Tips & Tricks

[neel2008]

Re: Tips & Tricks

maybe a little off topic but going with the same theme here....This is why I want to have an oil burner and transfer tank setup like my boss built for the shop, at home....6000 gallon tank outside, "pump station" inside the shop....drum cut in half and built on a stand with a grate about 4 inches from the top, line on bottom of tank goes to old power steering pump belt drove from an old electric motor and the line is T'ed into another line with a pipe on it to **** liquids out of drums, tanks, etc....If an item has fluid in it weather its a drain pan, oil quart bottles, oil filters etc, they get turned upside down onto the grate/tank, if you have a large tank to empty or whatever, you just shove the pipe in it....If its a combustible liquid, every single drop gets used.... I want to combine this setup in my home garage with a wood burner setup so if it's combustible, it heats the shop.....we have a wood burner in the house and I warmed up the house the other day just by using a half trash can of burnable trash (nothing too messy or something that my stink when burned, lol) I can't believe how much I can reduce our trash, just by dumping burnables into the wood burner. lol makes for a little more ash though...

 

[split150]

Re: Tips & Tricks

Couple little tips I picked up from my dad. First one is handy for tie wire, or anything that's wound and hard to keep wound up. Duct tape around the entire roll, then cut a circle out of one side and pull your wire from the center.

Second one is a quick wrench organizer/handle. Who doesn't have an old stick welding rod laying around? Just grab a hammer, glasses, and tap all the material off the rod until all you are left with is the center. Put it in the vise, and bend into the shape shown. Wala, wrench carrying handle or organizer.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Re: Tips & Tricks

To help keep paint splatter down, punch some small holes in the bottom of the lid seal groove of the can. Paint that gets trapped in the groove will drain into the can.

 

[jfish]

Re: Tips & Tricks

Couple little tips I picked up from my dad. First one is handy for tie wire, or anything that's wound and hard to keep wound up. Duct tape around the entire roll, then cut a circle out of one side and pull your wire from the center.

Second one is a quick wrench organizer/handle. Who doesn't have an old stick welding rod laying around? Just grab a hammer, glasses, and tap all the material off the rod until all you are left with is the center. Put it in the vise, and bend into the shape shown. Wala, wrench carrying handle or organizer.

both of these have been in effect in my work truck for years now. although now I use a bail and yoke from a power pole down guy to hold the wrenches.

 

[Jarhead0408]

Re: Tips & Tricks

That wrench holder is an excellent idea!
I'll be stealing that one from you!

 

[Always_Thinkin]

Re: Tips & Tricks

For oily jobs on the workbench I use an automotive oil drip pan for the floor. Walmart has them in the automotive section for under $15. The pan is 25" x 47".

 

[Southern]

Re: Tips & Tricks

I kind of hate that wrench holder, because if you need the last wrench, they all have to come off. Surely there's something at harbor freight or sears that does the same job with less hassle for under $20?

 

[slip knot]

Re: Tips & Tricks

I use baking trays with raised edges to store oily items such as chainsaws. Also use them to tear down oily items on the bench, parts and mess stay where they fall.

A rollup ear plug will plug a .22 hole in an aluminum boat.

 

[kd4gij]

Re: Tips & Tricks

A rollup ear plug will plug a .22 hole in an aluminum boat.

We won't ask how you know that

 

[Mischief King]

Re: Tips & Tricks

I kind of hate that wrench holder, because if you need the last wrench, they all have to come off. Surely there's something at harbor freight or sears that does the same job with less hassle for under $20?

Big wrenches come off the other end too....

 

[slickgt1]

Re: Tips & Tricks

Cool thread, I too have tip overload.

 

[318fekim]

Re: Tips & Tricks

I use baking trays with raised edges to store oily items such as chainsaws. Also use them to tear down oily items on the bench, parts and mess stay where they fall.

A rollup ear plug will plug a .22 hole in an aluminum boat.

Choot 'em Lizabeth!

