Studebaker Shop Pic's and Shop Idea's

[Jeff Rice]

Here's a forum where we all can share their shop idea's.

[Jeff Rice]

(What insomnia does for you early in the morning)

Am kind of a sucker for some online auctions.. I like to look at https://www.govdeals.com/
You can choose a type of equipment, a distance range...yada yada yada...

Anyways, I bid on and won a tool drawer cabinet. Originally designed for maps and blueprints.



Got it for $100. Had to go and pick it up. (That's where I got that freebie ultrasonic cleaner)...
So.. Now to fill it up... Started with taps and dies. My multi decade collection had migrated into a few drawers in a rollaway in the tool room.
Decided to re-organize...after cleaning the taps and dies in the ultrasonic cleaner.
But.. What to put them in? Shopped pre-made dividers, bins, and fancy schamncy holders.
Whew! Pricey... Then, when wandering down the sporting goods aisle at Wal-Mart, I see these plastic bin tackle trays...
Bought a few of them. OK, bought quite a few of them (at $3.35 a box)...
They fit nice in the shallow drawer(s)...



Cleaned all the taps and dies....
Made labels for the bins with the P-Touch.
Filled them up....



They fit pretty well in the adjustable bins...



And the other drawers are getting my TIG rod (keep it cleaner than on the top of the pallet racking...



And gaskets and some flat items...





Still have the huge job of doing this with ALL the end mills, including giving them a catalog number, for the CNC mill...

[Bill Van Alstyne]

Looking good, didn't take you long to find things to put in those drawers. If guy's see those dash overlays you're going to have a lot of folks calling you to buy them! As close as the drawers are to your grinding station how about putting your die grinders, burrs and stones etc. in one of those drawers? Also your lathe tooling. Oh the possibilities!!!! Bill

[shifter44]

Jeff , you have a wonderful shop indeed . And you deserve it , and utilize it in a way that helps us all. Thanks.

I have this "shop " shown here . Unless I win the Lottery , this is it .
But I am able to do most of the things that I need to , even if the methods and results
are a little on the crude side . Overall , I'm satisfied . I wish that my dad could have seen my
shop , as it is , even as it is , way beyond anything that he was able to have .
AirFlow-3 by Bill H, on Flickr

Cam bends 2 copy by Bill H, on Flickr


Cam Mt bend A copy by Bill H, on Flickr

[Jeff Rice]

Bill,
Your place is just fine... Love your work, too.
Besides.. You've been out flogging your cars for years, while I've just been putzing around in the shop..
Nice bracket!
Jeff

[Jeff Rice]

Obtained an ultrasonic cleaner a while back.
Went to clean all the tap and dies (and put them in trays)..
But what cleaning solvent to use?
Thought about Stoddard solvent... Or Naptha.. But they are expensive, and nasty on your hands.
What I tried, with success, was L.A.Awesome cleaner... With a quick dip rinse off in off road diesel fuel (to prevent rust).



That L.A.Awesome (refill) is only a dollar at 'The Dollar Tree' store. Used aone of the old bottles cut off as a dip tank.
Laid out a paper towl as a drip tray... After ultrasonically cleaning them in L.A. Awesome, fished them out with a gloved hand.
Did a quick drip and laid them on the paper towel to wick off the oil and let them dry.
Here's a short YouTube video of a test clean on a Stude rod/piston assy. No soaking, no pre-cleaning. Just put them in and turn it on.
Works great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D1UHiOSV_8

[Jeff Rice]

And the conclusion......

[r1lark]

Pretty slick Jeff.......especially for free. I had access to one for a number of years, and would load it with transmission internals. Works great to clean the gears, drums, etc on both manual and auto transmissions.

[Jeff Rice]

I have no shame when it comes to accepting free stuff.
This was setting on a pallet of 'stuff' the university surplus warehouse was taking taking to the scrap metal place.
I asked if I could take it and try it. I got the shrug and "Go ahead"...
Could have just as easily been a bust, but......

[Bill Van Alstyne]

Jeff, I saw one identical to yours here on Ocala Craigslist for $500. It had the gov't tag on it also, so you got a real bargain freebee. Any progress on the steering wheel? Thanks, Bill.

[Jeff Rice]

(3/12/2020)
Painfully slow progress. Painful putting up 12' sheets..
But.. Progress just the same.
Getting the first third done with drywall, mud&tape, and paint.
Want to install the steel shelving that is using up the space in the middle of the shop.
That will free up work on the middle...
Bill VanAlstyne has been a trooper... Thanks, Bill!!!

[Bill Van Alstyne]

Awwwww shucks Jeff, it ain't that hard to do. Just need to keep at er.

[Jeff Rice]

Milestone today.
Put the last piece up on the ceiling.
Put the garage door opener back up.
Need to do some plumbing and wiring and insulating on the walls before mud&tape..

(Here's Ian putting the last ceiling screw in)

[Jeff Rice]

Properly rebuilt the overhead door support pieces and reassembled the power door.

Have since trimmed off the scalp hook from the pull bar.



Looks almost empty...



NOT!

[Jeff Rice]

Finishing up the shop prep.
Added an LED light to the one workbench, using repurposed steel from a donated old exercise gizmo
Put a switch and a couple outlets on it, too. It is on casters, so it can be moved if needed.