Pliers modification

[MountainMan]

So clever yet so simple. This is one of those awesome,,,,,why didn't I ever think of that moments lol Thank you so much for sharing!!!!!

P.S. You should apply for a patent.

[old_toolmaker]

Oloneear,

That is a great idea! Thanks

[Jon]

Congratulations olderdan - your Pliers Modification is the Homemade Tool of the Week!

A simple but extremely useful modification that not only won the most Thanks votes this week, but is a good example of an Egg of Columbus - an idea that, in retrospect (or after just checking Amazon.com!) seems perfectly commonplace and simple. The hard part is figuring it out (cracking the egg) without those prompts.

Some good picks from this week:

Tubeless Tire Repair Tool by Cascao
Panavise Accessory Arbor by mklotz
Indicator Mount Fine Adjuster by jjr2001
Cylinder Square by olderdan
DTI Holder Repair by jjr2001
Swan Neck Mortise Chisel by Philip Davies
Bottle Jack Repair by Don42
Annular Cutter Arbor by jjr2001
Twin Sliding Vise Holder by mklotz
Lathe Indicator Stand by Canobi
Wheel Balancer by tonyfoale


olderdan - we've added your tool entry to our All Homemade Tool of the Week winners post. You'll be receiving a $25 online gift card, in your choice of Amazon, PayPal, or bitcoin. Please PM me your current email address and gift card choice and I'll get it sent over right away.

This is your 7th Homemade Tool of the Week win. Congratulations and well done.

Here are all of your winning tools:

Tool Sharpener by olderdan

tags: grinder, sharpening, dial indicator

Lathe Milling Table by olderdan

tags: milling, lathe, table

Dividing Indent Tool by olderdan

tags: measurement, divider

Gantry Type Milling Attachment by olderdan

tags: milling

Handee Tool by olderdan

tags: hand tools

3 Speed Lathe Milling Attachment by olderdan

tags: milling, lathe

Pliers Modification by olderdan

tags: pliers, modification

[Clockguy]

Back in an earlier life, I repaired antique wall and floor [tall] clocks for a clock repair shop whose specialty was doing teeny women's watches and also men's watches. He had no time for big clocks and found them to be little or no challenge. So, he hired me to tear down, disassemble, clean all the parts in an ultrasonic cleaner, reassemble the works, test them for proper operation, replace any worn or egged out shaft holes with brass bushing inserts, probably the most tedious portion of the entire repair, and finally "test drive" them on a clock stand before finally reinstalling the finely tuned clock mechanism back into its case.

When I bought his large clock business, I also inherited a pair of pliers which he said were used to make jewelry. They looked like an end knipping pliers with jaws that came together something like a duckbill pliers with the duck bill bent into a converging circle on the end. But that wasn't all, down the flat part of the pliers jaws there were 3 other assorted sized round holes which I found to be almost indispensable for such jobs as freeing up a wheel shaft on a clock movement which has sat for so many years that the old oil and dust literally stuck the shaft of the clock wheel sic., gear in its bushing on either the front or rear plate of the mechanism. I used those round cut holes to also free up brass screws, nuts, and other parts of clock works and they were always lying close by on my clock bench during repairs.

That pair of pliers somehow disappeared during one of my many moves here in Florida and I never saw them again. Talk about mourning a loss of a " cherished loved one", the loss of that tool almost brought tears to this old clock repairer's eyes. .......... But I recovered and went on to dabble in a craft which I first took up as a teenager, doing leatherwork. Now I build leather sheaths and holsters for outdoors guys who want something a little different to house their treasured camp or hunting knife or personal handguns.

Not getting rich but it keeps me off the streets and out of trouble .....

[VinnieL]

Would also work great for crimping tiny rf connector pins on wire, or split-shot sinkers on fishing line.

[tonyfoale]

Alan,

How do you solder your cables? If you were concerned about the wire temperature it sounds like you are using a flame. I think that there are better methods. I always used a large plumber's soldering iron and overheating the wire was not a consideration, but a few years ago I got a solder pot and wondered why I had waited so long. It is far and away the best method that I have used or seen. You can get them on the net already filled with solder.

[olderdan]

Hi Tony, yes I was using a flame as you guessed, not the best way but your reply set me thinking that my father had a couple of tinmans irons, so after a bit of rummaging in his boxes I found these two beauty's.
fortunately we have a gas hob. Thanks for the tip on solder pots, I tried making one once but those online prices will see me buying one soon.

[strube1369]

Years ago, I needed to weld some eyeballs on hemispheres for some frogs I was making. Modified a pair of pliers to hold them in place.

[Nick79]

I started to do just this and only wanted two holes. My pliers - however - are actually well made and the jaws are hardened ! I have made some progress but finding the right drill bit will likely be more expensive than picking up a "cheap" pair and starting over.

[DIYer]

Thanks strube1369! We've added your Steel Ball Holding Pliers to our Metalworking category,
as well as to your builder page: strube1369's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Steel Ball Holding Pliers by strube1369

tags: pliers, holding