Garage hacks, adjustments and annoyances.........

[Oldpath05]

​Solved a couple garage issues over the past several years but still have a few annoyances, this one really bugs me, it's my hand grinder cord. For some reason when I go back in forth with my hand grinder from tool stand to my welding bench the cord keeps getting twisted up then pretty soon I go from a 6' cord to a 3' cord, my a new cord is the answer better yet a new grinder just because the power cord keeps getting twisted.​


I did how ever make a few what I call improvements couple years ago, portable shop light, bench vice block support and my favorite a bench grinding brake. These bench grinders almost seem to have perpetual aggravating circular motion, cant stand that either when I push off I want off and to me off means no more grinding wheel turning.


This bench vice is a new addition, has a round shaft so just cant sit a block on it or it rolls off, I like a block to hold the work piece up, just set the piece on the block and clamp. First thing one needs in a shop is portable light that has light adjustment, on this home made light holder I have about 3' up down and 370* of revolution. Been using my bench grinding brake for several years now, started with just wood but after a year of wood braking the wheel was wearing it thin so added piece of truck spring, be a while before that wares threw........... Grinding wheel brake - YouTube

 

[jaxs]

All I can tell you is that every time you pick up or lay down the grinder you are rotating it 1/2 revolution in the same direction before laying it down or beginning to grind. Now,stop it ! :laughing:

 

[PHPaul]

All I can tell you is that every time you pick up or lay down the grinder you are rotating it 1/2 revolution in the same direction before laying it down or beginning to grind. Now,stop it ! :laughing:

Yup, I do the same thing. About every third time I pick it up, I have to unwind the cord.

They make "swivel plug" extension cords where the male end swivels 360°. What we need are power tools with swivels on the tool end.

I got dibs on the royalties when someone comes up with a design...

EDIT: Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[dragoneggs]

Yep, always so much more to do when it comes to shop organization.

Talking lights, I am super happy with these magnetic LED adjustable lights. Have several now and have them on my xmas list hoping to put one on most of my tools/work areas for extra bright local light.



Sorry, should have cropped the photo so you could see better but I put two on my bench grinder. Note the brightness difference and I have very good overhead lighting.

 

[oosik]

No, no - if you can wait - do what I do. In the heat of the summer I take my miserable twisted cord tools outside on the porch. Lay the tool out - stretch the cord out straight & true - let it sit there the entire day in the sun and heat. It will remain straight and uncurled for at least another year.

What causes my cords to twist - I have job in the winter - heat up the work shed - use the tool and forget to lay the miserable cord out straight when finished - the shop, tool & twisted cord cool and get cold. The twist in the cord is set by the cold conditions.

If you notice - some tools have cords that have a plastic sheath - other have a rubber sheath. Rubber sheath will seldom, if ever, twist. Plastic sheath will twist the minute you turn your back. Same with extension chords.

 

[Kernopelli]

[FONT=&]​[/FONT] this one really bugs me, it's my hand grinder cord. For some reason when I go back in forth with my hand grinder from tool stand to my welding bench the cord keeps getting twisted up then pretty soon I go from a 6' cord to a 3' cord, my a new cord is the answer better yet a new grinder just because the power cord keeps getting twisted.[FONT=&]​
[/FONT]View attachment 577350 View attachment 577351

And all this time I thought I was the only one with this problem!! Drives me nuts:confused2:

 

[Thomas]

oosik
do what I do. In the heat of the summer I take my miserable twisted cord tools outside on the porch. Lay the tool out - stretch the cord out straight & true - let it sit there the entire day in the sun and heat. It will remain straight and uncurled for at least another year.
.............
Good idea. :thumbsup:

 

[Oldpath05]

And all this time I thought I was the only one with this problem!! Drives me nuts[/B]:confused2:

You took the words right out of my mouth. Just back and forth a few times from tool storage box to work bench my cord is all twisted up, cant leave the hand grinder on my small work bench so I like to hang it up til needed, cordless is sounding better all the time...........

 

[Oldpath05]

All I can tell you is that every time you pick up or lay down the grinder you are rotating it 1/2 revolution in the same direction before laying it down or beginning to grind. Now,stop it ! :laughing:

That will be hard to stop after 40 years of muscle memory, you sure it's not the magnetic north pole twisting my grinding cord...............

 

[Oldpath05]

Yep, always so much more to do when it comes to shop organization.

Talking lights, I am super happy with these magnetic LED adjustable lights. Have several now and have them on my xmas list hoping to put one on most of my tools/work areas for extra bright local light.

