Scout, the short fuse comment reminded me of my Dad, owned a grocery store. One day a freezer went out, he was already having a bad day so he kicked the compressor…well, it immediately started working. Ran fine…so from then on, whenever the freezers would go out, he would tell me to go kick the sh.. out of it…sometimes it really worked. Great memories!
Great video ScoutCrafter! 👍🏻 I like your idea for a “How it Works Wednesday,” I’ve always been fascinated by those shows. First time I’ve ever seen folding chocks before. Around the garage I’ve always just used a couple pieces of 2x4 but can see where those would be useful in a vehicle for roadside use. I think for men of several generations it was a rite of passage to help your Dad with projects and he was constantly mad because you’re doing it wrong, whether it was being a ground guide for him backing a trailer/vehicle or handing him tools. 😂
We all had to have ramps back in our day, because we did not have a floor jack. Only the garages/service stations had expensive floor jacks to raise cars. When floor jacks and stands from Asia became available to the common guy, at reasonable cost, we no longer needed the ramps. The BIGGEST problem I had with ramps was where the hell to store them! Really enjoy your videos.
I didn't have any experiences with my dad and ramps. But I had many experiences of working on cars with him and his "go to" tool was always a hammer. The bigger the hammer the more excited he got. Thanks for another great video.
Good evening John, Thank you very much for the explanation on the tack hammer. I greatly appreciated. You should start how it works Wednesday. Have a great rest of your week. Looking forward to Friday's video.
My dad always managed to come up with throwaways from work. They were overbuilt to begin with. He would take them apart and reinforce them to make them even stronger. He always re-engineered everything. I do the same to this day. Everything I get is taken apart and the hardware is beefed up or the parts are redesigned. Nothing "stock" is good enough for me.
Long story short, metal ramps, front wheel drive, and polished concrete floors don't mix. I launched a set of ramps into the middle of the car like a see-saw. The girl I was helping at the time never asked for help again 😂. I love the story about you giving directions, no doubt my father thought I was special needs at times 😂. Cheers
My Dad had ramps like you described. Made from rail road tie wood. My first experience with them was with my truck. Not lifted, but she sits high. I went over the ramp, but my tires went back to the ground. We were able to reposition the ramps and try again!
Good episode John. It’s always great to hear your family stories, I love the funny pictures you insert and it’s nice that you explain how things work and how to use them. 👍
I always overbuild just because it will last longer. I wish everyone would use wheel chocks. I have seen so many videos of people having equipment rolling off the side of a mountain when the tow cable breaks. You're right that it doesn't take much to stop a tire from rolling. Look how many cars are stopped by snow balls. 😁😎
I don't have a dad / ramp story, but I have a lot of dad working on some project stories where I, (literally the forced laborer), was ordered to go get something, like "Get me a Phillips screwdriver," and off I'd go knowing damned well that I wasn't going to find whatever it was he wanted, and of course it was always about 92 degrees and 80% humidity, and without fail I would come back empty-handed and likewise, without fail, he would lose it. .... Thanks Chief, these memories made me laugh. You come up with these all the time. So many of the exact same experience and memories. 👍
John I think our dads must have known each other. I learned how to swear holding flashlights for him to do car or home repairs. I often tell people “you can’t insult me. I was my dad’s flashlight holder.” He would be 109 years old if he were still with us.
Hi John. Yes I have a wooden set of ramps that I made 40 plus years ago. Also wooden chucks. Don't use anymore .cus if I get down I can't get back up 😢. Always did all my macanic work. Not anymore. To compacted for me these days..lol. getting old sucks 😮. Very informative video. You have a great rest of the week. 👍👍👍❤..
My chocks were always bricks! Still are! My grandmother bought me a set of those stamped yellow metal ramps when I was a kid and I still use them once in a while but most of our cars are too low now. I still use my grandfathers jackstands from when he was a body man 60 years ago. I do have newer stuff too. I also found a big rubber wheel chock in the alley behind my house left there from a tow truck. SCORE! My dad was a draftsman so he always over engineered everything! I do the same. Thanks for showing the de - magnetizer. I never really knew that about the demag side. Itt hard to believe how many people can't use a compass. Thanks for another great video!
Jeeze , i miss my dad , and to this day I never imagined him not being around , we always used half a house brick with the angle chipped into the end , and used those kind angle iron constructed type ramps , never had a problem with either , that was a great video again John , so much fun , your dad bought up an excellent son , I’m sure he was very proud of the man you became .
6:05 - My dad (Jim) and one of friends (Terry, truck driver) built 2 sets of ramps out of angle iron that look similar to these but think of these ramps on steroids. They are about 6 foot long and heavier than you can imagine. I use to be able to move them around when I was young but I need my son to help me now. They are so large that you can't drive a regular car up on them. Only pickups and SUV's or larger otherwise, whatever end of the car comes up last will scrape on the ground. These thing are so strong, Terry could drive his semi up on them! I was hoping my son would want them but he doesn't seem to be that interested in them. I really don't want to get rid of them. I know it may sound foolish but it's one of the last things I own that my dad and my friend did together (they're both deceased) that I can remember them by. I've had them for around 50 years now and it saddens me to think they may end up in the dump when I finally croak.
Chocks...I use them all the time. I have a hydraulic dump trailer that weighs 3500 lbs empty, and my parking spot at home is on an incline. Always chock the tires when it's on the job site too. My Chocks: 4X4 cut offs, blocks, scraps, whatever you want to call them. I always have some handy. Never failed me yet.
