SHOP TIPS -- thanks to KBennett

[rbattelle]

Don't throw away old toothbrushes! They're great for small cleaning jobs.

Ryan

 

[DJW]

If you are ever called to make a gate that often has to be removed, on the pins used to hinge, said pin inserted into short length of pipe, thus completing the hinge. Make one of the pins longer than the other, I prefer the lower one, then when having to remount the gate, being one pin is longer than the other insert that pin partly first, then entering the other is much easier. I have a Clark forklift and the doors on the side are removable, however the both pin hinges being the same length I find it a bear to re-hinge. (dexterity is not my middle name)

 

[DJW]

Years ago when vacationing in New Zealand I met an Englishman that had emigrated there about ten years ago. He showed me his garage door, and told me to notice that it would open for passage for a few feet, and when released closed on it's own accord, and when opened fully would stay open without having to be restrained, the hinges were mounted vertically. He was well pleased with it, and I was surprised, as I had never seen that style of hinged door that useful before. Then he told me the hinges were off a large American car, they were the Hood hinges. (so simple, so efficient, wonder how many used those hinges as such?)

 

[jwgary]

My string line trimmer takes two 10' long pieces of line for the head. I buy the line in a 250' spool that I hang on one of the two hooks that the trimmer rests on the wall. Instead of measuring the length and trying to make sure both lines are the same length, I just stretch the line to the other side of the garage (standard 20x20) and then cut at the spool. I then loop the line over the hook and put the two ends together and cut at the hook.

 

[daveshoe]

Kroil

Kano Labs are the makers of Kroil-which stands for Kreeping Oil. I certainly do not wish to start another oil thread fight on penetrating oil,but after changing a very rusty lift pump,where it was difficult to really get torque in a tight spot,I was just amazed at how easy the nuts were to remove,once the OEM locktite finally gave it up.

Send for information about the products,and wait until the company sends you a 2 fer 1 deal. Their literature is pretty corny,but it works as advertised.

It does have a very strong Hoppes #9 smell and that smell may just get you out of a shopping trip with your wife if you schedule your wrenching prior to the shopping.

 

[rbattelle]

Kano Labs are the makers of Kroil-

I've heard nothing but good things about Kroil all over the web, but have no idea how to get it locally.



Ryan

 

[rbattelle]

Another Tip

Save old socks and use them on the feet of your ladder when you need to work inside on carpet you don't want to get dirty.



Ryan

 

[daveshoe]

I've heard nothing but good things about Kroil all over the web, but have no idea how to get it locally.



Ryan

Ryan,you don't get it locally They only sell it direct. I would recommend that you get silikroil and aerokroil as a start. It is a great bargain when you figure the size of the can and the fact that a little goes a long way

 

[ed9824v]

Save old socks and use them on the feet of your ladder when you need to work inside on carpet you don't want to get dirty.



Ryan

I use old sock to cover VOV, and other gages, flashlight when stored in tool box from getting beat up

 

[AKaiser]

An old saying, "More rush less speed" turns out very true.

Amen. The guys who train Soldiers and SWAT guys to clear rooms tactically have a similar expression:



Slow is smooth; smooth is fast!

 

[2-ND TIME]

Shop Tips

Some very good tips here. I use Copper Cote when ever I put bolts together or metal to metal. Find that it lasts longer then the other products and doesn't need to have torque reduced.

 

[rbattelle]

Aluminum baking tins from the grocery store are great for small, temporary, disposable parts cleaning bins.

They're very cheap, and come in a huge range of sizes.

Ryan

 

[Chasweaver]

The April/May 2007 edition of Machinist's Workshop did a test of penetrating oils where they measured the force required to loosen rusty test devices. Buy the issue if you want to see how they did the test. The results reported were interesting. The lower the number of pounds the better. Mighty interesting results for simple acetone and transmission fluid!



Penetrating oil . Average load . . Price per fluid ounce

None ... ... ... ... ..... 516 pounds .

WD-40 ... ... ... ..... 238 pounds . . $0. 25

PB Blaster ... ... ... 214 pounds . . $0. 35

Liquid Wrench ... 127 pounds . . $0. 21

Kano Kroil ... ..... 106 pounds . . $0. 75

ATF-Acetone mix. . 53 pounds . . $0. 10



The ATF-Acetone mix was a 50/50 mix (1 to 1 ratio). "



I haven't tried it yet but I am sure I will... Charlie

 

[Deleted member 995608]

I use BLUE or GREEN painters tape on painted parts when bolting things together. Helps keep the, OOPS to a minimum.

 

[TMorgan1]

I recycle paper towels that we use in the kitchen for drying our hands. Hang a grocery store plastic bag on a kitchen drawer handle and when you wash your hands place the paper towel in the bag. When the bag is full, empty it into a box in the garage and take the bag back to the kitchen for a refill. Use these paper towels for wiping out oily drain pans or cleaning up spilled whatever in the garage. All they have had on them is water and they work perfectly for various clean-ups in the garage. I always have an adequate supply of paper towels and I feel that to a certain extent that they are free.

 

[bluewingron]

do you have a clearer explanation on mig removal of broken bolt ? are you welding the scrap steel to the broken bolt? what if bolt is below top of hole.

 

[DJW]

bluewingron. to extract a broken stud, bolt etc, by just briefly squeezing the trigger of a Mig you put a extremely high heat into the stud etc, it expands in a constricted space or area, on regaining normal temperature it has been shrunk thus affording removal. You don't need to really to deposit any extra weld metal other than will normally occur in the initial arc. As regards the ground, if you are afraid of causing unwanted arcing, just place a rod or piece of metal in the ground clamp on the broken stud or bolt and weld it there, just a little dab will do, leave it for a minute or two and extract or unscrew it. I would not attempt any repair without a Mig. I needed to change the wheels on a sliding door of a barn, we had owned it for 30 years and the door had been hung countless years before, the screws holding the wheel housing were attached to the door were the flush recessed type, just to try I used a screwdriver,that didn't work so used the Mig, I could not get a purchase for the ground so placed a small piece of scrap in the ground clamp placed it on the head of the screw, deposited a little dab from the scrap to the screw, as the screw was rusted. I use the Mig even if its just a 1/8 screw or bolt, threaded or wood screw, no need to fight anything with a Mig. Darn easier to find the Mig than a suitable sized screwdriver or wrench, (SAE or MET?) If you need to use the same bolt or screw to reattach the part you can still use it, screw it in then break off the piece of scrap, granted if it was a tempered bolt you may have altered the hardness but I doubt it, unless you've used a excessive amount of weld. Just remember, "A little Dab will do you!". Never use an 'Easy-Out' there is no such thing. To start off, the stud is already frozen in the casting or parent metal, by drilling then inserting an extracting tool you increase the pressure the broken stud already has to the metal, the problem in the first place. I submit, if you are able to remove a broken stud using any of the supposed 'Easy-Outs' chances are with care using just the flat blade of a screwdriver you could have done the same. I once worked on a farm tractor that had three broken studs on the underside, and a broken 'Easy-Out' in each sheared stud or bolt. What would have been a 15 minute job with a Mig or a stick welder, I made into a 4 hour afternoon.

 

[Linker]

Iodine is a great penetrating fluid. I have used it on nuts,bolts, ujoints, ball joints just about anything that is rusted up.

 

[rbattelle]

Iodine is a great penetrating fluid. I have used it on nuts,bolts, ujoints, ball joints just about anything that is rusted up.

The kind you get at a pharmacy? The orange colored stuff?

-Ryan

 

[Linker]

Yep, thats the stuff. Usually cheaper at a farm supply store in the animal section.