Technical Little tips and tricks for garage hobbyists.

I realize there are far more weekend hobbyists than pro builders on the HAMB and a thread similar to this may have already been posted. If so this probably wont go far but I'm gonna kick it off.

For guys like me, working out of a garage or small shop space, trying to save money where you can, sometimes one needs to use "backyard logic" to make it all work. So, here are a few of my favorite tricks...hope they help some of ya'll along.

REMOVE ANODIZING
I personally do not like the looks of the blue and red A-R fittings used on braided lines, so I looked for a way to easily remove it...Answer / Easy-Off oven cleaner...removes anodizing in about 30 secs. leaving a nice clean aluminum piece than can now be polished.

REMOVE POWDERCOATING
Using a bead blaster or wire brush on a grinder is one way, but my garage has no bead blaster and wire brushing leaves only so-so results...Answer / Permatex Gasket Remover...probably not cost effective on large pieces, but is killer for smaller stuff...Had a couple mirrors that were powdercoated satin black and I wanted to remove it. Sprayed it on, 15 mins. later, powdercoating slid right off leaving 100% bare metal...no muss no fuss.

PATINA PRESERVER
Most all here on the HAMB is familiar with my A Sedan. I wanted to preserve the patina without clear coat painting, which, in my opinion, looks painted with clear when done. Someone here on this site emailed me a couple years ago with the solution I was looking for. When I'm out and about with my car, the number one question, by far, is how do I keep it looking like I do...Answer / Boiled Linseed Oil and Acetone mixed 50/50. The trick here is using "Boiled Linseed Oil" as opposed to "Straight Linseed Oil". Wipe it on, wipe it off and drys to touch in about 15 mins and only has to be reapplied about twice a year leaving it nice and shiny without that clear paint look. Been using this for about 3 yrs. and absolutely no surface rust. Here is a pic of the car about a week after the last application.

I will see how this thread goes as I have plenty more cool little tricks I can share...If you have some please share. I'm always looking to learn something usefull.

 

Thanks - at the moment one thing that comes to mind is when painting a installed motor & underhood areas I use old towels, usually medium to small which can be used to cover fenders, exhaust manifolds, etc or covering motor when painting inner fender panels. works good when touching up previous paint work too. use good masking tape where tight edges need to be done. also, use kitchen plastic food wrap around some parts too. the food wrap is good to cover distributors, and other electrical stuff when using an engine cleaner that requires water to remove it. simple stuff, not exciting but, the end result can really make difference in a short period of time

 

Cheap aluminum foil can be used to wrap items like shifters and master cylinders when painting interiors and under the hood.

 

Put Aluminum foil on exhaust manifolds/headers when adjusting valve lash.

 

Thanks for the info..

 

Hope this stays and is easy access for all us garage builders.Great info.

 

Looking forward to more...

 

I weld finish nails to flat washers, to use as shims when shimming the A body blocks...
the nails let me steer the washers to line up with the bolts...

 

Old Heavy duty straight/flat screw drivers wrapped in masking tape make great pry bars for tight places with nice paint. If careful will not mar the surface or paint.


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If you replace the dishwasher keep the utensil holder out of it that is used for silverware, they are perfect for cleaning bolts etc in buckets of solvent or simple green or even to use in the sand blaster to hold the components being cleaned


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Thanks. A couple of tricks there I haven't heard of before.

 

Use a spray bottle full of water, and drench any painted area when beginning to bleed your brakes. The alcohol in brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs water) and will kill it's ability to eat paint should you spill some fluid. Bleed your brakes as normal, and wipe off the water. Your paint will be untouched.

 

Keep a good quality set of fresh clean lightly used or new sockets dedicated for reassembly after the body is painted. They will not chip the Paint or damage it like worn or dirty sockets will since they fit and function tight and correct on the nut/bolt.


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I did the boiled linseed oil and acetone on a plastic quad runner my neighbor was goin to trash because it was all faded out . Looks as new again . Biggest thing I can say about garage tips is : keep a log of who you loan tools to . If they don’t return it and you have to go get it back the short arm bastard doesn’t get anymore tools . Your stuff is replaceable , your wife is not , I hope . A happy wife is a happy life . Mine has a spot in the house garage , my fun area is in a detached garage , I can paint , weld , curse , spit , drink entertain my buddies , there and not be a burden to her . I wish I had a head and a shower there , maybe a laundry room and a bunk , it would kinda be like home !

 

Grab an old propane BBQ from the dump or CL and keep it on back of the shop for cooking the powder coat right off brackets and hard parts. Cook on high with lid closed for 15 minutes, brush, turn over and repeat. Let cool, pairs well with bourbon, serves two.

I cleaned up my powder coated backing plates in no time, then chromed the beejeevies out of them.

 

Thanks to all for the ideas. Some are new to me.

 

Inventory your shop equipment ,tools etc. annually and keep it someplace other than your shop. In case of a break in or fire it makes it easier to prove to the insurance company what you lost.
Make sure you have insurance on your shop and its contents. Had a good friend lose everything when his shop burned due to faulty wiring to his air compressor and no insurance.

 

.And photos are a good tool.^^^^^^

 

Some great tips here. Thank you

 

Dry citric acid sold basically everywhere, farm stores are an easy source- mixed about a cup and a half to a gallon of water make a great rust removal mild acid that neutralizes easy.

Doesn’t eat paint, plating or anything other than rust. Can often leave a bit of a black coating that’s easily dusted off with some sand paper but does a great job eating the crust off things

Steering column tube. It left the paint and the plating under the paint. No gray coating on this part a very rusty steering box after about 6 hours! I swished it around and left it for 24 to really get it good. No scrubbing or anything. Did surface rust to a slight yellow pretty fast after i rinsed and dried it. I suppose because the part is so porous? Might have better luck if you dried it with a little low heat torch

 

Big bench vise is a nice substitute for an arbor press in a pinch. Pushes ujoints and leaf spring bushings out and in like a champ.

 

I put a kitchen trash bag over my garage stool because I'm always using it for a paint or parts stand. Then when I need a clean seat I remove the bag.

 

If you are an old man like me and your work area is just a garage, keep an empty plastic drink bottle in the garage so you don't have to run back to the house every hour to pee...
Yeah, I know...not really a tip to most of us old farts but I just wanted to contribute.

 

There is a product called OA or Oxalic Acid that I heard about on an antique bicycle forum, that referred to as giving rusty parts an OA bath. It's sometimes called wood bleach. I'm posting a link to an article about it and how it will disolve rust while leaving the paint and will not disturb even decals. I've used it and it's pretty amazing. I picked up a container at ACE hardware.
Go to the link and look at the before and after pictures. Very impressive and the material is organic.
https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/index.php/2019/07/25/saving-a-rust-bucket/

 

.....and if you have pictures of your equipment or disassembly or detail pictures of stuff you are working on; back them up somewhere in case the originals are lost somehow.

 

Good one.....lol


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Friends of friends are often thieves. Be careful who you let in to your shop. Not everyone shares your love for the hobby.

 

If you're like me and think shrinking disks are overpriced, just turn a flap disk upside down on your angle grinder. Works great on small areas.

 

When cleaning the garage I dust pan the big stuff and then start at the back and blow everything out the door with the leaf blower.


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Leftover hardwood flooring makes for a great workbench surface.


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