# Repurpose>reuse>recycle



## Grumpy Gator

Jake used that string of words in another thread but it made me think. I hate to get rid of stuff and when I do I always regret it.
That being said please chime in and show us some pictures of things you have repurposed.
I'll start the ball rolling with my grinder stand.



Dug this rear axle pumpkin out of the scrap pile and put it to work holding up my tool grinder.
***************JADIP***************G**********************************************


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## mattthemuppet2

part of a metal screen door, some tomato wire things, some bits of wood and screws/ washers that my kids find for me = HDTV antenna 

lots and lots of other examples (N2 filter = potato cannon?) but that's just the most recent!


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## Grumpy Gator

Matt,
Eye candy we need pictures.
***G***


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## savarin

I re-cycle aluminium scrap into usable products via casting.
Latest examples in my 80mm refractor page.


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## francist

Lunch counter stool + brass flower pot = outdoor ashtray with smokes and drink holder. (it even swivels!)

-frank


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## francist

Upper casting from old bandsaw + small lathe faceplate + chuck from spent cordless drill + plumbing cut offs = hand tapping fixture.

-frank


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## francist

Cheap halogen floor lamp + old coat hook + cupboard knob = feeding stand.
Explanation: my mom passed away from ALS  a couple years ago. At the end she had have food by tube, but we always ate together as a family so I built her a stand to hang the bag from. I didn't want it to look "medical" in her house nor make her feel alienated in another room. She liked this so much it stayed in the living room beside her chair and even for Christmas dinner it was good enough to stand next to the dining table with all of us.

Thanks for looking, and listening, guys.

-frank


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## Ulma Doctor

excellent work frank!!!



Here's a few from my shop...


diamond tool sharpener      
	

		
			
		

		
	



 Dial Indicator Striker Plate  
	

		
			
		

		
	



Grinder Fixture Modification 
	

		
			
		

		
	



Hub/Gear Puller


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## markknx

How about these?


A rail road track becoming an anvil, and a brake drum and old disc Harlow disc. soon to be a solid fuel forge.



Once a propane tank now a propane forge.
A long with most of the metal in my shop. it gets repurposed from job site waste.
Mark


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## FOMOGO

Most of this press was made from material from the old gondola car attachment hardware from are local ski area. Mike


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## Silverbullet

Old semi truck brake drums make great bases for grinders and pedistols . I had 50 at one time sold for scrap saved two for me , also make great forges , the casting olds lots of heat in. Was going to make an green egg style cooker out of a couple too.


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## mattthemuppet2

all right, let's bring it on 

antenna



power steering pulley puller after your idiot correspondent put it on backwards. took me 3h to get to this point through trial and error. Made from a DIY cam spanner



wine bottle stopper from a piece of chem lab monkey bar



Christmas tree present from a piece of scrap alu a friend gave me (not really repurposing, but you know..)



Cannondale headshok castle nut tool from a piece of black pipe I found



Various LED lights from old heatsinks and pieces of scrap






and in the background of that last pic you can see a couple of drill chucks that I made arbors for from an old axle of some sort 

I even made a paper mache dragon with my eldest for an art fair from those wire tomato frame things, they're very useful!


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## francist

Silverbullet said:


> Old semi truck brake drums make great bases for grinders and pedistols . I had 50 at one time sold for scrap saved two for me , also make great forges , the casting olds lots of heat in. Was going to make an green egg style cooker out of a couple too.



With the addition of an old hot water tank stand, a few links of proof coil, and a concrete base they also make dandy backyard/city dweller campfire pots. Doesn't scorch the grass, and the next morning just drag it off to the side like nothing ever happened

-frank


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## markknx

Frank that is pretty cool.
Mark


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## cathead

CAR PISTONS transformed into WHEELS


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## jpfabricator

cathead said:


> View attachment 105721
> 
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> CAR PISTONS transformed into WHEELS



Wheels for what?!?!?! Come on man, dont leave us hanging!!! 

Sent from somewhere in East Texas Jake Parker


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## cathead

jpfabricator said:


> Wheels for what?!?!?! Come on man, dont leave us hanging!!!
> 
> Sent from somewhere in East Texas Jake Parker




Here's one use of several..
	

		
			
		

		
	



	

		
			
		

		
	
 ...


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## kvt

nice casting, and nice use.   What powers that set of steps.


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## cathead

kvt said:


> nice casting, and nice use.   What powers that set of steps.



The car is powered by a gear reduction motor turning multiple cable wrap sheaves.


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## markknx

cathead it most have been fun building that. Just getting the photo looks like it took so care.

Mark


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## Terrywerm

Cathead, steep drop to the lake??


