2015 POTD Thread Archive

[Tompdw]

Cut up some deer antler that was given to me so I can use it for a handle on my next knife.

 

[ronboley]

Today I tried to solve a problem that has long plagued me and probably many dirt bike or ATV owners. Problem comes when you try to use the bike after a long set, or to mothball the machine for the winter or summer (or longer) as the case may be. One important step is to drain the gas tank AND the carburetor bowl of all gasoline as it will no doubt gel-up and require at least a carburetor disassembly and cleaning next go-round. I've tried Sta-Bil gas stabilizer and others, but with no success. So draining the tank is straight forward enough. Disconnect the gas hose and drain into a gas can for disposal or use elsewhere. Most all dirt bikes and ATVs have a drain plug in the side of the bottom bowl of the carburetor. This drain plug usually is gummed up or corroded so removing it is inserting a flat or Phillips screwdriver into the head of the drain screw and immediately stripping out the slot or cross of the screw head. Many have the head of the screw in a recess in the aluminum float bowl so removal is then to remove the carb, remove the float bowl, drill the head of the screw, use a screw extractor, replace the drain screw with a new one (last one cost $26 for two) reinstall the carb.

The solution to the problem I believe is to have a drain screw that can be installed and removed without the use of a screwdriver. So since I own 11 dirt bikes and ATVs, I thought it was worth a try to make something better than the factory drain screw that has been on virtually every dirt bike and ATV since their inception. Also while experiencing this annual problem on one of the ATVs (away from my home shop), the screw head stripped, the screw extractor broke off in the drilled drain screw and the float bowl received pin hole damage from an errant drill bit. So while contemplating the cost of a new (old) carburetor and problem of finding such a thing for for a 15 year old ATV I decided to weld the sucker up, machine out the drain screw and broken screw extractor parts and make a new drain screw that would hopefully work better.

Back at my home shop, this is what I came up with. My vintage 1968 Honda Mini Trail has a knurled end drain screw that was intended (with fold down handlebars and a gas cap shut off) to make it portable in the trunk of your car. So not original but this is it. Like I said I have 11 bikes and ATVs, and they take 3 different drain screws.

 

[extropic]

I hope your new drain screws work well for you. I would also recommend using some anti-seize compound when installing those screws. I wonder if corrosion/seizing was the root cause of the problem.

 

[dracozny]

I always just used a higher concentration Seafoam in the tank when storing. Never had a problem the following season.

 

[zmotorsports]

Started construction of my new 6'x10' utility trailer last night while I have a gap in paying jobs coming into the shop.

Here is the chassis jig setup, bolted together and leveled.


2"x3" tube laid out on the jig.


I got all of the perimeter pieces mitered at 45-degree angles and ready to remove the mill scale and weld together.


More to follow as progress continues.

 

[autonoz]

Made a few Harley seat mount buttons. Not really a big deal. The cool part for me was powder coating for the first time. Turned out really nice and was surprisingly easy.

 

[davidh]

i have a handful of odd shaped carbide inserts that appear to snap into some type of holder. i thought i would like to see how well they cut with my 12" craftsman lathe so i took a old china tool stock, the kind with brazed carbides that are cheap, and milled an area to hold the new bit, drilled and tapped a 6-40 hole for a clamp i made out of a small chunk of m.s. and put it in the lathe and tried to cut the threads off a 1/2" grade 5 bolt. no reason, just wanted to try it. well, as the tool was traveling down the threads and taking them off, i could see the tip of the tool flexing up and down. crap, i think i did;t leave enough metal to support the tool, and of course, taking a light cut with carbide is not really pretty either. i probably should stick with has or cobalt and just keep grinding as needed. . .

 

[hman]

well, as the tool was traveling down the threads and taking them off, i could see the tip of the tool flexing up and down. crap, i think i did;t leave enough metal to support the tool, and of course, taking a light cut with carbide is not really pretty either. i probably should stick with has or cobalt and just keep grinding as needed. . .

Before you give up, I'd suggest milling just a smidgen of material off the top of the tool, so the clamp can move downward a bit. It kinda looks like the top of the steel is either even with the top of the insert, or maybe just a slight bit high, allowing the movement you observed. The support beneath the insert looks OK to me.

And by the way, thanks for the idea. I've always thought brazed carbide tools were kind of wasteful. Now I have something I can do with them when I pull a stupid goof!

 

[cathead]

Looks like you could do away with the clamp and silver solder the carbide
in place and that would hold. That can be done easily using a torch
or MAPP gas. I save old scrap carbide for making tooling and
it has several advantages. First, it is inexpensive and second, you don't
have to wait for the UPS man.

Before you give up, I'd suggest milling just a smidgen of material off the top of the tool, so the clamp can move downward a bit. It kinda looks like the top of the steel is either even with the top of the insert, or maybe just a slight bit high, allowing the movement you observed. The support beneath the insert looks OK to me.

And by the way, thanks for the idea. I've always thought brazed carbide tools were kind of wasteful. Now I have something I can do with them when I pull a stupid goof!

 

[road]

The kids gave me some me time to finish making my new matching handles today.