home made tools and equipment...

I was looking at these large clamps today, but theyre expensive, I though you could get some cheap C clamps, cut the arms and lengthen them by welding or pop riveting an extension in.

 

I've never had a set those long clamps that could hold anything and I only buy Vise Grip brand. I doubt welding, and especially pop riveting extension would work at all. With tools you get what you pay, if you afford it don't go cheap.

 

I see people use them here quite a bit. I imagine using them to get in arkward to reach places like around door posts. probably not as a replacement for quick grip sash clamps tho. Cant always afford to buy the best of things

 

Believe me neither can I but I learned a long time ago that a cheap tool is hardly ever worth what you paid for it. I have some cheap crappy tools that I use for non-critical procedures but when I am trying to clamp something or loosen or tighten something, I don't go cheap. I also don't buy my tools from the guys that run around in tool trucks. I certainly can't afford them. Sears is good enough for me for most everything and if I need a specialty tool I try to buy the best I can afford.

 

I have had my own bad experiences with crap, I just ordered some 12ton jack stands cos I didnt feel safe with the cheap ones I first bought. I just bought some locking clamps & yea the "C" ones are quite lame in what they do, I cant imagine spending £200 $327 for 4 is going to make them work any better, so in this instance for my first project,for the fact Im not going to use them much and theres little to go wrong, Im not too bothered. but if I do find myself using them lots I`ll upgrade when I have a higher income. But for the record I`m not disputing buying good tools isnt the wise thing to do.

 

not sure if this has been posted on here before,but the multimachine looks interesting.I will post a link to a video of it..hope it works.http://opensourcemachine.org/the-multimachine/multimachine-video

 

I have ones with long reach arms welded to them, they work fine. no pics put its simple cut out some 1/4 inch plate and weld on. skip on the pop rivets that would be a no go.

 

Thanks, having slept on it, I still dont think its a bad idea, if welding meant they would bend or break then we wouldnt weld anything.
and the only reason I mentioned pop rivets, is if you click the thumbnail they are Irwin vise-grips and they are infact riveted.
I think in this instance, they dont justify the price.

 

There are pop rivets and there are real rivets.

 

Using aluminum to build those car stands makes it pricey, but 3/4 or thicker plywood would work well. Include some long 1/4 inch bolts to clamp the side plates together much like the bolts used to capture the treads on a wooden ladder. A good way to use up those pesky leftover odd shaped pieces of plywood. One step better would be to rout grooves in the side plates to assure proper alignment of the cross pieces.

 

does anyone know whats the name of this tool i picked it up at a swap meet and want more i dont have the machinery to make different ones
it goes in my air hammer and works nice

 

My great grandfather "Pop" who worked as a welder foreman in the ship yards in Oakland CA during WWII. He was always making home made tools. When I became a welder (its in my blood) my grand father (son of my great grand father aka "Pop") told me stories about Pop making an automatic torch lighter.Pop used a wooden cheese box, model T coil, spark plug, a doorbell button, and a simple gate latch. Pop passed away from cancer in 1989. My great grand mother "Nana" passed away in 2007. My great uncle and his wife emptied Pop's house without us knowing. I wanted pop's torch lighter so I could remember pop while I am at work. When I found out that my uncle emptied the house and kept things for himself I thought for sure it was gone for good. Recently my dad and grand father went up to Pop's and Nana's house to see if they could grab anything that my uncle left behind. Under pop's work bench in the very back happened to be the torch lighter. When they came home and gave me the torch lighter I was so happy I had tears in my eyes. I can only speculate that Pop had a hand in protecting it from my uncle and saving it for me to cherish. It is one of my most prized tools/possessions. It still works too! I even took a photo of the spark. (It is the shown in the last photo). I still have yet to use it so the burnt charred area is from pop lighting torches. Anyways, here are some photos of the wonderful home made piece of my family history.

 

Cool story, good for you for getting it and good for you for wanting it. My fear is my kids will load my "treasures" in a dumpster.

I tried to watch that multimachine video. Interesting but sooo slow.

 

I am not sure how I became so interested in keeping family treasures. I am very nostalgic, and love to keel things that I remember from my childhlld. Im not sure what started me on it. But I am glad that I am that way.

Thanks,
Skrach
www.VividlyVintage.com

 

cool info!

 

Thanks. I love this thread. I now have more weekend projects thanks to this thread lol

Thanks,
Skrach
www.VividlyVintage.com

 

i see a picture even in your reply

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=24893&pictureid=297440

 

I dont see a picture, even when I quote theres no html for one. maybe add as an attachment?

 

Nothing better than tools with Soul.. Im glad your Uncle Didnt think enough of what Im sure he thought was junk to take it. It is priceless in my book. Use it with pride!! My 2cts...

 

Looks like a panel flanger to me.

 

It looks like a body panel flanging tool. You can make a step in the existing body panel and set your replacement panel on top, then weld it all up with less chance of warpage.

 

Its a panel flanger mounted to a air chisel. The handle is to guide the alignment of the step up.

 

the BIG 3"

 

Thanks for posting that man. Long video, but pretty cool. Home built maching shop on the cheap.

 

ok now i know what its called i will search for them i know how to use it its so obvious but i tried searching harbor frieght in the autobody section and didn't see any il check eastwood

 

Page 90 of the new summit tool catalog I got today. Company is S&G Tool Aid Corp. THey call it a Pneumatic Panel Crimper. $29.95.

 

I've spent the last three nights reading the posts that caught my attention Of the dozen or so I have decided to post in this form, most are painted, some not, by now must have 4 to 6 layers of shop crud on them. Cleaning will come first.
I'm thinking, it would be peudent to publish these tools and such over a period of time rather then in one large post.

Woodildo

 

Ya lost me on your post ???

 

^x2

 

He said he has tools he'd like to showoff, but he wants to clean them first.