Post Your Favorite Easy Shop Tips!

[55 Rescue Dog]

While mocking up the mounting plate for my Wilwood brake pedal, I needed to come up with a way to bolt it in by myself, without a helper to hold a wrench since I can't reach both sides of the firewall. I've already had to put it in, and take it out many times so far, and figured out I could tighten a nut from one side by using long set-screws for studs. I put a nut on one end of the screw and stick it through the hole, and on the other side, slip a nut and washer over an allen wrench to hold it in place, and tighten up the nut. I also use set screws for hanging the upper corner of the fenders, and installing the hood by myself. IMG_8784.JPGIMG_8787.JPGIMG_8803.JPGOnce everything is where it needs to be, I can remove the studs one at a time, and replace with a bolt.

[Belair-o]

Hi 55 Rescue Dog,
Thanks for the tip, I will have to remember that! I too am forced to figure out ways to do tasks by my lonesome; necessity is the mother of invention, I have heard.
Thanks, Doug

[55 Rescue Dog]

It's always been a struggle to find a good light when working under the dash, or under the car. Hated my 500 watt halogen that melted my new 50 foot air hose in the middle, and lots of other stuff it could set on fire. Came up with this simple outdoor plastic flood light holder, and a 90 watt LED flood that won't melt anything. I use it all of the time now.
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[Belair-o]

Strong Hands for Old Guy

I was installing a cell signal booster in my shop, and needed to crimp a lug on a grounding wire. I got all set with my ratcheting crimper, but found with my old arthritic hands, I couldn't get the crimp as tight as it should be:

I thought one of my clamps might be an aid, so used this clamp (see below) to easily complete the crimp. The grooves in the clamp faces made it easy to register and tighten the clamp on the crimper handles.

A force multiplier!

[55 Rescue Dog]

I really didn't want to share this idea because I was planning on making a bunch and selling them but figured it wouldn't go far from here. Sold 3 to the first body shop I showed it to. By necessity, I came up with a much better/cheaper hands-free copper MIG welding backer than anything else on the market. I had to weld up 32 trim holes on my front fenders and some others. Uses a very strong neodymium shielded cup magnet, and the rest is all made from copper that helps pull the heat right out of the weld zone. The whole thing is hot after one spot weld. It is adjustable for different angles, and with a bigger copper cap it can back up longer gaps. It works perfect.
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[TrifiveRichard]

Your shop is a lot cleaner than mine, RD. I?m still trying to remove sanding dust from skim coating and sanding the Corvette, and that was in a separate room!

[BamaNomad]

RD: I like your copper welding backer idea... WHY haven't you offered them for sale to us here?

[Belair-o]

Hi 55RD,
Thanks for posting that - very clever. I have a former boss who after a lot of welding school training, repurposed himself as a welder. I think he might have some occasion to use the tip.
Thanks, Doug

[55 Rescue Dog]

Here is a good tip that works good for removing gummy adhesive left behind from stickers/decals, etc. In my case today I finally got around to removing some Velcro strips someone had stuck to the vinly dash on one of my cars like 20 years ago for a sunshade, and it was in a hard-to-reach area that couldn't be scrapped with anything, and I didn't want to use any solvents. I just tear off a chunk of very sticky Gorilla tape and keep sticking it on the adhesive and just keep pulling it off a little at a time, and after several slow pulls with the tape the adhesive all came off clean.
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[BamaNomad]

RD: Have you ever tried 3M adhesive remover? It works great and very quickly and non abrasive...

[busterwivell]

Like Gary, I use it all the time.

[55 Rescue Dog]

Yes, I have tried 3M adhesive remover, but sometimes just a piece of sticky tape is an easier solution for most stuff. If that doesn't work then I try 3M, or something else, like trying to remove widow tint adhesive of which I've found nasty Acetone works.

[55 Rescue Dog]

My brother-in-law was changing plugs on an overhead cam engine with the deep holes through the valve cover and the extension came off the spark plug socket and he tried several ways trying to get the socket out. So, he got a locking extension and used a piece of dental floss to pull the trigger back to get it to lock-on to the socket. It worked, and I never would have thought of that tip.
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