In my fire department job we used chocks both as safety to keep a truck from rolling if the brakes failed but also used them on the ladder trucks as a function of vehicle stability. When we put an aerial ladder into use we not only used jacks attached the the structure of the truck to help distribute loads and to make stiffen the trucks structure so the suspension doesn't give as the ladder moves around. When the ladder was deployed we would also put substantial wheel chocks on both sides of the drive wheels. One night we were sitting on a 30 degree graded residential street after some freezing rain. We had wheel chocks down on the ladder trucks drive wheels and the darn truck just started to slide. The good thing is it good enough friction that it stopped with out hitting anything. People were concerned that night for a few seconds until we got off that slippery street.
HA Ha ha! We RV'd to every state in the USA as Pop was a school teacher (Building Trades). He made 2x6" ramps to level the RV by stacking different lengths of the lumber and screwing them together. It worked great. Not a ramp story, but close... Pop was backing into the garage and told me to stick my head out to tell him when to stop (I was on the passenger side). I did so and my Mom started to wind up the car window - crushing my face! I said STOP, STOP. Pop stopped the car, but Mom kept winding on the window... Why isn't this thing working?! She kept wrenching on the handle, I kept yelling STOP, STOP and Pop kept slamming on the brake! We didn't hit the wall, Pop was confused, Mom still didn't know what was going on and my sister, in the back seat with me couldn't stop laughing. I had bruises on both sides of my face...
I liked the cutaway of the American Lock....we have them (all key-ed alike) on our ranch gates...maybe 12 of them. They work gate and are quite old...a little bit of LockEase graphite every few years keep them working smooth. I usually just use a rock for a chock!
My nephew brought me two chalks made of rubber. They are heavy. I use them to keep my boat in one place on the driveway. We have very strong wind gusts here from time to time. I appreciate the knowledge on demagnetizing. I have solid tack hammers, not split. George Mount brand. I have another brand but can’t think of it. My problem I was never good with one shot. I always would start it lightly then drive. My dad was always one shot. He was also a dead shot with his rifle, not me. Thank You
This was like a flashback to my youth. My dad built a set of wooden ramps that we used for years. They were built like a brick you-know-what, and were able to support my gad's 1966 Plymouth Fury III wagon no problem. As I recall he did put a lip on the ends but luckily they were never needed. Just like you, I was the "guide" - a thankless job.
My uncle had home made wooden ramps which were tall like the metal ones, but they impressed me, so that when I was on my own at my first house, I made my wooden ramps with what I had which was only 2 layers thick, but it can fit under any car today and that is all the lift I need to change oil. 👍😀😎
Don't have any good ramp stories, but used the same plastic chocks for my boat trailer for many years. I really liked the cut away on the lock and seeing how that works. That's what I love about your channel, the show and tell! And that magnet thing you made for the scouts, that would entertain me for quite a while!
John on taking directions from another I have true story. Doing a remodel on my old Victorian house a friend was helping me move the Sheetrock in. He was in front and I was the other end and at the bottom of the stairs. He kept saying " come to it" I said " George I understand left- right forward or back but come to it doesn't mean a damned thing to me". 😆
Overbuilt or overkilling is the way to go! I use the large rubber wheel chocks that we use for our school busses. They are also the same size we carry in the Fire Department to chock the tires of vehicles at accident scenes. If you're lifting a car it's a good idea to chock the wheels. Thanks for the demagnetizing tutorial.
Nice compass. It took me 5 months to save up for my Scout Compass in 1964. I had to bring my van inside to work on the brakes. I use rubber chocks from Harbor Freight because they don't slide on the concrete floor. Good Luck, Rick
I have the plastic "Rhino Ramps" well used and they have been excellent. They are more than adequate for regular passenger car use. The only strike against them is if you get a bit of wheel spin on them they tend to smooth out the ridges on the ramp part. In the spring I'm going to rough them up for better grip.
I have had 2 sets of those plastic ramps. I brought them to do oil changes on my Porsche 986 which only weighs around 3000 pounds. I also do oil changes on my parent's vehicles and my Dads GMC truck and I got the bright idea to use them on his truck...and thats why I now have two sets. Well actually just one set now lol!
Great show, I have the solid rubber chocks and the hollow ramps definitely living on the edge. I've been in the automation industry for 50 years so I've seen just about everything assembled, from medical, cosmetics, lights of all types and automotive. We would feed thin wave washers onto a J mandrel and when they came up the mandrel into a short SS tube we had two hourse show magnets 🧲 that would separate the washers so the top one would float so they could be picked up and placed on a automatic assembly machine. We done this with the shinge spring on Zippo lighters. I held the light for my Dad usually pointing in the wrong place 😅
Interesting and informative as usual. I drove off the end of some pressed steel ramps once. The ends of the ramps ended up being folded under and became instant scrap metal. Didnt hurt the car. My backup set of ramps was made out of scrap lumber by my father, and I used them without drama for many years thereafter.
My dad had home made ramps too but welded angle iron. They were that overbuilt that you needed to be the Incredible Hulk to move them. He also had a short fuse with a European accent that made understanding him sometimes difficult. That always started the abuse. Great video buddy. Interesting segment on wheel chocks and magnets.
As always you spark so many memories John - it's a "right of passage" assisting your father in certain situations, my Dad was/(is) always a hard man to please and my kids will say bringing me the luggage to pack for a family holiday or a trip to or from university in the "right" order is a "memorable" experience ! It's funny you should mention the Ramps, that is one of the few things I had to decline (due to space) from the clear out of my Wife's grandfather's workshop, they were indeed home built out of solid hardwood although partly hollow in design - about 30" long and I suppose 8" high and certainly no stops ! He was also somewhat of a bull - 6ft 2" and 17 stone he played centre forward for the Met Police (London) Football/soccer team. A tack hammer is such an ingenious and useful tool to own, we all need more hammers !
