Miatatom Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 I bent the awls, ground the screwdrivers into different shapes and then dipped them in CA and then the abrasive grit. What's a good source for abrasive grit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbiggied Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 What's a good source for abrasive grit? That famous auction site...search for tumbler grit. I got a little bag of 400 grit that has lasted me for years with no end in site. My favorite is to put glue on the ends of toothpicks and stick them in the container and let them dry, but you can use any shape you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miatatom Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Thanks for the reply, Doug. I looked at what they had there and there are so many different grits. They list 36 as coarse, 100 as medium. What is 400 like on plastic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbiggied Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Thanks for the reply, Doug. I looked at what they had there and there are so many different grits. They list 36 as coarse, 100 as medium. What is 400 like on plastic? I actually use the grit on homemade tools mostly for cleaning up metal gaming minis. As for plastic, it works well for small detail parts and engines and whatnot, since you can make small tools in different shapes. I also make my own padded sanding sticks. I use what they call eva foam...comes from the craft store or the craft section at walmart in sheets...I glue down a whole sheet to the back of a sheet of sandpaper, then to the back of the foam I glue down a bunch of popsicle sticks or bits of wood...let dry and cut up. They don't last as long as the pre-made kind from the hobby shop, but they are a lot cheaper, and I can mass produce them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afx Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 (edited) Got this idea from another forum site. Cut the head off a straight pin and install it in a mechanical pencil. Makes a great scribe for very intricate work. Edited January 8, 2015 by afx 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldnslow Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 Now that's a good idea. Thanks, JC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miatatom Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 Now that's a good idea. Thanks, JC +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzTom Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Similar to the one above, Old record player needles installed in a pin vise makes a great scribe / punch. They are made of a pretty hard metal and will last a long time. There is a company that make sandpaper on a roll that is about 1.5 in wide, design to stick on aluminum sanding blocks. I cut a piece about 4 in long of each grit and stick to my bench mat along one side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Colmer Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Hugh! I have been trying to figure out a method for centering holes in rod and hex rod for a long time. I literally lay awake picturing a tool like a dual head pin vice. And here you come with a stunningly simple solution. I will have to give this a try. Now if I can get my Chop It to cut an even slice I can make easy nuts! Thanks! Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Not really home made but since sand paper came up, here's something that makes my life much easier. Above is my sand paper cabinet. It cost something like $7 at Walmart I wanted to have two different grits per drawer, so I made some simple drawer dividers from cardboard Then I took standard size full sheets of sandpaper in the grits I wanted. I inherited my father's garage full of stuff so I had most of it in stock! I cut these handy little sanding sheets on my roller cutting board. Size is an inch square. You get a ton of them from a pack of sandpaper. More than a year's supply of most grits. Insert squares in the bins and you are set for a very long time. It also saves on sandpaper since most guys waste a lot tearing pieces off the full sheet. I use these for most of my hand sanding. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drake69 Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 (edited) The wooden stand underneath the "Mad Max" box top picture I made for supporting my cars as they glue. I nailed three small blocks of wood to a flat square piece, then nailed a magnetic sign (like the ones you see affixed to business cars every day) on the top with the magnet side facing up. I then have two/three steel elbow brackets that stick to the base so that I can move them around to hold car parts in place like wheels to an axle, door panels, etc... It really helps with keeping wheels level and straight if you have axle components that are glued and drying so that they don't knock themselves out of position (and so you don't have to sit there and hold parts together for hours while waiting for the glue to set...). At some point I'm going to attach aligator clips to the base so I can have new ways to hold glued parts as they dry. Edited January 8, 2015 by Drake69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miatatom Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Allen, I think I understand what you've built but some close up pics of the stand with a part being held would really be helpful. I'm always interested in stuff like this. I use one of these mounted to a 2x6. http://www.harborfreight.com/2-3-4-quarter-inch-articulated-vacuum-vise-3311.html I've got another gadget I use that has 4 arms, made of thick wire with alligator clip on the end. I use some as well. Can't remember where I bought