tools, techniques, shortcuts, bargains

Liquifire 4/6 · Post by **Liquifire 4/6** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:24 pm

I thought it might be neat to start a thread related to shop ideas......things that you might have discovered that work great to solve a mechanical problem on a sled (or otherwise). It might be that you found a way to make a flywheel or clutch puller on the cheap out of some item commonly found in most shops....or perhaps you found a real bargain on a tool that you find very handy. Or maybe you built some kind of overhead hoist for your shop and you want to share your idea with others. Just about any idea or item which you have stumbled upon that can save some people time or money. Not really looking for outrageaously expensive things here.....just stuff within a price range where most people can justify buying them for their shop or toolbox.

Just to get things going, here's something that I've been using for a long while that cost me around ten bucks and has saved me from damaging countless carburetors. I'm sure many of you have encountered float pins in Mikunis that are really stuck in place. And no doubt, some of you (like me) have managed to break the tiny aluminum float pedestal by trying to drive the pin out with a punch and hammer. When that happens, the carb is pretty much junk. By using an automatic center punch to drive the pin out, you can greatly reduce the chances of breaking the pedestal. I generally use my fingers to provide some support to the pedestals while punching out the pin. The snapping action of the automatic punch almost always drives the pin out easily.Probably, many of you know all about this, but I'm sure there are some that do not.

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Mr. Deere · Post by **Mr. Deere** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 4:05 pm

My dad has one of those and I had no idea what it was. Cool Thanks.

DeereKid9 · Post by **DeereKid9** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 5:39 pm

Try one on your dad's truck window Bob. It will leave a lasting impression and perhaps you will see a likeness of Joe Rainville in the glass if you look really close.

Mr. Deere · Post by **Mr. Deere** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 6:08 pm

No Thanks I am on this Ice as it is. I don't need him throwing my Rear suspension away.

_FIII · Post by **_FIII** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 12:57 am

here are a few of the handy thing I have around my shop

1) Spark testers- basically a test light with a boot on one end and the tip off an old spark plug on the other. Just turn the lights off in the shop and you can see sparkage no problem

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj167/_FIII/Sleds/parts/sparktesters1.jpg

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj167/_FIII/Sleds/parts/sparktesters2.jpg

2) my clutch tools for taking apart primary and secondary clutches. I think I had both made in about 40 minutes from scrap around the shop, compared to over a $100 for a bought one.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj167/_FIII/Sleds/parts/primarytool.jpg

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj167/_FIII/Sleds/parts/secondarytool.jpg

3)this is a mag tool for holding the flywheels when I have to take off the nut or a clutch bolt. Rope is okay until you break a piston skirt. This is a run of mill tool for holding cam pulleys on car motors.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj167/_FIII/Sleds/parts/magtool2.jpg

4) this is the crane that I built. Mine is a little over the top. Basically if you were to use a bran door track and attach the dolly system to the top of this elec hoist you would end up with what I have.It has a 660lb capacity and cost under $100. Best tool in my shop by far. Mine is 12 feet long and nine feet high. It pivots from a post mounted beside the overhead door so I can swing it right outside the door. I also have a retractable air line mounted on the end giving great access with my air tools.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj167/_FIII/Sleds/parts/crane1.jpg

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj167/_FIII/Sleds/parts/crane2.jpg

5)Last is a very cheap 10, 000lb axle strap which is 2 ft long. I drilled holes in the end so I can remove two head bolts on any given motor, bolt the strap on and lift out a motor hassle free.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj167/_FIII/Sleds/parts/strap1-1.jpg

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj167/_FIII/Sleds/parts/strap2-1.jpg

Numbers 4 and 5 were a must when removing the liquidator motor. Those things are ridiculously heavy!!!

Mr. Deere · Post by **Mr. Deere** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 10:10 am

Nice I like the Strap and the Test light.

Liquifire 4/6 · Post by **Liquifire 4/6** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 1:32 pm

All excellent ideas, Richard. Keep em coming!

