modern tools - Dose anybody else think it's not quite to use a gear wrench when working on a vintage vehicle?

[Bhigdog]

Three of my home fabricated tools are for removing & replacing the rear seal in a 50's Hydromatic..................Bob

[Bhigdog]

On 8/10/2022 at 11:05 PM, Bhigdog said:

All my tools are period correct for whatever car i,m working on as is my dress. Can,t be too correct in a restoration you know.

As an aside: i,ve been trying to get gear wrench to replace a defective box wrench for the better part of a year now. Nothing but excuses, covid, supply chain, blah blah blah. Buy some other brand..... bob

GearWrench update: UPS delivered a new 9/16 wrench about 30 minutes ago. Exactly 6 months after my claim. Oh well, I guess after the last year or two I can understand. All's well that ends well...............Bob

[Frank DuVal]

Here are some of my home made tools.

 

OK, the Church Keys are not home made, but they are used to remove roof rail trim. A very odd use for them, but if applied carefully they can pull it off.

 

Any guesses on the other items?

[Bhigdog]

9 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

OK, the Church Keys are not home made, but they are used to remove roof rail trim.

That's funny. I used the exact same tool for that purpose. Worked great.................Bob

[Larry Schramm]

I am guessing that this is used to install starter bushings. 

 

I have one almost an exact duplicate that a friend of mine made for me decades ago.

[PhillyFordGuy]

On 8/10/2022 at 10:12 PM, Buick35 said:

Dose anybody else think it's not quite to use a gear wrench when working on a vintage vehicle? Lord forbid a metric socket.

Applying this logic, what should prehistoric archaeologists use?

 

[Bhigdog]

8 minutes ago, Russ_H said:

Applying this logic, what should prehistoric archaeologists use?

 

That,s so easy a cave man could answer it. A fossil hammer.....bob

[Frank DuVal]

7 hours ago, Larry Schramm said:

I am guessing that this is used to install starter bushings. 

Close. No measuring scale in picture, so no possible way to judge size, sorry. It's for Corvair steering box bushings. The little one is the starter bushing installer.

[Barney Eaton]

Does this count under the TOOL  catagory?

Golf balls as handles and knobs.    For my files,  different color balls make the one you want easier to find.  

The golf ball knob on my 20 ton press eliminates the need to find the handle that has the flatted end. 

on this one I pressed in some 1/2 inch square tubing that fits the flatted valve shaft and if I needed some extra force can be applied 

directly to the tubing.  

[30DodgePanel]

17 hours ago, Bhigdog said:

That,s so easy a cave man could answer it. A fossil hammer.....bob

 

This thread must be maddening for "some" of the mods  

 

 

 

[Bhigdog]

No doubt..............I just gave it a 5 star rating..........Bob

[Barney Eaton]

Amazing what you find when you are looking for something else. 

If you own a Corvair and need to change the push rod tube "O" rings,  this tool breaks the 

push rod tubes loose so they can be removed.   This tool made from electrical conduit works fine. 

The half circle fits against the push rod tube, you slide it along the tube until it contacts a retaining ring.

Hit it with a hammer and out comes the push rod tube. 

[Terry Bond]

I don't see that the OP has ever returned here to explain exactly what he means by "gear wrench."

Terry

[Bhigdog]

Here's a couple more self made special purpose tools.

First is a front spring compressor. With the body and engine in place a floor jack can compress the A arms to remove/install the springs. With just a bare frame, not so much. The bottom plate swivels to stay parallel against the bottom arm, the rubber is for "gription" and to protect new paint.

Next is a tool to depress the pin in a hydraulic coupling to relieve trapped pressure, in this case my front end loader. If there is any trapped pressure the lines cannot be coupled together. The "farmer fix" is to put a bolt in the fitting and rap it with a hammer. Hyd oil, under pressure, flies everywhere. With the fine thread bolt in the tool I can very slowly depress the pin relieving the pressure and catch the oil in a rag. ............Bob

Edited August 19, 2022 by Bhigdog (see edit history)

[Frank DuVal]

Hey Barney, yes that is my version in my picture. 👍

 

I made it back about 1980. 
 

I hate Channellock teeth marks in the pushrod tubes. 😡 That was a common mechanics solution back then. 

[junkyardjeff]

I do not have period tools for each older vehicle I own but most of my tools are over 25 years old so that should be good enough.

[30DodgePanel]

Figured this was a good of place as any to post this. 
 

Does anyone else have access to untouchables that are just wasting away in the elements? Two matching vises and iron tables. Shame to see them sit without being used for their purpose. 

