Show off your home brew tools!

[Cantedvalve 128]

I am in the middle of making a sheet metal brake, and I thought it would be fun to see what other tools people have built to use in working on their cars.  I dont have any pictures to add yet, but I will when I get it done.

Let's have it!

[Ridge Runner 1,112]

Drip rail molding removal tool

[RPM 1,190]

 Just a few of many. 

[Ridge Runner 1,112]

A couple more ,a fixture to assemble front clips . 

And added hydraulics and a rolling portable cart to my tubing bender for making roll bars 

[Cantedvalve 128]

Nice work guys!  I think once I am done with the brake I am working on now, I am going to find another project.  I like that engine leveler.

[Ridge Runner 1,112]

Now this wrench right here...this is sweet 

[Ridge Runner 1,112]

5 hours ago, Cantedvalve said:

I am in the middle of making a sheet metal brake, and I thought it would be fun to see what other tools people have built to use in working on their cars.  I dont have any pictures to add yet, but I will when I get it done.

Let's have it!

Bend brake or press ?

[Ridge Runner 1,112]

7 hours ago, Cantedvalve said:

I am in the middle of making a sheet metal brake, and I thought it would be fun to see what other tools people have built to use in working on their cars.  I dont have any pictures to add yet, but I will when I get it done.

Let's have it!

Som build pics would be great .

I would love to build a press break ,the welding shop in town has dies in twenty foot lengths ,i would have to have at least an 8 foot break that could bend 16 gauge 

[Cantedvalve 128]

Here are the two I’ve taken so far. First one shows where I ground the edge flat on the clamp bar, so that when I bend, I get a tight radius.  Second one shows the clamp bar mocked up.  I have brackets on each end where the studs and wing nuts will go.  Will also have springs in there to raise the bar when loosening so I can get the work piece out.  I worked on it some more tonight... welded up the clamp bar... but no pictures.

[Cantedvalve 128]

4 hours ago, Ridge Runner said:

Bend brake or press ?

Bend brake.  I saw a tutorial for a press brake, but i decided to go bend brake this time around.  If I get a need for thicker material, then maybe I will revisit it.

[Ridge Runner 1,112]

I make my own rotisseries ,it is strong enough to haul on a car trailer and picked up with a fork lift to move if needed . It folds into a 4 foot x4 foot x2 foot unit for storing

[Cantedvalve 128]

Nice. I’m hoping to do a rotisserie some day.

[Ridge Runner 1,112]

Once you go rotisserie ,you dont go back 

[Ridge Runner 1,112]

I want to do one with a elictric reduction motor .When i sand blast i have to shut the blaster down to spin it ,electric motor i just hit the button

[Cantedvalve 128]

I think that would be awesome!

[Cantedvalve 128]

Now that I am into this, I am thinking of building a nice weld and fabrication table.  That table that I am building the brake on is actually an old restaurant work table.  There is still part of an industrial can opener attached... I'll take that off.  Get some 1/8" sheet as a table topper.  Recess the brake onto one edge of the table (still have to figure out what to make the base of the brake from... thought C channel , but I think maybe 1/4" plate).

[aslanefe 333]

22 hours ago, Ridge Runner said:

I want to do one with a elictric reduction motor .When i sand blast i have to shut the blaster down to spin it ,electric motor i just hit the button

I used the electric motor from a treadmill I found at the dump to power my bead roller. Used a starter gear and a flexplate to increase the torque and reduce the speed. Use the foot control of my TIG welder to start and adjust the speed and a switch to change direction of rotation.

That motor with starter gear and flexplate  should have enough torque to spin if the car is balanced on the rotisserie.

[Ridge Runner 1,112]

Its balanced ,i can turn it to any position and it will stay . I found a reduction gear box and electric motor combo ,i forget what the reduction is but it turns very slow ,i was thinking about a foot pedal for a sewing machine may make it even slower .

I like your idea for the bead roller ,it is hard to feed the metal in and crank the roller at the same time

[RPM 1,190]

On 11/6/2018 at 11:06 AM, Ridge Runner said:

Now this wrench right here...this is sweet 

Necessity is the mother of invention. I was shocked when I was a youngster and saw my dad had cut one end off an end wrench. I thought tools were gold, and shouldn't me messed with. 

[Cantedvalve 128]

I got the base for my bender last night.. 5/16" x 3" x 48" steel plate.  I hope to finish up tonight.  Just have to notch the bend bar and the base for the hinges.

[Ridge Runner 1,112]

2 hours ago, RPM said:

Necessity is the mother of invention. I was shocked when I was a youngster and saw my dad had cut one end off an end wrench. I thought tools were gold, and shouldn't me messed with. 

I always thought it was a mother when you didnt have the correct tool!

My dad has made a few wrenches out of my wrenches...not quite as good as yours though 

I keep waiting to find one of my snap on cut up

[Cantedvalve 128]

Worked on it some more... notched the base for the hinges, welded in the hinges, and it is basically done except for the clamp bolts and handles.  Here is where I am at.

And I need to clean it up and paint it.  I think I will end up affixing it to that table once I have it complete.

and I really need to clean up that bench.

[bigmal 225]

When I first read the title I though you guys were posting pictures of home brew kits. I got real excited......but this is good too!

[Cantedvalve 128]

It’s all assembled.  Needs cleaned up and painted, but it is done.  Finished the hold down screws last night.  Did you know you can weld stainless to regular steel (yeah, I know I’m the last to know)?

Awww... her first bend

need to devise a way to hold it down to the table.  Probably some counter sunk screws.

[Mach1 Driver 560]

nice, how thick is the material you bent?