Show your tools.

[desoto1939]

Purchased a Brake Fluid Tester Pen on the ebay for around $4 plus tax and free shipping.

 

Since we all know that regular brake fluid will draw water and this is what can cause the wheel cylinders to get issues along with the brake fluid in the lines.

 

I decided to purchase one of these pens to get a reading on my brake fluid in my cars and also in a used but sealed tight bottle of Dot3 Brake fluid.  The Dot 3 was approx 5 or more year old and possibly even older.

 

Poured some into a paper cup to test the fluid. The 4 light lite up which informed me that the fluid had too much water inthe fluid and the system instructed to get rid of the container.  I tested the brake fluid in my cars and they all registered safely with not issue.  Also tested my silicon   brake fluid and that even register perfectly good.  Silicon should not accept any water build up.

 

There are 5 lights on the pen, 1st is the battery check and turns on the pens. Then each light tells the percentage of water in the fluid.  When the lights register red then the fluid is bad.

 

Rich Hartung

 

 

 

 

[Veemoney]

Cheap and handy tool. thanks for posting it up.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Breath on a few drops of never opened DOT3/4 brake fluid and see how fast/much the boiling point drops using your testor.

Compare teadings to testing new right out of the bottle.

Or leave a small amount in a cup outside in damp weather for an hour...

Shocking how fast DOT3/4  absorbs water.

Glycol DOT 5.1 is even worse.?

If your brake fluid is amber...it's in need of change.

[p15-1948]

Had no idea Leica manufactured anything but fine cameras.

[capt den]

going thru alot of these posts. sad to see don coatney  he was a fountain of info for us all. i have some decent tools but nothing like what some of you guys have.when i learn how to post pictures i will post my homemade water dist tube puller.    capt den

[58prostreet]

Makes me feel a little less ignorant to see there is another member who can't post a picture. I'm 77 and the technology has passed me by.My grand son showed me how about 5 or 6 years ago, but that  lesson left the house.

[Art Bailey]

Last year, I cobbled together an oxy acetylene kit---tanks, Harbor Freight table, Smith Airline torch, gas saver valve, big old Oxweld handle and cutting torch. What a game changer...the usefulness of my shop increased 300%. I won't post pics, because you guys all know what a torch looks like, but here's a thing I made: 

 

 

 

Panel beater, or, as Trev on Trev's Blog calls it, a "smacky smoover." Made it out of an old furrier's rasp, for filing down horse hooves. Took a bit more of the temper out of the beater part that I would've liked, but it should be fine for what I'll be doing.

[Veemoney]

On 12/3/2023 at 3:38 PM, p15-1948 said:

Had no idea Leica manufactured anything but fine cameras.

If it had to do with measuring, lenses they were interested in making it or buying the technology/company and putting the Leica brand on it. If it says Leica it is usually pretty good quality from my experience. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

could well be a Victorinox (trick photography)  I once owned a Leica M4...too expensive to buy the accessories....so moved it to another owner and expanded on my other camera platform

[DonaldSmith]

Mzy be Victorinox (maker of the Swiss Army Knife) makes knives to order, with the customer's logo. 

I spent my youth making Pocket Protectors, many of whicn were imprinted with the customer's logo.  

[chris 48 P15]

bought two used  ammco brake lathes at auction

one for disk brakes one for drum brakes

here i am using the drum lathe

 better braking!

[Hickory]

My latest acquisition is a sun machine, cant wait to use it.

[Plymouthy Adams]

just took this apart this morning and have transferred it to the house....lift number three...this should finish me up for now......Hope to get it back together in a couple of days...depends on my bud's schedule and if he can give a hand at the task....he and his son rode this morning for the disassembly.  

 

 

[chris 48 P15]

the tools are as cool as the cars

i used to collect stamps

cant use them to fix anything

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

As an update, working mostly solo with the help from the wife to spot me when moving the runways into the shop with the tractor and the engine hoist with the turf tires and trailer hitch built in place....I have the lift in place, adjusted out and sitting leveled.  I have yet to raise a car.  Likely today or later....just happy it is inside and off the trailer and DID NOT get wet which was a prime concern.  The hoist with the turf tires allowed me to again maneuver a heavy load across the lawn with ease.   Best mod to a shop tool ever!

[desoto1939]

Went to the Automania swap meet in Allentown PA sponsored by the Carlise organization this past weekend. Fair amount of venders with some good parts in general.

 

I purchase a very special use tool. This tool is not used that often but when you need to use it, it makes your live so much easier.

 

It is used to remove the four 1/2 inch bolts that hold the upper pully for the fan blades. The nice part is that it has a ratcheting end so all you have to do is use it a as a rachet socket. The tool is made to get into the very narrow space between the radiator and the fan blade and stops you from getting skinned knuckles.  I have another tool similar to this one  but it does not ratchet. Cost me $20.  So look for this type of tool at the next swap meet, it just might save you some time, aggravation and skinned knuckles.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939aol.com

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

ran to the metal shop and scarfed up some fallout chunks for four projects.  Just completed the front hangers to make the newly acquired a lift a front and rear loadable unit by moving the ramps as needed.  With the brackets cut, drilled, welded and cleaned up, the paint is about to go on after this cup of coffee.....I will address the hanging of the Barrina light strips under the runways next....the metal for the lights is cut and awaiting welding now.  Excellent day with sunshine and 70 degree temps.....give me more!!!!!!!!

