What shop tips would you like to share?

[Moses Ludel]

Many of us have workshop "habits" we've picked up that could be helpful to others.  Sometimes its an easier way to perform mechanical repairs or a welding task, other times it has to do with space-saving techniques and approaches that give you more shop floor space.

 

Is there a piece of equipment that has made a real difference and proven its worth?  A way to keep the shop cooler or warmer that saves energy and cost?  Safer ways to lift a vehicle and work beneath it?  What saves time or makes a difference when you perform routine or specialized work?

 

Let us know, everyone wants to improve shop efficiency!  Your how-to insights would be helpful to others!

 

Moses

[hobbs]

I have one tip that someone showed my 30 years ago and it has never failed me.  Trying to get the bronze pilot bushing out of the crank shaft bore.  Everybody knows the trick of packing grease in the bore and using some sort of drift to get the grease to hydraulically force the bushing out.  The problem...it doesn't work unless the drift is almost a press fit, the grease just squirts by.  

 

Try this:  a candle.  Break the candle up and put the pieces in the bore and use the same method.  The drift still needs to be a good fit, but not perfect.  You will be shocked to see that bushing almost immediately start backing itself out.  You need to keep adding more busted candle, but out it will come.  Then use a scribe to pick out the compressed wax.  Very cool.

[Moses Ludel]

That is cool, Hobbs, I've always used the grease method with a close-fit shaft or even an old transmission input gear (pilot/nose end with the shaft shortened to serve as a driver).  The wax makes sense:  Less apt to find its way out and very dense—apparently less compressible from your description...Trust this one circulates, what a good idea!

 

Moses

[lastCJ7]

Hi Moses, I like to use an air die grinder with a carbide tip. great for deburring,if a hole does not line up you can just clean it out a bit till it does. I also have a second die grinder with a cut off wheel. This too works great to cut, grind, you name it!

[Moses Ludel]

I have a Sioux air die grinder and use the de-burring carbide tips, too!  For welding projects, you can't beat this combination.  Thanks for sharing...

[KJS XJ]

Made my own penetrant solution. Bought a little oiler can with a thumb trigger, it seals pretty good so air cant get in easily to evaporate my solution. Half acetone half atf fluid, give it a good shake before you use it and it works pretty good so far. Really seems to get sucked in deep into the threads.