Home made tools

[dilysi_3]

I was just looking to see what homemade tools that you guys have been made. i am trying to advance my tool set with out breaking the bank.

[Twilly]

Twilli made own furnace from Lennox Pulse and Amana Energy Command

[sprintmj19]

I have some old screwdrivers that I turned into chisels.

[wannafreeze]

I can't post the picture right now but here's what you're realy gonna like if you use your flash light a lot..

I use good flash lights..High lumens..
Sears sell magnets for drop lights..I cut the gripps off of the magnet and using the holes of the magnet housing I tie the magnet to the flash light with a hard copper wire.
Since I made it I stopped carrying my drop light.

[beachtech]

i really haven't had to make any tools for this trade.

when i was an auto mechanic (technician, whatever) i had to make something almost once a week whether i was bending a wrench, or grinding it to make it thinner width wise, or welding an extension to it.

also made some pretty interesting sockets and pry bars

[captinsano]

if you get into chiller work you will make alot of tools for your self and you make as needed.

[jpsmith1cm]

Haven't made many tools. Those I have tried to make have been failure. I'm not a machinist.

I have successfully modified many tools to fit the task better (IMO). From gauge manifolds to sockets, I'm never quite satisfied with the store-bought version.

If you are trying to build a quality tool set, you will find nothing more expensive than cheap tools. Buy a better brand, Craftsman, Ridgid, Proto, Snap-On, S&K.

If you work with them every day as we do, you will come to appreciate the reliability and function of good tools.

If you need a lot of tools in a hurry and on the cheap, check out Harbor Freight. It's all made in China, but they are tools.

[tarheel_tech]

I have made a few things out of other tools/parts.I have made several short finders out of the Carrier low voltage breakers that I made about 10 years ago that are still in my service bag.I also have modified test leads to do certain things.

[tinmarine]

Usually the only tools I make are pry bars out of leaf springs. You'd be amazed how often you use them and what you use them for. Other than that, some seamers from lineman's pliers and stainless stock. Most all of my vice grips have eye bolts welded to the ends. Nice to stick a screwdriver or a pin in there and crank down on it when needed. Instant vice.

[mike400]

One of the tools I have made are the 3 amp and 5 amp circuit breaker for the control boards. Nice to have when trouble shooting control line problems.
I salvaged the circuit breakers from an old battery back up (UPS).
I just solder leads with alligator clips to the ends and I ready to trouble shoot control line shorts.

Good luck.

[karsthuntr]

I welded up a tool to lift compressors out of units. Works good.

[fcs]

I welded up a tool to lift compressors out of units. Works good.

That sounds cool. Can you post a picture(s)

[cmajerus]

One of the tools I have made are the 3 amp and 5 amp circuit breaker for the control boards. Nice to have when trouble shooting control line problems.
I salvaged the circuit breakers from an old battery back up (UPS).
I just solder leads with alligator clips to the ends and I ready to trouble shoot control line shorts.

Good luck.

I use one out of a G26 lennox. I agree, much better than popping a bunch of fuses.

[UpNorthHVAC]

One of the tools I have made are the 3 amp and 5 amp circuit breaker for the control boards. Nice to have when trouble shooting control line problems.
I salvaged the circuit breakers from an old battery back up (UPS).
I just solder leads with alligator clips to the ends and I ready to trouble shoot control line shorts.

Good luck.

Thats a great idea! Will be making some up in the near future for sure!

[madhat]

I made a tool so one man could replace Evap. motors and compressors in System 3s. With no pinched finger, broken springs or scratches on the frame. tried to get the manufacture interested in it and they blew me off. Came up with a device that would catch you if you slipped and fell, while going thru a roof hatch. Made a ladder stabilizer, that attaches to the trucks roof rack for bad weather days when you have to go on a roof. Made a schrader core puller a long time ago, to replace schrader on charged systems. No one was interested. Back then it was just blow the charge and add new refrigerant, as it was cheap. BTW I could never 100% stop the stem from leaking, but it was workable.

[merlin73]

We have made a economizer tester with a bunch of things from radio shack, and a small pvc box.
Works well

[badboyheel]

i've made a duct ripper from an old flat head screw driver. grinded it down on a bench grinder. i use the 3 and 5 amp. fuses from a couple of old lennox units, and i haven't ran out of fuses yet. thats it for me

[mech_head]

We have made a economizer tester with a bunch of things from radio shack, and a small pvc box.
Works well

Now that sounds interesting
Got any more info?
Testing economizers usually take me awhile, I'd appreciate whatever you got.

[Glenn Harrison]

I made a tool so one man could replace Evap. motors and compressors in System 3s. With no pinched finger, broken springs or scratches on the frame. tried to get the manufacture interested in it and they blew me off. Came up with a device that would catch you if you slipped and fell, while going thru a roof hatch. Made a ladder stabilizer, that attaches to the trucks roof rack for bad weather days when you have to go on a roof. Made a schrader core puller a long time ago, to replace schrader on charged systems. No one was interested. Back then it was just blow the charge and add new refrigerant, as it was cheap. BTW I could never 100% stop the stem from leaking, but it was workable.

Hey madhat, would you care to share your info on that ladder stabilizer???

[Engineman1]

Here are some little additions to my C&D Fan blade/blower wheel puller I machined. These work for those hubs that have the groove going around. I have one set that fit small 1" hubs like on an old small Carrier condenser that are too small for the puller as sold. The other set is for the fairly common 1.25" condenser fan hub. The puller is already made for a 1.25" hub, but I have had the setscrews slip a couple times on a really tight fitting hub. The parts I made are much quicker and hold better than the setscrews. I put the 1.5" collar over the "half moons" to hold them in. Wished it was an industry standard to put the the groove in all hubs....but that would be too easy for us.

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