Category: Workshop

Reading Bolt Heads

"Do you think I'm a fool? That the Commander doesn't know every bolt- every weld- in his ship?"Galaxy Quest (1999) Did you know you can get a general idea of how strong a bolt it just by looking at the head? It may not apply to every bolt, but it does apply to most. Depending on whether you go by American or metric standards, the process can range from arbitrarily complicated (American) to actually pretty straight forward (metric). SAE The Society of Automotive Engineers created a standard called SAE J429 Mechanical And Material Requirements for Mechanical Fasteners. This applies certain rules and regulations to the…

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Space-Saving, Folding Sawhorses You Can Make At Home

Sawhorses are an essential part of any woodworker's shop. Actually, sawhorses are an essential part of any shop, period. The major downside to them is that they can take up a pretty large footprint of space, and as we all know, space is one of the most crucial commodities in a shop. Sawhorses themselves are nothing new. They date back to at least the mid 16th century. Since that time, very little has been altered about their design, with one huge exception- portability. Folding sawhorses are largely the same as their non-folding kindred in design and reliability, but can be quickly broken down to save…

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Easy Ways to Prevent Tools from Rusting

The last thing on your mind after a long and exhausting install or repair is tool care. In an effort to salvage whatever time is left of the day, you quickly gather your dirty tools and toss them into the toolbox or hang them back up on your wall rack. Tools can last a lifetime if you take care of them but unfortunately basements and garages are places that are more likely to contain moisture than the rest of your house, magnifying your tools' susceptibility to rust - and once rust forms on a tool, it will keep corroding faster and faster. Although moisture and…

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