought it'd be fun for a laugh when you guy see something I screw up on. And it will keep me accountable to keep at it.

 

[rickhigginshtbr]

I would think the darker blue inside the wheel is probably closer to the true original color... my thinking is that it should have seen less sunlight. Could also be lighter than what you think since the picture you took still has a good amount of shadow in the wheel.

 

[Dustin Echoes]

http://www.powder365.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2978

This one belongs to another member here, I'm halfway through my restoration of the same model. I believe these are the correct colours.

 

[dadsEH]

The de-rusting works better if you suspend the parts in the bath. Electrolysis works best by line of sight. good work so far, make sure you use a good rotary wire brush to get all the rust out of the pit marks, brush in 2 directions works well and as for the pitting, well thats just the part showing its true age. dont go grinding and polishing on it.
remember the old saying..... "stuff is only original once"

TOP TIP...
If you want a rust free black surface that doesnt look painted try using a liquid black shoe polish applicator to 'paint' your tools...yeah, yeah, I heard you guys scoffing...shoe polish ? right!!!
its black, long wearing, doesnt rub off, gives pure wax protection and then tell me it doesnt work after you have used it. I did a 100 yr old vertical squeeze vice that I derusted by electrolysis and shoe polished and 5 years later on my shop bench it still looks like a blacksmithshop original.

 

[Fyrme]

http://www.powder365.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2978

This one belongs to another member here, I'm halfway through my restoration of the same model. I believe these are the correct colours.

Yeah that's Thomas' jack. Is that link his powder coater guy?

From what I have read, the color has not always been the same on Walkers, or maybe I'm just confused. The blue on mine is however close to the blue Thomas ended up with.

 

[Dustin Echoes]

Yeah that's Thomas' jack. Is that link his powder coater guy?

From what I have read, the color has not always been the same on Walkers, or maybe I'm just confused. The blue on mine is however close to the blue Thomas ended up with.

Funny thing, I was trying to find Thomas' jack on this forum, and gave up. Typed "walker floor jack" into google, and found his. It's a small internet...

 

[Fyrme]

Hell, with his 1930's auto shop restoration, he IS the Internet. Lol. Viral!

 

[Fyrme]

Just some quick pics of the tank I built. Like I said there is a thousand ways and shapes and sizes to bulid one of these, so not trying to reinvent the wheel, I used what I had on hand. Rebar may have been faster, but the way I did it allows me to drop the bars in the tank and not ever worry about them sliding around and contacting the tool causing a short. It can be torn down, and everything dropped in the tub with the lid on it and store it on a shelf, or take it mobile somewhere.

On a side note, if anyone is considering buying a plasma cutter, consider the HyperTherm PM30. Made in the USA by americans with great customer service and affordable consumables. And as far as power on the 30 amp machine, this is a solid 5/8" dia. stainless steel rod. The pic was one pass with a tip that had already cut at least 100 cuts previously. It was wired 220v and set on about 28 amps. Not bad huh?

This is another handy tool to have in the garage. A amp meter clamp that will read DC amperage.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Electrolysis is awesome. For the best results, kill the power after a few hours and skim the stuff off the surface. Also, wire brush the electrodes. It keeps things working, since the process slows down once the electrodes are covered.

FWIW, professionals use electrolysis on antique stuff...I happened to be at the museum and they had a huge electrolysis tank on display with a cannon inside...it had been recovered from a sunken ship and they were removing all the mineral deposits that had built up.

 

[CRTDI]

This old Walker catalog doesn't have your particular jack, but it might help a little with paint color selection.

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=114433

 

[ScubaSteve]

Tweak you amperages to see what works. Sometimes I think the lower amperages work better...not sure why.

 

[nine4gmc]

slightly off subject but I have a cast carburetor, marvel shwebler or what ever you call it that has rust inside that I cannot get with a brush or pick. would electrolisis do the job or ruin the carb?

its all steel with the exception of a few brass plugs

Electrolisis works by line of sight, it will not work inside the carb. Maybe try a vinegar bath or molasses if you have a lot of time.

OP, nice job on the wrench.

 

[bonneyman]

Love the floor jack and the C-man grinder. Can't wait to see restored pics!

 

[Fyrme]

might be over my head on these. I will be selling them for sure. Not sure yet if I will do a resto first or maybe a resto part out. But I have plenty of rust to remove with my Elecro. tank. The only way I would sell them as is, would be if someone offered a rediculous amount of money. The only history I know is they belonged to a 73yo man's father who was a black smith Night have to make a trip to the OWWM for these.

 

[ZRX61]

The only way I would sell them as is, would be if someone offered a rediculous amount of money.

They aren't all that rare, local place has a few for sale & the best/most expensive one is $125.

 

[Fyrme]

I not claiming I have something valuable. That comment was more facetious than anything. They are probably worth more parted out. I will likely strip them down refurb or restore the individual parts with little investment and resell the parts. I would like to see if I can get that little GE motor to run. I think it was retro fitted to a manual drill. It looks like the wheel was machined with a groove to fit the belt.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Those are in rough shape, so I don't know what kind of parted out value they might have, but they are definitely going to take some work. I'd be curious how well your rust removal goes without a wire wheel, just for future reference when it comes to heavy removal.

 

[Fyrme]

I think my electrolysis tank ate one of my pieces. I have searched high and low and it is just flat out GONE! I vividly remember hanging it on the wire, and I have all my pieces very organized. But it's gone!! WTH? I was hoping to get some good pics up tonight of one of the post drills I'm working on but I've spent the better part of 2 hours looking around my garage.