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Tools and Garage

A forum to discuss tools and shop setup.
 
I know I know, this is the last thing you want to hear about. In shop class you'd always waste the first day going over safety, ear protection, eye protection, and all that crazy stuff -- but it's all for a purpose. This thread will talk mostly about safety in the garage and with tools. I understand that most of the members on here work in the driveway, garage, or heck - even apartment complex parking lots. No matter where you are, you need to be safe and take precaution. Facts: -Vehicles, equipment, and many parts are very heavy; their weight can cause server injury. So when you think about lifting that 5R55E transmission by yourself, think again. -Many parts of a car become very hot and can cause severe burns. So, don't go...
How to remove seized bolts and studs
How to remove seized bolts and studs I used this same procedure removing the seized exhaust flange bolts on my 97 Mountaineer. Oxygen/Acetylene welding has been around since 1903. Wiki link to Oxy-fuel welding & cutting These studs have been installed in this exhaust manifold since 1977. I see that one is bent. Chuck up the part in the vice if not bolted to an engine or vehicle. Pre fit a pair of vice grips but remove them before heating. Heat the area around the stud. This may take 2 or 3 10 minute sessions. Heat it up cherry red. That will burn your skin off. After 2 tries, I got it to move. Repeat on the second stud. 2nd stud took a 3rd heating. Sometimes it may take a longer handle tool to remove stud, like a 13" pipe wrench. On...
Hello, I am about to do some additional suspension work and am going to get an impact driver to help with the big bolts. I have an air compressor, but the tank isn't quire big enough for pneumatic tools, which is a shame. I was looking at this one, Bauer 64120 1/2 Inch Heavy Duty Extreme Torque Impact Wrench ($100) (it's at Harbor Freight for $80) The Amazon listing says "high power 8.5 amp motor delivers 1050 ft lbs. bolt breakaway torque". When I look at the manual .pdf from Harbor Freight it says 300 ft lbs., which is not exactly 1050 ft lbs. This is another one, Porter-Cable PCE211 Corded Impact Wrench, 7.5-Amp, 450 lbs. of Torque, 1/2 Inch ($80) which would have quite a bit more torque if the specs are right. This doesn't...
sylvania octron 3500k 32w f032/741/eco I'm not sure what would be the replacement for this bulb. I am not well versed in flourescent light tubes. I need 48 bulbs.:eek: When I punch it into Amazon it shows FO32/835/ECO - 32 Watt Not sure what the difference is between the 835 and the 741. Current bulbs have been up for 7 years and they are getting dark at the ends. They are all down right now for drywall work so this is the time to replace them. I would be interested in LEDs if someone could reccomend good ones. So many non-name brands out there...
I really thought about all the pros and cons of two post and four post lifts before making a purchase. I had worked with both when I was a mechanic and never felt safe working under a two post lift. Sure you could use tall jack stands, but how often do you ever see shops using them under their lifts? I started with one Bendpak 4 post lift which is large enough to handle our 3500 Ram Dually with a Cummins and wound up buying another less expensive 4 post lift, a Champion to use for storage.
My Oven Build.
Well, it's finally coming together now- Of course, I'm talking about my long awaited professional oven build.:D Now-first I must explain that I shouldn't even be doing this stuff. I'm disabled and make no money-but man I gotta be involved and this is about the best way I can think of. besides-it gives me something to look forward to, and that's what is important. It has taken a long while to gather these bits-and now that I am into it deep I figure what the heck let's show it off. Now please remember along the way- I run out of cash often, don't dip into savings and move real slow. A good oven needs good control Here is Precision Instruments 1/16 din PID controller It has fuzzy logic-heat ramping and multi zone...
My new garage is almost done and I want the brand new concrete floor coated before either of the following occurs: a)winter arrives or b) I have to change oil/tranny fluid/hydro fluid/etc and do an Exon Valdez all over the floor. No, I’m not going to hire it done. Got bids already, lowest is about $3 billion and would require a new mortgage. Oh, and as a plus, the earliest anyone can do it is December/January so that’s a no it’s a DIY or bust. For background, the garage is 24×30. I do a lot of mechanical stuff, outboards, small engines, ag equipment, aircraft engines (non-turbine only now due to neighborhood Karen’s constant b!tching about test-runs) , etc. Lots of fluid spills and inevitable. Interested in hearing from those of you...
Couldn't find a place to put this question! Hoping to take a 400 mi round trip around a week from now, if I can get the wrinkles out of my plans and my Ex! Need to get a jack, jack stands, a tire inflator, maybe an extra battery for camping/possible jump start, later a trickle charger and small cooler. What do you like for jacks for instance? Walmart, Harbor Freight, somewhere else? Low budget but don't want something that breaks/is hazardous.
Angle grinder safety, and shop safety in general. learn from snj's mistake.
Iknow this isnt the first time i have brought this up, but i feel that tool safety is important and often over looked. I also feel that its important to learn from ones mistakes and hope that you can lear from mine. Im typing this solely with my right hand after just getting home from holy name hospital, in teaneck nj. Im going to attempt to recount my day as best i can but it all happened real quick. i had done some heavy work to clearance the left fender and pleased with the results igot to work on the right side. i transfered the measurements i wanted over to the pass side, and got to cutting. i was moving quicker then the left as all the figuring was done. lesson 1 should have been to treat it with the same care i guess. I was...
Hey Everyone, I have an older Craftsman Garage Door. Recently we have been having issues getting it to open. Only opens if we are super close to the garage door or inside the garage door. I have a newer craftsman garage door opener on my other grage door and it works perfectly fine. Its not batteries in the remotes, we also have the built in homelink in our vehicles. I've read online that LED bulbs can cause interferance with garage door openers. I have installed a led bulb inside the house, but when its off the garage door still does not work correctly. Then a read that a person had motion LED night lights in their hallway that caused inteferance with their garage door opener. Which I do have inside my daughters bedroom and the...
3D printed tools & replacement parts.
At one time, owning a 3D printer was something only colleges, large companies, universities or wealthy people could own. Now with low priced machines comparable to the cost of an average ink or laser printer, it's been in the price range for the average person to own. There are many people uploading their designs for people to print or remix into something else. Here's an example of a tool which I made by remixing two designs: Driver handle for a Harbor Freight 06770 gasket punch set. by BrooklynBay

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