Tricks I have learned from some one else

[kingsolver72]

Years ago I taught myself a trick when putting down tackstrip... don’t hit the wrong nail.

[special-K]

When I started hanging aluminum siding I went to change blades in my utility knife (a lot of scoring involved). The experienced guy I was working with said, "Why are you changing the blade?". You only dull the tip of the blade and that doesn't take long. He showed me you take your snips and cut the very tip off for a better sharper tip! You can do this a few times with each blade. It stays sharper longer and cuts better because you can hold it at an angle that "back cuts", like a laminate cutter or the saw blades guys turned backwards to cut aluminum (I used plywood blades used forwards). I had a retired machinist helping his son in law trim a house tell me a 5 degree back cut is the ideal scoring/cutting angle

Originally Posted by kingsolver72

Years ago I taught myself a trick when putting down tackstrip... don’t hit the wrong nail.

Greenhorn smacks thumb with hammer... "OW!!!"

Seasoned carpenter says with a great tone of sympathy for his pain, "The other nail!" (usually accompanied by a laugh)

The same type would say, "Measure twice, cut once". Or they'd send the greenhorn to the truck for the board stretcher

[GOPAPA]

I was shown how to cut sheet metal roofing from one end to the other with just tie wire

1- drive a nail in a 2x6 at one end and fasten tie wire to it and unwind the wire for the length of the roofing metal you need to cut length wise

2- lay the sheet metal down on top of the wire and place one of your feet on one side of the mark on the metal you want to cut it and the other foot ,the other side of the mark

3- Then you start pulling the wire up in the direction of where you anchored the wire to the nail,,and rolling onto a stick ,,keep pulling as you walk backwards to the other end pulling the wire up as it cuts through the metal..

This is a way to get the metal cut if you do not want to scribe it over and over with a utility knife and you do not mind a ripple edge that the wire makes.

Or,,,.

If you forgot your utility knife or have no cutters and its miles back to where you would have to go to fetch them..

[Sheepdip]

Originally Posted by GOPAPA

I was shown how to cut sheet metal roofing from one end to the other with just tie wire

1- drive a nail in a 2x6 at one end and fasten tie wire to it and unwind the wire for the length of the roofing metal you need to cut length wise

2- lay the sheet metal down on top of the wire and place one of your feet on one side of the mark on the metal you want to cut it and the other foot ,the other side of the mark

3- Then you start pulling the wire up in the direction of where you anchored the wire to the nail,,and rolling onto a stick ,,keep pulling as you walk backwards to the other end pulling the wire up as it cuts through the metal..

This is a way to get the metal cut if you do not want to scribe it over and over with a utility knife and you do not mind a ripple edge that the wire makes.

Or,,,.

If you forgot your utility knife or have no cutters and its miles back to where you would have to go to fetch them..

Just to be clear, I'm assuming you are referring to "Aluminum" Roofing?

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by Sheepdip

Just to be clear, I'm assuming you are referring to "Aluminum" Roofing?

No sir,, it was metal ,,and I done it,, If I had Piano wire it would even be a better cut I am sure .

By the way this metal I cut was metal that had trim metal to cover on the pole barn I was building as the cut is a bit rippled.. I was not in belief this could be done until I tried it ..

also the metal I think was 29 guage and I forget if I ever cut 24 guage.

You keep your feet as close as you can to the wire being pulled up so to able the wire to keep cutting the metal..

[Steeveedee]

I was trying to figure where the snips were in that explanation, but with 29 gauge sheet metal, I can easily believe it. I can form a piece of 1/8" X 2" aluminum strap into a pretty doggone good circle by hand, so stuff like that sheet metal cutting is believable.

[special-K]

Aluminum is metal. But I know you mean steel. Copper is also metal

When snipping sheet metal, don't cut all the way to the tip before moving the snips along and you will get a clean cut. I learned this for working with copper.

