15 Creative Shop Tool Hacks From Farmers

All Around the Farm is a collection of farmer-submitted farm shop ideas, repair and maintenance tips, and numerous ways to save money, time, or effort. When what you have just doesn’t to the trick, you become the inventor and adapt, modify, or improvise from spare parts or whatever is laying around. Here are some DIY tool tips and tricks for your tool chest.

1. Removable Shop Vise

Have you ever needed to work at your shop bench, but the vise was in the way? Or perhaps you needed the vise in a different location in your shop or in the field with your truck. My solution was to mount a receiver hitch plate to the underside of my workbench table and mount my vise onto a hitch tube. Now I can remove or relocate the vise if needed. – John Torbert Sr., Greencastle, Pennsylvania

2. Ratchet-Driven Thread Tool Adapter

Here is a solution that may help when trying to clean threads on head bolts, exhaust manifold bolts, or any other job where your typical T handle will not allow access. Cut a 1-inch socket in half. Weld a socket half to each end of a 6-inch piece of 3/4 inch pipe. Now you can slide the appropriately sized die into the 1-inch socket end and begin your thread cleaning project. -Delbert Hayes, Norwalk, Iowa

3. Aluminum Irrigation Pipe Repair

I created this shop tool using a pair of vise grips and rounded metal. I welded the rounded metal (size dependent on the diameter of the irrigation pipe), one on each side of the jaws of the vise grips. I use it to repair dented irrigation hand lines, in order to stop leaks. To use: Grab the section of dented pipe, adjust the vise grips to squeeze accordingly, and pound on the top of the vise grips with a hammer. This removes the dent, and the irrigation pipe looks new. -Albert Osmin, Heppner, Oregon

4. Flexible Extension for Cordless Impact Wrench

When impacting a deep-well socket on tensioner springs on combines, as well as on other equipment, invariably the socket bottoms out and the job has to be finished with an open-ended wrench. I wanted to find a flexible attachment that would allow more depth for the tensioner rod. I adapted a short piece of 1-inch, high-pressure/wire-braided hydraulic hose, with ends, for the job. I cut in half a deep-well socket, sized accordingly. Welding half to each end of the hydraulic hose, I now have an extension that will not bottom out, as the bolt will extend itself inside the hose. -Robert (Mack) Weeks, Beach, North Dakota

5. Vise-Grip Slide Hammer

I came up with this solution to remove difficult seals. I fused a pair of vise grips and a pulling slide hammer together. I use either self-tapping screws or machine screws and screw them into the seal. I then clamp my vise-grip slide hammer onto the screw and start slide hammering. -John Macauley, Mount Morris, New York

6. Old-School Scoop

This old-school scoop may not be as readily known to younger farmers; it’s made using empty gallon jugs. First, make sure you do not throw away the lid. Then, cut the bottom of the jug off completely. Next, on the side with the handle, cut a U-shape out of the jug, making sure the center of the bottom of the U is just above the end of the handle. This makes a simple and cheap scoop. – Matt Tschetter, Flandreau, South Dakota

7. Lug Wrench Hinge Pin Driver

I welded a short piece of half-inch pipe to one end of an old four-way lug wrench. I drilled a small starter hole into the post, slid the half-inch pipe onto the hinge pin, and used a modified wrench to install the threaded hinge pin into the post. -Keith Brown, Waller, Texas

8. Less Mess Bolt and Screwhead Painting

It is always a hassle to paint bolts and screwheads when restoring a project. I decided to adapt an old 5-gallon bucket and lid to make it easier. Drill holes in the lid to accommodate your screws or bolts. This allows you the ability to either brush or spray paint. Any drippings go in the bucket for easy cleanup. To keep the heads from getting scratched, leave your bolts and screws in the lid until you are ready for reassembly. The handle makes it easy to carry the bucket to wherever you need it. Save your old lids for your next paint project. – Tom McCormick, North Liberty, Indiana

9. Oak Dowel Drill Bit Guide

We run duals on both of our combines. When a lug bolt breaks, it is very hard to drill out. The bolts are hard; when they break, the break is usually jagged. To center the drill bit, I use an oak dowel, with a hole drilled in its center. I center the hole over the middle of the broken bolt, tap the dowel with a hammer, and continually apply pressure to the dowel while holding it in place as I drill. This guide keeps the drill bit centered over the bolt, and prevents the bit crawling off into the threads in the wheel hub. – Larry Dallas, Tuscola, Illinois

10. Heavy Coil Spring Install Tip

I have a simple trick for lengthening a heavy coil spring for hookup. Mount one of the hooks on the spring in a shop vise. Find a pipe that just fits into the inside of the spring or one that fits just on the outside. Slide the pipe in/on to 30%–50% of the spring’s length. Move the pipe back and forth while sliding washers in between each of the coils with each phase of movement, as you work your way down the spring. Once the spring is lengthened, attach the spring. When the spring is stretched by the machine or hydraulics, the washers will simply fall out. -Fred Ifft, Fairbury, Illinois

11. Magnet for Cordless Drivers

When using a cordless drill, there are times you may need strong magnetism for screws or bolts. I keep a couple of small magnets handy for when those situations arise. I just put one of the magnets on the side of the bit holder, and the screw or bolt does not fall off. – Aaron Tong, Mendon, Ohio

12. More Stable Filing

When using a hand file, sometimes maintaining accuracy can be a challenge. I use a 2 1/2- to 3-inch C-clamp and tighten it to the end of the hand file. This makes it much easier to control for more accurate work. -James Bechtold, Rock City, Illinois

13. Key Chuck Loss Prevention

To avoid misplacing the key chuck for my drill press, I purchased a spring-loaded key return designed for a pants belt. I fastened a rubber bottle stop around the neck of the key chuck, attached the chuck to the end of the key return, and mounted the device to the drill press. No more lost key chuck! -Glenn Gehring, Menomonie, Wisconsin

14. Ultra-Deep Socket

If you are tired of wrenching dual-wheel mounting bolts by hand, or have a long bolt whose nut a deep-well socket will not reach, here is a solution: I decided to make ultra-deep sockets for my impact driver by cutting a deep-well socket in half. I took some schedule 80 black pipe, cut it to my desired length, and welded it between the two halves of the cut socket. I use a single piece of angle iron to keep all the pieces in line; this keeps the new socket straight while welding. -Scott Jeske, Abrams, Wisconsin

15. Impact Swivel Solution

While using a swivel socket adapter, have you ever had it slip and go flying off? Wrap electrician’s tape around the universal flex portion of the swivel adapter. It helps keep tension on the socket, and when you remove the socket or when the nut comes off, the swivel moves back to a straight position. -Todd Miller, Auburn, Illinois

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