1. Pliers/vice grips with rubber "teeth"? 2. Speed

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 12:35 pm

A couple of questions for my Burning Man project(s):

1. Anybody ever seen pliers or vice grips (preferred) with rubber teeth so that if you're holding something fragile or brittle it won't crack from the metal teeth? Alternatively, is there something I can put on my existing vice grips for the same effect?

2. I have a drill press and I've always wanted to get the speed down below 250 RPM. I'm looking at a tool catalog and they have a "router speed control" which I guess you put in the power circuit to let you control the amount of power and, thus, the speed of whatever motor you're running. Would this work to get the speed down? I've heard on here or somewhere else that it's not a good idea to do that to a motor.

Thoughts?

Post by **AntiM** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 12:43 pm

There's a liquid latex (rubber?) dip we used on the handles of our tools, I guess it would work on the other end. Sorry I don't know what it really is called, navy issue so we just called it "tool dip."

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 12:54 pm

AntiM wrote:There's a liquid latex (rubber?) dip we used on the handles of our tools, I guess it would work on the other end. Sorry I don't know what it really is called, navy issue so we just called it "tool dip."

Cool. And I was just thinking that I could also just super-glue some rubber or rubber-like material to the teeth...

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 2:56 pm

You don't want to reduce the voltage to your drill press to slow the RPM, you'll reduce the torque too much, and you'll probably overheat the motor. Gearing it down is the way. If it uses a belt drive like most, get different pulleys on it to reduce the drill speed. Sometimes easier said than done; you might have to search a bit for pulleys to fit, or modify some. When turning the bit so slowly, you'll need the extra torque you'll get by gearing down.

phil · Post by **phil** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 6:29 pm

For pliers, go to
http://www.sciplus.com/
and search for the following:
soft jaw pliers
Here's the description; they have a drawing.

Gentle Jaws
Combine the strength of a 5-1/2" long steel pliers with the gentleness of white-plastic jaws 7/8" long. Hold soft metals and twist chrome fittings gently, without leaving marks on polished surfaces. Rubber-clad handles.
91985 SOFT JAW PLIERS $7.95

American Science & Surplus is the Burner's Friend.

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 7:22 pm

Captain Goddammit wrote:You don't want to reduce the voltage to your drill press to slow the RPM, you'll reduce the torque too much, and you'll probably overheat the motor. Gearing it down is the way. If it uses a belt drive like most, get different pulleys on it to reduce the drill speed. Sometimes easier said than done; you might have to search a bit for pulleys to fit, or modify some. When turning the bit so slowly, you'll need the extra torque you'll get by gearing down.

Well, I'm talking about going from 250 down to 100 or so. That wouldn't be too much to hurt the motor, would it? The reason is simply because the excess speed is useless and I don't *think* there would be that much more torque (?)

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 7:24 pm

phil wrote:For pliers, go to
http://www.sciplus.com/
and search for the following:
soft jaw pliers
Here's the description; they have a drawing.
Gentle Jaws
Combine the strength of a 5-1/2" long steel pliers with the gentleness of white-plastic jaws 7/8" long. Hold soft metals and twist chrome fittings gently, without leaving marks on polished surfaces. Rubber-clad handles.
91985 SOFT JAW PLIERS $7.95
American Science & Surplus is the Burner's Friend.

Thanks!

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 7:58 am

You can also buy plasticky rubber jaw-covers at Sears....Made in two sizes, specifically for Robogrip pliers but they're adaptable. In a pinch, I wrap the jaws with duct tape.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:48 am

You could reduce the drill press speed by taking the drive pully off and installing a very small pully. Wont work if both pullys are stacks.

Ranger Genius · Post by **Ranger Genius** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:58 am

There are also rubber blocks you can get to slip over the jaws of your vise. Try Harbor Freight.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 9:00 am

Where is it that bulldogs have rubber teeth?

phil · Post by **phil** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 10:40 am

Where is it that bulldogs have rubber teeth?

Big Rock Candy Mountain

In the Big Rock Candy Mountain
The cops have wooden legs
The bulldogs all have rubber teeth
And the hens lay soft-boiled eggs
The farmer's trees are full of fruit
And the barns are full of hay
I'm bound to go
Where there ain't no snow
Where the sleet don't fall
And the winds don't blow
In the Big Rock Candy Mountain.
Chorus:

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 1:26 pm

Ranger Genius wrote:There are also rubber blocks you can get to slip over the jaws of your vise. Try Harbor Freight.

Decided to just use a few strips of an old belt glued to the teeth. We'll see if they stick...

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 3:21 pm

There actually is a Big Rock Candy Mountain in Utah on highway 89 south of Sevier. Looks like it is made of caramel and taffy. Nice little tourist trap out front.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 3:36 pm

AntiM wrote:There actually is a Big Rock Candy Mountain in Utah on highway 89 south of Sevier. Looks like it is made of caramel and taffy. Nice little tourist trap out front.

~
Carbon dating myself, The one room school (Fox Ceeek) had a victrola and one of it's records was The Big Rock Candy Mountain. We put on a play to get the $15 we needed to buy the victrola. The record were given to us.

Ranger Genius · Post by **Ranger Genius** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 1:23 am

DallasPlaya wrote:
Ranger Genius wrote:There are also rubber blocks you can get to slip over the jaws of your vise. Try Harbor Freight.
Decided to just use a few strips of an old belt glued to the teeth. We'll see if they stick...

A good idea. Also viable would be hacked out pieces of bike tires, or even just a coating of the marine variety of Goop.

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 8:38 am

Ranger Genius wrote:A good idea. Also viable would be hacked out pieces of bike tires, or even just a coating of the marine variety of Goop.

Yeah. Now I'm thinking this leather might be too hard and just rip it off and try something else. Thanks!

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 8:50 am

DallasPlaya wrote:
Ranger Genius wrote:A good idea. Also viable would be hacked out pieces of bike tires, or even just a coating of the marine variety of Goop.
Yeah. Now I'm thinking this leather might be too hard and just rip it off and try something else. Thanks!

~
Over the years of repairing stuff, I've had to take my belt off and use it for soft grip on brass and such. Also used it for a pipe wrech. If your out in the middle of no where and need a tool. Some times you must regress to the stick and stone age.