Tool Talk

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: skipskip on August 06, 2012, 08:30:52 PM

Title: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: skipskip on August 06, 2012, 08:30:52 PM
The error post got me thinking.

 I save home-made tools. wrenches that are bent, or have a socket welded on.

Or sometimes they are totally homebrew.

I try to imagine what they would have been used for.

Any one else save these orphans?

Skip
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: OilyRascal on August 06, 2012, 08:48:01 PM
I'm guilty as charged.  I keep telling myself I might someday use them creatively in a fabrication project. 
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: Mel Larsen on August 06, 2012, 11:30:42 PM
One of my favorite things to do is build or modify a tool for a particular job,  Over the years I have built street rods and off road vehicles and I also have a Home Hobby Machine Shop.  There is always a tool that I don't have and so I build one.  Some time I will just see something in a book or on the Web and think, heck I can build one of those and I'm off the shop.  Having a well equipped shop helps.
Mel 
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/lugnut/Shop/P1010006004-1.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/lugnut/Shop/P1010004002-1.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/lugnut/Shop/P1010005003-1.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/lugnut/Shop/P1010003001.jpg)
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: RedVise on August 07, 2012, 08:31:31 AM
Yes, I do. I started with a couple I got from my dad, and I pick up bent and twisted wrenches as they are cheap and are visually interesting.

Brian L.
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: Branson on August 07, 2012, 11:36:34 AM
>Any one else save these orphans?

I do.  Sometimes I pick them up just because they're home-brewed, and I hate to see them go into the junk pile -- or worse.   
I had one given me this weekend as a matter of fact, from the yard man at the dump.  It's a screwdriver with a home brew handle. 
The handle ... somebody took a section of 1 inch galvanized water pipe, shrunk it down to about 1/2 inch, and filled the rest
with brazing.   The butt is slightly mushroomed from being beat on. 

It got used before we got out of the dump.  I picked up a couple of 6 foot metal shelves, and had to disassemble them to get
them into the car.  So it's got a permanent home!
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: bonneyman on August 07, 2012, 10:33:57 PM
And I thought I was the only one to get ideas out of a book or brochure and make it myself, Mel.

Nice shop you got there!
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: strik9 on August 08, 2012, 12:03:25 AM
I have made many a frankenstien tool, and given most away already.

I saved an old  1" - 15/16" Barcalo offset DBE with an old hex drive Duro 31/32"  welded on where the 15/16" end had been broken, a few old Proto DBE with new 15/16" ends welded on, some cut from cheap socket and other from wrenches.   Hey, they were cheap broken and cost a lot new.   I chose cheap and repair it myself.   I also have resized modified open end wrenches back to original as well as replaced missing metal on a few rarer ones that had broken.

Then the shop made wrenches cut from train track tie plates or whatever steel was laying around at the time.   
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: Nolatoolguy on August 08, 2012, 12:27:26 AM
Ive got a few

I wish I still had one I and a buddy did a while back in louisana was into emergency prepardness and had every tool possible for a diaster. One tool we modified was a 20 inch pair of channelocks with a steel plate welded into the end an then we milled out a portion as a tool for gas valves. The other side had a spanner wrench.We did a couple multipourpose tools like that of a few different variations an a couple people asked if we could make them one so we did.
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: HeelSpur on August 08, 2012, 12:36:06 PM
Here's a couple oddballs that I have, the large on has SIDDAL stamped on both sides (looks homemade). Not sure if these are homebrew or not but definately some modification had went on.

(http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j368/wvabe/010-3.jpg)
(http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j368/wvabe/009-3.jpg)
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: Mel Larsen on August 08, 2012, 12:37:22 PM
I dug into the drawer and found some wrenches that I have modified over the years.  A couple of bent wrenches for distributor hold-down bolts , one box end cut to fit over tubing, one sawed off to fit into a tight space, and a 1/2" drive ratchet that I welded a breaker bar to for a little more leverage. I think the ratchet was from my lineman days.
Mel
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/lugnut/Tools%20for%20Tool%20Talk/IMG_1008.jpg)
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: strik9 on August 08, 2012, 02:17:35 PM
A few adjustables.    Minor repairs to fully shop made.
       All but the modern styled one are useless too.
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: scottg on August 08, 2012, 03:00:38 PM
  Now you're talking my language! 
 And............Nice place Mel!

 I am usually not even all that crazy for factory tools at all. Small shops and limited production, early prototypes, is one thing, but mass factory production usually leaves me pretty cold.
 I don't really even care much if it's 1850's factory work.

