Ideas for Scroungers

[Dave Smith]

:rofl::jester:

Good one!

Dan--I am too old to know anything about BLUE GROUP, but I figure they were trying to get the neat spring out of an old can of BLUE paint---all kidding aside--it is very easy to dismantle aerosol containers safely--first hold down the button outside till you hear the pressure drop all the way--if you cover it with a heavy rag as you tap a nail in the top portion to drain any left over pressure and contents (I normally only do the tall thick aluminum cans so I then can use the small dremmel cutting discs to cut the top off) --I find the nice tubes along with any springs--the tubes are very handy because they are good for chemical resistance--I like the tall aluminum hairspray cans because they are thicker walled for projects---Dave--good scroungers find their good resources in many items that are just thrown in the trash----

 

[danwsmith7]

I used to work at a furniture store and used to call first dibs on all the old bed frames. Sadley I don't work there anymore and don't have much of it left. I have had a fellow that works for a railroad supply my with some track, plates and spikes.

 

[Dave Smith]

Had not thought of roller blades. I've been scrounging for small radial bearings. But, haven't found any yet. Someone told me you could get bearing out of VCR's, but I haven't found one. Yet that has bearings.

Bob

Bob--yes --roller blade wheels are very durable and the bearings can take a lot of weight--you get 8 of them off each pair and some other very tough machineable material, and some nice hard rubber pieces and bolts.--you also can buy replacement bearings cheap in sets on ebay. I will show a small supply of mine to show how nice they are. most pairs of roller blades were under a dollar. roller skates and skate boards also have nice wheels on them but they usually aren't cheap as blades.---Dave-----:thinking:

 

[Dave Smith]

How do you know the dot matrix or ink jet rods are DRILL ROD(hardenable tool steel) or do you mean they are just good mild steel shafting? Same for the strut rods?

George--I'm not sure exactly what constitutes as being drill rod, but I know the shafts are hardened (maybe just case hardened--but they are definately hardened) and they are threaded on each end and the same threads as a lot of drill chucks--I will add some pictures to show how handy they are.-----Dave-----:thinking::thinking:

 

[george wilson]

So,what do you do with drill chucks with long shafts on them?

 

[Dave Smith]

So,what do you do with drill chucks with long shafts on them?

George--so far I have just used one to reach into an area where there wasn't enough room for reaching in with a hand drill--I wasn't meaning that they should be mounted on a longshaft, but showing that drill chucks would screw on both ends of some--I plan on making an arbor with bearings on the shafts, and another use would be to use them in collets--just many uses for the shock absorber shafts--I wish I could remember all the projects I have planned for all my resources, but the older I get the harder it is just for me to remember where all my resources are stored ---this thread ( Ideas for Scroungers ) is great to let others know where we have found treasures so other members can use their quick thinking and come up with finished projects---I would be happy to see someones comments and pictures about using some of our scrounger ideas in their product build.--there are just a lot of ideas on how to use good hardened shafts that are already threaded.---Dave )

 

[DAN_IN_MN]

Strut/shock rods?

 

[Chucketn]

I have never purchased 12L14 steel, but from the descriptions of it that I have read on the forums, I would say that is what the rods I have salvaged from old ink jet printers are. It turns like butter, and gives a great finish.
As for projects, my latest one using the printer rods was a copy of the wire hose clamp tool. Using some althread, wing nuts and roll pins, I made 5, in 2 sizes, for myself and to give my brothers and son for Christmas.

http://s571.photobucket.com/user/chucketn/library/wire clamp tools


http://www.akcooltools.com/clamptite.html

Chuck

 

[DAN_IN_MN]

I have never purchased 12L14 steel, but from the descriptions of it that I have read on the forums, I would say that is what the rods I have salvaged from old ink jet printers are. It turns like butter, and gives a great finish.
As for projects, my latest one using the printer rods was a copy of the wire hose clamp tool. Using some althread, wing nuts and roll pins, I made 5, in 2 sizes, for myself and to give my brothers and son for Christmas.

http://s571.photobucket.com/user/chucketn/library/wire clamp tools


http://www.akcooltools.com/clamptite.html



Chuck

Your pic embeded

 

[Dave Smith]

Strut/shock rods?

Dan--these just came out of old used shock absorbers, ---I have never taken any out of struts --but they probably have a lot of uses also--if I remember, I also found some more useable parts from inside the absorbers--I remember using the top housings for neat sounding bells--different lengths for different sounds---Dave