 

[Deltarat]

Re: Tips & Tricks

I use baking trays with raised edges to store oily items such as chainsaws. Also use them to tear down oily items on the bench, parts and mess stay where they fall.

A rollup ear plug will plug a .22 hole in an aluminum boat.

If you pop rivet in an aluminum boat, a golf T will fix it until you get back.

 

[paullie]

Re: Tips & Tricks

If you are out shootin your guns, forgot ear protection and "town" is to far away, break the filter off 2 smokes and use em for ear plugs, it works pretty good

 

[ujmchris]

Re: Tips & Tricks

I use egg cartons with the tops cut off when I'm disassembling/assembling anything with small parts (such as carburetors). I can write in each hole with a sharpie where the parts go, and when I'm done and the carton is dirty/oily, I just toss it in the wood stove and grab a new one.

Cheap fishing tackle organizers work great for sorting and storing small hardware

I always look for muffin tins and old 9x13 pans or cookie sheets at garage sales for parts trays. You can usually find ones that are a bit beat up for a quarter!

 

[anthony73]

Re: Tips & Tricks

I read that Acetone and ATF make a great rust penetrant. Anybody ever try it?

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Re: Tips & Tricks

I read that Acetone and ATF make a great rust penetrant. Anybody ever try it?

It works! After reading about it on a semi-scientific trial, it was found that rusted bolts needed less torque to break free using a 50 / 50 of ATF & acetone than WD-40 PB Blaster, etc. I tried it on a spring chuckle nut on my 67 year old Jeep, and it worked great.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Re: Tips & Tricks

Tooth paste, water and a buffing pad driven by a polisher will clean your plastic head light lenses. I prefer to use a air driven buffer.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Re: Tips & Tricks

For cleaning metal surfaces (example: a Blanchard ground table saw top) I use cut of Scotch-Brite on an old sander.

 

[coloradocl]

Re: Tips & Tricks

Thanks for all of the great ideas! Here is the wrench holder I use. 2 for $1.79 at Harbor Freight.
http://www.harborfreight.com/2-piece-wrench-rings-37074.html

 

[daveinind]

Re: Tips & Tricks

use an aluminum cup cake pan and number the bottoms 1 through 12 so I know what order I took a project apart. I have three and they stack tight when empty.

 

[Kentuckian]

Re: Tips & Tricks

Need to tape up wire in an area with very little working space? Roll up a length of electrical tape sticky side out. Unroll the tape around the wire.

 

[Kentuckian]

Re: Tips & Tricks

When trouble shooting anything...think about where human hands may have touched. A previous repair may have been done in a hurry or as a temporary fix.

 

[BigSteve63]

Re: Tips & Tricks

use an aluminum cup cake pan and number the bottoms 1 through 12 so I know what order I took a project apart. I have three and they stack tight when empty.

Great Idea! Will be using this one!

 

[Zeke]

Re: Tips & Tricks

To help keep paint splatter down, punch some small holes in the bottom of the lid seal groove of the can. Paint that gets trapped in the groove will drain into the can.

Great for seating the lid when closing up, too.

 

[Hephaestus29]

Re: Tips & Tricks

This is how I drain & catch my remaining oil. Just drill a hole in two caps then when you're changing oil or whatever just screw the empty bottle to to the glued together caps & let it drain. I used Hot glue to do this but you might want to try another glue because i'm going to have to re-glue these as they are not holding. I guess i'll try super glue.

 

[rslaback]

Re: Tips & Tricks

This is how I drain & catch my remaining oil. Just drill a hole in two caps then when you're changing oil or whatever just screw the empty bottle to to the glued together caps & let it drain. I used Hot glue to do this but you might want to try another glue because i'm going to have to re-glue these as they are not holding. I guess i'll try super glue.

I don't think super glue is going to have enough contact surface to be strong enough. I would go with JB weld or similar.

