LATHE EFFICIENCY To boost efficiency on a job using a manual lathe, making custom valve cover nuts, we set up a center drill in a separate tail-stock chuck. Swapping the two chuck/drill is much faster and less work than swapping drill bits in and out of a single...

ODD LIFT LUGS With the proliferation of so many different engines, it seems you just don't have the correct length (LS engines) or metric pitch that you need to make the lifting and fixturing task easier. Being the pack rat that I am, I put my extra bolt drawer to...

BOLT COLLET To precisely shorten bolts in the lathe I made slotted collets for each bolt diameter. They are fractional in length to measure off the end, so you know where to cut for your length. I've used large o.d. valve guides and aluminum round stock. Just make the...

MILLING VISE GRIP Improve the grip on cast parts or multiple parts in a milling vise by inserting Gasket Paper between the vise's moveable jaw and the part. Gasket paper is thick enough to conform to irregular cast surfaces and/or compensate for small differences in...

NEW NOZZLE I can't be the only one who opened a brand-new can of carb or brake cleaner, set it on a workbench and it gets knocked off and “snap”, the nozzle is broken and it's useless. I started taking the nozzles off the popular yellow and blue canned Water...

HONING-CUTTING OIL This helps save me time, money, and storage space. Honing oil is not just for honing, it is a cutting fluid. I use it on taps and dies, for cutting lifter bushing and machining on my lathe. I also use it for surfacing aluminum heads on my CBN...