Handy Tips

[raceright]

Tip 14, there is nothing better than keeping records of performance. We purchased a 500 GRM from Jim Mckean and he gave us the records with it. Being a fighter Pilot During The Vietnam War his Flight book had to be tops, his race records also were. We have adopted his format and it helps.

[Dennis Crews]

I just used the vinegar tip posted earlier by Propdoc. Worked great. Thanks Propdoc.

[ZUL8TR]

I use the white cheap stuff, wash with soap and water to neutralize Ph on your skin. I also save brushes with vinegar if epoxy not too far gone to set mode.

[Guest]

21 TIP....
Need to clean out a small diameter hole such as a fuel jet, or small tapped hole?
A Pipe Cleaner does a super job.
For those that don't know, they can be purchased where smoking tobacco and pipes are sold.

[Guest]

22 TIP....
Need a throw away mixing pad for such things as 2 part epoxy or Bondo?
A small paper tablet works great. The cardboard backing give it support and the used paper is easily discarded.

[Guest]

23 TIP......
Need a Turn Fin Bracket?
Make your own. Two pieces of 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" x 1/4'" thick aluminum angle makes a real strong Bracket. Sandwich the Turn Fin between angles and thru bolt to your Hydro. This Bracket will be as strong or more so as any on the market. It can all be made with a hack saw and a drill.

[ZUL8TR]

I use the stronger structural angle (round fillet inside corner) rather that the sharp inside corner angles

ZUL8TR ....I do the same! Structural is much stronger than the same size with the sharp inside corner.

[chuck w]

21 TIP.... Need to clean out a small diameter hole such as a fuel jet, or small tapped hole? A Pipe Cleaner does a super job. For those that don't know, they can be purchased where smoking tobacco and pipes are sold.

I like to use a torch tip cleaner.

[Guest]

24th TIP....
While not a fan of Milwaukee Tool, I bought a Milwaukee 12 V cordless reciprocating saw recently, I'm well pleased with the tool. Can be used one handed, small and light. Sure beats using a manual hacksaw!

[Guest]

25th TIP......
Need a lift for Drill Press Table?
I have an old Craftsman floor model Drill Press, that I mounted a X-Y slide table and vise to the table, so the table is quite heavy. I used a drop leg trailer jack bolted to the drill press table to raise and lower the table. Works for me!

[Dave M]

Vibrating Saw - best tool I own lately. Cuts all materials. Small, works into corners, and tight spots. I have notched cross frames with it after glueing them down and forgetting to notch them for drainage. They flush cut as well. Very handy tool. I buy the one from harbor Freight as I own three or four of them so i don't have to change the blades for any type of material. A truly great invention and a must have for boat builders. Turns some difficult taks into a cake walk.

I agree! Also good for scraping old adhesive off with the scraping blade. I have a Bosch battery type and a Harbor Freight pneumatic version. The Bosch is great on a ladder in a hard to reach area.

[blueskyracer]

I have to agree Dave.. Best life saver I have bought in a long time.. Wish the blades lasted longer or were cheaper.. A builder put me on to and no regrets

[Guest]

26th TIP.....
Got a wood cutting Band Saw?
You might not know that it will cut aluminum.
I use an 8 teeth per inch blade, run at regular speed.
I have cut 1/4" plate and 1" bar with it. No problem!!

[bill boyes]

I use a wax candle on the blade when cutting Aluminum.

Bill, do you use the candle wax on the blade to reduce friction or prevent aluminum build up on the blade?

[Smitty]

I've had a good old Delta 14" wood-cutting bandsaw for decades, and cut lots of aluminum (use skip-tooth blades for aluminum). Wanted to cut some stainless sheet, went to Do-All Northwest, a local saw specialist, told them what I had and what I was doing and bought a blade . . . .

With stainless, when you are drilling it, you want to use plenty of pressure and a sulfurized cutting oil (often dark brown), and keep the chip coming out of the hole; if you ever get too light on the pressure, the stainless will immediately dull your bit and work-harden itself so much that it will destroy your next bit as well.

I knew this when I went to cut my piece of stainless (IIRC, I was making a skid-fin) with my brand new, fine-tooth blade. But I guess I didn't start pushing hard enough, quick enough. The new blade was immediately ruined, the teeth badly rounded over before I got 1/8" into the cut. You might say I was unhappy!

In my irritation, I turned the saw back on and tried to see if I could get anywhere at all with the rounded-off teeth. Pushed VERY hard. Nothing . . . BUT, BUT then just as I was about to give up, I could see a tiny orange glow at the very edge of the cut, where the stainless was getting very hot. Suddenly the blade started moving along my scribe line, not cutting but MELTING its way along. I kept pushing HARD, the blade kept moving, and I finished the cut!!!

I took the blade out of the saw, worst-looking rounded-over teeth you ever saw, put it back in its box, wrote "SAVE" on the box. Sometime later, I told this story to an old machinist, and he said, "Oh yeah, that's actually a technique we sometimes use on stainless plate."

[Shane_B]

When assembling frame components, build a jig (can be of MDF/particle board and wood scraps) to provide consistent frame panel locations on crossmembers - will ensure good fitting/straight airtrap and cockpit girders during construction. A little extra effort by building a jig will save lots of time and frustration later.

[Guest]

Very good TIP, Shane.

One boat jig that I found to be very useful was one that I make from a sheet of 3/4" x 4'x8' fir A/C plywood. I cut the plywood into two 15 1/2" wide strips, and two 8 1/2"" strips. Our of 1" scrap I cut two 15 1/2" x 7" pieces.

I made a closed box shape that measured 8 1/2" high x 17" wide x 8'-0 long, all glued and screwed together. The box sides where very parallel and square to each other due to the end pieces. I had an old, heavy duty, wheeled, pop bottle stand that I had gotten from my uncle's gas station. I modified the stand to the proper height and mounted the box to it. This made an extremely strong boat jig to build on, and wheel out of the way when not needed.

[Guest]

If you are a welder, or have access to a welder, or have an unlimited source of money you can skip my TIP #27.

For the rest of us, have you tried Durafix to repair aluminum parts?
It's sold in rod shape on line, a similar product is sold at ACE.

To make a repair, you must clean the material with a stainless steel brush, heat to about 730 degrees, and apply the rod. The process is like aluminum soldering. I found it works quite nicely. I have repaired a cracked engine crank case with the stuff and it held together.

[Guest]

28th TIP.....
Before CNC Machines and CAD Drawings, parts where made the old fashion way, one at a time.

And again, if you don't have an unlimited source of money or a CNC Machine Shop this TIP works for me.

Often I use blue layout fluid to layout out parts to be made. The thin fluid is painted over the face of the part. The fluid dries in a very short time. After the fluid is dried the part is covered with a blue color which is great for scribing lines. I use a sharp ice pick to layout out part shapes and the center of holes to be drilled, remember to use a center punch on the hole center to prevent the drill bit from wondering. .

Harbor Freight and others sell a spring loaded Center Punch. Just push down over the center lines and BANG! you have a punched marked. Cost a couple of bucks.

[Guest]

The candle wax post brings me to TIP #29.....
Scrape candle wax over a stubborn wood screw to make it easier to drive into hardwood.

[Harold8]

Bar soap works well for this too, wet the bar first.

[PROPDOC]

Bees wax works even better than candle wax but both work better than nothing.