Hints and Tips

I looked through all the posts to check but no one has mentioned it.
For last 30 years or so, I've used old needle descaler rods as a source of high carbon steel 1/8" diameter to make various tools, punches, scribers, gravers and special miniature screwdrivers, scrapers, etc.
When I finally ran out I actually bought a pack from Harbor Freight Tools, only about $9.00
Just in case someone has never seen or heard of it, I think this is a picture of complete unit
I think it's the cheapest way to get small diameter hardenable steel even if actual composition is unknown.
for the majority of 'special tools' they may be a 'single use' although I still have several I made 20+ years ago.
 
crazypj said:
I've used old needle descaler rods as a source of high carbon steel 1/8" diameter to make various tools, punches, scribers, gravers and special miniature screwdrivers, scrapers, etc.
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great idea and very economical!
Thanks for sharing this.
Brian
 
woodchucker said:
Yea, sometimes I get distracted by the shiny objects too and it takes a while to properly diagnose the problem. :rolleyes:
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yep, took the draw bar out yesterday, and saw this. I turned it down a bit. I also had to fix the top, I sheared off the pinned head.. so had to make a new one. Next time, I will probably turn a piece of 4140 all the way, or 1144.

PXL_20240125_205812835.jpg
 
Was getting tired of how I stored some of my spring clamps. I was storing them on the A frame of my clamp rack.
but getting them or putting them on when they were all there was a pain. I kept running into the others and it just was bothering me.
So I took an old wooden blind that I shortened and attached a hook from a ratchet strap that had lived past it's useful life. Mounted it to the thin blind and now can hang it wherever I want. Man it weighs a ton with just this many clamps... it's gotta weigh about 15-20lbs.
PXL_20240213_211609024.jpgPXL_20240213_211717486.jpg
 
Along the same lines as @oogenshire just posted, I've been using the light gage steel baking pans from Dollar Tree ($1.25 each) for small project/organizer trays. I got a bunch of three different sizes, square cake pan (about 8" x 8" x 2"), brownie pan (about 11' x 7" x 1.4") and cookie pan (about 13" x 9" x .6"). They help keep things together, particularly when a project has to be put aside while waiting for parts orders or other delays.
 
Use egg cartons when disassembling devices. You can place all the small parts in the order of disassembly so you don't have to wonder which screw, pin, etc, went where when reassembling. Photos along the way help too.
 
Pro tip, especially for the younger crowd. Label everything! I have toolboxes full of parts (mostly gun parts). At one point it was obvious to me what went to what. Today I don't recognize half of them. Getting into the habit of labeling has taken me a while, but it's certainly helped.

GsT
 
GeneT45 said:
Pro tip, especially for the younger crowd. Label everything! I have toolboxes full of parts (mostly gun parts). At one point it was obvious to me what went to what. Today I don't recognize half of them. Getting into the habit of labeling has taken me a while, but it's certainly helped.

GsT
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same here. as the years pack on, it's much more difficult to remember all those things.
 
RJSakowski said:
Use egg cartons when disassembling devices. You can place all the small parts in the order of disassembly so you don't have to wonder which screw, pin, etc, went where when reassembling. Photos along the way help too.
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I have egg cartons, ice cube trays, and HF cheap organizers (24 or 18 spot trays with lids) to help disassemble and reassemble
 
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