MAKE IT BIGGER Some engines are harder to increase the compression ratio on than others. Sometimes we are limited in cylinder head chamber size and sometimes higher compression pistons are not available or effective for certain engines. Increasing the crankshaft...

ANTI-VIBRATION TOWEL When machining or lightening a flywheel on a lathe, vibration and chattering will often cause a poor surface finish. To dampen the vibrations and achieve a nice smooth finish, soak a bath towel in water, wring it out and wrap the damp towel...

GOOD TO BE FOILED Keep a roll of kitchen aluminum foil handy in the shop. It is useful for many things including shimming chuck jaws, wrapping parts to keep shavings out, protecting parts from weld splatter, covering mill or lathe ways when machining abrasive cast...

ANOTHER ARBOR To cut down the flange on 12-point nuts for clearance, we built this simple arbor which allows us to cut 12 at a time. Simply a piece of all-thread cut on one end to clamp in the jaws and drilled for a pilot hole on the other for the lathe tail stock....

STICKY SITUATION Most of us know that magnetism on parts such as connecting rods is a very bad thing. Heat and friction can cause used rods to become magnetized. Today we can download Gauss/Magnetometer apps for our phones. They use the phone’s internal compass to...

KEEPING CHIPS FLOWING When using a grinding discs, sanding disks or carbide die grinder tips on aluminum, use “cutting saw wax” as a lubricant. This will keep the aluminum from gumming them up. Just apply to the surface and grind away, reapplying as needed. Brad...