Cool Tips and tricks

[Truxx1956]

Originally Posted by AXracer

Now that I saw the pictures Trux, I need to rig up something like that for my chop saw.

It is a pretty cool idea, I'm sorry I can't take credit for it, but I did kind of refine it. I made mine with a frame to slide the chop saw in and out. They made thiers to hold the chop saw solid and not move. I don't have enough room for a solid mount, so I made the slides. They're kind of crude, but they do work The only thing I'd recomend is to use red RTV sealer around the inside of the drums where they go together so it wont let sparks go out and down the sides. Also you want to use some flex metal conduit over the electrical cord to keep sparks from burning the cord in two. All in all it is a neat setup and keeps me from having to cut stuff in the floor!! and keeps the mess up from the floor.

[AXracer]

Right now my chop saw is on my work bench (stainless steel top ) and I just set a piece of steel against the wall behind it as a spark deflector. I may modify a small 5 gal steel pail similar to your upper barrel to catch the debris instead. I was just looking at the Bullet chopsaw blades on ebay. bidding starts at 49.00, 69.00 BIN
I may have to try one. My brother was just telling me they have gone over to toothed blades at the RR where he works instead of grit wheels. He says they work great.

[AXracer]

Safety tip, if you cut aluminum as well as steel with your chop saw, you don't want to catch the dust from both in the same container. Iron dust + Aluminum dust + spark = thermite, what they use for underwater cutting and burning into safes. You can't put it out, it must burn itself out, and can burn thru concrete!

[Truxx1956]

Originally Posted by AXracer

Safety tip, if you cut aluminum as well as steel with your chop saw, you don't want to catch the dust from both in the same container. Iron dust + Aluminum dust + spark = thermite, what they use for underwater cutting and burning into safes. You can't put it out, it must burn itself out, and can burn thru concrete!

I had no idea I primarily use my chop saw for cutting steel, but every now and then I use it for aluminum. I do from time to time take my chop saw out of the table and vacuum it out with my shop vac. I might ought to do that again soon!!!


Ax tell me how you like them bullit blades if you buy some of them?? I wonder how long they last?

[AXracer]

You may have seen thermite depicted on some of the bank robber movies, often called a burn bar. A long pole with what looks to be a road flare of thermite on the end. Light it like a flare and it will burn thru most anything you put it against. Also popular with high school science teachers to make a pretend sand volcano complete with lava running down the side.

[bobbytnm]

Terry,

Thats a great idea for a chop saw stand!! Thanks for the tip, the next time I see a couple of drums laying aobut I'll snag 'em. I have a free standing bench grinder that could really benefit from a similar kind of containment.

I definatley need more shop space. I'll try and take a couple of pics tonight of my cramped in mess for your other thread.

Bobby

[Truxx1956]

Hey Bobby, I wondered where you've been? We've been missin you. We got to see your shop!! I love tools probably more than I do Ford trucks!!


I got another tip for you guys, after reading the thread about the chick rebuilding the carb. I remember this one: Take the spray nozzle off of a carb cleaner can and keep the straw, put it on a can of black paint (or whatever you need it to be) I just said black, but anyway then you can spray around corners or other obstacles, such as grilles or ......... I use this trick on late model cars when I used to work at body shops. If you're detailing a car after a fresh paint job and you want to cover the overspray from the color of the body around the grille area or ???? You get the picture you can use it pretty much wherever, but remember the carb nozzle sprays ALOT more than a regular paint nozzle so be careful

[Kusto]

Originally Posted by AXracer

You may have seen thermite depicted on some of the bank robber movies, often called a burn bar. A long pole with what looks to be a road flare of thermite on the end. Light it like a flare and it will burn thru most anything you put it against. Also popular with high school science teachers to make a pretend sand volcano complete with lava running down the side.

Just on another note regarding the thermite....it takes a fairly precise mix to get the appropriate reaction as well as a significant amount of heat to ignite the mix but just the same it is better to be safe than sorry.

