Mechanic tricks?

[nola mike]

Seeing the "what tools are these" thread...
Following up with a "tricks that old people know".

I'll start: putting the closed end of a box wrench on a bolt, and using another box wrench on the open side as a breaker bar. Easier said than described. Ok, here;

Wrench Tips #7 - The Box-End Breaker Bar - MotoIQ

Wrench Tips Tip #7: The Box-End Breaker Bar This tip is from MotoIQ reader Jeremy Fiel, though I, too have used this simple trick many times. If you're using a…

motoiq.com

Same vane, I have a few pipes that fit over the ends of my ratchets to use as breakers. Or over my breaker bars.

 

[Bob_VT]

Been doing that all my life!

 

[alldodge]

Been doing that all my life!

Same here

 

[nola mike]

Same here

Well, same here but my 15 yo didn't know about it. Just something you pick up. How about welding a nut to remove something stripped, using a torx bit to remove a stripped Allen screw, etc. A lot of obvious stuff that might not be obvious, or just didn't get picked up. Especially diy'ers without anyone teaching them. Ran into that fishing/crabbing, never had anyone to teach me.

 

[Mc Tool]

Some butchers out there I see. I have never and never will couple two r.o.e (ring open end )spanners together nor have I ever used a bit of pipe on a ratchet ,I may have once used pipe on a breaker bar but I usually go for a bigger bar ....like a ¾" drive breaker and an adapter for ½" socket . I have bashed a smaller sockets over a rounded nut or bolt and have used torx bits on a cap head screw . I keep cheap a socket set and driver bits for this purpose .such sockets have also been welded to make special tools . Old screwdrivers have been repurposed as pry bars and also as handles for special tools ( pix tomorrow )

 

[tpenfield]

I often use a piece of pipe over the handle end of a socket wrench to create a breaker bar.

I also use an adjustable wrench tightened to the a square shaft of a screw driver to create some leverage on a stubborn screw. Otherwise I will use a manual impact set on the screw to loosen it.

 

[Chris1956]

Gee, most often when I had to resort to using the "Cheater Pipe", I broke the bolt. Last time was on my car's disk brake caliper support.

Luckily a propane torch broke the bolt (or what was left of it) loose and I turned it out with a vice grip.

Now using a vice grip may not be an old person's trick, but it can be effective.

 

[Grub54891]

I have a box of sacrifishal tools I get at garage sales. Cut, weld, bend and such. Make what you need!