What is your most used manually operated Practical Home shop built tool/tools

[CrazyHorse!]

I got a 4 foot 1\2" extension bar for when I took out my tranny. I got a dodge ram. I also made a little pully for the differential nut or bearing... it's been awhile.

I'll get some pics up as soon as I can.

-Tre

Hello Tre, post up some pics when you can
CH!

[yorkiepap]

Hey CH,
Here's some more ideas you may find you can use or modify.

1. Multiple plate drill jig. I use this to drill (8) 1/8" steel or alum. plates at a time with a template on top. I made different size jigs for the different plate sizes. Saves a lot of time & quite productive.

2. Drill press alignment angles w/Starrett adhesive reversible tape to drill a series of measured hole spacings. The guide angles can be shifted on the press table to drill in any position on flat stock from the center to the edge. A lot easier than marking every inch or whatever.

3. Jig for extending & welding rod or tube up to 1.5" dia.

4. Jig to add on additional leg to make a 3-way or 4-way component. Can be used to make "T", corner, or cross(+) brackets.

Denny

[Burnt hands]

CrazyHorse - Great topic

I bellieve all the members here are all guilty of and I am glad to be a part of what I call - "Designed and built here by real working people.

I have spent hours designing, modifying and building a fixture or gizmo that I could have purchased but I needed to do it "my way"

So here is my poor man's version of a really short metal brake.

This has been very useful and the parts are easy to replace when they wear out.
Comes in handy for 90 degree and less bends if I am careful.

Not too obvious but there is a set screw to hold the top part to the arbor press ram so I can take it off for other uses.

I made this attachment for my 1 ton arbor press for a customer several years ago.
He wanted hundreds of 90 degree bends in 1/8" x 1/2" steel flat stock.
Pieces varied in lengths from 4" to 12" and he supplied all the pieces cut to length.
I just needed to make one 90 degree bend in each piece where he had drawn a line and he did the rest of the fabrication.

He came by with one piece and asked what I would charge for a 90 degree bend.
I told him I would do it for nothing as I really didn't feel fair charging him for a 1 minute simple job.

I even told him that he could do the bends himself if he wanted to save money as I showed him how simple it was to do the bend in a vice.

When he said he needed 500 pieces in 2 days, I almost choked.

So I gave him a per piece price of $.99 as a joke since I was doing a stainless tig job at the time.

When he gave me a $100.00 bill as a deposit and said I need them in 2 days.
Almost stuffed the bill in my mouth to keep myself from saying something more stupid.

I never found out what this was for as he was a bit secretive but for $.99 per bend, I was glad to do it.

Needless to say, the tig job went on hold for the night.

Cost to benefit ratio - $2.79 for materials, 1 1/2 hour labor- 4 beers (after the fixture was finished). Got paid $500.00 plus a $20 tip as I brought the pieces back the next morning after he dropped them off

Wish all my jobs and customers were like this.

Sometimes you get lucky....................most times you get hosed..................

But, I truly believe we do it for the self satisfaction for a job well done.

[nocheepgas]

Although not often used, it's very handy when I need it. I made a brake on the end of my welding table it's 48" and works good on 18 gauge steel or .080 aluminum.

[nocheepgas]

I may have posted it before, but I still use these day in and day out. It's a copy of woodworkers hold down clamp. I just put it over a workpiece on my welding table, smack the tool once or twice with my brass hammer and the piece is usually secure enough to weld or grind on. I don't use them daily, just every time I'm using my welding table.

I believe those are called bench dogs?

[FabTech]

I may have posted it before, but I still use these day in and day out. It's a copy of woodworkers hold down clamp. I just put it over a workpiece on my welding table, smack the tool once or twice with my brass hammer and the piece is usually secure enough to weld or grind on. I don't use them daily, just every time I'm using my welding table.

Thanks for the idea, I made up 3. By making your own I saved about 13 bucks a piece, that about $40, with saving like that one could use the money wisely.
Nah I bought beer

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11399

[Burnt hands]

Made a positioner to hold stuff while tigging.
Swivels in 2 axis and allows work to spin.
The clamp holds 3/4" npt pipe so I can attach the work to a piece of pipe then clamp it down.

Also made a weld turntable for round stuff.

[CrazyHorse!]

Sorry I haven't responded in a few D's been working.

These are some great tools and great work by the way!

So lets keep them coming

CH!

[Old Sporty]

I believe those are called bench dogs?

That handy little tool is called a "hold fast". I've used them for many years both on my workbench and shaving horse.

[treflip]

Hey Ch, I 'll get on it here shortly. I had a test last week and was busy.

Is there any way to post the pics directly so we don't have to open them up in new tabs?

Hey Yorkiepap on that pipe jig. You should put a little motor on it so you can turn it. You could weld it with one start!