Tip of the day.

[scootr]

I keep finding new uses for my hydraulic lift, roll-around shop cart. Discount tool outlets sell them.

Heavy items in your pickup truck can be slid onto it at tailgate height, rolled elsewhere, and then eased almost to the ground where you can deal with it. Or reverse that process to load your truck.

If you have a portable vise, you can stabilize it on your cart table, clamp your workpiece, and adjust the height to comfortably drill it, grind it, paint it...

It can be an improvised table extension for cutting long pieces, or as an outfeed table. Matching the heights is easy. Matching higher table heights, like my radial arm saw, requires some blocks on the cart table.

500 lb. Capacity Hydraulic Table Cart

Amazing deals on this 500Lb Hydraulic Table Cart at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

My buddy was a pro cabinet installer. When doing kitchens
He would put this unit on the base cabinet plywood top and jack the upper cabinets into position. Then he could take his time scribing the cabinet in for the perfect fit or fastening it to the wall.

 

[ArlyA]

I've bought about 6 of those and the Justrite AccuFlow 5 Gallon over the last 10 years. I think I've had to replace one of the gaskets IIRC. They take a lickin and keep on tick'n.

Yeah, when I bought mine they were going normally for ~$65, on sale for $45 or less.

Ya, When I started buying them, seems like they were 60 something but that many years ago. I'd guess you know you can get parts for them? Seems you could throw away 3 plastic cans for there current price but I don't know what the junk version of platic fuel costs these days. No need to check.

 

[scootr]

I made those desks for my sons when they were in grade school. Worked well and were cheap.

My wife is still on a door table over 2 filing cabinets. I originally bought a $10 damaged door at lowes and glued a sheet of white formica on the top and used some black for the edge (all leftover scrap). Later I added a pull out keyboard tray to the underside and this rig is still going strong 22 years later... of course one more piece of paper won't fit in her file cabinets. lol

 

[fidowanttobe]

File cabinet drawers are the only ones big enough in my shop to hold my welding helmets. Keeps them relatively clean. Greens and gloves in the bottom one.

 

[ning]

File cabinet drawers are the only ones big enough in my shop to hold my welding helmets. Keeps them relatively clean. Greens and gloves in the bottom one.

ok I'm going to have to steal that idea
mine just hangs from a hook on the cart but it gets dusty
though that does give me an incentive to wash the shield a bit more often, gets hazy pretty quick using flux core wire *cough*

 

[beowulf]

Something that has proven to be very useful for me is a battery operated fire "bellow". If you have a fireplace you may want to get one. Every one here loves it. I used to use a long half inch piece of pvc to blow air when I was working on starting a fire in the fireplace - it worked but was a hassle. This item (see below) is a real game changer - it just takes a few seconds to have that fire roar up and generate the heat to start the logs. When I bought it I thought it was expensive for what it was (I paid $28), but now I see they are only $17. I would buy it again even at the higher price if this one went out on me.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H3P6RT2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Spike56]

ok I'm going to have to steal that idea
mine just hangs from a hook on the cart but it gets dusty
though that does give me an incentive to wash the shield a bit more often, gets hazy pretty quick using flux core wire *cough*

Use an old pillowcase for my helmet. Keeps it clean, can still hang on a hook.

 

[Spike56]

I've bought about 6 of those and the Justrite AccuFlow 5 Gallon over the last 10 years. I think I've had to replace one of the gaskets IIRC. They take a lickin and keep on tick'n.

Yeah, when I bought mine they were going normally for ~$65, on sale for $45 or less.

Wow just checked the link from ArivA above. Now $132 for the (type2) Eagle U2-51-S, then $115 for the Eagle U2-51-SX5 (type2), and $62.50 for the (type1) Eagle UI-50-FS.
Okay I see on the cheaper one, a funnel instead of a spout. What is type1-type2? No idea, I must have missed it? Everything seems to be a research project just to figure out WHAT you are getting / paying for!
Then there is the Justrite 7250120 (type2) for $115 which "seems" to compare to the expensive Eagle model ($132). This says:

• Made in: United States
• Country of origin: China

Sure, I missed some details on the product descriptions...

 

[Spike56]

Okay, I looked it up if anyone interested. What is the difference between Type I and Type II Safety Cans? Type I safety cans only have 1 opening – pour & fill from the same opening. Type II safety cans have 2 openings – one for pouring and one for filling – the fill opening serves as a vent when pouring.