Hi Scout, like you, my dad made a set of ramps and he went heavy as well. 2” angle iron was deemed suitable and sure enough it was but trying to get the wheels over the “slats” was a nightmare. They were just too big so the ramps were good for tractors but our car really struggled and the ramps always wanted to slide. They put me off ramps for life and I have always used a jack and car stands. Back in the 80’s a neighbour up the road had his car on ramps when he was pulling the transmission out of his car but the dumbass didn’t realise that part of the handbrake assembly used the rear transmission mount so when he pulled the mount off, the car rolled off the ramps. No chocks of course so as the car rolled back he was unfortunate enough to have his face between the sump and the road when the front wheels got to the bottom of the ramps. First thing we knew was when an ambulance arrived, then the fire rescue blokes to move and secure the car and then the police. We never did find out what happened to him but being 18 and not liking him much my mates and I found it hilarious at the time for being so dumb. Now I’m much older and wiser I realise how serious and unfunny it was. Kids🙄. Cheers, Stuart 🇦🇺
Back in 73 when I replaced the shocks on my roadrunner I jacked it up and set it on concrete blocks. Probably not the safest thing but safety doesn’t cross your mind much at 16
Chock the wheels?...It was either a couple of rocks or some split firewood. We always had jack stands. Working on vehicles is always fun when your driveway is dirt and the old Walker floor jack weighs about a million pounds!..lol One of the brothers that founded Silva (the compass you had) used to live in Pound Ridge. I did some electrical work for him when I worked down there. Nice guy. George
I still have the foldable chocks and tool kit from my 1975 Toyota Long Bed :) And I welded a pair of ramps for a class project many moons ago. You could park a semi on them.
No such thing as overbuilt in my book, if it even looks sketchy I tend to back away or reenforce the tool or item before I would trust it. Have used a lot of wheel choks in my day. Thanks for the video, appreciate your stories.
Those sheet metal car ramps always give me the willies. The new plastic ones even more so. I also prefer the solid timber ramps and chocks I use when crawling under my 2 ton plus rides.
N702SP chocks are for a Piper Aztec twin engine still flying. The black triangular ones with the yellow stripes and the yellow and black rope are what we use at work. My favorite are similar to the largest rubber ones you can buy at HF only heavier and US made. I have run thousands of aircraft using these but for near full power runs only a lot of open space in front of you is a "safe" way to test engines!
Enjoyed this one so much! I'm always terrified driving my ATV up on ramps. My father's cousin had a barn with a big rectangular pit that they would get into, and have someone drive the vehicle over them. Boy did that creep me out as a kid. Kind of a fascinating horror!
4:36 Before I got rid of my wrecked '77 Datsun 280Z, I saved the yellow folding wheel chocks that came with it. I use 4x4 Wood Blocks on the floor, to stop the car in the garage. I even used a tennis ball on a string (suspended from the ceiling), to know when to stop.
Cool segment Scoutcrafter. Those plastic ramps have always struck me as too dicey. Early days of Harbor Freight had some of those and I was looking at some of the jackstands they were selling and oh boy! I'm never going to get under a car held up with something like that. That dowel with the magnets sure is cool--I bet your scouts got a kick out of that--what a cool toy to demonstrate magnetism!
I still have a set of the stamped steel ramps but the good ones were 2 'C' channel uprights from guard rails sitting on chunks of RR Crossties with a 2x4 up the middle of the channel. Scotches are 1/2 of a 8 inch sourwood block about a foot wide. They don't rot and won't scoot in gravel and as for hand signs, the Sea Bee Uncle started with his arm up at the elbow with his hand open and ease his arm down while closing his hand and when the arm was down and hand closed, you were STOPPED! You don't mess with Sea Bee Uncles either! And the compass was going CRAZY so your point was very much gotten across. Happy mid week and God Bless!
Fantastic how it works Wednesday. I have always used jacks and jack stands along with heavy rubberized chocks. Never liked the ramps. I laughed out loud about overbuilding building the chairs. Love your humor. Hand signals from people that try to show which way to turn your steering wheel drive me crazy! Just point the direction...
All dads have that short fuse when you're trying to tow a car, hold a flash light or back onto ramps. I remember my dad losing his temper on such things.
Another great show, especially the parts where you talked about you and your Dads adventures. My Dad was always using one or the other of us to help him. A sure way to get out of it was to screw it up, then he'd get mad and kick you out and grab another brother! Worked every time. Enjoyed your story about the wheel chocks. We had the heavy duty wood ones made of power pole cross arms. Nowadays I prefer the heavy rubber ones from Harbor Freight.
Your channel keeps costing me money! Every time I see a cool gadget or tool, it's off to eBay or Amazon to get one. Ummm, I have 2 magnetizer/demagnetizers arriving in a few hours now....same day shipping. :)
Another great show today John. I have one of the demagnetizer and use is all the time. I liked the picture of your dad. Thank You for sharing and making my day.
Absolutely ... Just yesterday.. i bought one those field bag chairs to watch a little baseball... they had one rated for 400lbs & 600lbs - I went with 600...being 323 I figured I'd wiggle some and hope the extra rated weight holds 😳🤠👍
A 4x4 block that we found along the road is what we used. The cars weren’t so low and it gave enough room to slide in on your back to change oil. I always wanted ramps but they were lower priority than my girlfriend.
