My handy tip is:

[Crispin]

I thought a list of handy tips would be useful. How about everybody adds theirs? Mine's in way of reply to this.
Let's keep it to a list of tips, any tips which make life easier and one tip per post to keep it easier to read.

I figured with everyone here, there will be an abundance of "Well, my granddaddy did this to stop..." kinda stuff

I'll start:

 

[Crispin]

Re: My hand tip is:

To stop a silicone gun dying out, stick a long self-tapping screw into the nozzle and wrap the end with Clingfilm. It'll still dry after a long time but the self-tapping screw provides lots of purchase to pull the plug out.

 

[Paul]

Re: My hand tip is:

To clean your wellies properly put each one over a traffic cone then hose down and you dont get the insides wet. Works with motorbike boots too.

 

[MuckyPup]

Re: My hand tip is:

Loosen fill plugs before drain plugs.
Sod the vacuum thing / helps it drain thing.
Sometimes the fill plugs are rusted / seized............

 

[Chris]

Re: My hand tip is:

To clean your traffic cones easily, stand them upside down in an old Wellington ...... Nah only kidding. I get mine dry cleaned.

To find a centre line on a odd sized sheet of metal, use a ruler to mark two diagonal lines across it using an exact and easy to bisect dimension such as 12" and 10" Then draw a line through 6" and 5" and you'll have the centre. Much easier then trying to work out out half of 7" and 3/8ths


To get a good start on tapping a thread, put the tap in the drill press so that it's perfectly vertical and turn the chuck by hand until the thread is established.


Chris

 

[Chas]

Re: My hand tip is:

To stop a silicone gun dying out, stick a long self-tapping screw into the nozzle and wrap the end with Clingfilm. It'll still dry after a long time but the self-tapping screw provides lots of purchase to pull the plug out.

OR use the Clingfilm, but squeeze some out into it to create a barrier to stop it drying out in the nozzle

 

[Dave Docwra]

Tip for fuel saving..

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/su ... 12p-840539

 

[Philip A]

Re: My hand tip is:

To find a centre line on a odd sized sheet of metal, use a ruler to mark two diagonal lines across it using an exact and easy to bisect dimension such as 12" and 10" Then draw a line through 6" and 5" and you'll have the centre. Much easier then trying to work out out half of 7" and 3/8ths

To make measurements easy, use the metric system...

 

[Chris]

Yeah fine if you can see what you're doing! Inches are nice big markings on my ruler. Can't see those centilitres.

Chris

My tip for seeing better is, turn a light on and wear reading glasses.

Well it didn't this thread long did it.

 

[Crispin]

can we keep it on-topic please.

Come on, must be some more decent tips people have.

 

[Olazz]

Best thing to remove the sticky residue left from removing any kind of sticker or label from any surface... squirt affected area with WD40 !
Instant removal of residue!

 

[SimonD]

When applying silicon sealant apply it using a weak solution solution of fairy liquid and water - smooths it out really well.

 

[Chris]

If you have a damaged thread and no restorers or taps to hand, you can improvise by cutting a vee notch in the end of a bolt, with a hacksaw. Best to cut out the lead on the thread (where it starts) The bolt will jump the damaged portion allowing the threads to engage further down.

For stuck bolts, heat with a blow torch or similar and cool rapidly with penetrating oil. As it contracts the oil is pulled in. Repeat several times. Try striking the head of the bolt sharply with a hammer to help release the threads. Wire brush the head of the bolt. Apply one good go at moving it with constant steady pressure. If it moves, turn it back the other way and start again, moving a little more each time. If it doesn't move to start with, don't round the bolt off, apply more heat and cooling.

Got me out a few scrapes.

Is this stuff really helping people?

Chris

 

[Crispin]

Is this stuff really helping people?

Chris

No but one day when I have a seized nut and bolt, I'll remember to heat it and cool it with WD40 because I read it here. I knew heat is good. I knew penetrating fluid is good. I did not think the two together might be better than the sum.

It's a list of nice-to-knows

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

A really good way to heat up stuck bolts is to MIG weld on the head, in the middle, so you can still get a socket on

 

[Chris]

And on the subject of sockets, if you have access to a lathe, facing up sockets for use on very flush bolts heads like drain plugs prevents them from slipping off due to the lovely bevelled edge the put on at the factory. I just take the plugs out and weld a dirty great big nut on there.

Here's an odd tip for first aid kits. As I shoot there is always the chance of a bullet wound I guess. Not by shooting myself, but other people are not a safe perhaps. But for any deep puncture wound, a tampon is a good thing to have in the pack. It's small, sterile and will stop bleeding when it expands. Good for stab wounds too. They take up no room and are good for fire starting too! What a bonus.

Got that from a close protection guy in SO19 when I was training with the Met.

Chris

 

[frank rabbets]

Best to keep silicone in the fridge [ secretly if possible ].

On the odd shaped metal sheet or even an uneven solid object. If suspended from any edge by a piece of string, the extended line will always pass through the centre of gravity/middle. So with 2 bisected lines you have your centre.

Frank

 

[adrianr]

Off to buy tampons tomorrow.

Great ideas fellas.

Best releasing fluid I have found is a 50/50 mix of acetone and ATF. Apply with an irrigation syringe (curved tip) that dentists use. Syringe is very precise, Only takes a bit and it works really fast. Found it much better than duck oil, wd40 and the others.

 

[joinerman]

Talking wd40 a top tip is when your pushing that little straw into spray nozzle make sure it isn't pointing at your eyes.

IT STINGS, believe me IT STINGS. thought i was blinded, another trip to a & e

 

[Olazz]

To remove rust from chrome, rub with tin foil dipped in coke. Polish with crumpled tin foil.