Shop Tips #14

By Dick Raczuk

Tie downs

If you are lucky enough to own a lift, here's an idea I came up with. When working on the rear end, usually front and rear stands are enough to give your lift some rigidity. BUT if you are working on your springs or for some reason or another have to jack up on the car, tie it down. I just used one of my heavy tie downs and gave it a wrap from side to side. It's always a good idea to use stands on both ends of the vehicle. It never fails that you forget and start yanking on something. It doesn't have to be a spring either. A long handle on a stubborn bolt can get things shaking. I worked on my Hollywood for months without the engine or rear end installed. I finally installed the engine in the car and started to lift it. I just about lost it. The car had become so front heavy that it started to teeter totter on the lift. That's when I started to clamp the car to the lift. I like the straps better. If you have any doubts, "strap it". The life you save will probably be your own.

Winners

Here is a copy of a document I hung in every office when I owned KERKER. It's nothing original but a synopsis of an article I read. I like it and it works. I still have one hanging in my shop. Makes sense to me.

(Click the image to download a copy suitable for printing.)

Drilling or holesawing into a finished panel

When you are installing some new items into your dash or a similar finished panel, you need to protect it from the machining operation. The panel in the photos has an engine turned finish and needed to be protected. I used blue masking tape and it worked just fine. You can mark your layout lines directly onto the taped panel to locate your holes etc. The tape protects the finish no matter what side you work from. The hole sawing and drilling operations always seem to sling around some nasty burrs. The tape now takes the abuse. Lets say your adding a switch to a painted dash. The tape will protect the finish.

Worked for me!!

Mill Move

In the process of moving my equipment from Colorado to Lake Havasu, I was faced with loading the equipment without the luxury of a forklift. The only one I could get would not fit through the door. Not only that, it was too heavy to go up my ramp door onto the trailer. The solution was to use a pallet jack that I could rent for $15. I found a heavy pallet and screwed a piece of 3/4" plywood to the top. I would use a bigger pallet and a bigger piece of plywood if I did it again. I also would double up the plywood. I loosened the head and turned everything down. Keeping the lift stands close together I got by using a piece of 4x4 1/4" wall sq. under the head. Bigger would have been better. As the jacks lifted the mill I moved the table to balance the load. VERY IMPORTANT:Everything was done slowly and deliberately. Every time I could, I would place blocks under the mill for safety's sake. After I reached the height I needed, I quickly slipped the reinforced pallet under the mill. Lowering it down a little at a time on each side, it came to rest on the pallet. Then I bolted the mill to the pallet. A few tiedowns helps secure the load. The big pallet jack handled the mill easily. I used the trailer winch to pull the mill onto the trailer. Screwing some blocks around the perimeter help keep it in place. It still moved a little by the time I got to Az. Unloading was just the reverse. Actually the pallet jack made it pretty simple to stick it into a tight corner. Anyway, it worked for me. Like any other time you are dealing with moving heavy equipment, use caution and DON'T be in a hurry. I loaded and unloaded my mill and lathe in this manner by myself. The lift jacks are Harbor Freight and are very good for the money. YES, I said that.

More on Marking

In Shop Tip #5 I mentioned marking material's alloy before you put them back on the shelf. Using the right alloy for the project is very important unless your making something like a candle holder. Member Joe Keightley wrote in and suggested a nice addition to marking down the alloy: he also marks down the dimension of the material. Saves time when you are looking for that certain size.

Attention to Detail Makes the Difference

Ever wonder why when you see two of the same cars sitting together, one can look better? It's usually that colors and parts are complimentary to each other. One more thing that makes a difference: "attention to DETAIL". Those little things that takes you twice as long to do, with the end result much more satisfying. It's the words "Hey check this out" you love too hear when somebody is looking over your work. If you haven't heard these words yet, "pay a little more attention to detail". I'm going to throw in some of my ideas in the "tips" because I'm including the process. It may not always be the correct methodology, but it worked for me.

Hinge Screws

Here is a little detail to make a simple door hinge look better. This is on a street rod of course and not my kitchen cabinet. The slotted counter sunk screws were beat up and needed replacing. Even the new ones would require painting, and it seems that it's difficult to keep the paint from chipping . I needed 64 of these. Replacement slotted head screws were $2 ea. x64 = $128. HELLO! McMaster's had stainless CS screws for $70 but they had to be modified to fit. It's not difficult, but there are 64 x 4 operations. Like I said, detail does come at a price. It's not money but time. But then it's about a three letter word, "YUP". That's what you say when somebody asks,"did you make that"? Anyway, here are the steps I used to make the screws.