My first two cars were surplus unmarked police cars. One was a Chevy Biscayne wagon, the other was a Ford Ranch Wagon. Huge engines, heavy rear ends! (Sounds like my aunts on my mother's side) anyway, they weighed a ton. Then a Blazer on 30 inch tires. Lots of off roading on Jones Beach. Then I rebuilt 3, 1963 Buick Wildcats. I always used the Steel ramps like the ones you pictured. They were orange red in color and were heavy as heck. I never had a problem! As far as chocks, I drove tank trucks and did about 20 service stops a day. The company had a rule! Flashers on and chock the wheels! I was OCD about it! When I parked my cars, I always turned the front wheels toward the curb and hit the parking brake. Im betting noone today uses the parking brake! 😮
I always learn so much from your videos! Now I am inspired to build my own set of ramps (I never trusted the plastic ones either) and to get a magnetizer/demagnetizer. Great content as always!!
Yes, we still have a pair of wood ramps like that. About 4x12 wood ramps, soaked in cresoloe probably. I think they were from pier bulkheads. The pinging of metal ramps always uneeved me and were not great with our front wheel drive cars.
I had a steel set of steel ramps from the late '70s and I remember a lot of recalls on ramps back then. Well a few years go I took those ramps and sawzalled them in half so I could throw them away safely. There may have been nothing wrong with them but they were unbranded and it's not like there were any safety certification markings on them. I was placing large blocks of wood under the ramps when I'd use them because I couldn't trust them. And they take up space to store them so I make due with redundant jack stands these days.
John i always look forward to your videos. I know im going to learn something and get a good laugh in the same video. Your ramp stories were hilarious 😂😅. Well i need to go buy a set of chocks for my private jet! Lol. 👍🇺🇸
Hi Scout. I Still Have Home Chicks ! I Used Stacked 2x4 s ! Ramps I Have A Pair of Those Metal Ones With The Depression on Top . Work Well Unless The Car is Too Low! Then They Just Slide ! 😂😂
My ramps are metal I bought them for my father when I was a kid and when I got older I borrowed them and and still have them today my dad recently passed away so they have sentimental value now
Never used ramps, just jack stands and some big wood blocks. Nice cut-a-way padlock. I have a magnetic padlock with a clear plastic cover to see the action.
We had a pair of the light duty stamped steel ramps. Darn things would just slide on the garage floor unless had them blocked in place. I only used them two or three times. Mostly I would just crawl under just far enough to reach the drain plug and the oil filter, and the grease fittings.
I have the pressed steel ramps. These are strong enough, although not over built. My only issue is that the want to slide back when the tyres start to make contact. I need to use these against the lip of my garage slab so they stay put while I drive onto the ramps - or I have to jack up the vehicle and then slide them under the tyre. I love the cut-away locks. Very interesting to see the mechanism. Dave.
My late grandfather had a blue pair just like the pair at 6:06. He had to lock them away in the shed to stop me from hurting myself after little me discovered that I could make a ramp by laying a plank up them, and then leaping off it on my bike.
Bigger is better :) I love overbuilt stuff too. Maybe because I am above average too. Or because you can never know... I have my own self made wooden ramps.
The cutaway lock is great. I use the Rhino black plastic ramps. They are good and sturdy. I just bought a floor jack and I went for the next size up. Better to have more, right? As for chocks I use a cheap set of Rubber from harbor freight. Way back when I was starting as a road service tech, the company I worked for had a long time employee killed because he did not chock the truck wheels. He was welding a dock plate that was being held in place by the boom on the truck. The truck rolled back a crushed him. The OSHA investigation found that because the wheels weren’t chocked, he was killed.
ScoutCrafter, I built ramps for my sweethearts wheelchair to get her in and out of the house. Does that count? They did not fail. I always enjoy your show.
I have a pair of those ramps out of angle iron you show as sketchy. Though I never had them feel wobbly in the slightest (maybe because our European car are a bit smaller and lighter then then American ones typically) I did go over the edge once. That was a world of pain I tell you. I don't go up them unsupervised anymore. Rather wait a day longer! On the plus side, the ramp didn't give an inch, even with all that impact.
Recently found your channel. Thanks for the tips on the steps. I have one but never knew about that procedure. Like you said, the directions aren’t complete. I grew up down the road from the Oak St depot and Mitchell Field. I’m assuming you’re not too far from there. Thanks for the fun. 😊
I carried those plastic chocks in my car for years and thanks for showing how to use one of those demagnetizers lol👍. Hey are they having the LI tool meet tomorrow❓
Besides straddling a ditch which wasn't handy, we had a set from old railroah ties. As for chocks I am embarrassed to say it's always a chunk of wood. I have a couple of short 4x4s in the truck bed but I have used a piece of firewood. When I was young we would loos the muffler at times on rough railroad track crossings. Then it was car lifted with the bumper jack with a large rock or old fence post for a chock. You could always find a piece of wire on a fence post. Farmers hung leftovers on fece posts for quick repairs. I have two sets of metal ramps, they have held 6000 pound vehicles. Most of the time nowadays I roll the jack under lift and put jack stands under. I do have a home made set that are over engineered. I think they would hold the back end of a farm tractor. Sometimes it's easier to move them with the hand truck.
We had the old metal ramps when I was a kid, and they worked OK for cars from the 70's and 80's, but modern cars/vans have the air dams or other body plastic too close to the ground and it hits the tall metal ramps, before the wheel starts to roll up the ramp!
