Here's a freebie my Nephew picked up from the car dealership he works at now... Cutting down to size. Leaf was 2-1/2 wide, started with a length of 10-1/2.... Cut out and edges radiused/deburred: Used a small rosebud torch to heat up and make the bends. "Pad" was bent at about 4-1/2".... The face of the ******* was sanded prgressively to smooth the surface, starting with 60 grit and finishing up with 1500 and then 3000 3M Trizact for a mirror finish. Comparison to the Snap-on version It has a bit more weight to go with that extra size, and the leaf spring looks beefy enough to also make some right angle dolly-s****s I've been needing. Making this one I probably have about $10 in abrasives and O/A
NICE! Myron Steavens the fellow that made all the bodies and frames at MILLER in the 1920's made his own body hammers as well. You'll need to get some Model T Ford rear axle shafts, or use modern ones.
Very nice. I was gearing up to do this myself. Now, show me how to make a serrated one! I think I'll use an old file? It may be too brittle though? Thanks for sharing.
Very nice...I found what works best for keeping them from rusting is soaking them in Kano Kroil or PB Blaster for a few days to let the thin oil seep into the metal...I also started taking old leather gloves (buckskin or deerskin shop gloves) that the fingers wore out of and cutting them into strips to wrap the handle with to reduce vibration...black heater hose works well too...
Just came in to the house from getting the 26 ready for Billetproof, no I have to go back out to the shop and make one of these, nice job.
Hey MP&C, Great lookin ******* of "flipper" as they are sometimes known! You keep buildin these that look as good, or better than the Snap Off issue, and they're gonna send Guido 'round to collect a percentage! The really large truck springs make good s****s when cut out, bent to shape, and dressed on a belt sander. Slapping files can be made from old flat or half round, single or double cut files, heated with a rose bud th a dull red, and bent to shape, as MP&C has shown. Their use is of a limited utility given that they don't shrink stretched metal very fast, and leave the metal surface pretty beat up. They are good for areas of repair that are badly stretched, thin, and semi folded over areas that won't benefit from anymore stretching. " Spending a nation into generational debt is not an act of comp***ion "
Thanks for the comments guys.. I have a couple of specialized angled dollies I need to make out of the same leaf spring, so I thought I'd try the easy one first...already had a sample
Very nice!! I made some new file *******s this weekend. I used some old ******* files put some bends on it. I leave the file on the ******* area and it really raises the metal fast. plus leaves a great footprint so you can follow your progress. I need to make the handles more comfortable some how.
that looks more like a s**** to hammer on and straighten stuff like fender lines BUT VERRY NICE JOB, YOU SURE MADE A DECENT TOOL out of a piece of **** and it will last forever
Hey Eugene, The s**** MP&C made is much heavier, and looks as if it could really move metal. The Snap On example pictured, looks like a Finishing s**** used to drive down high ridges and crowns in damaged panels when struck with a hammer. " Humpty Dumpty was pushed "
On mine I softened the side edges to keep from marring the metal, and radiused the tip to get into tight areas. Rad stuff!