Technical Little tips and tricks for garage hobbyists.

In that same vein, worked with an old-timer who did the engine machining. Short section of thin wall tubing, roughly the diameter of the spring. Had a notch in each side of the top about a 16th inch down.
When doing a valve job on Ford V8s with non adjustable valvetrain, valve height was critical. Top was max, notch was minimum. You could slip the valve in, quickly check the valve tip height and grind as needed. Cost was some tubing and 5 minutes with a caliper and file.

 

I wasn't trying to belittle the brake line idea, just pointing out that there are inexpensive alternatives. I have done something similar using a piece of threaded rod and a coupling nut to measure between the side plate and brake rotor on a Quickchange. Checking in a couple of positions, you can tell if the axle tube is bent.

 

I have set the “toe in” on many straight axles using a piece of chalk and an old curtain rod . Works really well and easy take your time measure a couple times and lock it down .

 

Saw this on Facebook and had to share.

 

THAT is delightful!

 

@BJR That would work great when trying to repair a line while still on vehicle. Which happens often enough here in rust area. Thanks for posting.

 

That is genius!

 

Yeah, I had a trans cooler line that someone before me cut. It would pop off hoses. I had to use a flaring tool to deform the end enough to provide a bulge, but that is neato!

 

@RodStRace , that's what I usually do, is start a double flare to get a bubble, and its' good. But, often when it's still in the car, you don't have room to get a flaring bar and tool in there. I like this, need to look for some small balls!

 

Remove chairs and the beer fridge and TV if you have one.
Stops the loafers from hanging around and slowing down your work.
Once I did that the amount of work I could get done doubled.

 

According to my wife, I have small balls. I wanna know how she knows!

 

Bicycle wheel bearings have pretty small balls.

 

One is the size of a mustard seed and the other one is a little bitty thing.

 

This is a great tool , question what holds the ball from being lost in the tube ? Just be careful. It create a real issue unless I’m missing the good parts

 

Would BB's work ?

 

i don't know if bandit billy is WILLING to donate his to the cause!

 

I'm thinking that they would have to be 1/2 the diameter of whatever bolt/mandrel you are using for the tubing. That way the 2 of them would recess back in to the hole, and only come out to form bead, when you screw in the top push bolt. The snugger the fit, the less likely they would have the clearance to slip out of tool.

 

Here is something else I saw on line that ought to be easy to make and handy for remaking hot rod parts.

 

Amazon has balls. I just searched 1/16th ball bearing and got 166 results.

 

Just looked myself, there are even vendors that sell assorted size packs, so one could make for all different size tubes.

 

The ball-bearing type flaring tools are available commercially:
Proflow Tube Beading Tool For 1/2in. Tube PFEBEAD12 | eBay
I tried one a few years back, and it came apart pretty quickly. Could be that the steel used for the bolts was soft, and wore around the forming balls. Mebbe flared 2 tubes before it would no longer retain the forming balls tight enough.

I would love one of the Parker aviation beading tools, but they are as rare as rocking horse poo. I finally ponied up for a pair of Graham beading tools. Same design as the Parker, but only had to sell one kidney instead of two.
Tube Beading Tools — Graham Tool Company, Inc. | Tube beading tools for professionals | At-home dental aligners, retainers, tongue thrust

Cheers,
Harv

 

I'm glad there are precision tools like that out there, but OMG they are valuable!
70 bucks for a hammer handle!?!

 

Special Pentagon pricing!

 

I just saw this on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/reel/1017616770271103

 

Best garage tip ever given to me , marry a fat tattooed woman . Shade in the summer , Heat in the winter and moving pictures all year long ! Sorry couldn’t resist sharing !

 

Might be good in the Quotes to live by thread lol
Dan

 

Based on how many times I'm startled by visitors in the shop, I'm planning on installing a shopkeeper's bell. My pal, Brian, has one and says it helps except when machines or the compressor is running... which is generally when people come in and yell in my sanctuary. Hahaha.

 

Modify the idea to turn a couple of light bulbs on as well.

 

Or an audio recording of a vicious sounding Doberman Pincer!

 

They sell "alarm" chimes on Amazon that work really well. You can actually use them not only as a notification when someone arrives, but place one in your shop so if someone comes in or enters at night it will chime. I used one to shoot a gopher who took up residence under my porch. Didn't want to shoot him, BUT..... I had already caught two of them at different times, and dropped them at the local park. 3rd one got out of the cage and wouldn't go near it again. After about a month, I set the alarm just outside where he would go under the porch. When he came out, it chimed and I went upstairs and poked a pistol out the door............

Anyway, they are very simple to put up. Just mount the alarm somewhere so it points across your driveway.....its battery powered and the solar charger keeps it charged. Go in your house or shop and plug in the chime. Thats all there is to it. You can get multiple units (3?) and they will give off different chime sounds depending on where you locate them. Bout $50 for a single Maybe $75 for a triple. Look under "Driveway Alarm"