View attachment 577402

Sorry, should have cropped the photo so you could see better but I put two on my bench grinder. Note the brightness difference and I have very good overhead lighting.

Is this the lights you have>>>>https://www.amazon.com/JANSANE-Ligh...D=41514O6K%2BwL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch I mostly use my bench grinder for sharpening drill bits and that requires for me good lighting.

 

[Oldpath05]

Yup, I do the same thing. About every third time I pick it up, I have to unwind the cord.

They make "swivel plug" extension cords where the male end swivels 360°. What we need are power tools with swivels on the tool end.

I got dibs on the royalties when someone comes up with a design...

EDIT: Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I want second dibs if that rotating plug will help, I'm bout ready to try anything even a cordless grinder.

 

[Oldpath05]

No, no - if you can wait - do what I do. In the heat of the summer I take my miserable twisted cord tools outside on the porch. Lay the tool out - stretch the cord out straight & true - let it sit there the entire day in the sun and heat. It will remain straight and uncurled for at least another year.

What causes my cords to twist - I have job in the winter - heat up the work shed - use the tool and forget to lay the miserable cord out straight when finished - the shop, tool & twisted cord cool and get cold. The twist in the cord is set by the cold conditions.

If you notice - some tools have cords that have a plastic sheath - other have a rubber sheath. Rubber sheath will seldom, if ever, twist. Plastic sheath will twist the minute you turn your back. Same with extension chords.

Now that's a different perspective, you might have all tool owners next summer that dont have porches, have all their power tools out on the lawn, then all the tourist and foreigners will drive by scratching their heads wondering why do all these idiots have their power tools out on lawns at High Noon. I should've made this post 4 months ago, the heat of the summer is long gone and the twisted cord issues is still here, but I'll try that next summer but in top secret.

 

[dragoneggs]

Is this the lights you have>>>>https://www.amazon.com/JANSANE-Ligh...D=41514O6K%2BwL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch I mostly use my bench grinder for sharpening drill bits and that requires for me good lighting.

Similar but my bulbs protruded from the lens.

This one looks similar to what I bought, but I can't confirm it is the same.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D81TQL...&pd_rd_r=263efbb7-e04f-11e8-8ab1-ed751b73ebab

The magnetic base (also comes with sticky back) is great and the 12in flexible arm allow me to place them anywhere. I almost press one-click order to get a couple more!

 

[jaxs]

That will be hard to stop after 40 years of muscle memory, you sure it's not the magnetic north pole twisting my grinding cord...............

Has nothing to do with 40 years of muscle memory or the north pole,it simply means after 40 years in the shop you are getting too old to do anything right.:stirthepot:

 

[Oldpath05]

Since my garage rebuild back 6 years ago I made a lot of shelves or a lot of shelf's but this was my first swing out shelf. I ran out of floor space as soon as I built my garage so to help over come this technical difficulty and make a shelf thats easy to get to, unload/load on my strapping holder for sawmill slabs, heres the answer I came up with.

 

[Oldpath05]

I'll try direct link see if that saves more space.

 

[Oldpath05]

All done, behind schedule and under budget........... I figured it took around 24 hr, but some of that was due to thinking and looking for what might work, but there was no do overs and that a diffident plus.

 

[Oldpath05]

I did have a couple hick-ups welding on thin rusty drive shaft, I hate prep grinding so I ended up burning through, that's ok if it would stop getting porosity so after 10 minutes of that I grab some weld over anything 3/32 6011 and welded right over it. I tried DC-R, AC then DC-S, it seem like DC-R wanted to penetrate burn through, AC seem like the puddle wanted to spread out first before wanting to burn through, and DC-S seemed like not wanting to spread out the puddle and not wanting to burn through so easy. So I use that setting til I got something to weld to then I switched and covered with AC, I think 6011 spreads the puddle out better and it burnt out the porosity.

 

[PHPaul]

Oldpath05, I've got that exact welder (the Dialarc HF). Heckuva welder, especially since I got it on a barter deal, no cash involved.

 

[Oldpath05]

I didn;t realize I had that in my photos, I got mine 2 years ago from Watervile area, the guy want 300, I offered him $400.00 if he delivered it, guess it's a so so deal for a late 80s machine but not as good as you. I wanted something with atleast 250 amps for carbon-arc gouging and didn't $2000.00 to buy a welder with and still dont. So far I went through 10 lbs of rods with it and it's a little more complicated setting the heat then my former Century 250 amp welder, the dial numbers are percentages not the actual amps