Cheap Tricks

[richards72chevy]

I got this out of an old hot rod magazine.Put lotion on your hands arms and any where you think your going to get greasey.The lotion gets into your pours and prevents the grease from getting in there.Did this yesterday when i changed the plugs on my s-10 blazer and it works.

[PanelDeland]

Originally Posted by VA72C10

For anyone with cats...I will purchase the cat litter that's in the plastic jugs sometimes. Gives you a large storage container for used antifreeze/oil/etc and they have a lid that screws on tight with a carrying handle....and the hole is large enough for the rad hose to fit inside to drain out....

Buy some for the shop anyway(the non-clumping/non-scoopable type) it works great for cleaning up oil spills and then you have the container.The old style clay type seems to work best,the scoopable doesn't do squat.

[PanelDeland]

For shop storage,watch for kitchen remodels.The cabinets work great in my garage and I just built the top from 2x lumber.I keep most of it covered with thin ply or cardboard so it stays clean.You can also sometimes catch a tall cabinet from a Pantry or laundry room.

[1972RedNeck]

Originally Posted by MacGyver72

I'm sure some of you have done or seen this done but if you ever change your own tires (I mean taking one off the rim and putting a new one on), the bead can be difficult to seal at home. (A shop has the blast feature on the tire changer to blow out the bead and seal it.) You can spray WD-40 around the rim then light it. It will cause a small (controlled) explosion enough to seal the bead so you can fill the tire with air. Off-road guys do it a lot when they pop a tire off the rim. Whole lot easier than trying to wrestle with the tire while someone else fills it with air.

Ether works fantastic too.

[Sillyoldman]

Keep a piece of foil in your truck in case you blow a fuse and do not have a replacement, Wrap the foil around the blown one and walaa!

[RenoKeene]

I've said this many times...There is a lot of very, very smart people on this forum. The input on this thread proves it. Thanks for sharing your tricks....and it tends to make you think...don't it.

[RenoKeene]

dbstepside told us about rubber gloves....I got tired of fluid running out of this PS pump during mock-up so I cut the fingers off, got out my rubber bands and wala! No more drips.
BTW ballons work alot better but I'm out right now.

[dbstepside]

that's pretty slick about balloons. i have tied ziploc bags over hoses before and also those before mentioned gloves when swapping motors or pulling one out of a scrapper. and i'll remember the baby tub i have 1 of those as soon as baby moves on from it.

[RenoKeene]

One of the most valuable tools I own is my digital camera. It's a Nikon Coolpix L22 12 megapixel with a 3.6x Zoom, about $100. Yea, so far this thread has been about cheap, but believe me...this has paid for itself over and over again during this build. My memory is no match for this thing. Forgot how this gizmo goes back on? Go look at the pics you took before you took it apart.
I also store the pics on a portable hard drive I bought for $58...in case my computer crashes.
Posted via Mobile Device

[dfwright]

Originally Posted by RenoKeene

One of the most valuable tools I own is my digital camera. It's a Nikon Coolpix L22 12 megapixel with a 3.6x Zoom, about $100. Yea, so far this thread has been about cheap, but believe me...this has paid for itself over and over again during this build. My memory is no match for this thing. Forgot how this gizmo goes back on? Go look at the pics you took before you took it apart.
I also store the pics on a portable hard drive I bought for $58...in case my computer crashes.
Posted via Mobile Device

Boy, I will second that one. I took the sage advice of those on the board and took a million pictures while deconstructing the truck, and it has proven to be invaluable to have those pics. I wish I had taken 2 million.

[100%Chevy]

O.K.,here's a few of mine-
I use a 2" long piece of 3/4" pvc pipe to prop up my windshield wipers to keep them from "setting" which will ruin the rubber from sitting.
I use that same turkey baster to change the fluid in my brake resovoirs.Sucks the fluid out,then I wipe out the crud and re-fill.
A small can of neverseize(or equivalant) is cheap insurance compared to breaking seized bolts.
A decent pile of assorted wood blocks are handy for jackstands and cheap.
Keep a water hose handy when welding.
Have your cell in your pocket when working alone in the shop.
And,since I have a lot of cars stored in my shop,I have battery disconnects on them all.
I sandblast my spark plugs-Makes them like new again.
Use pipe dope on sending units.Teflon tape will prevent them from grounding.
A fingernail file will clean points,you can set them with a matchbook cover or business card.
A timing light will work on any plug wire to see if it's firing.
And,as I get older,things seem to be heavier,so I put everything on wheels.
Old grocery carts are great for this.
Cut the side from oil cans and anti-freeze jugs.Great to clean parts in,then throw away.
Mike.

