garage tool tricks and tips

[fixitman04]

after a discussion with mike.... mklot70 i figured this would be a good thread

lets place any tool tip or trick you have learned over the years.

il start with a few of my own.

tip#1 my parts cleaner is heated!... il try to get some picts later... but here is how.

first of all i use a 50/50 mix of purple power and water for solvent.
i have a barrel type parts 15 gallon washer with a metal drum from harbor freight.
i use a magnetic type 115 volt oil pan heater stuck to the outside of the drum about 6 inches up.
plug it in for about an hour and it warms the fluid to a rather hot... but not to hot for the required chemical gloves.. it works wonders on those grimy parts to have a little heat! and since the solvent is water based there is no chance for fire. the hotter you want the fluid the longer you leave the heater on... theoretically you could leave it on all the time as these things are meant to heat a 5-10qt pan of oil for any length of time... so 15 gallons should never overheat.

to get the really grimy stuff and not ruin all my solvent i mix 3 gallons of purple power to 1 gallon of very hot water in an over sized water tight tub.... and soak for about an hour in the sunlight. this usually loosens up anything suck to the parts.... if not i soak longer.


tip#2: 3/4 inch foamboard insulation makes a great disposable creeper/knee pad.
just dont get gasoline or brake cleaner on it... it will turn to goo.

now lets hear some of your guys tips

[tjp]

a simple little thing to keep this thread moving....

I drew a line with a thick black sharpie on my jack so I can tell from a standing position when it is exactly lined up under the frame rail to safely jack my Roadster up. I don't have to get down on the ground to make sure the pad is lined up fully.

tim

[68DSU]

A tattoo artist introduced me to some black rubber gloves (a whole different story). They are a little thicker than usual medical variety and hold up a lot better and don't seem to get my hands as sweaty as the thin EMT ones I used to use.
I use them for working arount the oily, greasy parts but also to paint small parts. I can hold the part or the wire holding the part, spray, and not worry about getting paint on my hands.
I originally picked them up for wood finishing but they seem to work well for the car too.
The ones I use are made by Dynarex and are black nitrile.

[DatsunBucky]

A tattoo artist introduced me to some black rubber gloves (a whole different story).

T M I !!!!!

[fj20spl311]

Hot glue is your friend.
you can glue washers/nuts in place or glue to popsicle stick....
For those of us with fat finger....

[fixitman04]

Hot glue is your friend.
you can glue washers/nuts in place or glue to popsicle stick....
For those of us with fat finger....

works well for holding screws to the screwdriver. nuts in a socket on a long extension

[notoptoy]

Hot glue is your friend.
you can glue washers/nuts in place or glue to popsicle stick....
For those of us with fat finger....

works well for holding screws to the screwdriver. nuts in a socket on a long extension

I usually just use a piece of tape folded on itself so the sticky side is out, to hold blots securely inside of sockets - quick and easy! If I want the bolt positioned at the very end of the socket you can use an insert (which I have, and never remember to use) or just stuff some tape in the socket first.

[Garm]

Magnetic strips on the wall to hold tools. Awesome for people like me that manage to lose tools in a perfectly clean garage.

[Garm]

When I'm doing a dirty job that involves coolant, oil, brakes, fuel, etc. I put down some kitty litter underneath where I'm going to work. Then I can sweep up the mess I know I'm going to make later, keeps the floor a lot cleaner.

[510longroof]

For that sloppy universal joint in your socket set. Find a spring that slips aound it not so strong that it won't flex but strong enough to keep it straight. Helps when you need it on the end of an extension in hard to get to areas.

Instead of hot glue for holding philips screws to the screwdriver try a glue stick (uhu stick) from any stationery store. Its quicker, less messy and you don't have to plug it in.

For wood working drag long wood screws across a bar of soap before driving them in. The batteries on your drill/driver will last 3x as long and the job will go quicker giving extra time to work on the car.

Frank.

[Terry Z]

tired of your screwdriver slipping out of phillips screws, I have tried a lot of different products over the years and found that valve grinding compound works as good as anything.
Terry Z

[dbrick]

You can just use the glue stick and a lighter to heat it up, no need for the glue gun.

Add a piece of foam pipe insulation to the floor jack handle, the thick kind. Might save a door or fender. Still hurts like hell if you trip over it.

A couple of wraps of electrical tape also firms up a universal joint socket.

Bees Wax for wood screws and also for threaded fasteners on interior parts.

White-out for timing marks.

A piece of fuel line is an excellent spark plug starter, also on the shock absorber stud as a guide into the hole as the damn gas shock tries to expand as you install it.

[510longroof]

Forgot one. A tennis ball with a slit cut in it. Stick it over those pointy hood latches and safety catches that are usually aimed right at your head.

Frank.

[FergO2k]

brake adjuster studs (square) strip easily, and are 1/4" square.

so turn a 1/4" drive socket around, using the drive hole as the socket, no more stripping. You'll have to shop thru your set and find which one of the "socket" ends fits your wrench, it will be different based on whether you have 6 point or 12 point sockets. Stan taught me that one.

[fixitman04]

Ferg.... That is awsome... And an 8mm 6 point is the correct one
I use an o-ring on my universal joints. It is nice because it stays in the position i put it in.