International 444, 1968. Progress Thread, Getting Going

[DJ54]

***What have you found to be the most useful? What really comes in handy that you use once in a while but are really glad you have it?***

Got carried away above and forgot this. Gosh there are so many, but all in all I'd have to say the air die grinder. That and the 2" Roloc head and medium gasket removal discs. It sure makes cleaning up mating surfaces a lot faster. I got mine at HF probably 40 years ago, back then they were made in Japan. It was a little more than the others they had but used less air which was great using it with the small compressor I had at that time.

I still buy new specialty tools like seal inverting tool set for rebuilding hyd. cylinders, sets of torx screwdriver for working on small carbs. Crow foot/flare nut sockets to get in tight places, and the list goes on, I don't know that you can have everything. I bought some filing cabinets to keep specialty tools in and other items. Many come from Amazon, they're only used occasionally, not like I'm making a living with them, although I do have a few Snap-on tools like a torque wrench etc. I've come to the point in my life where now my motto is, "It's gonna' look good on the sale bill someday." I pity the poor souls that will have to set it up, but it's going to be a dandy..!!

 

[FlyFishn]

We go to the flea market place near Hocking Hills off rt 33 every once in a while. There are a couple of the store vendors (you rent space in there to show items then they take a percentage) that sell tools. Ill have to look in to some things there next time we go. Though, I need the hammers sooner than that.

 

[DJ54]

In the early 70's there was a place on the SE side of Columbus called Corvairs. They bought merchandise from store closures and other items. You bought tools there by the pound. IIRC like $1.49 a lb. A good place to pick up a second set of tools, seems you always needed a second wrench the same size removing bolts with nuts on the other end.

You never knew what you'd find there, even vehicles. Pulled in one Sat, morning in the early 80's and there was like 25 DeLorean cars setting there, brand splinter new after they went bankrupt. Seems they had a price tag of around $6K, half what they were selling for when in business but that'd be like $100K now. Saw a fleet of new mail Jeeps w/right hand drive. Some painted USPS colors, some not.

You can check the story by using Google and the guy's name was Sol Shenk.

 

[FlyFishn]

For the top of the transmission case the FELPRO KARROPAK material would work fine, being nothing there is pressurized. Thickness would be determined by the thickness of the original gasket they make it in several thicknesses.

It looks like the housing gaskets are .012-.014". It appears Karropak comes in a .015"/1/64" thickness so that looks to be close enough.

I found an 18"x30ft roll on Ebay for $35 and free shipping. Id say that is a good deal - stock for other projects too.

 

[DJ54]

Sounds like you're off to a good start. Now to find a steam iron to flatten it out. You may even already have one that's not used around the house anymore. Give the material a good spritz of water and just iron the "roll" out of it. It may take 2-3 times as big as that piece will be but flattens it out nicely. I use a piece of scrap plywood and sawhorses as an ironing board.

If you don't have one, they're fairly cheap for $10 or so at Wally-World. Secondhand stores even less.

That big of a piece should literally last you for years. Just store it in the dry, I don't know that it goes bad. Here, for cheap storage, I've been buying 4 drawer filing cabinets from Habitat for Humanity which are probably 30 years old back when they were made pretty heavy. I'm assuming these came out of offices. Cheap storage cabinets for $20 ea. Great for storing specialty tools, filters, etc. and best of all mouse proof. Just some food for thought.