Ian Faulds Posted May 17, 2020 Report Share Posted May 17, 2020 I had wanted a shrinker stretcher for ages , finally bought a deep throat one albeit only with one body to keep costs down. I had`nt any experience of these and although you can mount it in a vice, its pretty hard to operate with one hand and you cant get much pressure with the short handle, I decided to make a foot operated stand, its all from scrap I had lying around, works brilliant and cost nowt. ill paint it tomorrow. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Faulds Posted May 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2020 The main body was an old bike stand never used. The foot pedal rod I made from a volvo v70 engine brace I'd made years ago. The spring is a return spring from a very old trolley jack not in use. The main cross link I don't know its been in the garage for years. I didn't use the nice handle that came with the shrinker. I just used a piece of rusty 16mm bar again from the bike stand. Have an old tin of red paint that's goin on tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham C Posted May 17, 2020 Report Share Posted May 17, 2020 Very interesting, I have one to and agree when in the vice 'very ackward to use. Any chance of a drawing. I like the box on the side for tools. Very well thought out. Also have you got too much time on you hands. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Faulds Posted May 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2020 Thanks Graham yeah too much time but I'm lovin it. Don't get so much time outa lock down. I made it up as I went so no drawing. It was made from what I had. Ie. The footplate is 2 pieces welded together which were offcuts from the cross link. I'll jot some sizes down tomorrow for ya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham C Posted May 17, 2020 Report Share Posted May 17, 2020 Cheers, just a rough drawing with the picture will work well. Very interested in making one. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted May 18, 2020 Report Share Posted May 18, 2020 13 hours ago, Graham C said: Also have you got too much time on you hands. Graham We all have at present!! I've never spent so many hours in the garage as in these last two months, but it's hopefully paying off. That's a great bit of modification by Ian; the finished work looks really professional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Faulds Posted May 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2020 hi graham here are some more images and a sketch with sizes, I hope you can understand it ok, any questions just ask. I only bought the one body so have to change shrinker to stretcher but it was cheaper. if I had a twin bodies I would have made it differently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Faulds Posted May 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2020 note in the third pic the 10 mm nut is for a bolt which acts as a stop for the jaws. and last pic shows dimple for grub screw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Faulds Posted May 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2020 forgot to say the shrinker base is offset so that the cross link clears the main stand, I had to do this otherwise the foot operating bar would need to go through the centre of the main body box. it works fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Faulds Posted May 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2020 foot rod pic 1 and cross link 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham C Posted May 18, 2020 Report Share Posted May 18, 2020 Thank you Ian great pictures. Colin, some of us are quite jealous as we have to still work from home and have to walk pass projects, a specially when the weather is so wonderful. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Faulds Posted May 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 freshly painted, quite proud of it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted May 19, 2020 Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 On 18/05/2020 at 12:38, Graham C said: Colin, some of us are quite jealous as we have to still work from home and have to walk pass projects, a specially when the weather is so wonderful. Graham Congratulations, or commiserations, on working whilst everyone else is lying about and moaning. There's a school of thought at present that many of those off on furlough will realise how easy it is to lie about all day and get paid, and decide they're actually better off financially staying at home all day than going to work... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham C Posted May 19, 2020 Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 I consider myself very lucky, my wife who is self employed has closed her business, my son a chef has been furlough. Luckily my daughter and her partner both work in pharmaceuticals are working from home. I also work in the pharmaceutical industry. So overall we are very lucky. I do feel for those who future are uncertain going forward. I am close to thinking about retirement but at 61 will not get my pension until 67, I have thought it would be good if the government reduce retirement age, I retire get a state pension, pay taxes and free up a job for someone and hopefully remove someone from unemployment benefit. They will also pay taxes. So the overall cost to the government will be lower Can't see it happening. Anyway would I like to be doing something enjoyable or looking at a computer all day and dealing with some very annoying colleagues. I really can't say, both have benefits. Interesting back to you point about not working, this gives me an idea of retirement costs of what we need to live on. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted May 19, 2020 Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 24 minutes ago, Graham C said: Interesting back to you point about not working, this gives me an idea of retirement costs of what we need to live on. Graham 'Er indoors being community minded - and the local School Principal - she's doing a lot of community thingies online with the locals and parents at present and in some of the discussions, they've started to realise that if you DON'T drive to work, or take the bus, or need lunches, or work clothes, and stay at home gardening or housekeeping, you can live on a lot less. This has led to the oft-mooted suggestion that with benefits, invalidity, topups and freebies a lot of them are actually better off not working. They qualify for a lot more benefits if not working, so therefore why work when you can actually get more money given straight to you for sitting at home? It's sad, but true... Sorry Ian, your shrinker thread has gone the way of all good things.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Faulds Posted May 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 The shrinker threads finished let's enjoy the drift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted May 20, 2020 Report Share Posted May 20, 2020 No, back to it! Ian, nice project! Well executed! Congratulatins! But how long was the lever on the tool originally? I would be a concerned that a foot can exert more force than a hand, and that the lever arm of the foot pedal is longer than the lever on the tool is now. You will be able to just lean on the foot pedal, but could strain the tool if you tried! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Twitchen Posted May 20, 2020 Report Share Posted May 20, 2020 14 hours ago, Graham C said: I have thought it would be good if the government reduce retirement age, I retire get a state pension, pay taxes and free up a job for someone and hopefully remove someone from unemployment benefit. They will also pay taxes. Graham, the flaw in the logic is 'but why should/must I retire, it is ageist and it is my human right to work until I decide' and so on. Consequently people will claim their pension and still work and no job will be freed up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Faulds Posted May 20, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2020 2 hours ago, JohnD said: No, back to it! Ian, nice project! Well executed! Congratulatins! But how long was the lever on the tool originally? I would be a concerned that a foot can exert more force than a hand, and that the lever arm of the foot pedal is longer than the lever on the tool is now. You will be able to just lean on the foot pedal, but could strain the tool if you tried! Hi John the original handle was about 300mm long I didn't use it as I had another 16mm dia bar which saved cutting the proper handle. I put a bolt behind the handle to act as a stop you can see it in the pics. But when you have material between the Jaws it never bottoms out anyway. Believe me you need the foot force to shrink and stretch the steel to do it using the handle you would need to be popeye. And it is so difficult to hold in one hand while operating the handle. They sell these with foot stands or you can buy them separate but their expensive and I enjoyed the little project Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham C Posted May 20, 2020 Report Share Posted May 20, 2020 Good try John in attempting stopping the thread drift. Dick, I agree but I am sure that it could be set up that if you take the state pension then you agree/enter an contract to no longer work for a period of time, and a mark is placed by you NI number. So if you enter a PAYE job then it is highlighted to that person is taking a pension, which stops or the employee/emloyer is notified and/or fined. For example, after working for 17 years for the same company, we have been sold and I am having to confirm I have the right to work with the new company even though as far as I am concerned only my contact has been transfered (TUPE) so now I have to present my Passport to HR to confirm this, or the company will get fined. John, in an attempt to help you with thread drift, the handle in these devices are about a foot long and yes you will put more force on the system with your foot, however the tool is well made with a cast body, etc. Yes, a pin or something may be overstressed but on the other hand how often are these tools used. Graham PS Ian beat me to the reply, must speed up my typing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Faulds Posted May 20, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2020 Closing this I forgot to say all the bolts I used were 10mm cap heads which are high tensile steel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahebron Posted May 21, 2020 Report Share Posted May 21, 2020 I have set of shrinker stretchers, still in their box. I was wondering if it would be possible to make a foot lever system that would still allow you to have the s or s in the vise? I suppose you would have to brace it to the vise to make it work properly Just thinking that way as like many I am getting short of space. Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Faulds Posted May 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2020 I wreckon you could Adrian but you'd have to have brace it to the bench plus you could use a compression spring to return the foot pedal somehow. Be more awkward. I understand the space thing. I used to have just a single small garage. This garage is much bigger but I'm still going to build another shed behind it when lock downs over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahebron Posted May 25, 2020 Report Share Posted May 25, 2020 I have a decent double garage 6m wide by 7m deep but with a work bench at the end, floor to ceiling shelving down one side and shallow stuff stored down the other. Plus two motorbikes and a push bike, my Vitesse 6 and Rhynas car it gets a bit short on space. Shrinker/stretcher is in a crate under the bench. Photo will give you an idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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