[ QUOTE ] But this... This is a cool torque wrench http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tork-grip.html [/ QUOTE ] NOW THAT'S A TOOL I GOTTA GET!!
[ QUOTE ] For work surface. My big work table is topped with a sheet of 1" MDF. It gets a fresh coat of outdoor house paint (Coincidently it matches my house) every couple months when it gets dirty. [/ QUOTE ] My "layout and assembly" bench has a steel (16 ga.) cover that I just had POWDER COATED (bright yellow), it makes it easier to spot small parts on the bench! (you need all the help you can get when the 'ole "peepers" get tired!!) [ QUOTE ] Next shop project involves an epoxy floor coating. TZ [/ QUOTE ] TZ, if you live in an area of the country where it snows; make sure you use the "GRIP" version of epoxy floor coating. (has fine grit in it) The smooth stuff can be damm slippery when you walk in from outside onto a warm floor! (voice of experience talking, took a "header" and broke a leg on a smooth epoxy floor once!)
OW! What do you guys think about the tile floor setups? My floor in the garage has 64 years of oil transmission fluid and other fluids soaked in!
[ QUOTE ] OW! What do you guys think about the tile floor setups? My floor in the garage has 64 years of oil transmission fluid and other fluids soaked in! [/ QUOTE ] Been thinking about that idea. We have a place up here that makes inter-locking "rough duty" floor tiles. (they "lock" together like a jigsaw puzzle) They make them out of recycled tires. The color range isn't very wide but they look not bad. They "float" on the floor (no glue) which means, NO sidestepping the clutch leaving the shop!! They also claim they can be put down on dirty floors, but recomend cleaning the floor as good as you can beforehand. They also claim they are resistant to gas and oil. Was at a trade show where they had them on display and the rep. was demonstrating how tough they were by dropping an old crankshaft on them. Didn't leave a mark. (on top or underneath) A bit pricey, but they say they will last a lifetime. They also claim your legs/feet don't get as tired. Only part I didn't like was you have to vacumme them to get the fine dust up. (the crap works it's way into the cracks)
The dust an junk gets everywhere... I bet a rubber pad floor would be hard to use a creaper on... not postive... Prolly is easier on the legs! Any of you guys thought about building your own breaker bar? Something that WONT break? dunno why i'm thinking about it... but hey
cleaning the floor in preperation to do an epoxy floor, is a pain in the ass, but is not impossible. I did mine in sections, I used a citrus based etcher after having cleaned the floor with simple green about 4 or 5 times, and it was covered with oil and gunk. A pressure washer will make it alot easier if you have a drain or can get everything out of the way. I did mine with a hose and a scrub brush, all 2500 sq. ft.. vacumed up the water as I went with a wet/dry vac. It's well worth the hassle. I used the Valspar epoxy from Lowes. and let it cure for about 3days before putting a car on it. The only incident I had was pulling the Henry J out of the garage and I got a little heavy on the gas, my fault... But it's way easy to clean up, and you don't get immediately filthy when you lay on the floor.
I hear ya on the dirt to the you the second ya hit the floor... The guys up at the church look at me kinda strange when i'm under a car with no creaper... its cause i'm cherishing the time spent on a clean floor!
Let me back up modernbeat here. I too keep a pair of Gun Muffs in the shop for ear protection. In fact, I have 3 sets. One stays on my carpentry tool belt, one is at the shop for when I have to be around when the shrinking disk or planishing hammer is running, and the last is hanging on my Touring at my pals house. If you buy the lightest ones you can find, they are not a pain. I keep a set on my head above my ears to flip down fast when a tool is running. I first started doing this at the age of 20 or so when a framer I saw was doing it. I NEVER run a power tool without it. A good example is my pal Randy, he has never done this, is in his late 30s, and can not hear the phone in the shop ring!
I hear ya on that (pun not quite intended...) The things we cant fix are the eyes, the ears an the fingers... gotta make sure they stay intact!
Y'all Craftsman torque wrenches that click don't have life time warranty the type with pointers do. The Sears clerks don't get commission on returns or creadit card payments so the ass hole clearks will try to avoid these. I like the carpet scraps left by carpet men when they finish a job for creapers, they don't roll around when you pull on the wrench and give more under car clearance.
I'm like mr57 my all time favorite tool box was the Reading box on the back of an old Ford truck. Rolled right where I wanted it and I didn't have to load it when I moved it hauled the refrigirator to the house for me. LOL Judd
[ QUOTE ] I bet a rubber pad floor would be hard to use a creaper on... [/ QUOTE ] Actually the "tiles" I was refering to, are quite smooth. Didn't see if a creeper would be hard to move around on them though.
Guess the main thing is just making sure that ya try an stay in one piece... taking some safety precautions. Some stuff is kinda unavoidable, like that risk of skin cancer from oil exposure... or your liver shutting down cause of to much wd40... But, as long as ya can see an hear right?
What do you guys think about the neeling pads an knee pads? I've had bad luck with the ones ya lay on the floor... they flatten out. But sears is always running the commercial about the gel filled knee pads... i'm a sucker for that kind of stuff...
Oh! I've got a 'nuther question... This ones kinda lame... but figg'rd the only dumb question is the one not asked... anyhoo: How do ya fill in cracks in the concrete floor? I have one thats lifting and one side that settling... What ya use? How much time does it take to set? Do I need to grind a V groove like on fiberglass?
[ QUOTE ] How do ya fill in cracks in the concrete floor? I have one thats lifting and one side that settling... What ya use? How much time does it take to set? Do I need to grind a V groove like on fiberglass? [/ QUOTE ] Most hardware stores have a concrete crack filler. Some are epoxy based. Some recomend cutting a V to give the filler more to bond to. One I have used is called "Crack Weld." The setting time was about 24 hours; full cure, 48 hours.
I'll have to look for that epoxy stuff... Got one more if yall have time... Anyone used a harris cutting torch with a welding tip to do some welding? Got one hidin in the back of the shed Any good? Heard the henrob is excellent...
Check with your snap-on salesman for used tool boxes. I got 2 nice Craftsmen units (tops and bottoms) for $75, and $125, They were trade ins and he wanted to roll them cause he didn't have the room for them. State and DOT auctions can be a great source for roll around work benches and lots of other tools. Usually top of the line stuff. Cheap.
Hell I love tools. And I am reminded every monday and thursday when the snap-on and matco tool trucks stop by to pick money up from me lol. I JUST bought a new snap on bottom box. I didn't get the trad red I got it in Blue. I like it I got the stainless steel top for it so I can use it for a workbench too, and whenever I fill it up I can add a top box or side cabinets, AS for tools, I got craftsmen for all my sockets and wrenches, I got snap-on and matco rachets, and I/R and blue point air tools. AS for snap-on ratchets, I got a long handeled 3/8 that I have knocked the teeth out of twice and I only had it 4 months, not to good considering it was like 90 bux. I got two years of payments with my box but I really like it. I got mac, matco, snap-on etc. I don't like cheap tools but I have rolled the skin back on my knockles twice now with my snap-on ratchet. Oh well it looks neat. lol As for the question for crows feet, I use em for O2 sensors. Yeah yeah old shit doesn't have them but thats what I get for workin at a chevy dealership. I like it though.
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