Scout, the short fuse comment reminded me of my Dad, owned a grocery store. One day a freezer went out, he was already having a bad day so he kicked the compressor…well, it immediately started working. Ran fine…so from then on, whenever the freezers would go out, he would tell me to go kick the sh.. out of it…sometimes it really worked. Great memories!
Another great episode. Comedy combined with education. So enjoyable.
Great video ScoutCrafter! 👍🏻 I like your idea for a “How it Works Wednesday,” I’ve always been fascinated by those shows. First time I’ve ever seen folding chocks before. Around the garage I’ve always just used a couple pieces of 2x4 but can see where those would be useful in a vehicle for roadside use. I think for men of several generations it was a rite of passage to help your Dad with projects and he was constantly mad because you’re doing it wrong, whether it was being a ground guide for him backing a trailer/vehicle or handing him tools. 😂
We all had to have ramps back in our day, because we did not have a floor jack. Only the garages/service stations had expensive floor jacks to raise cars. When floor jacks and stands from Asia became available to the common guy, at reasonable cost, we no longer needed the ramps. The BIGGEST problem I had with ramps was where the hell to store them! Really enjoy your videos.
I didn't have any experiences with my dad and ramps. But I had many experiences of working on cars with him and his "go to" tool was always a hammer. The bigger the hammer the more excited he got. Thanks for another great video.
Good evening John, Thank you very much for the explanation on the tack hammer. I greatly appreciated. You should start how it works Wednesday. Have a great rest of your week. Looking forward to Friday's video.
My dad always managed to come up with throwaways from work. They were overbuilt to begin with. He would take them apart and reinforce them to make them even stronger. He always re-engineered everything. I do the same to this day. Everything I get is taken apart and the hardware is beefed up or the parts are redesigned. Nothing "stock" is good enough for me.
Long story short, metal ramps, front wheel drive, and polished concrete floors don't mix. I launched a set of ramps into the middle of the car like a see-saw. The girl I was helping at the time never asked for help again 😂. I love the story about you giving directions, no doubt my father thought I was special needs at times 😂. Cheers
My Dad had ramps like you described. Made from rail road tie wood. My first experience with them was with my truck. Not lifted, but she sits high. I went over the ramp, but my tires went back to the ground. We were able to reposition the ramps and try again!
Good episode John. It’s always great to hear your family stories, I love the funny pictures you insert and it’s nice that you explain how things work and how to use them. 👍
I always overbuild just because it will last longer.
I wish everyone would use wheel chocks.
I have seen so many videos of people having equipment rolling off the side of a mountain when the tow cable breaks.
You're right that it doesn't take much to stop a tire from rolling. Look how many cars are stopped by snow balls. 😁😎
I don't have a dad / ramp story, but I have a lot of dad working on some project stories where I, (literally the forced laborer), was ordered to go get something, like "Get me a Phillips screwdriver," and off I'd go knowing damned well that I wasn't going to find whatever it was he wanted, and of course it was always about 92 degrees and 80% humidity, and without fail I would come back empty-handed and likewise, without fail, he would lose it. .... Thanks Chief, these memories made me laugh. You come up with these all the time. So many of the exact same experience and memories. 👍
John I think our dads must have known each other. I learned how to swear holding flashlights for him to do car or home repairs. I often tell people “you can’t insult me. I was my dad’s flashlight holder.” He would be 109 years old if he were still with us.
Thanks for demonstrating the demagnetizer!
Hi John. Yes I have a wooden set of ramps that I made 40 plus years ago. Also wooden chucks. Don't use anymore .cus if I get down I can't get back up 😢. Always did all my macanic work. Not anymore. To compacted for me these days..lol. getting old sucks 😮. Very informative video. You have a great rest of the week. 👍👍👍❤..
My chocks were always bricks! Still are! My grandmother bought me a set of those stamped yellow metal ramps when I was a kid and I still use them once in a while but most of our cars are too low now. I still use my grandfathers jackstands from when he was a body man 60 years ago. I do have newer stuff too. I also found a big rubber wheel chock in the alley behind my house left there from a tow truck. SCORE! My dad was a draftsman so he always over engineered everything! I do the same.
Thanks for showing the de - magnetizer. I never really knew that about the demag side. Itt hard to believe how many people can't use a compass. Thanks for another great video!
Jeeze , i miss my dad , and to this day I never imagined him not being around , we always used half a house brick with the angle chipped into the end , and used those kind angle iron constructed type ramps , never had a problem with either , that was a great video again John , so much fun , your dad bought up an excellent son , I’m sure he was very proud of the man you became .
Peter- If only we had five minutes to tell our fathers how right they were. 😃👍
6:05 - My dad (Jim) and one of friends (Terry, truck driver) built 2 sets of ramps out of angle iron that look similar to these but think of these ramps on steroids. They are about 6 foot long and heavier than you can imagine. I use to be able to move them around when I was young but I need my son to help me now. They are so large that you can't drive a regular car up on them. Only pickups and SUV's or larger otherwise, whatever end of the car comes up last will scrape on the ground. These thing are so strong, Terry could drive his semi up on them! I was hoping my son would want them but he doesn't seem to be that interested in them. I really don't want to get rid of them. I know it may sound foolish but it's one of the last things I own that my dad and my friend did together (they're both deceased) that I can remember them by. I've had them for around 50 years now and it saddens me to think they may end up in the dump when I finally croak.
Chocks...I use them all the time. I have a hydraulic dump trailer that weighs 3500 lbs empty, and my parking spot at home is on an incline. Always chock the tires when it's on the job site too. My Chocks: 4X4 cut offs, blocks, scraps, whatever you want to call them. I always have some handy. Never failed me yet.
