Shop Tricks

[BearKiller]

>> FORMING PVC PIPE <<


I had to make some weird bends and flatten a portion of some sch.-40 4-inch PVC to get it to fit where it had to go.

I fired up the "reddy heater" torpedo heater and, when the plastic became pliable, I shaped it as I wanted.

Since then, I have made numerous custom bends and also a few simple 45s and 90s when I was lacking an elbow.

There is a "sweet spot" when the PVC will bend and mold easily, just before it melts a big hole in it, so a keen eye and quick hand are imperative.

 

[BearKiller]

>> ROPE FERRULES <<

I wanted to put a snap on a length of 3/8 braided nylon rope.

Since the rope was barely long enough as it was, and tying the snap on would use up at least six to eight inches, I came upon the idea of using a ferrule; trouble is, I didn't have any.

I cut an inch length of copper plumbing tube, 1/2" I think, and used it for a ferrule.

I slid the copper onto the rope, added the snap, and folded the end of the rope over the snap, inserting it back through the copper/ferrule.

I used my large cable crimper to firmly crimp the copper.

It looks better than anything store-bought.

 

[BearKiller]

>> MEASURING JUGS <<


I keep every one of those clear plastic one-gallon jugs that HI-C, Hawiiain Punch, and the like comes in.

These are much tougher than milk jugs; and, they are clear, so much easier to see through.

I rinse them thoroughly and let them air dry until no trace of moisture is left.

While they are still wet from rinsing, I take a one-quart measuring cup and pour one pint of water into the jug, marking the level as "ONE PINT" with a permanent marker.

I dump this out and pour in one full quart, marking the level as "ONE QUART"; then, "TWO QUARTS", "THREE QUARTS", and "ONE FULL GALLON".

When I use one of these graduated jugs for the first time, I mark what it was used for clearly on the jug and keep it always for that purpose, thus I don't have to worry with rinsing or cross-contamination.

When messing with any liquid, this is one of the handiest things I have done.

 

[Taylortractornut]

One thing i rigged up to bend PVC for a rain barrel prject for a friend was we took a heating element out of a junked dryer then made a cord to run it on 110. up to 3 inch would fit in it and it heated it on all sides evenly.

 

[BearKiller]

>> RADIATOR HOSE REPAIR <<

This one is sort of a testimonial and tip combined.

After an extensive yet fruitless search for a new replacement bottom radiator hose to fit my 1972 R2500 Mitsubishi tractor, I decided I was going to have to repair it as best I could and run with it.

It had numerous nicks and several abrasions, but was leaking from a knife-like slit/puncture about half-an-inch back from the water-neck at the water-pump.

I was shopping at H-F and found this stuff :

- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

Not knowing just how good it was going to be, I only bought one roll; I wish now that I had of bought ten rolls.

I carefully followed the directions and completely cleaned the old filthy hose with naptha.

I stuck a pill-bottle into the end of the hose closest to the split place to support the hose and keep it round.

Starting at the end of the hose, I wrapped three layers, back and forth, covering the hose from it's end to about an inch past the split.

I then started at the other end, and half-lapping, snugly wrapped the entire hose until I ran out of tape on top of the first section I had covered.

With the entire hose thus wrapped, and all the abrasions and nicks covered with the silicone tape, I believe the hose is good for another 37-years.


I used the tractor hard today and there has not been nary a drip.


If anyone has old questionable hoses on any vehicle or tractor, especially those like mine that are near impossible to replace, I highly recommend removing said hoses, cleaning them up, and wrapping them from one end to the other, before they suffer a catastrophic demise.


I will admit I was skeptical about the outcome of this silicone tape, especially when I saw that it has no adhesive; but, after sitting all night, the tape has sort of self-vulcanized itself, and the ends and edges have just welded themselves into the layers beneath.


I intend to stock up on the stuff after seeing how good it works.

 

[texasjohn]

Bearkiller... some good ideas there... particularly about the Extreme Tape... I've gotta get me some of this miracle stuff, following your testimonial and HF'S claims:

• [FONT=arial, sans-serif]
• Works in any situation: underwater, on a hot muffler, or on a boiling radiator hose
• Silicon based
• Insulates to 8000 volts
• Flexible to -60ｰ Fahrenheit
• Sticks to itself
• Stretches to three times its original length to handle odd shapes and spaces
• Creates permanent seal[/FONT]

That's a deal for $4

 

[kenstrac]

Had a nat.gas job to do after hrs ordered all the parts had them delivered to job,got there and they supplied 1" close nipples instead of the 3/4 that I had ordered.The job had to be done that night and I needed 30 nipples,went on a hunt for a solution found an internal pipe wrench in tool box,I cut the 3/4 pipe to size and inserted internal pipe wrench in treading machine slipped unthreaded nipple onto internal pipe wrench and cut the threads.

 

[BearKiller]

>> LOCKABLE OUTDOOR STORAGE <<

Don't haul off that old refrigerator when it finally konks out; in fact, if your refrigerator is good for several more years, just head to the landfill and get someone else's junker, or two or three.

Clean the thing thoroughly, using plenty of bleach to kill that un-plugged refrigerator stench.

Put a pad-lock hasp on the door(s).

Paint it to match your tractor, truck, barn, or house.

Set it convenient to where you service your vehicles and stock it's shelves with such necessities as oil, steering fluid, brake fluid, grease-gun, wiper fluid, Rain-X, Invisible Glass, etc.

A second refrigerator can be used to store gasoline, chain-saw gas, and the like; better devise some sort of vent system on this one.

 

[Taylortractornut]

This is a quick fix for a washer. The month of October is a tight month here because I have several big bills that all work together and it really knocks a hole in the savings since all my extra work has slowed down. The other night my wife told me the washer quit putting out cold water. but hot worked ok. The man at the appliance store nolonger services and if he did it would be 250 minimum. My wife wont use hot wash any way and I was danged if i gave 250 for fixing my washer. I pulled the washer out and put the cold supplly hose on the hot and let it be. Works fine.
An old ringer washer does good for washing shop rags I have a friend who lets his wife do all the telling on the appliances and shop rags are off limits to her washer. He picked up one of the old hand wringers and does his pile of rags weekly.

 

[larryccf]

your washing machine issue might just be a clogged inlet screen - check where the hose was connected and you'll see a screen just inside the connection - they get clogged, cold water side first from debris coming in in cold water feel line

but another tip, if the solenoid is bad (that connection is a solenoid valve - go to www.sears.com, then up on top right to "PartsDirect"

once there, it'll ask you for the model number - you can punch in any tool number (drill, circular saw, washing machine, refrig, weedeater, whatever)

all you'll need is model number - it'll come back asking you to confirm that 's a Kenmore yada yada washer (or whatever make) - then it'll take you to parts page

i had a 30 yr old maytag washer start leaking on a saturday afternoon - pulled the front cabinet panel off, identified the small squiggly "S" shaped hose, identified it on sear's parts page, ordered it, $6.75 + $6 shipping (priority mail) and it was here on Tuesday afternoon

i've rebuilt tools (25 yr old craftsman circular saw, 20 yr old belt sander) off that page

and it doesn't matter if it's a brand they sell or not, their parts warehouse will have access to the parts

had a ryobi table saw, the dumbest part on the raising mechanism went bad - sears had it for $15

anyway, at worst you've got a bad solenoid valve which won't be much to buy, at best just a clogged filter