Shop made tools: castellated nut socket

Special tools are very helpful in certain situations. The challenge with most castellated nut sockets is that they typically four points. The sockets slip off the nut, or the points become rounded or break off. I wanted to build a socket that encapsulates the nut, can't slip off, and has replaceable points in case of wear or breakage.  The socket has a standard 1/2" square drive.

If you would like one of our sockets, they are $249.95 plus shipping.  Please call us to place an order.

Holes are located and drilled on the Bridgeport using the DRO. The holes are slightly smaller than the pins chosen to fit into them.

The ID and OD of the socket is shaped on the lathe.

The pins are inserted.

This socket is designed for an M14 castle nut.  

The nut is held securely by the socket which can't slip off.

Make a Shipping Box for a /2 era motor

Scottie's Workshop has a wooden crate that we loan out to folks who want to ship their motors to us for work. We charge a deposit of $300 for the box that will be returned when the box is returned to us. If you want to ship your motor to us in the box, just give us a ring or email and we'll send it out to you.

Here's how you can build your own wooden crate.

• Front and back - Qty 2 - 19"**  X 31.75"  3/4" Plywood
• L and R Sides - Qty 2 - 15.375"  X 19"** 3/4" Plywood
• Top and Bottom - Qty 2 - 17" X 31.75" 3/4" Plywood
• Bottom Tier - Qty 1 - 15.5" X 30" 3/4" Plywood
• 1-1/2 in. x 14-Gauge x 72 in. Zinc-Plated Slotted Angle
• Sufficient nuts and bolts and washers
• Heavy Duty Handles 
• Locking clasps - Such as surface mount ATA twist butterfly latch 
• Corner braces - Such as Everbilt Model # 15442 
• Feet - Qty 2 - Length 17" - pressure treated 4X4
• Engine mount - Qty 2 - Length 15" - pressure treated 4x4
• Angle iron - Length 9" - motor mount holes are 7 5/8" on center
• Length 9" - 3/8" all thread, nuts and washers

We are using pressure treated wood here because it is a requirement for most country's import regulations (to prevent wood borne pests). 

Assemble top box as shown in photos below. Glue and clamp mating edges. Drill holes and use nuts and bolts to fasten angle brackets to strengthen joints.  Affix heavy duty folding handles.

Optional: Affix corner braces inside and out to reinforce corners.

Assemble bottom as shown in photos below. Glue and screw bottom tier to bottom leaving 3/4" "shelf" around edge (to locate and secure the box lid). Glue and bolt feet and motor mount to base plate. Drill and locate the angle iron (or aluminum) to secure the motor. I ran long carriage bolts all the way through to the base and counter sunk the base of the bolts and fender washers.

The small piece of 2x4 you see jutting off to the side is just to secure a small cardboard box inside so it won't slide around.

Place the lid on the bottom plate (you may need to sand to fine tune the fit) and affix the butterfly latches, handles, etc.

** If you wish to secure the top of the engine (not really necessary, but I did it on ours), reduce the dimensions of the front and back and sides from 19" to approximately 18.125"  and fabricate a steel plate to accept the top motor studs, as pictured below. Drill oversized 1" holes in top lid to access nuts. Affix plate to lid to locate top engine mount studs.

Test fit your motor!

Machining New Tools for the Workshop

Joe has a series of pulling/pushing tools for /2 that share this top piece.  One of my goals has been to copy Joe's tools, so I thought I'd start with the top piece.

I began with a blank of tool steel.

First I faced it and here I am boring a center hole. 

After boring it out to a larger size, I cut some threads at 16 tpi 

Looking good! 

I polished up the threads with a tap by hand. 

Then I milled slots, holes, and beveled edges.

Calculating the location of cuts for the DRO. 

The finished tool..

I'm hoping to get more than a lifetime of use out of these. 

Modifications to shop tool Matra 282

I bought a Matra 282 tool from Vech, which removes the rear bearing of /2 cranks.

The tool is good but it has a few quirks.  On Saturday, I asked Joe Groeger to help me modify the tool to make it work better.  He came up with some brilliant modifications.  

He chamfered the edge of one of the halves to help it slip into the slinger easier. 

I found that the tool wants to rotate when in use.  Joe milled two flats into the "nut"...

...so I can keep the entire tool steady with a 22mm wrench. 

Making and modifying tools is pretty cool !

Joe has made his own rear crank bearing puller and it looks like this:



And is used like this: