I know a guy, a genius in his own right, a bit of an oddball as well, who made a test light out of an old screwdriver. It had a transparent orange handle which made a beautiful glow. He, of course, ground the bit end to a skinny sharp point. He then cut the end of the handle off, drilled the interior of the handle, and somehow created very neat threads on the inside. He then cut the end off of another similar screwdriver handle and threaded it to fit. He soldered a wire to the shaft inside of the handle to add the light bulb and a wire with an alligator clip on it which passed through the cap. My words do not do justice to the quality of work that went into the creation of this tool. I did not know Paul all that well. He was very secretive of his past. I suspect that he did some time in The Big House, and may very well have broken out of it. I informed him that I was very interested in buying it from him. He informed me that there was no amount of money that he would take for it. He probably used it to crack the electric lock on his prison cell or something like that.
Well, it isn't the last tool I've built. I built this stand 8-ish years ago? I pulled it out of storage yesterday to help with the 292 I'm starting to tear apart for a full rebuild. I see I need to make a longer drip pan...
Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums
Originally Posted by Phak1
I’m in the process of assembling my newly rebuild engine, and I'm installing the timing cover. The Shop Manual calls for special tool “Timing Gear Cover Centering Gauge“, J-966 to be installed over the crankshaft to center the cover. Well I don’t own such a tool and I not sure I could even buy one. Once again my lathe to the rescue. I didn’t have any stock large enough so I used a piece of hardwood and turned a sleeve to fit over the crankshaft with the OD the same as the harmonic balancer. Before I put a micrometer on the OD, I cut it a bit too small so I added a few wraps of the painters tape. Now its a perfect fit. Ready to install the timing cover!
I had the same problem, not having the "Timing Gear Centering Gauge" so was casting around the hardware looking for something that could be used. I came up with a 1-1/4" PVC plug that glues into a socket fitting. Had nearly the exact ID of the crank snout and 8 flats on the outer edge, so I drilled out the end and filed a taper the high points of the octagon. Worked nicely, and cheap too.
Kevin First car '29 Ford Special Coupe #2 - '29 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. Newest Project - 51 Chevy 3100 work truck. Photos [flickr.com] Busting rust since the mid-60's
I just recently made my dad a centering tool or drill bit guide so he could drill and tap the end of the crank on a old tecumseh engine. The one he swapped out was already drilled to hold the primary clutch sheave on. I spun it up quick on the old 30’s south bend 9” lathe. It worked out perfect he said.
2-ton Have made my own pullers (cobbleology) my big mistake was not tagging them as to what they were for. Really gripes me to make one then find a duplicate in my pile !!
I’m getting ready to remove my doors to rebuild the hinges. Being a one man band, I needed to be able to support the door while I remove and reinstall the hinges. I used a cheap yard sale engine stand, an old bed frame, various items I had laying around and fabricated a lift system. I think a picture is worth a thousand words so I won’t describe the build.
Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums
Nice job on the door lift. Supporting the door from the top makes good sense.
But I have one question: Do you think the hoist mechanism is up to the task?
Kevin First car '29 Ford Special Coupe #2 - '29 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. Newest Project - 51 Chevy 3100 work truck. Photos [flickr.com] Busting rust since the mid-60's
Very ingenious, that is really work outside the box.
Craig
Come, Bleed or Blister something has got to give!!! 59' Apache 31, 327 V8 (0.030 over), Muncie M20 4 Speed, GM 10 Bolt Rear... long term project (30 years and counting)
