Homemade Tools or Cheap Tricks

Just keep the cats away

 

Thought 'bout that ...

Yeah!! That would REALLY clog things up!! So far so good.

 

I pour the sand on the cement driveway and spread it out with a garden rake. The cement will suck the moisture off the bottom of the pile while the sun works on the top. Use a shop vac to get the sand off the driveway.

 

I have to learn to think simpler. That sounds like a one day solution. But, you didn't find a use for your old fuel tank.

 

How much silica is in play sand? You don't want to breathe any of that dust so wear a respirator.

 

Yea guys, use a respirator!
Anyway, I used the kids plastic swimming pool for blasting in. This one was yellow and thick, not the flimsy blue ones, alto you could use that. Helps keep most of the sand. For storage I used a Home Depot plastic bucket. I cover the top with a section of window screen and pour the sand in using a large plastic cup. It sifts the sand going in then shake it out into the cleaned out tub on the next round. The sifting also helps with the drying. Keep the filled bucket indoors and it will be dry and turd free.

 

Good Warning!

Thanks for the warning. I wasn't aware that silica was so hazardous. I just received a blasting hood from Eastwood today and they say don't use it with sand because of the dangers of silica. Will definitly use a respirator. Gotta believe play sand is mostly silica.

 

Take a 20oz soda bottle and cut the bottom off, take off the cap and hold the mouth to the shifter in a manual trans (the ones like a t-5 that don't use remote linkage) and you'll hear every gear!

 

Frank, Don't let the government hear you say that.

 

spraying starting fluid around fittings, intake runners and vacuum hose ends helps find vacuum leaks also. the engine will 'rev' when a leak is present.

holding a rag over exhaust tips helps find exhaust leaks.

squirting water on plug wires helps find faulty wires. water is also useful for finding a belt squeak.

you can also hold a wire brush against a running belt to remove squeaks.

putting conductive grease in spark plug boots makes them a lot easier to remove later. i think new wires even come with some in there.

baking soda and water makes a great battery acid neutralizer/cleaner.

 

I live in east Tennessee and it gets a little warm in the summer some times, especially when the sun is right over head. We came up with this idea (talk about redneck) so we could stay a little cooler and still work on our cars.
(the picture was taken at a buddy's house and he is one of those chebby fans)

 

Ammonia works better than baking soda and water and it doesb't make so much of a mess.

 

I have an old distributor that I dismantled and got the shaft out of. Makes a great oil primer.

 

I cut the top off of an old stock valve cover and use it to adjust hyd valves with the motor running, no more mess down the side of the motor.