[kingsolver72]

Originally Posted by special-K

The same type would say, "Measure twice, cut once". Or they'd send the greenhorn to the truck for the board stretcher

Again, years ago I sent someone to my van to get the 6’ straight edge out of the glove box.
The look on the persons face when they came back in the house was hilarious.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by too much stuff

Tim, also true with nail guns. if you are shooting through and breaking out on the edge or splitting the trim, turn the gun a 1/4 turn.

We have always used dish soap on long screws and that seems to help. Usually on screws over 5" long...

Hey that's right, Eric. I was too focused on the "Old Indian tricks" I was taught when green, didn't think of that one.

I was going to mention using Dawn but that didn't come out right so I deleted.

Originally Posted by kingsolver72

Again, years ago I sent someone to my van to get the 6’ straight edge out of the glove box.
The look on the persons face when they came back in the house was hilarious.

[GOPAPA]

This trick I learned from a pipe fitter from Beaumont Tx some years back was a way to make leather shoe string from the cuff of worn out leather gloves'

He cut the cuff off and made close to 3 inch by 5 inch piece of leather

then he cut a round hole in the middle of this cuff piece the size of a broom handle

I found him a push broom handle and unscrewed it from the broom and he

cut a knotch in the handle down at one end about half inche deep

He then took his sharp pocket knife and stuck it into the knotch at a angle with the peice of leather slipped over the broom handle next to the knife

he then cut a beginning of shoe string of the leather and began pulling the short tail of the leather thru the knife and notch and the leather turned round and round the broom handle until it made some 3 foot of string ....

it was not all curly either ,,it was just like a shoe string from the store ,,only worn from wear while being a glove cuff.

[special-K]

That is neat! Probably the way they mfgr shoestrings. a 36" piece of hide is prime material

Just thought of another. Mostly metal to metal, but when you have a bolt you can't break loose smack ot with a hammer or punch to break it loose. I have removed the old-style wheel locks* that way. just use vice grips after breaking loose. Works great on rusted or just really tight bolts.

*one piece with matching odd shaped slot and tool

[Steeveedee]

When I worked as a mechanic, we had some cracked impact sockets that we hammered onto the "puzzle locks", then just buzz 'em right off with the impact wrench. People would come in all nervous about not having the key and not being able to get the tire fixed or replaced. The look on their face was priceless when they saw how effective those wheel locks actually were!

[flashed]

Steeveedee , this is perfect as I have a 2011 Donor Truck with wheel locks and no key that I need to sell the wheels off of . Now I know how to get em off . Thanks

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by flashed

Steeveedee , this is perfect as I have a 2011 Donor Truck with wheel locks and no key that I need to sell the wheels off of . Now I know how to get em off . Thanks

You could also shield the wheel with something and buzz on a regular lug nut with an arc welder. Done that, too!

[72c20customcamper]

Trick I learned from my dad on how to remove parking brake cables use a gas line clamp to compress the tabs cable slips right out ,just leave the clamp loose enough so it slids works great on the newer plastic too

[Troy Sr]

Originally Posted by 70STOVEBOLT

I always twist my beer bottle caps off with my left hand

I'm left handed so I've never had the problems you righty's have!!!

[GOPAPA]

Always mount a horse on the left side.. I was told that horses see better out of their left eye .. can you believe that ?

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by GOPAPA

Always mount a horse on the left side.. I was told that horses see better out of their left eye .. can you believe that ?

Ha-ha-hah!

Actually, the generally accepted reason is that in the old days the mostly right-handed men wore their sword scabbard on the left side so that is why they got on the horse from the left ("near") side because otherwise the sword would drag across the saddle. Supposedly, Native Americans got on the right ("off") side of their horses. Makes sense if they had a spear in their right hand.

You have to train the horse to get on either the left or right side, or both. At this point I doubt that I could get on the right side because my old body is so used to doing it from the left. But we had a guy here for a while about 10 years ago who had a bad leg injury from Vietnam and I trained my horse so he could get on from the right. It was no problem, just took a few minutes.