Hi Rick and John,
when I was a kid my Dad was always creating some sort of machine in our home workshop mainly because the funds didn't allow him to buy them. Some of the machines I still use today. Things like the lathe (although now replaced), 2ft hand shear/guillotine, an 8ft /60ton press and even a petrol driven hydraulic yard crane.
When I started building cars and various other components together we fabricated a 36inch throat variable speed(foot operated) bead roller with a selection of different dies/wheels, a hydraulic tube bender, a tube tapering tool(16mm dia.) and set-up the shrinker an stretcher on a foot operated stand.
I'm lucky to have a Dad who grew up in the era when if you needed a special tool you just went and made it.
I still enjoy making tools but with the price of imported tools these days you've got to wander if it's worthwhile any more.
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Larry
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