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## cathead

terrywerm said:


> Cathead, steep drop to the lake??



Yes, that's it Terry!  It is no longer a disadvantage.  On the plus side, I have a wind protected and ice protected cove and an excellent southern view.


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## texas-two-step

Rebuilding the damper on my Headshok and looking for the handyman way out of a $45 tool. My attempts to use highly modified 90 degree 11" needle nose pliers only served to confirm the factory used too much loctite on the threads. How did this work out for you?

Cannondale headshok castle nut tool from a piece of black pipe I found
View attachment 104286


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## mattthemuppet2

Texas - this was the second time rebuilding the damper (the methods used 1st time are too embarrassing to admit) so I didn't have any problems with loctite, but the tool made opening the damper a breeze. If you promise to send it back (although I hope never to have to use it again ) I'll pop it in the post. It wasn't hard to make but there are always other things on the list for sure.


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## texas-two-step

I'm with you on the embarrassing to admit part; the reassemble of the pin bearings has been a disaster. I ended up buying the tool from a supplier figuring I can always resell when I get a newer bike. I ride 3-4x a week and not having the bike is killing my endorphine rush. When the new bearings make it in, I'll be able move onto round two of getting the shock back in service. 

Thanks for the offer to loan the tool out. I would have been happy to pay you for one, but that's gotta be a cardinal sin for a home machinist forum! Not sure I could have handled the ribbing from the others.



mattthemuppet said:


> Texas - this was the second time rebuilding the damper (the methods used 1st time are too embarrassing to admit) so I didn't have any problems with loctite, but the tool made opening the damper a breeze. If you promise to send it back (although I hope never to have to use it again ) I'll pop it in the post. It wasn't hard to make but there are always other things on the list for sure.


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## mattthemuppet2

yes, they are truly a royal b!tch to work on, that's for sure. I had to put my fork in the oven to get the air sleeve out (former owner had smashed the valve for some reason) so I went through the bearing nightmare too. I found a tutorial online which showed using a piece of inner tube with the valve to make an inflatable sausage to hold the bearing races in place while the fork was slipped back into the head tube. I broke the end off one of the bearings but it's been fine for the last 6 years.

PM me your address and I'll stick the castle nut tool in the post.

Oh, and make a trough long enough to stick the whole damper in. Fill it with fork oil (I used 5wt motorbike fork oil) and then submerge the damper fully. Move the damping rod back and forth a few times with it submerged and you'll get all the air out of the damper. Might also be worth changing the piston and top cap o-rings while you're in there, mine ate themselves last year hence the 2nd reassembly. Been great since though.


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## texas-two-step

mattthemuppet said:


> yes, they are truly a royal b!tch to work on, that's for sure. I had to put my fork in the oven to get the air sleeve out (former owner had smashed the valve for some reason) so I went through the bearing nightmare too. I found a tutorial online which showed using a piece of inner tube with the valve to make an inflatable sausage to hold the bearing races in place while the fork was slipped back into the head tube. I broke the end off one of the bearings but it's been fine for the last 6 years.
> 
> PM me your address and I'll stick the castle nut tool in the post.
> 
> Oh, and make a trough long enough to stick the whole damper in. Fill it with fork oil (I used 5wt motorbike fork oil) and then submerge the damper fully. Move the damping rod back and forth a few times with it submerged and you'll get all the air out of the damper. Might also be worth changing the piston and top cap o-rings while you're in there, mine ate themselves last year hence the 2nd reassembly. Been great since though.



Oh, nice idea about submerging the whole unit. Had to buy fork oil from a local motor sports dealer and have enough to rebuild 100 dampers - that container should do well for a total submersion. Already swapped out the seals - one was completely toast - all others were in great shape but were swapped out since I had it torn down.

Read about the inflatable bladder today (after destroying one of the needle carriers) and also to set the pins 11 above and 11 below before sliding the outer race and case back on.

Thanks for the offer on the castle nut tool - since I have one, no need to send one out, but THANKS for the offer!!


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## mattthemuppet2

no worries, glad you got it all sorted out


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## juiceclone

comment on one ...pieces of railroad track have always been good anvils...now with plasma cutters available, easier than ever  to make    :>)


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## texas-two-step

Used the inflatable sausage method with great success. Had just finished seating the damper with the castle tool (and a nice plastic insert to protect the shaft) when I spotted a tool mark on the damper shaft. The neighbors heard me screaming a block away. 

Smoothed it out with my thumb until I didn't feel any edge and put it all back together. A day later it's still holding air and damping/rebounding nicely. I doubt I'll get the 6 years you've gotten though.



mattthemuppet said:


> no worries, glad you got it all sorted out


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