THANK YOU !! I have a magnetizer and I thought it never worked. I will follow your instructions.
In my fire department job we used chocks both as safety to keep a truck from rolling if the brakes failed but also used them on the ladder trucks as a function of vehicle stability. When we put an aerial ladder into use we not only used jacks attached the the structure of the truck to help distribute loads and to make stiffen the trucks structure so the suspension doesn't give as the ladder moves around. When the ladder was deployed we would also put substantial wheel chocks on both sides of the drive wheels. One night we were sitting on a 30 degree graded residential street after some freezing rain. We had wheel chocks down on the ladder trucks drive wheels and the darn truck just started to slide. The good thing is it good enough friction that it stopped with out hitting anything. People were concerned that night for a few seconds until we got off that slippery street.
Thanks for bringing back old memories
HA Ha ha!
We RV'd to every state in the USA as Pop was a school teacher (Building Trades).
He made 2x6" ramps to level the RV by stacking different lengths of the lumber and screwing them together.
It worked great.
Not a ramp story, but close...
Pop was backing into the garage and told me to stick my head out to tell him when to stop (I was on the passenger side).
I did so and my Mom started to wind up the car window - crushing my face!
I said STOP, STOP. Pop stopped the car, but Mom kept winding on the window... Why isn't this thing working?!
She kept wrenching on the handle, I kept yelling STOP, STOP and Pop kept slamming on the brake!
We didn't hit the wall, Pop was confused, Mom still didn't know what was going on and my sister, in the back seat with me couldn't stop laughing.
I had bruises on both sides of my face...
😂😂😂😂
That was great but I have to say the stories about you and your dad were the best part. Thanks for sharing this.
I liked the cutaway of the American Lock....we have them (all key-ed alike) on our ranch gates...maybe 12 of them. They work gate and are quite old...a little bit of LockEase graphite every few years keep them working smooth. I usually just use a rock for a chock!
My nephew brought me two chalks made of rubber. They are heavy. I use them to keep my boat in one place on the driveway. We have very strong wind gusts here from time to time. I appreciate the knowledge on demagnetizing. I have solid tack hammers, not split. George Mount brand. I have another brand but can’t think of it. My problem I was never good with one shot. I always would start it lightly then drive. My dad was always one shot. He was also a dead shot with his rifle, not me. Thank You
This was like a flashback to my youth. My dad built a set of wooden ramps that we used for years. They were built like a brick you-know-what, and were able to support my gad's 1966 Plymouth Fury III wagon no problem. As I recall he did put a lip on the ends but luckily they were never needed. Just like you, I was the "guide" - a thankless job.
My Father and I just pulled the old Pontiac across the ditch and changed the oil...easy peasy!!!
My uncle had home made wooden ramps which were tall like the metal ones, but they impressed me, so that when I was on my own at my first house, I made my wooden ramps with what I had which was only 2 layers thick, but it can fit under any car today and that is all the lift I need to change oil. 👍😀😎
Don't have any good ramp stories, but used the same plastic chocks for my boat trailer for many years. I really liked the cut away on the lock and seeing how that works. That's what I love about your channel, the show and tell! And that magnet thing you made for the scouts, that would entertain me for quite a while!
John on taking directions from another I have true story. Doing a remodel on my old Victorian house a friend was helping me move the Sheetrock in. He was in front and I was the other end and at the bottom of the stairs. He kept saying " come to it" I said " George I understand left- right forward or back but come to it doesn't mean a damned thing to me". 😆
😂😂😂😂
Overbuilt or overkilling is the way to go! I use the large rubber wheel chocks that we use for our school busses. They are also the same size we carry in the Fire Department to chock the tires of vehicles at accident scenes. If you're lifting a car it's a good idea to chock the wheels. Thanks for the demagnetizing tutorial.
Nice compass. It took me 5 months to save up for my Scout Compass in 1964. I had to bring my van inside to work on the brakes. I use rubber chocks from Harbor Freight because they don't slide on the concrete floor. Good Luck, Rick
I have the plastic "Rhino Ramps" well used and they have been excellent. They are more than adequate for regular passenger car use. The only strike against them is if you get a bit of wheel spin on them they tend to smooth out the ridges on the ramp part. In the spring I'm going to rough them up for better grip.
You are right John the home bulid rams tested our strength and polished our driving skills ..unlike these days ramps are so different and easy to use
I have had 2 sets of those plastic ramps. I brought them to do oil changes on my Porsche 986 which only weighs around 3000 pounds. I also do oil changes on my parent's vehicles and my Dads GMC truck and I got the bright idea to use them on his truck...and thats why I now have two sets. Well actually just one set now lol!
Great show, I have the solid rubber chocks and the hollow ramps definitely living on the edge. I've been in the automation industry for 50 years so I've seen just about everything assembled, from medical, cosmetics, lights of all types and automotive. We would feed thin wave washers onto a J mandrel and when they came up the mandrel into a short SS tube we had two hourse show magnets 🧲 that would separate the washers so the top one would float so they could be picked up and placed on a automatic assembly machine. We done this with the shinge spring on Zippo lighters.
I held the light for my Dad usually pointing in the wrong place 😅
Interesting and informative as usual. I drove off the end of some pressed steel ramps once. The ends of the ramps ended up being folded under and became instant scrap metal. Didnt hurt the car. My backup set of ramps was made out of scrap lumber by my father, and I used them without drama for many years thereafter.
I always buy tools that do more than what I need them for. Great video John.
My dad had home made ramps too but welded angle iron. They were that overbuilt that you needed to be the Incredible Hulk to move them. He also had a short fuse with a European accent that made understanding him sometimes difficult. That always started the abuse.