[RenoKeene]

Wow again...I never thought of the wiper trick you just posted. Thanks abunch, this stuff is super valuable.
I'm thinking of making an index of these tricks that I can put on the first page of this thread...something I can update every couple of days to make it easier for folks to look tricks up in here, might draw some more input.
Something like this:

PVC Pipe....page 4 post 12
Ballons....page 4 post 8
I made these numbers up so don't go looking for them there...

Any input on this would help (I'm really not a computer guy, although I draw on one for a living )


This is the kind of thread that can help everyone in this hobby...or anyone that has ever picked up a wrench for that matter. Please contribute if you can or just leave a comment so this thread doesn't die. It would be a dam shame if all this info was lost.

[chevy_man5]

Reno, I have a cheap, easy trick for you! If you put the link to your "Cheap Tricks" thread in your signature, then anywhere else on the site you comment, people will see it, and hopefully contribute!!

I love this idea, and if I had any, I would post them up. The few I knew, have already been listed!

[kwhite4]

Here is a sounds stupid but it works deal. I hate to wear gloves when I do mechanical work so I will take a bar of soft soap and claw the crap out of it . Puts soap under my nails instead of grease and its alot easier to get out...

[RenoKeene]

Originally Posted by chevy_man5

Reno, I have a cheap, easy trick for you! If you put the link to your "Cheap Tricks" thread in your signature, then anywhere else on the site you comment, people will see it, and hopefully contribute!!

I love this idea, and if I had any, I would post them up. The few I knew, have already been listed!

Jason, that's perfect...could you tell me how to create a link please.

[RenoKeene]

Originally Posted by kwhite4

Here is a sounds stupid but it works deal. I hate to wear gloves when I do mechanical work so I will take a bar of soft soap and claw the crap out of it . Puts soap under my nails instead of grease and its alot easier to get out...

Thats not stupid by a long shot...I was savin that one for later. Ivory soap works best for me...it's kinda soft.

[chevy_man5]

Just highlight the text below and copy it. Then go to User CP, edit signature, and paste the link in there. The text below is just from the address bar at the top of the screen. Good luck!!

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=489394

That may not work, it shortens it on the actual posting. Make sure where it shows s...d in the middle it actually says showthread

[RenoKeene]

Ok...lets see if this works..

[chevy_man5]

Perfect!!

[RenoKeene]

It works! Thanks....you might have just saved this thread's life!! And if someone picks this link and reads the post about keeping your cell phone on ya while working in the shop alone..and gets hurt bad..you might just have saved their life. For real.
Thanks again.

[chevy_man5]

If you have build threads on the projects in your signature, you can do the same thing. Just go to page one of your thread, copy the address in the bar on top, and paste it in your signature. Kind of puts all your info in one spot.

My signature looks like this in the edit signature section. The only difference below is that where is says [ur] below, it is actually url. I took the "L" out, so it wouldn't put the link there.

Jason

'60 GMC 4x4 [ur]http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=433482[/url]

BlondieK's '65 Chevy C-10 (on hold indefinitely) [ur]http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=427093[/url]

[RenoKeene]

Originally Posted by chevy_man5

If you have build threads on the projects in your signature, you can do the same thing. Just go to page one of your thread, copy the address in the bar on top, and paste it in your signature. Kind of puts all your info in one spot.

My signature looks like this in the edit signature section. The only difference below is that where is says [ur] below, it is actually url. I took the "L" out, so it wouldn't put the link there.

Jason

'60 GMC 4x4 [ur]http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=433482[/url]

BlondieK's '65 Chevy C-10 (on hold indefinitely) [ur]http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=427093[/url]

Thanks Jason. I'll post a build thread on "Rose" when I'm about done. Now I know how to create a link

[chevy_man5]

No problem!! Thanks for starting this thread!!!

[RenoKeene]

Originally Posted by chevy_man5

No problem!! Thanks for starting this thread!!!

Thanks for the big time contribution!
Now if someone could just teach me how to spell

[rpmerf]

Great Thread! Wish I could remember something to contribute!