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The "What Did You Work On Today" thread

3M views 36K replies 388 participants last post by  cerial 
#1 ·
4 hour work day for me at the shop. Used the time to do a valve body swap on a '01 Jetta 1.8t auto .... I successfully installed a transbrake on the car .... that however wasn't my intention.

Its in 2 gears at once in park, all other gears (R/N/D/2/1) are forward gears.... they all seam to be first gear.

I have it torn back down most of the way. Tuesday I'll actually get the VB back out and see whats up.... but part of me wants to take it out for a test drive the way it is just for the fun of it.
 
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#4,001 ·
John, when it comes to rust I will think of you every time for the rest of my life when I find rust and start to complain. You will come to mind and I will say to my self as I did last night when I found this rust "You have a lot of nerve Brian for beaching about this". :D No kidding, it really happened.

Brian
 
#4,002 ·
John, when it comes to rust I will think of you every time for the rest of my life when I find rust and start to complain. You will come to mind and I will say to my self as I did last night when I found this rust "You have a lot of nerve Brian for beaching about this". :D No kidding, it really happened.

Brian
LOL I think that is a compliment, maybe. :rolleyes:

John
 
#4,004 ·
still waiting for the van uniside to arrive. Both that came were rejected(used/spot weld city). There's more to the hit though. Customer complained about the back door sagging after the accident. What happened was the side was creamed so hard that the tops of the van opening opened up, but it was mainly the left side. The left side rear door holds the striker to the right door that overlaps it. IT PULLED THE STRIKER DOWN when the left door was forced up. Simply adjusting the striker fixed that but now that I still have some time before the uniside comes in I loosened up some body bolts and left the doors open in hopes it relaxes and gives us a little back. Believe it or not this fix does work when it opens up on top by a small margin. I think this issue fits that criteria and will see if it worked on Monday. Also got The Porsche out of here. Will have some pics soon. Been busy with life.
 
#4,005 ·
As far as the plasma...if you turn the amperage up, it will cut thru 2 pieces of 16 gauge easily. I cut 1/4" with mine at a steady movement. It may tend to "meld" the 2 pieces but I wouldn't consider it a weld. They just stick together. Lightly touching the seam with your little angle sander will surely break the bond and let them separate without any bending. Be sure to have the air pressure near max ( mine is 60psi) and that will help blow the molten material away from the seam and also cool it quicker to avoid warping.

I've cut copper and aluminum with mine too. It is a great cutting tool..:D

I wear dark sunglasses while using it to avoid eye strain. I know a lot of people don't wear eye protection but I don't like having that blank spot in the center of my vision for a minute afterward.
 
#4,006 ·
As far as the plasma...if you turn the amperage up, it will cut thru 2 pieces of 16 gauge easily. I cut 1/4" with mine at a steady movement. It may tend to "meld" the 2 pieces but I wouldn't consider it a weld. They just stick together. Lightly touching the seam with your little angle sander will surely break the bond and let them separate without any bending. Be sure to have the air pressure near max ( mine is 60psi) and that will help blow the molten material away from the seam and also cool it quicker to avoid warping.

I've cut copper and aluminum with mine too. It is a great cutting tool..:D

I wear dark sunglasses while using it to avoid eye strain. I know a lot of people don't wear eye protection but I don't like having that blank spot in the center of my vision for a minute afterward.
Thanks for the advice. So far I have worn my auto darkening helmet. The plasma does not darken it but the darkness in the on position without tripping seems good. I don't have sun glasses but may pick some up.

John
 
#4,007 ·
Thanks for the advice. So far I have worn my auto darkening helmet. The plasma does not darken it but the darkness in the on position without tripping seems good. I don't have sun glasses but may pick some up.

John
Yeah, I tried to use the auto darkening helmet too and turned down to 9 it would trip but then it was too dark. The glasses I wear are dark safety construction glasses similar to these..

3M Performance Safety Eyewear, Model# 90191-00000 | Eye Protection| Northern Tool + Equipment

 
#4,008 ·
#4,009 ·
Well, I have had a good day. I made the lower part of the toe board this morning and tore the RH door down this afternoon.

Other than some rust in the bottom it is better than expected. Me and my acetylene torch got every bolt out of it except one of the small ones to the upper roller.

I will try to get it hung tonight or tomorrow so I can line up the outer rocker.

Here is the bottom to the toe board.
 
#4,012 ·
John, I wear bi-focals and still can't focus up close, so I remove my glasses for most auto work and welding...:cool:
LOL. I wear tri-focals. I wear dime store glasses inside my helmet to see. Kind of the same thing as a cheater lense. Have to have so ething


For the past 3 weeks, I have been cleaning and fixing up my Peterbilt to sell. I finished that Monday afternoon, took a bunch of pics and put it on craigslist Monday night. I SOLD it Thursday !!!!!

Bye Pete...
This day and age to make a quick sale on a tractor is a good thing. Congratulations.

John
 
#4,013 ·
This is MARTINSR, don't get me mixed up with John Long and his rust repair, this post may look like one of his being my truck has so much rust, but this is MARTINSR not John Long. :D

Today I took care of that awful rust I found in the bottom of the door when I cut the lower inner structure out the other day.





My sheetmetal brake. :D I actually have one but it's buried in my shed and I didn't need it for this little thing.:sweat:









My next little project cutting out, repairing and welding back in this bent up section.



At the bottom hinge it was bent like this too but I was able to repair all that being I had access. Up there there isn't any access.