Great video buddy. Interesting segment on wheel chocks and magnets.
really hit home on the giving signals, boy I'm glad that's behind me...say Hi to "Pipes"
As always you spark so many memories John - it's a "right of passage" assisting your father in certain situations, my Dad was/(is) always a hard man to please and my kids will say bringing me the luggage to pack for a family holiday or a trip to or from university in the "right" order is a "memorable" experience !
It's funny you should mention the Ramps, that is one of the few things I had to decline (due to space) from the clear out of my Wife's grandfather's workshop, they were indeed home built out of solid hardwood although partly hollow in design - about 30" long and I suppose 8" high and certainly no stops ! He was also somewhat of a bull - 6ft 2" and 17 stone he played centre forward for the Met Police (London) Football/soccer team.
A tack hammer is such an ingenious and useful tool to own, we all need more hammers !
Hi Scout, like you, my dad made a set of ramps and he went heavy as well. 2” angle iron was deemed suitable and sure enough it was but trying to get the wheels over the “slats” was a nightmare. They were just too big so the ramps were good for tractors but our car really struggled and the ramps always wanted to slide. They put me off ramps for life and I have always used a jack and car stands.
Back in the 80’s a neighbour up the road had his car on ramps when he was pulling the transmission out of his car but the dumbass didn’t realise that part of the handbrake assembly used the rear transmission mount so when he pulled the mount off, the car rolled off the ramps.
No chocks of course so as the car rolled back he was unfortunate enough to have his face between the sump and the road when the front wheels got to the bottom of the ramps. First thing we knew was when an ambulance arrived, then the fire rescue blokes to move and secure the car and then the police. We never did find out what happened to him but being 18 and not liking him much my mates and I found it hilarious at the time for being so dumb. Now I’m much older and wiser I realise how serious and unfunny it was. Kids🙄. Cheers, Stuart 🇦🇺
Also my father overbuilds everything and taught me well with all the great stuff he did 👍
I love the stories about your pops.
Back in 73 when I replaced the shocks on my roadrunner I jacked it up and set it on concrete blocks. Probably not the safest thing but safety doesn’t cross your mind much at 16
Chock the wheels?...It was either a couple of rocks or some split firewood. We always had jack stands. Working on vehicles is always fun when your driveway is dirt and the old Walker floor jack weighs about a million pounds!..lol
One of the brothers that founded Silva (the compass you had) used to live in Pound Ridge. I did some electrical work for him when I worked down there. Nice guy.
George
I still have the foldable chocks and tool kit from my 1975 Toyota Long Bed :) And I welded a pair of ramps for a class project many moons ago. You could park a semi on them.
No such thing as overbuilt in my book, if it even looks sketchy I tend to back away or reenforce the tool or item before I would trust it. Have used a lot of wheel choks in my day. Thanks for the video, appreciate your stories.
My dad was the same way to me. I love your humor and storys.
another great episode. enjoy your reminiscing stories
Those sheet metal car ramps always give me the willies. The new plastic ones even more so. I also prefer the solid timber ramps and chocks I use when crawling under my 2 ton plus rides.
N702SP chocks are for a Piper Aztec twin engine still flying. The black triangular ones with the yellow stripes and the yellow and black rope are what we use at work. My favorite are similar to the largest rubber ones you can buy at HF only heavier and US made. I have run thousands of aircraft using these but for near full power runs only a lot of open space in front of you is a "safe" way to test engines!
Enjoyed this one so much! I'm always terrified driving my ATV up on ramps. My father's cousin had a barn with a big rectangular pit that they would get into, and have someone drive the vehicle over them. Boy did that creep me out as a kid. Kind of a fascinating horror!
4:36 Before I got rid of my wrecked '77 Datsun 280Z, I saved the yellow folding wheel chocks that came with it. I use 4x4 Wood Blocks on the floor, to stop the car in the garage. I even used a tennis ball on a string (suspended from the ceiling), to know when to stop.
Very useful episode as always,sir...This padlock have own soul...
ScoutCrafter and his Dad were Ralphie & The Old Man from "A Christmas Story"...............Oh Fudge!
The back up gag had me cracking up
I always had a pair of metal ramps and jack stands as well as a pair of homemade wheel chocks before sliding under the car.
Cool segment Scoutcrafter. Those plastic ramps have always struck me as too dicey. Early days of Harbor Freight had some of those and I was looking at some of the jackstands they were selling and oh boy! I'm never going to get under a car held up with something like that. That dowel with the magnets sure is cool--I bet your scouts got a kick out of that--what a cool toy to demonstrate magnetism!
I still have a set of the stamped steel ramps but the good ones were 2 'C' channel uprights from guard rails sitting on chunks of RR Crossties with a 2x4 up the middle of the channel. Scotches are 1/2 of a 8 inch sourwood block about a foot wide. They don't rot and won't scoot in gravel and as for hand signs, the Sea Bee Uncle started with his arm up at the elbow with his hand open and ease his arm down while closing his hand and when the arm was down and hand closed, you were STOPPED! You don't mess with Sea Bee Uncles either! And the compass was going CRAZY so your point was very much gotten across. Happy mid week and God Bless!
“How it works” Wednesday is AWESOME.
Fantastic how it works Wednesday. I have always used jacks and jack stands along with heavy rubberized chocks. Never liked the ramps. I laughed out loud about overbuilding building the chairs. Love your humor. Hand signals from people that try to show which way to turn your steering wheel drive me crazy! Just point the direction...
