Repair/mechanic tricks and or tips?

oliver28472 · Feb 25, 2008

Can't get anything done that way!!

jgrieve · Feb 25, 2008

if you need to dill out a broken bolt that is broke off down in a hole and if you have access to a lathe drill a hole in the center of a bolt the same diameter, then put the bolt into the hole and use the same size bit to drill directly into the center of the broken bolt. if you have a left handed drill bit it mite just screw the bolt out. or use an easy out.

jgrieve · Feb 25, 2008

Soundguy said:
Ditto on the cheap wrenches. I have a set from kmart that has never broke.. it must be 20ys old.. I also have a shiny chinese set.. still never broke one.

Lessee.. tips...

Stuck nut.. heat joint and then apply candle wax.. the wax will seep into the joint by capilary action, and act as a lube when you do go to unscrew it.

Have a stuck bearing race that you can't get a 3-jaw puller on? Weld a small bead around the ID of the race.. it will either fall out when cool, or will drop out with minimal force.

A center punch makes a good dimple for drilling to prevent walking.. I know someone already mentioned filing a flat on round stock.. these can be used in conjunction, and do work out well.

Soundguy

when drilling round stock with a drill press ram the bit into th stock fast back off and drill maybee turn the piece if neccesery

Jeff244 · Feb 27, 2008

I don't know if anyone posted this yet. I save all of my old heater hoses and radiator hoses and use them to cover hydraulic hoses that rend to rub against the tractor frame, especially on the fel. I split them and fasten them with cable ties. It also works for wires of other lines that are at risk of wearing thru.

Jeff

patrick_g · Feb 28, 2008

Jeff244 said:
I don't know if anyone posted this yet. I save all of my old heater hoses and radiator hoses and use them to cover hydraulic hoses that rend to rub against the tractor frame, especially on the fel. I split them and fasten them with cable ties. It also works for wires of other lines that are at risk of wearing thru.

Jeff

Good recycle! I thought that was what old garden hose was for but had problems with small diameter sometimes.

Pat

woodchuckie · Apr 14, 2009

I think I had seen this tip/trick on a car site and had occasion to use it yesterday changing the oil in my van. You take a 2 liter jug and cut the top out so an oil filter will fit in and unscrew the filter letting it fall into the jug and all the dripping oil goes into the jug as long as you hold it in place. All that oil I used to have to wipe up from the frame is now neatly in the jug.

dangier_VA · Apr 17, 2009

Great tips! Keep them flowing.

With all of the talk about strong and super magnets, I have not seen a caution about keeping the magnets away from credit/bank cards and their magnetic strip. Magnets will scramble the data and make the card useless. No need to ask how I know....

patrick_g · Apr 18, 2009

dangier_VA said:
Great tips! Keep them flowing.

With all of the talk about strong and super magnets, I have not seen a caution about keeping the magnets away from credit/bank cards and their magnetic strip. Magnets will scramble the data and make the card useless. No need to ask how I know....

Yeah, don't want to be like a friend whose wife "POSTED" his new credit card on the refrigerator door (you guessed it) with a magnet.

Pat

steve10391 · Apr 18, 2009

Wow what a good thread !!!! Lifetimes of experience you cant learn in a book.

Learned this from an old time machinist. The problem was a broken stud below the surface of an exhaust manifold. It was a stainless stud in an aluminum manifold. I have used this procedure probably 25 times with 100% success rate. Use a wire feed welder and build up the the broken stud above the surface enough to get a pair locking pliers on it. Use a little extra heat on the first weld to get a good bond to the broken bolt, then turn it down (the welder) and build it up to the height you need. Its already hot and comes right out every time. This could also be used on rounded nuts, bolts, stripped phillips, ect. You get the drift. Happy welding.

BearKiller · Sep 22, 2009

WALT said:
A very simple trick that has served me well for years is to clean up and put your tools away when you finish what your working on.

My father somewhat ingrained this into me, by his lack of doing this.
WALT

I couldn't help but relate to this statement.

My father and his pet employees lose more tools in a day than I buy in two years.

Even with seven trucks, numerous trailers, tractors, outbuildings, barns, shops, etc., I know exactly where any tool I own is at, even those used once every thirteen years.

My father, on the other hand, will usually give up looking and buy another, as it is quicker/easier for him.

He runs a public business where tools are used constantly; they spend more time looking for a tool than they spend doing the task that the tool was needed for.

Needless to say, I have learned to never let them around my stuff.