For those of you with a high speed connection....you may get a kick outta this.

http://www.liberatedfilms.com/film-1...ake%20thermite

For those with out high speed I'll summarize it ffffooooossshhhhh!!!!!!

[ALBUQ F-1]

Here's a great one! Next time you're at a boneyard, check under the hoods of '88 - on Chev/GMC's. They had an optional underhood light on a reel. This is a total add-on, stand-alone item so you can unscrew 3 screw, and two terminals and have a piece that is ready to hook up to the starter solenoid for power, and screws to the inner fender (or -?-). It is a 12v light on a retractable cord nearly 15 ft long, with an on/off switch built in. Great for changing a tire or any roadside maintenance, even checking the oil. You can turn it on in its anchored (retracted) position to use as an underhood light. They're dirt cheap, too!

[brucelee]

A simple and very quick way to mask wire looms, fuel lines, raditor hoses or just about any other item is to use alumium foil. Get the cheap dollar store brand. All you do is tear off a piece and wrap it and squeeze it. You can get it as tight as possible and it will hold its shape. It will even hold on oily, greasy items that tape will not stick to. Once you done spraying just pull it off. No residue no problem! I've used it to paint engine compartments, aircraft wheel wells etc. and it amazingly simple and quick. You can leave it on for months if nessessary.

[AXracer]

Here's one I use regularly: If you use the triangular welding magnets they soon look like they are growing hair, picking up all the steel shavings and filings around the shop like a... well, magnet. I've found that brushing them with my stainless steel wire welding brush will clean them up in a moment or two without a fuss.

[Fomoko1]

I don`t have a stainless steel wire welding brush so I use an air pressure to blow the magnets clean.
It`s time to get the brush, sounds like it would work better.

[AXracer]

It works surprisingly well without blasting the particles all over the shop. It even gets down in the corners. A few larger bits may remain depending on how strong your magnets are but they can be easily picked off. A stainless brush is much better to use when welding especially if you weld aluminum and/or stainless, it won't contaminate the joint with iron oxide. Use it to clean away dirt, rust or burnt paint or undercoating. I picked mine up at my welding supply house. It's the type that looks like a giant toothbrush with a wood handle. Should you accidently get it gunked up you can clean it with solvent or water without damage.

Speaking of wire brushes, I have found a much better and safer substitute for rotary wire brushes. My brother lost a good part of his vision and underwent three major eye operations when a wire wheel he was using to remove some rust threw a wire that punctured the lens of his eye.
My local Ace hardware carries a series of radial and cup style brushes made with a abrasive embedded plastic material that resembles heavy plastic string. They each come in three grits designated by color: grey extra course, orange course, light blue fine. It works much faster than traditional wire wheels for removing paint, old bondo, or rust and wears very slowly compared to the 3M plastic "finger" wheels I've tried. Being a light weight plastic material whatever debris they produce does not fly far or with any significant force. They seemed a little pricey at first, but they turned out to be quite economical. They are flexible enough that you can push them into nooks and corners that would destroy a wire brush without any adverse effects. Each wheel comes on a 1/4" steel mandrel for mounting in a drill or air die grinder. Look for them with the standard rotary wire brushes. Highly recommended.

[imlowr2]

Here's a little trick I discovered while installing my disc brake conversion. I appears that the axle from a International scout (a Ford 9" axle) have a shorter offset than the standard 9" Ford. The axles are 1/8" shorter from the axle flange to the end of the axle. For those who need just a bit of clearance on the tires, you may exchange the axles and it will give you an additional 1/8" clearance from fender and outside tire, but it will put you 1/8" closer to the bed wall too. Apparently the PO used these axles on my rearend and I had to add spacers for the bracket to compensate the shorter axles.

[gradrgy]

A camera is always a good tool to have when you're tearing down anything with a lot of parts or wiring. The more different angles you can take them from, the better. This helps a lot when you start back together with your project. This works especially good when you work like I do, just a few days a month. I tend to forget where I was when I quit. The pix are always good to refer back to.
Hope this helps someone else.
Bob