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Shop and Tools: Tips and Tricks

Muckin_Slusher said:
I've seen this cloth fabric drill bit trick on a couple videos recently.

This video freaks me out with high speed drill press drilling large holes in sheet metal held by hand. Seems to work though.

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Well that's the coolest damn thing I've seen all day.
 
Muckin_Slusher said:
I've seen this cloth fabric drill bit trick on a couple videos recently.

This video freaks me out with high speed drill press drilling large holes in sheet metal held by hand. Seems to work though.

Click to expand...


Genius. I will be doing this in the future. I had some old cloth that I was gonna through away but not anymore.
 
PAToyota said:
I skipped through the video to get the basics. Have to find some time to watch the whole 21 minutes...
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TLDW:

Put a piece of folded cloth on the sheet metal you want to drill a hole in. Drill away and the cloth somehow keeps the drill bit from screwing into the sheet metal and fucking off sideways.

In the video the guy drills a hole in a small piece of sheet metal with a 1/2 inch bit, on high speed while holding the piece with his hand. He does this several times and the piece doesn't spin wrecking his hand.
 
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Yep. I watched a bit here and there where he was actually doing instead of talking. I'm sure the talking has useful bits in it too, but I got the gist of the idea.
 
Muckin_Slusher said:
I've seen this cloth fabric drill bit trick on a couple videos recently.

This video freaks me out with high speed drill press drilling large holes in sheet metal held by hand. Seems to work though.

Click to expand...

Cliffs
6:50-7:13 to see it work. No damn way I’m watching a 20 min video.
 
Learned yesterday that you can redneck lance out a pressed in a solid pin. Get it bubbling red and spitting, turn the acetylene off and just blast it with pure oxygen.
Note: I only did it 4 times and all 4 it covered the tip in so much slag that it took a while to clean but it did pop a hole through a 1.5” solid round bar and the pin pressed out easily. One came out with a hammer.
I’m sure there’s a YouTube video on this but I had never heard of it until yesterday.
 
I suppose you're turning the fuel off so it doesn't pop and bang at you?

Crank your oxygen pressure up to like 100 psi when you're doing that kinda stupid, it works really well for getting a little more depth outta the same size torch tip
 
[486] said:
I suppose you're turning the fuel off so it doesn't pop and bang at you?

Crank your oxygen pressure up to like 100 psi when you're doing that kinda stupid, it works really well for getting a little more depth outta the same size torch tip
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Or do like me and just use a no 4 tip All the time
 
ThePanzerFuhrer said:
Or do like me and just use a no 4 tip All the time
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I keep a 3 in the torches I use regularly. What can I do to keep the tips from getting covered in slag?I tried keeping it away from the molten puddle as much as I thought would work without letting the puddle cool off but it still melted the holes in the tip to the point I can’t get a tip cleaner in it. I may have to find drill bits small enough to do it
 
you're running acetylene so you've already got a leg up, do you run the preheat gas up to where it is just barely staying on the tip?
extreme gas velocity in the tip's holes keeps them clean more than anything else

ThePanzerFuhrer said:
Or do like me and just use a no 4 tip All the time
Click to expand...
most of the stuff I do does fine with a 000, occasionally swap out to the #1

I've got a #3 around here somewhere, but the preheat is the same size and the oxygen jet is all that's bigger, so no point to running it unless cutting big shit
 
[486] said:
you're running acetylene so you've already got a leg up, do you run the preheat gas up to where it is just barely staying on the tip?
extreme gas velocity in the tip's holes keeps them clean more than anything else


most of the stuff I do does fine with a 000, occasionally swap out to the #1

I've got a #3 around here somewhere, but the preheat is the same size and the oxygen jet is all that's bigger, so no point to running it unless cutting big shit
Click to expand...

My dad always pushed having a little tip in the torch (the first time I used something bigger than a 00 was working in a mine). It still blows my mind how quick you can blow stuff apart with a #4. It's not as pretty when you cut smaller than 1/4 but it's so fast. Now I have a cheap plasma so the torch pretty much always has at least a #2 in it.

As far as slag, if I can I like to cut a trench for it to run out. Otherwise I just pull out and bang it on something to try to knock the slag loose occasionally. I had a couple contractors in who were artists with a torch and they would kill the torch and rub it on a piece of wood when they started plugging. Seemed to work pretty well but I've never tried it.
 
Here's a simple one, I needed a longer straw on my wd40 can. I happened to have one of the flexible metal straws.
I drilled out a brake parts cleaner nozzle so that the straw will fit and installed it on the wd40 can.
20220627_133650.jpg
 
I needed to rivet something, but my 15+ year old HF pop riveter has been missing an arbor for several years and I was running low on rivets, so it was time to go shopping.

I wanted more than just another pop riveter, as I needed it for one of those, "3 hand jobs," so a powered riveter would sure be handy. I looked at Milwaukee's options but couldn't make myself spend the money for a very niche tool. Maybe if I start skinning trailers or airplanes I'll get one. In my search I discovered drill powered riveters, and was intrigued enough to give it a shot.

I've only put in 9 rivets at this point, but I am very pleased with the purchase so far. Plus it came with an assortment of rivets.

