Handy Home-built Shop Stuff

[Sieg]

I know there's a lot of creative people on the forum that have made some very function tools and shop fixtures to make life easier. Hopefully this thread will turn into a resource of creative and affordable tool accessories for others.

I've been busy the last couple of weeks reorganizing and improving my garage workspace after 10 years and here's a few things I've come up with.

Mobile tool dolly with go-to tools that can be positioned close to the task at hand and capitalize on vertical space as I'm limited on horizontal space.
http://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-sVp6rVh/0/X2/i-sVp6rVh-X2.jpg

The small fab table in the forefront has proven to be very handy, lower height than other surfaces, portable for grinding plasma cutting, grinding, forming, etc. I also just built the base for the tube notcher with a space-save spare tire that are a dime-a-dozen at the wrecking yards.
http://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-RvPdMcx/0/X2/i-RvPdMcx-X2.jpg

http://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-Cp8STMN/0/L/i-Cp8STMN-L.jpg

Small forming dolly
http://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-sw7mKdL/0/XL/i-sw7mKdL-XL.jpg

Table with fence for the machinist base on my drill press.
http://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-MxqpKBk/0/XL/i-MxqpKBk-XL.jpg

Another dime-a-dozen item, Dodge diesel truck scissor jack modified for use with 1/2" drive.
http://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-FBbMr3h/0/XL/i-FBbMr3h-XL.jpg

[Bryce]

very cool, i like your point-of-use tool cart!

Check this out for tool box orginization.
http://www.fastcap.com/estore/pc/Kaizen-Foam-p13435.htm

[19,69camaro]

Holy big A$$ piston! whats that thing to?

[Sieg]

Holy big A$$ piston! whats that thing to?
I was told it came out of a locomotive.

[SWAPMEETCRAZY]

took a Napa box and made a combo..weld...grind...ext cord on rear for grinder...just tagged it out of 220 box hard mounted on end for miller to plug in....tool box totally functional...upper lid stays vertical and serves to store stones...tape measures..etc...

my shop just needs to be as clean as Sieg's!!

[coolwelder62]

Very cool guy's.This will be an awesome thread.I love home made stuff.

[SWAPMEETCRAZY]

I was told it came out of a locomotive.

It did .....if u need some more i can talk to my mechanical foreman!! (old railroader here).......jim

[Sieg]

Very cool guy's.This will be an awesome thread.I love home made stuff.
Thanks Scott - The homemade stuff can be a lot of fun designing and fabbing, and the occasional piece that actually does the job really well is rewarding.

It did .....if u need some more i can talk to my mechanical foreman!! (old railroader here).......jim
Thanks for the confirmation. My late Grandfather and 86 year old uncle both logged 50 years with the SP. :thumbsup: The freight on those things would be cheap and I can't imagine what the cranks weigh! Not sure what I'm going to do with it........yet. If I need a pair I know who to call! :D

[flashlight holder]

I love threads like this. I hope more people will posts what they made.

[ccracin]

Here is our rendition of a welding cart.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r35/ccracin/Misc/IMG_3904.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r35/ccracin/Misc/IMG_3903.jpg

[Sieg]

Nice Chad. Simple - durable - functional.

[sleepertime]

:gitrdun: Just a little something to be able to free up some space while working on other things...

[Sieg]

Great, now I'm going to be thinking about designing a "wheelie" cart for my spare subframe. :sieg: :D

[Sanchez Garage]

Great thread

[Flash68]

Great thread

:thumbsup:

[Scubachef]

Here is my version of the famous "third hand" welding tool

http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j339/chefsamurai/IMG_1916_zpsd1e39e9e.jpg (http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/chefsamurai/media/IMG_1916_zpsd1e39e9e.jpg.html)

And this is not so much "homemade" as "home-modified". Here is my parts washer.

http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j339/chefsamurai/IMG_1912_zpsb867d3f0.jpg (http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/chefsamurai/media/IMG_1912_zpsb867d3f0.jpg.html)
http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j339/chefsamurai/IMG_1913_zpsb2f12864.jpg (http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/chefsamurai/media/IMG_1913_zpsb2f12864.jpg.html)
http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j339/chefsamurai/IMG_1914_zps0fd3afe2.jpg (http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/chefsamurai/media/IMG_1914_zps0fd3afe2.jpg.html)
http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j339/chefsamurai/IMG_1915_zpsb2d3cb37.jpg (http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/chefsamurai/media/IMG_1915_zpsb2d3cb37.jpg.html)

I found the inspiration online but then made it my own. I wanted to have the washer basin essentially "dry" with a constant flow of cleaner instead of a pool of cleaner that in cycling within the washer basin. So I lengthened the wires on the pump and have it suspended about 4 inches off the bottom of the bucket which pumps cleaner through the filter and the chrome flexible spout. It then drains out the bottom back into the bucket. So far it works great, I am waiting to see how the hoses hold up or if they will start to get eaten away...it been a few months so far so good.

[waynieZ]

Great thread.

[fleetus macmullitz]

Great thread.

X5...Sieg FTW. :D

[jarhead]

good stuff, just found this tonight
Joe

[jarhead]

I was thinking of this old thread the other day when I finally mounted my vise, it took me a while to find it (the thread).

I'm a member of Garage Journal, I think since 2006, and learned this hack from there. I mounted my shrinker/stretchers a couple of years ago and got tired of going from my shop to my garage to get to the vise.

it's just a cheap receiver mounted under the bench and section of square tubing I had on hand. I did have to pay $10 for that 1/4 plate under the vice.

I store the "loadable" items under the bench with square tubing, angle iron, and other pieces I fabricate.

[gerno]

Nice to see this thread revived from the dead

I did something very similar in my shop. I used 2x.120 and 2.5x.12 square tube with a goal to be modular because I can never make up my mind on how I want things. Ignore the mess in the pic, I assure you it has been organized since then.

65400

65401

I terms of organizing I built some shelving out of 1/2 sq tube and expanded metal so it wouldn't hold dust. I also bought cheap clear totes from HD and a label maker off Amazon. Best thing I've done in a while. So nice to be able to find things for once and not have clutter in your workspace.

I added LED strips off Amazon below the edge of the shelves with double sided tape. it really gives great light to work in. I also swapped all my 4ft florescent tubes for the non ballast 5K LEDs from Amazon. It's soooooo nice to have good light now. Worth every penny

[Panteracer]

Great stuff
Joe I love the trailer hitch idea
I just put the stretcher, shrinker and bead roller in
a cabinet below.. now I can mount the trailer hitch
and make it easy to use them when needed

Bob

[jarhead]

Thanks Bob, hopefully you can put it to use... I forgot to mention I stick an old "long bolt" through the receiver to hold the tools in...

Gerno that's cool, I may use that idea too. I have allot of other things that are getting in the way.

[dontlifttoshift]

If you need to do a bunch of receivers, most steel suppliers sell 2 1/2 square tubing with a .238" wall. It's basically .250" wall with the seam removed and then 2" slides right in.