 I have worked in a couple factories and plants.
  Once in a blue moon, the stars line up just right and everyone is healthy and happy and working like a team and good things happen.
        But that is only occasionally.
 The rest of the time its marginal pay, little respect, no appreciation, perpetual drudgery, vicious gossip. And most time is spent trying to backstab someone else to get ahead.
  Because in a factory, everyone is really exactly the the same.  All work at the same place, same hours, same routines, except some take home 100 times the pay.
  So calling the atmosphere hostile is vastly underrating the situation. 
    And yes, I have been the lowliest employee and also the general manager at various times in my life.

  Hand work though? Designer custom if you are trying to impress, and plain homemade if not (it means the same thing)....
   Hand work can be either barely marginal work by a newbie or the most masterful work done on planet earth, or anywhere inbetween,
    but its honest work.
  Done by heart and hand and many times, no other reason.   

  Ohhhh baby, Thaaaats a what I like!
 yours Scott
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: Mel Larsen on August 08, 2012, 04:18:05 PM
This is the most fun I've had with my clothes on, in years!  Here are a couple "homebrew" tools.  the Chipping hammer is made from a old leather claw hammer handle and welded to a old chisel with a point ground on it,   The other is a 3/8 extension bar made from the ends welded to a 12" piece of hex bar.  I have used both and they work.
Mel
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/lugnut/Tools%20for%20Tool%20Talk/IMG_1015.jpg)
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: HeelSpur on August 08, 2012, 04:37:46 PM
  Now you're talking my language! 
 And............Nice place Mel!

 I am usually not even all that crazy for factory tools at all. Small shops and limited production, early prototypes, is one thing, but mass factory production usually leaves me pretty cold.
 I don't really even care much if it's 1850's factory work.

 I have worked in a couple factories and plants.
  Once in a blue moon, the stars line up just right and everyone is healthy and happy and working like a team and good things happen.
        But that is only occasionally.
 The rest of the time its marginal pay, little respect, no appreciation, perpetual drudgery, vicious gossip. And most time is spent trying to backstab someone else to get ahead.
  Because in a factory, everyone is really exactly the the same.  All work at the same place, same hours, same routines, except some take home 100 times the pay.
  So calling the atmosphere hostile is vastly underrating the situation. 
    And yes, I have been the lowliest employee and also the general manager at various times in my life.

  Hand work though? Designer custom if you are trying to impress, and plain homemade if not (it means the same thing)....
   Hand work can be either barely marginal work by a newbie or the most masterful work done on planet earth, or anywhere inbetween,
    but its honest work.
  Done by heart and hand and many times, no other reason.   

  Ohhhh baby, Thaaaats a what I like!
 yours Scott
No doubt in my mind that you've worked in a factory or two, you nailed it big time.
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: RedVise on August 08, 2012, 06:16:52 PM
Here are a couple.  The top one definitely is from my dad, and was  a common site, brazing something small using a torch.
I think the next two are his also, he was a body/glass man for the city, and had to open door panels ,ect.
The bottom two are ones that came my way buying boxes.

Brian L.
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: Bus on August 08, 2012, 06:48:19 PM
When I was working on the King Herrington Auction I kept finding combination tools I had never seen before. I discovered that he had made most of them. He was good at it, you almost had to know they were modified to be able to tell. Here's the catalog link to eight of them.

(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd3/buswrench/saak-2011/VS-644-651.jpg)
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: Mel Larsen on August 08, 2012, 07:25:06 PM
Bus, with those if you lost one you lost all your tools
Mel
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: john k on August 09, 2012, 09:21:29 PM
You said you worked on the auction, do you recall what any of those one of a kinds brought?   That gives me encouragement to go ahead and make an 8-10in. adjustable, since I can't seem to be able to afford a factory built one. 
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: Bus on August 10, 2012, 04:45:07 PM
You said you worked on the auction, do you recall what any of those one of a kinds brought?   That gives me encouragement to go ahead and make an 8-10in. adjustable, since I can't seem to be able to afford a factory built one. 

644      $60.00
645      $70.00
646      $60.00
647      $20.00
648      $85.00
649      $32.50
650      $5.00
651      $310.00

BTW I have price lists for most of my past auctions available. See the Wrenching News Home Page for the complete list. www.wrenchingnews.com (http://www.wrenchingnews.com)
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: rusty on August 10, 2012, 07:08:18 PM
<Free plug>
I have some of Bus's price lists, they are *Very Interesting* reading...
It is surprising what some seemingly ordinary things are worth, as well as
how much some very interesting exotic looking things are *not* worth...
<end free plug>

2c
Title: Re: "homebrew" tools.
Post by: Papaw on August 10, 2012, 08:29:03 PM
<Free plug>
I have some of Bus's price lists, they are *Very Interesting* reading...
It is surprising what some seemingly ordinary things are worth, as well as
how much some very interesting exotic looking things are *not* worth...
<end free plug>

2c

So true! Bus does a great job with the auctions!