I got up this morning and got out there to change the oil and a window regulator in my wife's minivan before I got to my truck. I then had my brother come by that stopped me from that for him to fix my Rambler! Poor Marge, she is owned by a dummy who has been thinking it was a fuel problem when it was an ignition problem! In minutes he fixed the points and it's running great! DAMN! But I am thrilled she is so happy.

Brian
 
#4,014 ·
This is MARTINSR, don't get me mixed up with John Long and his rust repair, this post may look like one of his being my truck has so much rust, but this is MARTINSR not John Long. :D

Today I took care of that awful rust I found in the bottom of the door when I cut the lower inner structure out the other day.





My sheetmetal brake. :D I actually have one but it's buried in my shed and I didn't need it for this little thing.:sweat:









My next little project cutting out, repairing and welding back in this bent up section.



At the bottom hinge it was bent like this too but I was able to repair all that being I had access. Up there there isn't any access.

I got up this morning and got out there to change the oil and a window regulator in my wife's minivan before I got to my truck. I then had my brother come by that stopped me from that for him to fix my Rambler! Poor Marge, she is owned by a dummy who has been thinking it was a fuel problem when it was an ignition problem! In minutes he fixed the points and it's running great! DAMN! But I am thrilled she is so happy.

Brian
Coulda fooled me! Both you guys are way above my skills with body panels! Nice patch Brian!
 
#4,015 ·
This is MARTINSR, don't get me mixed up with John Long and his rust repair, this post may look like one of his being my truck has so much rust, but this is MARTINSR not John Long. :D

Today I took care of that awful rust I found in the bottom of the door when I cut the lower inner structure out the other day.





My sheetmetal brake. :D I actually have one but it's buried in my shed and I didn't need it for this little thing.:sweat:


At the bottom hinge it was bent like this too but I was able to repair all that being I had access. Up there there isn't any access.

I got up this morning and got out there to change the oil and a window regulator in my wife's minivan before I got to my truck. I then had my brother come by that stopped me from that for him to fix my Rambler! Poor Marge, she is owned by a dummy who has been thinking it was a fuel problem when it was an ignition problem! In minutes he fixed the points and it's running great! DAMN! But I am thrilled she is so happy.

Brian
Glad you,decided not to scrap it. Looks good.

When I went to pick up my bead roller my nephew gave me a complete Cobra Torch set. If you remember the were origionally made under the name Henrob and everytime you went to a show someone was demonstrating what they could do. I am going to,start a thread and see if anyone has any good information on them.

I also hung my RH door tonight so I can tack on the rocker panel and start to build the inner rocker.

John
 
#4,016 ·
Speaking of torches John, and DBM too, I found that my Jewelers torch was leaking at the hose. I figured that I put too much pressure being it's so dainty. :D I did a leak test with soapy water and found it leaking right at the base of the hose where it hooks to the regular hose from the regulators. So I cut off 6 inches and reattached it to find that it was still leaking, right from the hose! We are talking THRU the walls of the hose. I found that the whole darn hose is rotted and cracked! I hope I can replace it, it's kinda odd, one time use kind deal, but I think I can. Man was this odd, the darn thing looks brand new and I had only used it once! But it's about 20 years old!

Brian
 
#4,017 ·
Speaking of torches John, and DBM too, I found that my Jewelers torch was leaking at the hose. I figured that I put too much pressure being it's so dainty. :D I did a leak test with soapy water and found it leaking right at the base of the hose where it hooks to the regular hose from the regulators. So I cut off 6 inches and reattached it to find that it was still leaking, right from the hose! We are talking THRU the walls of the hose. I found that the whole darn hose is rotted and cracked! I hope I can replace it, it's kinda odd, one time use kind deal, but I think I can. Man was this odd, the darn thing looks brand new and I had only used it once! But it's about 20 years old!

Brian
It is a good thing you caught it. That could be dangerous. We must be living in parrallel worlds. I put new hoses on my torch yesterday...after 35 years.

John
 
#4,018 ·
I was looking at a new hose and I think I will go ahead and replace the one on my torch too, after seeing this little one fail. :pain: The funny thing is on the jewelers torch it looks brand new! The beautiful green and red nylon covers over the hose looks brand new, the one inside is what has failed. The hoses on my regular torch, they look like hell, I even have a hose clamp on of them after the hose failed there years ago. Yep, this whole room full of flammable gas from a broken hose turns me off, I think I will replace it today.

Brian
 
#4,019 ·
Speaking of torches John, and DBM too, I found that my Jewelers torch was leaking at the hose. I figured that I put too much pressure being it's so dainty. :D I did a leak test with soapy water and found it leaking right at the base of the hose where it hooks to the regular hose from the regulators. So I cut off 6 inches and reattached it to find that it was still leaking, right from the hose! We are talking THRU the walls of the hose. I found that the whole darn hose is rotted and cracked! I hope I can replace it, it's kinda odd, one time use kind deal, but I think I can. Man was this odd, the darn thing looks brand new and I had only used it once! But it's about 20 years old!

Brian
That's sad when your hose deteriorates from non-use.....:p
 
#4,020 ·
My next little project cutting out, repairing and welding back in this bent up section.



At the bottom hinge it was bent like this too but I was able to repair all that being I had access. Up there there isn't any access.

I got up this morning and got out there to change the oil and a window regulator in my wife's minivan before I got to my truck. I then had my brother come by that stopped me from that for him to fix my Rambler! Poor Marge, she is owned by a dummy who has been thinking it was a fuel problem when it was an ignition problem! In minutes he fixed the points and it's running great! DAMN! But I am thrilled she is so happy.

Brian

that bottom dent, can't you just use a stud gun welder to pull it back into shape?
 
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