[Joe in Canada]

On 8/11/2022 at 10:56 AM, avgwarhawk said:

I use Gearwrench.  They are ok.  Broke one.  It was replaced.   I do have all of my Snap-on wrenches I purchased 40 years ago.  I just finished paying them off.  Great tools honestly.  Never a problem with Snap-on wrenches. 

That is as you say over 40 years old. My 20 year old 1/4 drive ratchet needed repair and was replaced with one without made in USA inscribed on it. First time went to use it found the ball that holds the socket on was not there. Do not let them replace your old ratchet, and make them repair your old one.  

I called head office and she did not know where it was made and I know not in Canada as they shut down the Snap-on factory here. I highly suspect Snap-on is now made in China also.

Erwin tools closed all their US plants also and moved to China. But they forgot to lower their price to reflect the cost savings. 

Edited October 5, 2022 by Joe in Canada (see edit history)

[rocketraider]

6 hours ago, 30DodgePanel said:

Figured this was a good of place as any to post this. 
 

Does anyone else have access to untouchables that are just wasting away in the elements? Two matching vises and iron tables. Shame to see them sit without being used for their purpose. 

😭 Please somebody save 'em!

 

What general area of the US are they in, in case someone is interested in trying to make a deal on them?

[Bhigdog]

6 hours ago, 30DodgePanel said:

Figured this was a good of place as any to post this. 
 

Does anyone else have access to untouchables that are just wasting away in the elements? Two matching vises and iron tables. Shame to see them sit without being used for their purpose. 

Wilton bullet vises. Very high quality and usually bring a good price.....bob

[rocketraider]

21 minutes ago, Bhigdog said:

Wilton bullet vises. Very high quality and usually bring a good price.....bob

USA made Wilton. Good stuff.

 

I about crapped my pants when I found Chinese-made Wilton vises at Northern Tool a couple years ago. They may be perfectly good vises, but there's a thing called psychology...😐

[30DodgePanel]

14 hours ago, rocketraider said:

😭 Please somebody save 'em!

 

What general area of the US are they in, in case someone is interested in trying to make a deal on them?

Trust me, they are off limits and one would need a security clearance via FAA to even be close as they're next to a major runway in the SW USA (hence the large practice stripes and hanger in the background).

 

We've tried to make a deal (many of us) but the powers to be don't care, and there they sit in the boneyard year after year.

Edited October 6, 2022 by 30DodgePanel (see edit history)

[30DodgePanel]

8 hours ago, Bhigdog said:

Wilton bullet vises. Very high quality and usually bring a good price.....bob

You know it!

Like many on here I've been bit by the old iron bug and have restored many vintage USA vises over the years. These are some of the big boys for Wiltons lineup (155ish lbs I believe) and when dolled up will bring $500-$1500 depending. I had an old Prentiss Bulldog that weighed in at around 200 lbs at one time and still kick myself for selling it. I bought it for $50 cleaned it up and was then offered $1200 for it a month after I bought it and like an idiot I let her go. 

 

Don't waste your money or time on the Chinese stuff, it's garbage, I've put them through the test and they fail every time. Some guys swear by them but I've never had any luck with them as they always catch, are always loose and did I mention they are brittle garbage...

[Bhigdog]

11 hours ago, rocketraider said:

Chinese-made Wilton vises at Northern Tool a couple years ago

😝 Say it isn't so!.................Bob

[Paul Dobbin]

On 8/18/2022 at 11:40 AM, Barney Eaton said:

Does this count under the TOOL  catagory?

Golf balls as handles and knobs.    For my files,  different color balls make the one you want easier to find.  

The golf ball knob on my 20 ton press eliminates the need to find the handle that has the flatted end. 

on this one I pressed in some 1/2 inch square tubing that fits the flatted valve shaft and if I needed some extra force can be applied 

directly to the tubing.  

  Those look like the balls I lost in water hazards when I played golf.   I had to quit playing when

  my friends who could barily break a 100, said It was no fun when I always won.   I guess 

  my 125 score was somehting they were jealous of.

[mrspeedyt]

i’m guessing those vices are at area 51.

 

if not there may be Edwards or Vandenberg or China Lake?

[rocketraider]

14 hours ago, Bhigdog said:

😝 Say it isn't so!.................Bob

Unfortunately it is. Kind of an ignoble end to the company who pioneered the modern high performance precision vise. 

 

It's what happens when mergers and acquisitions run amok.

[30DodgePanel]

12 hours ago, mrspeedyt said:

i’m guessing those vices are at area 51.

 

if not there may be Edwards or Vandenberg or China Lake?

Yes to all of the above  

 

[CHuDWah]

16 hours ago, mrspeedyt said:

i’m guessing those vices are at area 51...

Yeah, those aliens are immoral little devils! 🤣