 

[jmc]

Wow just checked the link from ArivA above. Now $132 for the (type2) Eagle U2-51-S, then $115 for the Eagle U2-51-SX5 (type2), and $62.50 for the (type1) Eagle UI-50-FS.
Okay I see on the cheaper one, a funnel instead of a spout. What is type1-type2? No idea, I must have missed it? Everything seems to be a research project just to figure out WHAT you are getting / paying for!
Then there is the Justrite 7250120 (type2) for $115 which "seems" to compare to the expensive Eagle model ($132). This says:

• Made in: United States
• Country of origin: China

Sure, I missed some details on the product descriptions...

Yeah, I think product descriptions must be automated. Like when you want the size of an item, they list the size of its box.

 

[scootr]

Something that has proven to be very useful for me is a battery operated fire "bellow". If you have a fireplace you may want to get one. Every one here loves it. I used to use a long half inch piece of pvc to blow air when I was working on starting a fire in the fireplace - it worked but was a hassle. This item (see below) is a real game changer - it just takes a few seconds to have that fire roar up and generate the heat to start the logs. When I bought it I thought it was expensive for what it was (I paid $28), but now I see they are only $17. I would buy it again even at the higher price if this one went out on me.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H3P6RT2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I can see some of these guys bringing the leaf-blower indoors now for winter use.

 

[fatjay]

File cabinet drawers are the only ones big enough in my shop to hold my welding helmets. Keeps them relatively clean. Greens and gloves in the bottom one.

I have my circular saws and portable band saws in filing cabinets.

 

[flyerdan]

File cabinets are great, around here they're often free if they're not pretty enough for home or office. Who cares in the shop. I've got one with all the oil and auto chemicals in one drawer and the top is full of folded tarps.
Another good storage is lockers - not the full length high school type but the smaller square ones. Each bay can hold a grinder and all the related stuff for it, keeps everything handy and together.

 

[ning]

A long while back we stopped using various lighters for starting the fire in the wood stove or on the grill.
Now we just use

and if you hold the flame back a ways it pulls a ton of air in with it.

 

[groundcover]

I can see some of these guys bringing the leaf-blower indoors now for winter use.

Brings back memories of the time my best friend was renting a house when we were in collage, he was having trouble getting a fire going in the wood stove. He was always a good problem solver and soon had the vacuum cleaner out with the hose reversed, got the fire going in no time ... never rent to college kids !!

 

[Doofy]

Buy a Manual, a paper manual. Downloaded manuals have their place but a physical book is easier for us old farts.

The Wife recently bought a '04 GMC Yukon XL 2500. I bought a cheap, downloadable Service Manual (14,000 something pages) and I can't find a dang thing.

 

[Doofy]

Ask for Help! At least pick the brain of someone that knows more than you about an upcoming task.

I just bought a new Sled ('95 Polaris Lite Deluxe with electric start and reverse) for $300. I started going through it and realized that I haven't worked on a snowmobile in over 30 years. I invited the neighbor I bought it from over for dinner and a long round of Questions and Answers about my new toy. I learned more than what the books teach and I have it almost finished and ready to ride.

 

[Avenger]

Another tip: Watch auction sites for the items you need. Instead of buying a new box blade for $800, you might find a really good (but used) one for $200.

I recently won a black powder pistol that the auction company took apart because it was "loaded." So in the photos, it looked like junk. I bought it for $30!! The pistol was loaded, but not capped. Not matching the markings up with the description on the auction listing, I got it appraised. Its not a reproduction, but an original 1846 Colt Walker! The appraiser valued it at $850.

But thats not all, I have found things on these auction sites that I didn't need, but found that they are going really cheap. Knowing what they are and how valuable they could be, I bought them and flipped them for big profits. The one item that came to mind was when a local brewery went out of business, they auctioned off everything. I bought stainless steel tables, sinks, and other kitchen/brewery gadgets. I then flipped them on craigslist for about triple what I paid.

I'm currently in the market for a 3pt sprayer and a QA snow plow. I bid on both of these in a recent auction, but they went for stupid money. So (BONUS TIP) know your limits and do your research! Just because its at auction, does not always mean its a good deal. People get competitive and need to feel like they have won, even if that means over paying for something.

 

[npalen]

My wife is still on a door table over 2 filing cabinets. I originally bought a $10 damaged door at lowes and glued a sheet of white formica on the top and used some black for the edge (all leftover scrap). Later I added a pull out keyboard tray to the underside and this rig is still going strong 22 years later... of course one more piece of paper won't fit in her file cabinets. lol

Don't you think you oughta help your wife down from there?

 

[dodge man]

I can’t take credit for this, someone else on this site gave me the tip. My log splitter goes both horizontal and vertical. It fairly nose heavy, meaning it takes a lot of effort to lift it vertical. Just put a log on it while it horizontal and dig the wedge in just a little, this will help balance it better to lift vertical.