 

[bullfrog123]

Re: Tips & Tricks

Tampons--for removing gas/oil from a tank, they will hold ALOT

Jeff

Also have one or 2 tampons in your snowmobile, atv, hunting pack, etc. They make AWESOME fire starters. Dip em in your fuel tank and light.... Also can use them as wound dressing. They are clean and as said.... absorb a LOT.

 

[66HertzClone]

Re: Tips & Tricks

A dab of the Permatex valve lapping compound applied to the tip of a Phillips screwdriver aids in preventing cam out on rusted screws.

 

[JamieK]

Re: Tips & Tricks

Couple little tips I picked up from my dad. First one is handy for tie wire, or anything that's wound and hard to keep wound up. Duct tape around the entire roll, then cut a circle out of one side and pull your wire from the center.

Second one is a quick wrench organizer/handle. Who doesn't have an old stick welding rod laying around? Just grab a hammer, glasses, and tap all the material off the rod until all you are left with is the center. Put it in the vise, and bend into the shape shown. Wala, wrench carrying handle or organizer.

A heavy duty carbiner works great too...

 

[WILD-BILL]

Re: Tips & Tricks

A dab of the Permatex valve lapping compound applied to the tip of a Phillips screwdriver aids in preventing cam out on rusted screws.

I'll try to remember that one


Funny how many other uses can be found for a tampon.

Maybe we should start a new thread just on that

 

[neel2008]

Re: Tips & Tricks

someone also told me that valve lapping compound can be applied to a serpentine belt that is squealing, it is suppose to help clean the belt and pulleys, and make the belt mesh with the pulleys better.....never tried it myself (Ive always felt that a belt is squealing because of pulleys, belt, or tensioner problem....), I just remembered it when valve lapping compound was mentioned....

 

[IONH]

Re: Tips & Tricks

someone also told me that valve lapping compound can be applied to a serpentine belt that is squealing, it is suppose to help clean the belt and pulleys, and make the belt mesh with the pulleys better.....never tried it myself (Ive always felt that a belt is squealing because of pulleys, belt, or tensioner problem....), I just remembered it when valve lapping compound was mentioned....

I've seen that before, probably on GJ somewhere. Same as using it to keep screws from rounding over as easily, probably here on GJ.

 

[Tim The Tool Man]

Re: Tips & Tricks

I use valve lapping compound and steel wool to clean heavier surface rust off of the work surfaces of my cast iron tools. Then I wipe it off and rub the tool down with Johnson's past wax. For light surface rust I just use the steel wool and paste wax.

 

[HandsomeDan]

Re: Tips & Tricks

Tooth paste, water and a buffing pad driven by a polisher will clean your plastic head light lenses. I prefer to use a air driven buffer.

Metal polish works, as well.

 

[PinchPoint]

Re: Tips & Tricks

Trickle down economics.

 

[r6_cannibal]

Re: Tips & Tricks

If you are out shootin your guns, forgot ear protection and "town" is to far away, break the filter off 2 smokes and use em for ear plugs, it works pretty good

I've fired off two rounds real quick, and use the spent casings as ear plugs. i'm sure there's a cancer warning somewhere on the ammo box, so keep that in mind before doing this all the time as hearing protection

 

[r6_cannibal]

Re: Tips & Tricks

Another tip is finding one of the UPS or FedEx processing centers in your area. they have to change out the conveyor belts every so often and usually have no problem giving you a strip if you ask nice enough. makes a really durable bench top cover, fender protector when working on the car, or flooring protector when you're using tools in the house. all at an excellent price.

 

[R6 Racer]

Re: Tips & Tricks

I store partially used paint cans upside down.
IF a small air opening appears the paint will start to seep out, being out in the open the seeping paint will harden & seal the hole keeping all the remaining paint fresh.
The same hole/opening in a can stored right side up will allow the whole airspace in the can to fill with regular fresh air & eventually dry out the entire remains of the can of paint.

Steve

 

[R6 Racer]

Re: Tips & Tricks

OH!
Hey r6_cannibal does that mean your gonna try & eat me?

J.K.
Steve