Before I get started with the work... new tools!

I got these a few weeks ago, but I never posted the pictures.  I bought a set of Snap-on T-handle hex keys and a USB-rechargeable Streamlight for my work toolbox.  I also took in a set of old Crescent US-made locking pliers from my grandpap's tool collection.

A few posts back, I posted a picture of some brass punches I restored from my Grandpap's estate.   My buddy Tommy D works in the tool and die industry where they use brass punches every day.  I decided to give some brass punches to him, especially since he had given me some impact sockets from his grandfather's estate a few years back.  A few days after I delivered them, he sent this picture of two miniature brass hammers he had made from some old pin punches and my brass stock.  They're super cool!

More new tools!  So a few weeks back, I learned through Instagram that Snap-on had released a new body hammer.  Since I have all of the others, I HAD to have this one.  I made some calls, and 6 weeks later it finally showed up.  This is the new Snap-on BF612 compact body hammer.  I found it interesting that they re-used a part number from the old Blue Point line, and the old-style BF612 happens to be one of my favorites.

2016 date code!

Seeing the photos, I was worried that the head would have an odd balance.  What they did was widen the forging around the handle eye to get more mass toward the rear of the hammer.  It is also super stubby, so the center of gravity isn't too far off of a regular pick hammer.  It swings quite nice, it will be a useful addition to the set.

Luckily the new hammer isn't very big, otherwise I wouldn't have space!  I was able to tuck it in between the BF603 and BF632.

Back to work.  When I last left off, I had finished welding one of the lower control arms.

After some time grinding, filing, and sanding, one front lower arm is finally complete.  Here is a before (top) and after (bottom) of the rearward control arm bushing mount.  I ground off the factory weld, re-welded around the eye, and ground it all smooth.  This photo really shows the radius from the tubing I used to box in the two stamped plates.

This photo clearly shows the swaybar mounting hole that I deleted. It's a subtle modification, not to mention the fact that it's underneath the car, but it really cleans up the look of the arm.

I also spent some time stripping and sanding my core support.  This has been half-welded and started to get covered in flash rust, so I stripped it and coated it with Gibbs Oil until I get to the bodywork and paint.

I also spent some time wiping down the engine bay, scuffing the intake manifold, and coating the other bare steel surfaces in Gibbs.  Now that I'm not working 30+ hours per week at my shop, I can't leave bare metal laying around like I used to.

I've spent some time over the past few weeks organizing my shop space.  I organized all of my loose hardware, wiped down my toolboxes, and found a home for all of the loose boxes of parts I had lying around.

I organized all of my taps and tap drills.  These plastic cases are only about $1 from McMaster, and they keep things much more organized.  

I made room for a few new tools!  I expanded my Snap-on Flank Drive Plus set to include the 7mm, 8mm, and 9mm wrenches.  I also picked up some long hex bit sockets to complete my set and an A139 shock socket.  I have all  of the normal stuff, from here forward all of my tool purchases are going to be random and weird.

I am continuing work on my control arms.  I finish welded and ground pieces of tubing to fill the center access hole, and welded plugs in all of the unused holes on each arm.

Before:

I had all of the pieces tacked, but I waited to finish weld the area around the bushing until I was able to machine a plug.  Not only will this solid aluminum bushing help keep the hole round by not allowing it to collapse, it will help draw heat away from the welds.  Rather than lay a bead, I tacked around this area in an effort to keep it cool and minimize warping.

Now that the first arm is almost done, I'm moving on to the tubing around the second front lower control arm.  This is all just a repeat of the first arm, and all of the pieces are pre-fabricated which should make it go much faster.

Last month, my grandfather passed away at 88 years old.  He was always a hands-on guy; he owned a LOT of tools and was always fixing something.  If it could break, he could fix it!  He tinkered with everything including televisions, radios, cars, knives, and even musical instruments.  He worked at the American Steel and Wire Company steel mill in Donora, PA, though the era of the Donora Smog that defined his generation of Pittsburgh steel workers, until it closed in the mid 1960s.  He then went back to school for electronics and became an armature winder at the U.S. Steel Clairton Works until he retired in the mid 1980s.

Not long after he passed, my grandmother asked me to come get his tools.  She didn't want them to sit around forever; she wanted them in the hands of someone who would put them to use!

Here he is at the U.S. Steel Clairton Works, circa 1970, posing for a photo with an armature tester.

The whole garage was FILLED with tools.  Every little corner was packed with something interesting.  He had most of his automotive and around-the-house tools in here, and most of it was pretty well used.

He had a lot of home-made racks and shelves, this one held a bunch of screwdriver and adjustable wrenches just inside the door for easy access.

This looks dangerous.  I can confirm it isn't what killed him; but I would imagine there were some close calls!

I loaded up the first truck load - half of which went to my shop, and the other half I took to my Uncle Jeff.

The truck was absolutely packed!  Even the cab was full.  I can't believe how many tools he owned.

He had at least 4 full sets of Ridgid pipe wrenches.

It's amazing that anybody lived through this era of power tools.  Black & Decker 8-1/4" circular saw.

Note the Estwing leather-handled hammer.  There will be more of these later..

Uncle Jeff was thrilled with the haul!  He doesn't have a truck, so I hauled a lot of stuff to his house so he can use them.

N.O.S. Sears bench plane and air hammer

Craftsman reciprocating saw and DeWalt sander.  A lot of his power tools were from the 1987-1994 era.   It's clear that he bought a lot of tools just after he retired, and some of them were completely unused!

AEG Hammerdrill.  I've never heard of them, but apparently this is a decent European brand.

You don't see these anymore!  I don't think it ever turned a bit.

Back at the shop, it took a while to get everything organized.  I have hundreds of photos, these are the most interesting.

He had two brand new Milwaukee drills - a 3/8' chuck and a 1/2" chuck.

This was purchased new in 1999, and I plugged it in for the first time last week.  The rest is over, I'm going to put this thing to use right away.

He had a large hand-made stainless steel job box filled with electronics tools, taps, and random gimmick-style stuff from Sears.  I can't determine if he made the box himself, but it is certainly hand-made.  The structural joints are spot welded, and the edges appear to be silver soldered for sealing against moisture.

Note: another Estwing hammer.

I found all of these super cool hand-made specialty tools.  They were all engraved with his name, which suggests they were from his working days (he didn't engrave his home-use tools).  I spoke to some folks online, and it looks like these were made for specific types of armatures and used during the rewind process.

He had a lot of Bendix branded cutting tools.  For the popular sizes, he had a whole pouch!  These are all 1/4" drills.

It was also pretty clear that he binged on things he liked.  These Estwing hammers for example, I found at least 5 of them!  One is clearly used, and the others are for backup haha.

Brown & Sharpe square

LOTS of Channellock and Wiss.  We take for granted that the internet has made tool research and purchase so accessible, but his only consistent tool supplier was Sears.

Craftsman trammel points in excellent condition, in the original box with receipt!

Phase II calipers!  I have the same pair at work.

Old school hex keys

He had a full set of these old Craftsman Professional ball peen hammers.

Craftsman HSS tap and die sets

Brown & Sharpe non-ferrous sheet metal thickness gauge

I found a whole pile of homemade brass punches and a lot of brass stock he had been saving to make more.  I was the only one excited about these in the garage because I could see the potential!

After some time on my lathe, something that Grandpap didn't have access to, I had re-dressed all of the ends and made a pile of useful punches.

I found another smaller hand-made stainless steel box.  This is likely 304 stainless, it was all covered in paint and dirt.

After cleanup, it looks great!

I can't wait to start using the rest of his tools.  I've already used a handful of them at work, they are just beginning their second lifetime of use!

Bernard Fazzini 
1927-2016