DIY Projects

The other day I was helping a friend’s son do a brake job on her van. After we were done with the brakes we were putting the wheels back on and I was explaining to him how to make sure that we did not over tighten the lug nuts.

After checking the owner’s manual to see what the correct torque should be, I showed him how to use the torque wrench. By presetting the calibration, the torque wrench will get to the desired tightness and the clutch will slip, signaling that it is time to stop tightening. This keeps you from over tightening the lug nut, but also insures that it is tight enough.

There are several types of torque wrenches but this is my preferred version.

Gluing clamps insure that glued parts bond firmly in exactly the desire position. Most clamps have one fixed and one movable jaw. While the fixed jaw is held in position, the clamp is tightened by means of a hand screw in the movable jaw.

Since clamps can do some damage to the material they are attached too, always use a piece of scrap wood, material, rubber, cardboard or other type of protectant as a buffer between the jaws of the clamps and your project.

Depending on how much you use your jigsaw; there is a certain amount of maintenance that should be done, twice a year. Inspecting the brushes, disassembling the housing to clean out the saw dust, and checking and relubricating the gears are the major tasks.

After every use, you should unplug the saw, clean the saw dust from its vents, and wipe off any grease or oil from the cord.

Doing these few items, makes your tools last a lot longer, thereby allowing you to use your hard earned money on other things.

                                                               When deciding on a sander keep in mind what kind of projects you will be using it for.  A belt sander has a continuous belt of sandpaper wrapped around two rollers. The belt spins rapidly around the rollers, enabling the tool to remove a large amount of wood — quickly.

Belt sanders are best suited for heavy-duty jobs at the beginning of the sanding process, like smoothing out decks, porches or floors. Choose a sander with at least a 21” belt and a width that you feel comfortable with. The wider the belt, the heavier the sander.

Over time, coil springs will lose their structural integrity. This loss can result in a drop in the height of the vehicle, reduced maneuverability and increase wear of important structural suspension components. Replacing the worn coil springs with new springs will restore the vehicle’s proper ride height and result in a significant improvement in handling. Properly removing the old coil springs necessitates the use of a coil spring compressor.

This automotive specialty tool will help make the job at hand easier and quicker whether you are a seasoned professional or a casual weekend mechanic. This unique tool will help you get the job done right the first time, saving you time, money, and frustration in the process!

While working on the tear out, I had to shut the water off at the bathroom sink. The shut off valve was so corroded that I had to get my channellocks to unloosen it.

Since channellocks have right angle teeth grip in all directions they give maximum bite and minimum wear. They also have no slip jaw action which allowed me to get enough leverage to break away the corrosion and loosen the shut off valve.

Pre-Use Activities:                                                               

• Review and understand information provided in the owner’s manual, specifically the safety procedures.
• Inspect the air-impact wrench for damage, disrepair, or missing parts, including assessing the condition of the air hose and associated fittings.
• Assure the air hose and fittings are secured tightly.

Operating Precautions:

• Wear safety glasses with side protectors.
• Never wear a tie, loose clothing, or jewelry (watch, rings, etc.) when using an air-impact wrench.
• Tie long hair back or secure under a cap.
• Wear hearing protection when using this tool; an air-impact wrench creates a noise exposure of about 103 dB.
• Use clean, dry air at the manufacturer’s recommended pressure (about 90 psi) to power the air-impact wrench.
• Use impact wrench sockets that are specifically designed for this type of tool.
• Stop using the air-impact wrench if you experience tingling, numbing, or painful sensations in the hands, fingers, or arms and seek medical attention if the sensations persist. Air-impact wrenches vibrate while being used.
• Use a torque wrench to apply the proper torque to bolts and nuts. Do not over torque bolts and nuts with an air-impact wrench.
• Carry an air-impact wrench by the handle or body; never carry an air impact wrench by the air hose.
• Disconnect the air hose before installing or while performing tool maintenance.

The Standard “J” Roller features a 1-1/2″ dia. x 3″ wide non-marring rubber roller with a 10″ long handle and vinyl grip. It is specially designed for use on plastic laminate. The Heavy Pressure Laminate Roller has the same non-marring roller and features a slight bend in the steel handle to provide extra leverage and pressure. Wide rubber roller have no axle projection on one end, for scratch less flush work. The handle is sturdy lightweight aluminum alloy.

A hard rubber laminate roller smoothes and evenly adheres even the most obstinate laminates and veneers. Ensure a long-lasting cement bond and remove air bubbles with a Standard J Roller.

Belt sanders are devices that have a continuous belt of sandpaper wrapped around two rollers. The belt spins rapidly around the rollers, enabling the tool to remove large amounts of material — usually wood — quickly.

Belt sanders are best suited for heavy-duty jobs at the beginning of the sanding process, like smoothing out decks, porches or floors. For finer sanding jobs, you should switch to a random orbital sander or a finish sander.

Most belt sanders aimed at consumers are designed as handheld tools. These share a few common elements, including front and rear handles, a dust-collection unit, a motor and a sanding belt, although design specifications vary widely by manufacturer. As you may be handling these for long periods of time, try several models to see which feels best in your grasp.

Some models feature adjustable motor speeds for smaller sanding jobs and detail work; motor power, rated in amperage, also varies. Belts come in a variety of sizes. The most common belt sizes include 3 inches by 18 inches, 3 inches by 21 inches and 4 inches by 24 inches, all of which are sufficient for most at-home jobs. Some handheld belt sanders can be turned over and used upside down as a bench sander, greatly increasing their versatility

Router bits spin so fast that they demand your constant attention. Accidents can happen suddenly. Here are a few of the most important safety rules for using Routers and Router Tables:

• Always unplug the router when changing the bit.

• Push the bit into the collet. Then lift it to expose about one-quarter of the shank before tightening the collet nut. This will keep the bit from coming loose in the collet. At least two-thirds of the bit’s shank should be engaged in the router collet.

• Cover the bit with a guard whenever possible.

• Wear safety glasses and hearing protection.

• Use featherboards and push sticks to keep your fingers away from the bit.

• Move workpieces from right to left against the fence.

• Move workpieces counterclockwise around a piloted bit.

• Never position the fence so the workpiece is pushed between it and the bit.