it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belugawrx Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 This one isn't too high tech, but it does do the trick,... BMF / crevice / burnishing tool ! I made it from a bbq skewer (bamboo) sanded one end to a soft point and the other end is rounded smooth I wound tape into a tight tube (think hockey stick) and wrapped it around the skewer then wrapped the wrap with masking tape This little buddy has gotten into some tight spaces to align plug wires etc. , etc. The tape wrap helps to smooth foil around those pesky window openings and compound curve areas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drake69 Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Allen, I think I understand what you've built but some close up pics of the stand with a part being held would really be helpful. I'm always interested in stuff like this. I use one of these mounted to a 2x6. http://www.harborfreight.com/2-3-4-quarter-inch-articulated-vacuum-vise-3311.html I've got another gadget I use that has 4 arms, made of thick wire with alligator clip on the end. I use some as well. Can't remember where I bought it though. Here is the base standing on its end.... Base with Mini Cooper for scale...... Better lighting so everyone can see how dirty it is...... Last shot.... So I'm still unpacking and moving things around, and can't find my metal L-brackets, but imagine a piece of metal held in place by the magnetic base, pushed up against the car on either side, so that a newly glued wheel will set straight instead of askew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Allen, I really like the concept of the magnetic pad to hold things in place and true. I'll have to make myself one! And now I'm off to find a parked car with a sign on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southpier Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 a good source for brackets of all configurations is Simpson- Strongtie. most of the big box stores carry them in their lumber departments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southpier Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 engine holder - upper: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drake69 Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 (edited) Blank car magnetic material... http://www.wholesalemagneticsigns.com/blank_car_magnets.html They can be bought for any strength and outdoor longevity. And if they become too gunked up from spray paints, glue droppings, etc..., remove the nails and affix a fresh strip. Banner design shops have these, and at one point you could also find them at Office Max, Office Depot, Staples, craft stores, and even K-Mart, Walmart, and Target. And if you use magnetic stainless steel brackets (which also exist...), it's easy to clean off as well. LAST NOTE: the idea originated from the "other" car modelling magazine, FYI. Edited January 9, 2015 by Drake69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southpier Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Mother of All Magnetic Tool Holders http://airfieldmodels.com/information_source/how_to_articles_for_model_builders/tools/magnetic_building_board/index.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Mother of All Magnetic Tool Holders http://airfieldmodels.com/information_source/how_to_articles_for_model_builders/tools/magnetic_building_board/index.htm Fantastic site and tools - thanks Joe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miatatom Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I can't say this was my idea. I got it from Dr. Cranky here on the forum. I'm lucky enough to have a son that's a CNC machinist so I asked him to make what I'd call alignment blocks. They're made from stainless steel, measure 2"x2"x1/2" thick and weigh about a pound each. I use them to align wheels/tires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScaleDale Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I can't say this was my idea. I got it from Dr. Cranky here on the forum. I'm lucky enough to have a son that's a CNC machinist so I asked him to make what I'd call alignment blocks. They're made from stainless steel, measure 2"x2"x1/2" thick and weigh about a pound each. I use them to align wheels/tires. DSC_4538.jpg DSC_4535.jpg Someone on the forum did the same thing by taking two heads from one of those adjustable shop squares, putting them both on the same ruler. The tires clamp square between the sliding handles. Hard to describe and I don't have my camera handy. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southpier Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I've seen that trick before. I think it's good to know how to do something different ways. circumstances can dictate the best one to use. made this magnet table by laminating (2) pieces of Baltic birch (12" x 18") and a sheet of 16 ga. galvanized sheet. routed the edges with carbide bit. brackets mentioned above; magnets from big box store cabinet hardware department with holding bracket muckled off. ubiquitous cigar box holds other junk to shim & block while glue sets. don't use it a whole lot, but it does become handy at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southpier Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) bench hook (6" x 6" +/-) gets a bit of use. 1/2" copper tube allows me to use it at angles from the seated position at the desk. Edited January 12, 2015 by southpier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southpier Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) most use - the workhorse - of the shop Edited January 12, 2015 by southpier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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