[Plymouthy Adams]

While the lift has been installed and operational since the second day I got it home, today is the first opportunity to run a car up in the air...glad I did, saw where an axle boot clamp had slipped off...just so hard to get good clamps in a boot kit....so today ordered a set of 6 inside/outside boots clamps.   The unit now has hangers for the ramps to attach to the front same as at the rear.....a hose/fitting adapter stainless cover special broke and runway drilled and tap to mount it in place at the runway to protect against fat heavy feet and dropped objects and finished up with the Barrina lighting.....

 

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

This was an interesting little foul weather project.  I admit nice day but needed to finish this up and did so today cutting a safety plate for the wheel and blade which in turn allowed me to fabricate an auto shut off lever for the power switch.  Bought at estate sale for 10.00 and put new bearings in the motor, new bearings on the input shaft of the gear box.  Little clean up and some lipstick on this pig and we in business.  I cannot believe I did not take a before pic...it sat for years unused outside under a shop lean-to...motor and input bearings rusted to a locked condition.  There were no legs so I sat it on this base and clad the top with plywood and 3/32 aluminum.  

 

 

 

 

[FarmerJon]

I am lucky to work at a place that lets guys like me to use the tools that arent in use. This little prototrack mill, and its fellow lathe makes for quick work of most minor mods I want to make. Does a really slick job of engraving and hole patterns too. 

Having a Magnuflux horseshoe and light at my beck and call is sweet too. 

But I also get dibs on the "Trash" like this little old machine, some 20k+ pieces of nuts, bolts and washers, as well as some height stands and other random goods

Edited February 25 by FarmerJon

[harmony]

On 12/3/2023 at 10:09 AM, desoto1939 said:

Purchased a Brake Fluid Tester Pen on the ebay for around $4 plus tax and free shipping.

 

Since we all know that regular brake fluid will draw water and this is what can cause the wheel cylinders to get issues along with the brake fluid in the lines.

 

I decided to purchase one of these pens to get a reading on my brake fluid in my cars and also in a used but sealed tight bottle of Dot3 Brake fluid.  The Dot 3 was approx 5 or more year old and possibly even older.

 

Poured some into a paper cup to test the fluid. The 4 light lite up which informed me that the fluid had too much water inthe fluid and the system instructed to get rid of the container.  I tested the brake fluid in my cars and they all registered safely with not issue.  Also tested my silicon   brake fluid and that even register perfectly good.  Silicon should not accept any water build up.

 

There are 5 lights on the pen, 1st is the battery check and turns on the pens. Then each light tells the percentage of water in the fluid.  When the lights register red then the fluid is bad.

 

Rich Hartung

 

 

 

 

It's good to hear that you haven't had any issues with this pen.  I was about to order one but then there were a few reviews that said they didn't trust them because they tried the tool in a brand new bottle of dot4  brake fluid and it read 4% water.  

[Sniper]

2 hours ago, harmony said:

It's good to hear that you haven't had any issues with this pen.  I was about to order one but then there were a few reviews that said they didn't trust them because they tried the tool in a brand new bottle of dot4  brake fluid and it read 4% water.  

 

This past weekend I helped my son flush the brakes in his car.  We used that pen to check the old fluid first.  It said 2%, which was still good.  We flushed it anyway as it was due.  We tested it on the new fluid, it said 0%.  The fluid we used was in metal cans not plastic bottles.  Little known fact is that moisture can, and does, migrate into the fluid when it's in a plastic bottle and the linger it sits on the shelf the more opportunity it has to do just that.

[harmony]

4 hours ago, Sniper said:

 

This past weekend I helped my son flush the brakes in his car.  We used that pen to check the old fluid first.  It said 2%, which was still good.  We flushed it anyway as it was due.  We tested it on the new fluid, it said 0%.  The fluid we used was in metal cans not plastic bottles.  Little known fact is that moisture can, and does, migrate into the fluid when it's in a plastic bottle and the linger it sits on the shelf the more opportunity it has to do just that.

Wow!  Good to know about the plastic bottles. But now I'm curious about the "modern" plastic brake fluid reservoirs on the master cylinder?  So at what % is the brake fluid unacceptable?

Edited February 29 by harmony

[Sniper]

3 hours ago, harmony said:

Wow!  Good to know about the plastic bottles. But now I'm curious about the "modern" plastic brake fluid reservoirs on the master cylinder?  So at what % is the brake fluid unacceptable?

 

I believe 3% was the red zone on the tester.  The fluid we used was Bosch ESI6-32, which exceeds DOT 5.1, $14 a quart, yes it was in quarts, lol. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

OPENED VS. UNOPENED 

(Napa online website)

When a bottle of brake fluid leaves the factory, it’s sealed so that it doesn’t come into contact with any outside air that might also contain moisture. Most brake fluid manufacturers state that a sealed bottle has no set expiration date. In a sense, the fluid doesn’t break down over time and offers the same level of performance even after years on the shelf.  

 

 

 

 

I think I would be more concerned over the tester collecting moisture from the air while sitting unused and would think a very special cleaning/flushing would be in order prior to any testing or second/subsequent testing.