Homemade tools

[gwaii]

nice work.

i think the abillity to bend sheet stock is one of the most versatile things in fabrication.

 

[kroussinoffroad]

looks like I have a couple tools to start building. hahaha
really digging the spindle remover and the break will be a Very nice adition

 

[Colin]

Penny soldered to a hose clamp. My dad made this when he was about 18 because his mom's washing machine sent huge amounts of lint out of the hose and kept clogging the laundry room tub. So he took the hose clamp and a chunk of panty hose and stuck it on the end of the hose. Then every month or so you just had to loosen the hose clamp and throw out the lint. The penny made for quick removal and installation of the clamp.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I have a bunch of $20.00 grinders so I don't have to swap out discs.... yes, I'm lazy! But they were all over the place and if in one place the cords would tangle. So I made a grinder tree;

One of the things I plan on doing is replacing all the cords with better, more flexible, -40c capable 15'-20' long cords.....unheated shop. I will attach electrical outlet boxes to the base to save time plugging and unplugging cords. Told you, I'm lazy! A 5 gallon pail will control unused cords. Some muffler tube welded to the mast will hold my two drills.

Richard

 

[Snoranger]

I have a bunch of $20.00 grinders so I don't have to swap out discs.... yes, I'm lazy! But they were all over the place and if in one place the cords would tangle. So I made a grinder tree;

Some muffler tube welded to the mast will hold my two drills.

Richard

Only 2 drills? Why dont you have multiple drills with different size bits already in them. Or is that too lazy?


I like the tree.

 

[Mad Davy]

Pulley puller... made to yank the A/C pulley off my Jeep Liberty in a pinch. Worked like a charm! No improvised Ranger tools yet!

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I only need two sizes of bits.....big and bigger

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I was cruising Kijiji the other day and saw an ad for a metal table for C$50.00, as delivered;

It's 4'x6' and came with some good quality casters, two that lock, and a 1/4" 4'x4' metal plate top.I was told it was used as a deconstruction/clean up table at a motorsports shop and had a cleaning fluid tank on one end [not there any more]. I was building a table already but this is a much better foundation that what I was currently building. I decided to move the plate to the center of the table and fill the spaces, on one side a removable grate for cutting torch purposes, the other side with a depression to hold my band-saw.
I started out by removing all the old tabs and 1/2' angle that was used to support the plate as it was set 1/4" below the table edge surface, I suspect to help prevent stuff from rolling off. I want my table level.
Repaired a bad section;

Because I wanted to make the surface level, I used a piece of 3/4" plywood clamped to the top;

Flip the table over, lay in my top pieces and tack in my supports;

Before finish welding I checked;

and found that the plate was sitting proud of the perimeter, I suspect because I was using used, warped plywood on un-level ground. I sat it on edge an used some scrap the same thickness as the top to place the supports at the proper depth;

And where I finished for the day;

I found the table perimeter wasn't totally true, so parts of my top-plate still sits proud of the perimeter. I still have to build the support for the band-saw. I also am trying to figure a way to mount a 6" vise so that there is a vise/leg support that moves up out of the way for when I roll the table to a new position. Total cost so far is ~ C$60.00 plus 1"x2"x12' tube and 1"x1"x14' tube to be priced. Grate was free as is the support for the band-saw.
Later,

Richard

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Needed a tool for alignment. Used a cold chisel and a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter. Heated the chisel with oxy/acet. and using a vise and hammer beat it into shape, quenched in motor oil. Cut the 3/8" part off the adapter so I could access both sides with a 1/2" ratchet and welded that to the newly beat chisel, heated red hot and quenched again in motor oil for stress relief. Seems to work....even better than I'd hoped.

Richard

 

[ronclark]

Thats a sweet tool.

Needed a tool for alignment. Used a cold chisel and a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter. Heated the chisel with oxy/acet. and using a vise and hammer beat it into shape, quenched in motor oil. Cut the 3/8" part off the adapter so I could access both sides with a 1/2" ratchet and welded that to the newly beat chisel, heated red hot and quenched again in motor oil for stress relief. Seems to work....even better than I'd hoped.

Richard

 

[gwaii]

Thats a sweet tool.

i agree

 

[railman]

i agree

WOW.....bout' time ya posted up....

now ya know we need updates on EVERYTHING....

l8r, John

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

A link, suggested by angry lepercon, to Dave Gingery, that built his own tools including lathes, brakes, etc.;
http://www.gingerybooks.com/
I think its useful enough to post about.

Richard

 

[Shran]

I am doing some rust repair on my F250 this summer, and after struggling badly with the first patch panel, I decided that I need a better way to bend stuff. Luckily I had materials that I got for free, so I started experimenting and ended up with this.

This shows the main pieces of the brake. It's really just a piece of 3/4 stock, section of 1/4 wall angle and another of 3/16 wall angle with hinges. It's about halfway done in this pic.

After finishing the hinges and smoothing one edge of the thick angle to make a good clamping surface, I drilled and tapped two holes for the clamp and then welded 1" garage door shaft sections onto the pivoting piece for handles.

I attached it to my bench temporarily with lag screws and tested it. Bent a license plate and 12 gauge plate like butter. I tried bending 3/16 plate but the bench started to come apart so I stopped (although the brake will definitely be capable of bending it easily once it is secured better.)

I am going to add more garage door shaft for triangulation of the handles but otherwise it is done. I'm totally happy. I will be grinding the top edge off the clamp as well to form a 45* angle, so I can bend at up to 135* and just have to flip the clap over.

I have less than $5 into this project, which included two cutoff wheels, three 6013 electrodes, and one grinding wheel.

 

[brinker88]

Needed a tool for alignment. Used a cold chisel and a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter. Heated the chisel with oxy/acet. and using a vise and hammer beat it into shape, quenched in motor oil. Cut the 3/8" part off the adapter so I could access both sides with a 1/2" ratchet and welded that to the newly beat chisel, heated red hot and quenched again in motor oil for stress relief. Seems to work....even better than I'd hoped.Richard

Nice fabbing! Im suprised that hardened chisel didnt shatter on you when you bent it tho.

We have those tools at the shop altho they are manufactured and a little pricey.