home made tools and equipment...

Thanks, i appreciate that

Hey Sniper that engish wheel is almost too darn pretty

First on my list of serious tools to make is an english wheel, the fab is not a problem, Any UK guys on here know the best place to get wheels for one in England? i can get them from the US but it will be either expensive to ship or take a very long time.

 

Tim,
there's a guy makes english wheels in Kettering, Northants (I know you are local-ish). Maybe a source. Sorry I have no details but he comes up on Google.

Paul

 

Oh really, excellent... i'll see what i can find out, Kettering is 20 miles from me

 

Amen to that! Ingenuity beats money hands down every time!

 

I used a ball peen hammer and a sidewalk joint for a bead roller for the trunk floor on my Firebird. It's ugly, but the fuel cell hides it nicely. Now I have one joint in my sidewalk that's a bit wider, but sometimes you gotta make sacrifices. As for the trunk floor, eight years and counting, not a single problem.

I used the telephone pole by my garage as a paint stand. Just put the part on the foot peg the linemen climb up on and spray away.

I used the stopsign pole and a body hammer to shape a curve I needed.

Tools are where you find them!

Happy Hunting.

 

Here is a inexpensive idea to use a hand held metal shear as a stationary mounted tool. I purchased a $29 (on sale) metal shear from HF and made a saddle bracket which is held in my vise. Simply feed the material (.050 max) and you can made a very clean cut, quick and easy.

 

I people don't have a hard time finding your house when you give them dirctions:

When you get to the stop sign with the mashed up pole turn left;

At the phone pole with the green, black, yellow, purple paint overspray turn left again;

Look for the house with the pavement in need of repair

I bet your neighbors like you around just for the entertainment value.

I like it, cheap, easy and useful.

 

That is too funny!

 

I made this press for my bench at work. Its strong enough to press on differential bearings which I seem to do a lot of.... Sorry for the crappy picture as I had to crop it out of a much bigger picture.

 

An English Wheel should have zero flex,this is no.1 priority in an English Wheel or your really wasting your time and efforts trying to make one.This is why the originals were cast.

 

Don't take this as me being a jerk. I am by no means trying to be one, but......

I am sure that a non-flexing cast english wheel is better than a non cast, but I hardley believe anyone is wasting their time. This axle is meant to hold up quite a bit of weight. I have a buddy with a POS harbor freight english wheel and it does exactly what it is supposed to do only slower than a big money wheel (money is not something that all of us have). I guarantee this e wheel with do it faster than the one he has made out of chopsticks...

 

so does that mean your callin me a jerk?....lol only joking.

ok your homemade wheel will certainly have its limitations as you crank up the pressure it will only lift the top wheel (flexing and opening your frame outwards) so if you have a panel you have to wheel up,ie a fender with tons of shape there is a very good chance you wont get the pressure between the wheels you need to achieve the required shape.

 

Jeff is just making a fender roller with the axle.It should be plenty strong enough for that. He has two big wheels that are plenty stiff enough.

The reason you want a stiff frame is because if you don't the wheels will go out of alignment when applying pressure. I run lower anvils with flats in them ,you want the upper wheel running true on the flats not just on the edge of the flat when pressure is applied.

Harbor freight wheels are crap you do not notice it running out of alignment because they come with true radius anvils. I am not a harbor freight supporter,they steal all of their ideas.

 

it has nothing to do with alignment??? its all about the pressure asserted

 

American Rodder July 1994 has a good, how to make a heavy duty bead roller. by Mike Bishop. that magazine in the 90s had a bunch of good articles.



Ago

 

It is just a personal observation. I do not need very much pressure to wheel a panel.If i do need to apply a lot of pressure the panel is telling me it is not ready for the wheel yet. if I need to raise(stretch) the metal up a 1/4 inch,I will hammer it up. Then wheel it smooth with light pressure.

So I am more interested in my frame being stiff enough to hold my anvils in alignment in any position.

You are right but this is just how I see it. You can not go wrong with a stiff frame.

 

Different tools for different jobs and if you need a hammer and have a rock, there's your hammer. There is never just one answer, just what is right or works in any given circumstance.

This is one of my favorite threads.

 

OK, show us your stuff!!!!!!!!!!

 

Here is a rack I built for my welder.

 

Well call me Harbor Freight... I am stealing this idea tonight!

 

How did you do?
http://www.justinbaker.co.uk/

 

there is some great home made tools in here! I deffinetly plan to steal some ideas.
The best thing ive seen made on a forums was a guy building his own cnc plasma cutter.

 

We need to keep this at the top..

 

I made a similar tool:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4793440#post4793440

 

Cousin just sent this with the caption,
FINALLY GOT A GOOD JACKSTAND!
Bill.

 

Speaking of people with a death wish....

 

I think that I posted a pic of my modified HF bead roller before but here is the new steering wheel for it and where it fits. It has a gear reduction motor drive on the back side with a removable hitch pin to allow not having to drive the motor when hand turning and a foot switch to activated the reversible motor. Total cost approx $110. HF roller was free as was the motor & steel. Costs were $45 Steering wheel (HotRodBetty $25 + shipping) Footswitch $12 HF. Dual action switch ACE $7, paint $17 Carquest, Drive chain (motorcycle) $10, Misc bolts & set screws $20.

I really like not having to reach to the backside of the bead roller to turn it manually.

Because of this I've also converted me slip roller to a 20" steel, sail boat steering wheel instead of the crank handle for more smooth motion

Movin/on

 

this parts holding jig thing i made about 10 yrs ago for holding fenders ,hoods when doing body work . the legs slide back and forth ,go up and down for height adjustment . the top bar slides in and out an will spin 360 . had everything from model a fenders to mid 70's caddy hoods on this thing . it comes apart to store ,all flat pieces once apart ... best part it was all scrap items

 

I made this today to hold and balance my front axle. Although it may be simple, it sure made positioning the axle under the frame much easier by myself. It's made from an old leaf spring, and two old u-bolts. It fits in the saddle of my floor jack. Thought I'd share...

 

The tool you made is cool as shit, but that axle is just plain scary!
Just how tall of wheels do yo plan on running?

Craig