Technical Little tips and tricks for garage hobbyists.

Or hook up your timing light.

 

@rpm56,

Are you saying to hook up your timing light one plug wire at a time 'til you see what cylinder isn't firing (making the timing light blink)?

Brilliant. I'd have never thought of that.

 

For the small air tools, etc., etc.: I scored a three-drawer top chest from a roll around toolbox for dirt cheap a while back. It's now dedicated to air tool paraphernalia. Everything small enough to fit in those fairly shallow drawers. Air nozzles, as-yet unused quick disconnects, tire gauges, etc. All of the pieces that Bandit Billy shows (except for the extra long blow nozzle; I don't have one of those) reside in this top box. This one sits on top of a row of file cabinets that are full of "stuff." Impact wrenches and other big stuff is in one of the deep drawers in one of the roll-arounds.

I'd love to make/have an angle iron rack like Billy shows but I really don't have any wall space to put one.

 

As for roll-around toolboxes, I have two nice ones that I bought new. One two-piece box-store unit and one Grizzley three-piece. I also have two cheap estate sale two-piece units (with top chests). One is dedicated to all things angle grinder related. Wire wheels, flap disks, grinder wrenches, misc. abrasives, etc. The other is crammed full of automotive electrical. Wires, crimp connectors, tools, extra points/condensers/coils/etc. All 16 drawers are absolutely full.

Unfortunately there's no room for extra distributors. They reside in some racks that hang on the end of my wheel storage racks:

 

Think I may have posted this before; but here is my take on air tool storage. 1/4" close ******s welded on a 1/4" rod frame. With a collection of worn out and spare couplers screwed on. Top one is newer; Chinese fittings welded like some kind of mystery metal compared to the American fittings on the old rack below.

 

It's easy to make a long one whatever length you want. A short pipe ****** and a piece of brake line brazed, JB Weld or whatever to bond the two pieces

 

Love the simplicity to functionality ratio of this rig - all too often, stuff like this gets overthinked

 

Thanks man, but my peabrain isn't capable of overthinking.

And here's the fixture if you want to work on one. Also not overthought. One hole for SBC and one hole for nailhead.



b-t-w; the vise is one of the many I've "restored." Most were cheap rusty garage sale vises that I dis***embled, sandblasted, painted, and re***embled. All but a couple have been given away. All were made in the USA though.

 

@atch -Okay I'm definitely stealing that distributor rack idea thank you very much..I'm always amazed at the stuff I don't think of!

 

@jet996,

I see that you've only been here for a couple of years. Do yourself a big favor: pour your favorite drink and read this entire thread. It's a deep rabbit hole that'll take you a LONG time, but I guarantee it'll be worth it. Of course, if you've already done it please disregard this.

 

Follow up on the chemical cabinet heater. So I was in the garage when the temperature was below freezing (which is every day now) and I compared my wall thermometer to the inside of the cabinet. The pipe thawing cable keeps the inside of the cabinet just above freezing so I’m calling it a success! A little warmer would be better but I’m satisfied for now.