Amazon.com: Swpeet 211Pcs Black Alloy Steel Electric Rivet Gun Adapter Kit, Including 2.4/3.2/4.0/4.8mm Diameter Rivet Head and Handle Wrench with 500Pcs Aluminum Blind Rivet Kit : Automotive

Buy Swpeet 211Pcs Black Alloy Steel Electric Rivet Gun Adapter Kit, Including 2.4/3.2/4.0/4.8mm Diameter Rivet Head and Handle Wrench with 500Pcs Aluminum Blind Rivet Kit: Riveters - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
a.co
 
Lee said:
I needed to rivet something, but my 15+ year old HF pop riveter has been missing an arbor for several years and I was running low on rivets, so it was time to go shopping.

I wanted more than just another pop riveter, as I needed it for one of those, "3 hand jobs," so a powered riveter would sure be handy. I looked at Milwaukee's options but couldn't make myself spend the money for a very niche tool. Maybe if I start skinning trailers or airplanes I'll get one. In my search I discovered drill powered riveters, and was intrigued enough to give it a shot.

I've only put in 9 rivets at this point, but I am very pleased with the purchase so far. Plus it came with an assortment of rivets.

Amazon.com: Swpeet 211Pcs Black Alloy Steel Electric Rivet Gun Adapter Kit, Including 2.4/3.2/4.0/4.8mm Diameter Rivet Head and Handle Wrench with 500Pcs Aluminum Blind Rivet Kit : Automotive

Buy Swpeet 211Pcs Black Alloy Steel Electric Rivet Gun Adapter Kit, Including 2.4/3.2/4.0/4.8mm Diameter Rivet Head and Handle Wrench with 500Pcs Aluminum Blind Rivet Kit: Riveters - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
a.co
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I recently bought an Astro pneumatics air riveter. I also Couldn’t justify twice the price and less than half the speed with the Milwaukee. Couldn’t be happier with it.

That one looks handy for the occasional job
 
Lee said:
I needed to rivet something, but my 15+ year old HF pop riveter has been missing an arbor for several years and I was running low on rivets, so it was time to go shopping.

I wanted more than just another pop riveter, as I needed it for one of those, "3 hand jobs," so a powered riveter would sure be handy. I looked at Milwaukee's options but couldn't make myself spend the money for a very niche tool. Maybe if I start skinning trailers or airplanes I'll get one. In my search I discovered drill powered riveters, and was intrigued enough to give it a shot.

I've only put in 9 rivets at this point, but I am very pleased with the purchase so far. Plus it came with an assortment of rivets.

Amazon.com: Swpeet 211Pcs Black Alloy Steel Electric Rivet Gun Adapter Kit, Including 2.4/3.2/4.0/4.8mm Diameter Rivet Head and Handle Wrench with 500Pcs Aluminum Blind Rivet Kit : Automotive

Buy Swpeet 211Pcs Black Alloy Steel Electric Rivet Gun Adapter Kit, Including 2.4/3.2/4.0/4.8mm Diameter Rivet Head and Handle Wrench with 500Pcs Aluminum Blind Rivet Kit: Riveters - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
a.co
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I have one of these. Was ~$50ish from China a few years ago.

It won't do 3/16 SS and it won't do 1/4 normal steel (I've never tried AL in those sizes) but it's a godsend for when I have a row of 200+ 1/8 rivets.

s-l1600.jpg
 
We went through a bunch of HF air riveters at work, we eventually got some more expensive ones that were a bit better. Keeping good jaws in them, keeping the oil level in the head full, and keeping the jaws adjusted is the only way to keep them moving in a semi production environment.

We have 3 sets of the M12 rivet guns and they are almost maintenance free. We send them out in the field, no need for high production and no compressor noise to deal with for sites like functioning hospitals.

Air riveters have their place, but I can't recommend the M12 enough if it meets your needs.
 
watched that yesterday too. I didn't realize my cheapo 1-2-3 blocks didn't allow bolt thru. Probably because they're still in the plastic wrap :laughing:
 
[486] said:
most of the stuff I do does fine with a 000, occasionally swap out to the #1
Click to expand...
Same here. Never use anything but 00 and could cut a grind free bevel on sch 40 pipe. Can't say I've ever seen a #4 tip.
 
Yotota said:
I'll occasionally make random shit from gorilla tape or zip ties.

Today's creation: straw holster. Little piece of gorilla tape stuck on a bigger piece.

PXL_20220730_201328336.jpg
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OK... What the fuck is Gorilla tape? I always figured it was name brand duct tape, like Duck tape. I suspect it is different. I use Gorilla glue, it's just generic name brand polyurethane glue
 
_ogre said:
OK... What the fuck is Gorilla tape? I always figured it was name brand duct tape, like Duck tape. I suspect it is different. I use Gorilla glue, it's just generic name brand polyurethane glue
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A special tape that is tough but only sticks to itself... barely.:flipoff2:

Gorilla tape is trash. I've been suckered into buying it too much. Want good 'Duct tape'? Go get some from an HVAC/plumbing contractor. There is a 'good' commercial version of the traditional duct tape. Stuff that's tough, sticks well, and tears by hand. Gorilla tape is only one of those three.
 
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