For several years, I've wanted a plasma cutter for my shop......but I just couldn't find the couple grand that most suppliers wanted for a basic model. Last winter, I kept looking at the el-cheapo chinese built units that are always listed on ebay by a whole bunch of different sellers. My first thought was that because they sell so cheap, they must be pure junk. But I decided to keep bidding on one of the 50 amp units with a low ball max of $350.00. After a couple weeks, I managed to win this one for $342.00 plus shipping. The total with shipping and 60 extra tips was only around $475.00. When it arrived, I was initially disappointed because it was so small and light that it looked like some kind of play toy, but believe it or not, this thing really works great (at least, it has so far). I've done lots of cutting with it while building my groomer and it makes some really clean cuts. The duty cycle seems fine as it has never cut out yet. The thickest metal I've tried to cut so far has been 3/8" steel. It had no problem with that at all....so maybe it will actually cut half inch as was claimed in the ad. I think this was a real bargain and it has saved me a great deal of time and frustration.

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Mr. Deere · Post by **Mr. Deere** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:00 pm

WOW Nice Pete your right it doesn't look like it would work.

Danzig · Post by **Danzig** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:53 am

This here is a Stanley Hammer, I personally use an Estwing. It helps alot when in trouble and having difficult stuck shafts, stuck bolts and something to simply throw when you are having a bad day. I often practice throwing my hammer daily. It is really quite a sight at the end of my block on Saturday mornings when the neighbors are chugging Ice tea and peaking over the fence at me launching my hammer. I think they are taking bets for length of the toss and how accurate my toss is. Now you can purchase these hammers at any hardware store, with wooden handles, steel, fiberglass and graphite. Good luck guys on finding your hammer of choice.

Also take note of the color you YELLOW HAMMERS!! :lol22:

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400brian · Post by **400brian** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:05 am

You really should trade that in for a ballpeanuts model. :lol22:

TOYMECH · Post by **TOYMECH** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 3:58 pm

Just thought i would throw in my 2 cents (more accuratly stated- methodology) to Pete's idea on how to remove stubborn Mikuni float hinge pins since i have worked with many a stubborn one for a living.

I use a sharp pair of electronics snips which flush cut on one side and hold them on either side of the pin's head and squeeze them. So long as you have a pair which have a low enough cutting jaw profile which is like a wedge, they will actually get under the head of the pin and act like wedges to pull the pin out, much like a nail is pulled out of a piece of wood, but in a true vertical fashion.

This has worked pretty good for me....

Greg

JDT · Post by **JDT** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 8:55 pm

Good idea Greg.
No chance of breaking off the bracket that way either as it puts no pressure on it.

_FIII · Post by **_FIII** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:37 pm

Here is a Comet spider removal tool I built the other day. Worked awesome. It is a triangular piece of 1/4" plate with 1/2" bends on the three sides with a 1.75" hole in the middle. Welded to that is a 3" long piece of 1.5" schedule 40 pipe. Take the hole saw knock out that was just drilled and weld it on the other end of the pipe. Finished off with a 1/2" rod coupler on the end. Took me about 45 minutes to build and paint.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj167/_FIII/Sleds/parts/120cspidertool1.jpg

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj167/_FIII/Sleds/parts/102cspidertool2.jpg

larky · Post by **larky** » Sat Nov 15, 2008 7:48 am

I built this piston wash light the other day. very simple design, but it was one of those things that you think to your self "why didn't I come up with this earlier". Its made out of a cheap LED bicycle light that you can get from places like walmart. I just un-soldered the LED and soldered it on the end of some small thermostat wire, and there you have it. A nice bright, yet small light to put down the spark plug hole to inspect piston wash.

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2008_1113Image0037.jpg (1.82 MB)

thearcticfisherman · Post by **thearcticfisherman** » Tue Nov 18, 2008 3:22 pm

Danzig wrote:This here is a Stanley Hammer, I personally use an Estwing. It helps alot when in trouble and having difficult stuck shafts, stuck bolts and something to simply throw when you are having a bad day. I often practice throwing my hammer daily. It is really quite a sight at the end of my block on Saturday mornings when the neighbors are chugging Ice tea and peaking over the fence at me launching my hammer. I think they are taking bets for length of the toss and how accurate my toss is. Now you can purchase these hammers at any hardware store, with wooden handles, steel, fiberglass and graphite. Good luck guys on finding your hammer of choice.

Also take note of the color you YELLOW HAMMERS!!

Thats funny!!!