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[3930dave]

Thanks. Never thought that a sewing store would have non-clothing fabrics.

The wife sews, so I've been around "a few" of those stores. (S'all good, she puts up with me in tool stores, so it's an even trade..... ). Range of product will vary, but some of the rural ones can have some pretty interesting stuff.

One near here stocks what we call Cold-Crack-Vinyl. It's often bought for redoing skidoo seats, as it's designed for low temperature use. I used some for a grille cover on my truck.

Great thread :thumbsup: , not sure how I missed this one before !

Rgds, D.

 

[downsizingnow48]

Lots of good ideas here, dunno how I missed this thread before.
This is a belt sander stand I made. Bosch wanted 60 dollars for their stand made of stamped sheet metal with no fence. I put this together in a morning out of stuff laying around, it is very sturdy. The side fence works better than a grinder for getting a smooth square edge on metal. The front fence angle can be adjusted for different chisels. Kitchen knives are easy handheld.

 

[chopped]

Nice idea. ive set mine upside down on my table saw and used the rip fence jambed up against it to hold it to the table. and then the switch was on 'hold' and plugged it into the toggle for the table saw. Worked well. only got away from me once.

Lots of good ideas here, dunno how I missed this thread before.
This is a belt sander stand I made. Bosch wanted 60 dollars for their stand made of stamped sheet metal with no fence. I put this together in a morning out of stuff laying around, it is very sturdy. The side fence works better than a grinder for getting a smooth square edge on metal. The front fence angle can be adjusted for different chisels. Kitchen knives are easy handheld.

View attachment 358192View attachment 358193

 

[Renze]

I restore old tractors quite often and it is not rare that the motor is frozen Therefore I created a handy tool to help me, when the cylinders have been left with rust solvent a while then I put this on the PTO so the engine is under tension while I gently taps on the pistons with the a mallet and a piece of wood.

we just put one of our Zetors back to back to it and attach a PTO shaft. Put the gear range in neutral, put the PTO in ground speed, and the transmission in reverse. It gives enough sling start to loosen the rings usually. Especially when you take the injectors out and pour a can of brake fluid divided over all cylinders 2 weeks before attempting to sling start it. brake fluid dissolves all carbon buildup in the ring grooves, and then a 50hp starter motor gets EVERYTHING going...

 

[firemanmike69]

Built this socket for taking the nut off track adjuster springs, snap on wanted over $2k for it

 

[Scooter78]

Now that's called getting it done to save some "G's"!

 

[firemanmike69]

Now that's called getting it done to save some "G's"!

In snap ons defense it is a 4 1/2" socket that's 1" drive

 

[Scooter78]

Yea that maybe but it's great you were able to build that.

 

[PhysAssist]

Now, I think I prolly gotta go find myself a belt sander, as it seems more utilitarian to do this with a portable one than to buy a fixed table sander, but still gives one the ability to use it for sharpening, etc.

Nice idea. ive set mine upside down on my table saw and used the rip fence jambed up against it to hold it to the table. and then the switch was on 'hold' and plugged it into the toggle for the table saw. Worked well. only got away from me once.

 

[downsizingnow48]

Gee $2k for a socket. That is thoroughly awesome. Glad you were able to make your own!

 

[Kernopelli]

I too am glad you made your own. Great project and a real money saver. $2k+ for a socket is absurd :shocked: ...even by Snap On standards. A Proto 4 1/2" x 1" drive impact is $459 from ToolUp, and I think that is too much.

 

[204saskman]

I made a hydralic pusher for inserting bearings into some equipment at work. Its 1 1/8" acne rod with 5/8" plates and use a 30ton hollow enerpac 12" stroke cylinder to push the bearings in. Works pretty slick. Ill try to get a picture next time were using it.

 

[OldMcDonald]

More equipment than a tool I suppose, but I would like to have details of your chain harrows.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Afternoon Guys,
Here are a couple of tools that I made a few years ago to help me out in my woodshop.
The doweling jig is adjustable from any board 1/2" thick up to about 2 1/4" thick. 1/4" , 5/16", and 3/8" dowel sizes.

The indicator stand is mostly used to adjust my dado blade height, although I do also use it when I change the blades in my joiner.

 

[DaveOmak]

Here is my straw chopper......

 

[sixdogs]

Here is my straw chopper......

View attachment 360140

Wow--that looks like it would work well and not be too hard to make. Any more details or photos of the build?

 

[Renze]

Wow--that looks like it would work well and not be too hard to make. Any more details or photos of the build?

Indeed, Dave, after this photo as a teaser, you owe us action videos !!! (i allways wanted to build one too)

 

[DaveOmak]

Thanks for the compliments.... The back story... I used to grow garlic and needed a mulch maker.... Todays straw choppers are $$$$$.... I found the "chaf chopping" drum on e-bay and it sat on the barn floor for 6 months while I drew up possible configurations... found a compatible PTO shaft in Surplus Center catalog... pillow block bearings on e-bay for about $8/each for the drum.... and started building ... The drum and all it's functional parts came from Iowa... I think the shipping was as much as the parts... I've got about $500 in it which I think is pretty good all things considered...



I had to make the chopping blades that mounted to the framework... If I remember they are made from 2" X 3" rectangle tube... very similar to the original blades configuration... The drum etc. is from an IH combine, I think, about 1960's model.....
It works well.... thick slabs of hay will put a strain on it so feeding rate is slow.... it will chop up an 800# bale in about 20 minutes or less....
It needs a discharge chute to keep the hay from piling up under the chopper.... Just ain't got around to it yet...

I'm sure you noticed the lack of safety hardware... When it's running, I add hay from the "high" side... Probably not necessary to mention, it puts the fear in me while operating.... that machine has no forgiveness in it.....

I generally run it twice a year and store the chopped straw, alfalfa in apple bins for later use.....

As far as build details... find a combine "chaff chopper drum".... stare at it while having a few beers and something will come to you.... That is what I did.... more than one day spent trying to come up with a good plan...

Action photos... I wish I had some.... I just learned how to take movies with my camera... maybe this spring.... in the meantime, imagine 800#'s of hay shooting out the bottom at 540 RPM.... there ain't much to see, unless you had slow-motion....
I'm pretty proud it worked and does what I need... maybe more than I need... It definitely was worth the time and money....

Enlarging the drum photo shows the "cutting teeth" fabricated from the 2x3 tube... After using it, I have thought of changing out those teeth to "sickle bar" cutting plates .... and possibly mounting the same on the drum.... only problem mounting on the drum is screwing up the balance... the drum is perfectly balanced as far as I can tell.....

Dave

 

[Sodo]

It needs a discharge chute to keep the hay from piling up under the chopper.... Just ain't got around to it yet...

Can you set a long sheet of smooth metal roofing below? Push the pile out with a rake?

 

[bmaverick]

I like that straw chopper.