Garage/Tool related

Keep a fire extinquisher in each classic/antique car that you drive. It's a small price to pay to save your car! Bob-"mr409"

Keep a fire extinquisher in your garage/work area. Bob-"mr409"

Carry an assortment of tools with you when driving your classic/antique for those unexpected on the road repairs. I keep a small tool box that I carry from car to car as needed. Not only is it there for emergencies but also comes in handy for those sudden "out on the road urges" to hit a junkyard! Bob-"mr409"

When storing your classic/antique in a garage, keep an open path for the car to be pushed out to safety in the event of a fire. Do not store junk behind, under or on your car. Keep a key nearby and inform family members where it is located so the car can be unlocked and put into neutral to be pushed out. For this same reason, I don't care for the idea of putting a car on jackstands for storage. Keep the car mobile. Bob-"mr409"

Never keep oily/gas soaked rags laying around your shop/garage. These can self ignite in the right conditions and are a fire hazzard. Bob-"mr409"

Always check, then double check your car and the work area after doing any welding to be sure there is nothing left smoldering. Bob-"mr409"

Cheap "V" Block-If you ever need to butt-weld two peices of tubing/pipe together end to end but don't have a "V" block or specialized clamp that will hold the two peices of tubing in alignment, try this: Get yourself a small peice of angle iron and lay the two peices (assuming they are the same size) in the angle ... tack weld ... rotate ... tack weld ... rotate ... etc. This assures the pieces will be aligned perfect every time. Angle iron can also be used if you need to weld two pieces of sheetmetal or flat stock at a 90 degree angle to one another as well. "unknown source"

Jack Stands at a Glance-Use Testor's model car paints and paint each tooth in the ratcheting mechanism of your jackstands a different color. You can set the first jackstand to the desired height & then, with only a quick glance, you know where the 2nd stand needs to be in order for whatever you are supporting to be level. "unknown source"

Here's a good way to polish trim and not do it all by hand. If you have a small vibrating palm sander just clip a rag in there (double it up) and put the polish on whatever you are cleaning and just go to work. Once you have given it the twice over, take the rag out and flip it over and wipe most of it up by hand. Then put a clean rag in and buff off all the residue that is left. "unknown source"

Doing some work on your car that requires a special tool that you don't own? Rather than buying a tool you'll probably only use once, check with some autoparts stores in your area. Many have a tool loan service such as Autozone. They have a nice selection of odd ball tools as well as some common ones. Just leave a deposit, borrow the tool and when you return it, you get your deposit back. (Just don't break it or you lose your deposit! Hey, 2 tips in one here-lol) Bob"bobs409"

Have you ever banged the floor jack handle into your nicely chromed bumpers or paint on the upstroke when raising your car/truck? If you would like to avoid doing any damage when that happens, take an old hose such as a heater or radiator hose that is a bit smaller than the diameter of the handle. Split the hose down the middle, then slip it over the handle. This way, if you should bang the handle into your vehicle, the rubber will protect your chrome/paint. Another method is to cover the jack handle with some foam pipe insulation. Bob "bobs409"

Need to clean paint overspray from a long molding? Buy a piece of PVC pipe and cap one end. Fill with solvent and insert the molding, then allow to soak. Cutting a piece of PVC pipe in half down the middle works nice as a trough to soak moldings too. This is also the perfect way to strip annodizing from trim when using a specialty liquid annodizing remover. Bob-"mr409"

Ever buy a truck that had those 2 piece gun racks in the rear window but you don't hunt or want them? Take those out and use them in your garage to hang extension cords and drop lights on! If you find these at a yard sale cheap, bring a pair home! Bob "bobs409"

I bought a vise and a grinder petistal from Harbor Freight. When I grind, cut, or weld something, I can move this outside the shop to prevent sparks, or slag from catching anything (in the shop) on fire. Larry "63 SS 409"