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Sometimes we don't have that "certain" tool in the box, so we need to become a "Mcgyver" and make a tool. One that I have used is for tube bending.

Creating nice, non-kinked bends in tubing is best accomplished with a tube bender. Unfortunately, benders only accept tubing of certain diameters and generally can only make one radius,(or you loned it out to a fellow Stovebolter-LOL). For alternatives, look no further than your engine to find a variety of potential tubing benders: the fan-belt pulleys. While it is nice to use some old pulleys in a vise, pulling the fan belt and working in the engine compartment can get the job done, too. All assuming the use of the V-belt- not serpentine belt- pulleys, of course. When ever I see different sizes of V-belt pulleys, I grab them quick.

Does anybody have more of these ideas?

OLY!!!!! are you that broke that you have to do tricks in the shop????

I have found that the Mechano toy wheels, the large ones are pretty handy for bending tubing. You can even straighten out the bend using one if you apply just right.

Don't know about Oly's wallet, but mine is a bit on the dusty side. whooosh - Blows off dust

One project I have considered getting around to is a Battery Charger.

12v DC
Battery Pan
Dual Pattern Battery Cables
120 Amp (rebuildable) Alternator w/V belt sheave
Volt Gauge
Ammeter
10g wire

Belt

120v AC
AC 1/2-1 HP 1ph 60hz Motor - NEMA FRAME - 56
Light Switch
Fabricated Base/Alt Mount Brckt
14g Grounded Cord

What am I forgetting?

Not forgetting anything Chief except that this could also be done on a "portable" basis. Years ago I used a Lawn mower Briggs and Stratton engine and generator and voltage regulator and mounted it all on a wooden platform. I didn't have AC electric so it worked great for me.

Another trick I learned, in my days of four-wheel drives, was how to keep the bolts from vibrating loose and loosing parts and pieces along the way. (Might come in handy for bouncy Old Stovebolts-LOL) Nylock-type nuts (the type with a built-in piece of plastic that serves as an anti-vibrate-loose device) are great, but who always has the right size on hand? I made my own, although certainly not the real thing, but close enough. A piece of fishing line or weed-whacker string jammed in the threads nevertheless can do an adequate job in most instances.

I have two sets of rollaway tool chests. I wanted to put a rubber pad between the upper and lower units, but Sears wanted something like $16 for theirs.

I went to Wally World and bought black rubber door mats for less than $3 each. Trimmed them with scissors and they worked great!

---> Bill