All dads have that short fuse when you're trying to tow a car, hold a flash light or back onto ramps. I remember my dad losing his temper on such things.
Another great show, especially the parts where you talked about you and your Dads adventures. My Dad was always using one or the other of us to help him. A sure way to get out of it was to screw it up, then he'd get mad and kick you out and grab another brother! Worked every time. Enjoyed your story about the wheel chocks. We had the heavy duty wood ones made of power pole cross arms. Nowadays I prefer the heavy rubber ones from Harbor Freight.
Your channel keeps costing me money! Every time I see a cool gadget or tool, it's off to eBay or Amazon to get one. Ummm, I have 2 magnetizer/demagnetizers arriving in a few hours now....same day shipping. :)
I agree. I have picked up more tools/gadgets since watching The ScoutCrafter. And, I put them to use as well...
@@billmcclure433Me too!
Another great show today John. I have one of the demagnetizer and use is all the time. I liked the picture of your dad. Thank You for sharing and making my day.
Absolutely ... Just yesterday.. i bought one those field bag chairs to watch a little baseball... they had one rated for 400lbs & 600lbs - I went with 600...being 323 I figured I'd wiggle some and hope the extra rated weight holds 😳🤠👍
Great Dad Story - it Hits Home 👍
A 4x4 block that we found along the road is what we used. The cars weren’t so low and it gave enough room to slide in on your back to change oil. I always wanted ramps but they were lower priority than my girlfriend.
My first two cars were surplus unmarked police cars. One was a Chevy Biscayne wagon, the other was a Ford Ranch Wagon. Huge engines, heavy rear ends! (Sounds like my aunts on my mother's side) anyway, they weighed a ton. Then a Blazer on 30 inch tires. Lots of off roading on Jones Beach. Then I rebuilt 3, 1963 Buick Wildcats. I always used the Steel ramps like the ones you pictured. They were orange red in color and were heavy as heck. I never had a problem! As far as chocks, I drove tank trucks and did about 20 service stops a day. The company had a rule! Flashers on and chock the wheels! I was OCD about it! When I parked my cars, I always turned the front wheels toward the curb and hit the parking brake. Im betting noone today uses the parking brake! 😮
The early ones were super strong, then in the 80’s they made the same design but 1/2 the weight. 🫣😂👍
@@ScoutCrafter that's about right! Everything was flimsier!
I always learn so much from your videos! Now I am inspired to build my own set of ramps (I never trusted the plastic ones either) and to get a magnetizer/demagnetizer. Great content as always!!
Yes, we still have a pair of wood ramps like that. About 4x12 wood ramps, soaked in cresoloe probably. I think they were from pier bulkheads. The pinging of metal ramps always uneeved me and were not great with our front wheel drive cars.
I had a steel set of steel ramps from the late '70s and I remember a lot of recalls on ramps back then. Well a few years go I took those ramps and sawzalled them in half so I could throw them away safely. There may have been nothing wrong with them but they were unbranded and it's not like there were any safety certification markings on them. I was placing large blocks of wood under the ramps when I'd use them because I couldn't trust them. And they take up space to store them so I make due with redundant jack stands these days.
John i always look forward to your videos. I know im going to learn something and get a good laugh in the same video. Your ramp stories were hilarious 😂😅. Well i need to go buy a set of chocks for my private jet! Lol. 👍🇺🇸
Hi Scout. I Still Have Home Chicks ! I Used Stacked 2x4 s ! Ramps I Have A Pair of Those Metal Ones With The Depression on Top . Work Well Unless The Car is Too Low! Then They Just Slide ! 😂😂
My ramps are metal I bought them for my father when I was a kid and when I got older I borrowed them and and still have them today my dad recently passed away so they have sentimental value now
Never used ramps, just jack stands and some big wood blocks.
Nice cut-a-way padlock. I have a magnetic padlock with a clear plastic cover to see the action.
We had a pair of the light duty stamped steel ramps. Darn things would just slide on the garage floor unless had them blocked in place. I only used them two or three times. Mostly I would just crawl under just far enough to reach the drain plug and the oil filter, and the grease fittings.
I have the pressed steel ramps. These are strong enough, although not over built. My only issue is that the want to slide back when the tyres start to make contact. I need to use these against the lip of my garage slab so they stay put while I drive onto the ramps - or I have to jack up the vehicle and then slide them under the tyre.
I love the cut-away locks. Very interesting to see the mechanism.
Dave.
Love the story and the pictures of you helping your dad drive the car onto the ramps!
My late grandfather had a blue pair just like the pair at 6:06. He had to lock them away in the shed to stop me from hurting myself after little me discovered that I could make a ramp by laying a plank up them, and then leaping off it on my bike.
Always fascinating John
That was an interesting demonstration of the tools and locks.
Sorry I’m late….been on my epic train journey to Scotland and back 600 miles
Yes I watched your video! Nice truck!!!! 😃👍
great show had me laughing
Bigger is better :) I love overbuilt stuff too. Maybe because I am above average too. Or because you can never know... I have my own self made wooden ramps.
The cutaway lock is great. I use the Rhino black plastic ramps. They are good and sturdy. I just bought a floor jack and I went for the next size up. Better to have more, right? As for chocks I use a cheap set of Rubber from harbor freight.
Way back when I was starting as a road service tech, the company I worked for had a long time employee killed because he did not chock the truck wheels. He was welding a dock plate that was being held in place by the boom on the truck. The truck rolled back a crushed him. The OSHA investigation found that because the wheels weren’t chocked, he was killed.
Yikes! 🫣
ScoutCrafter, I built ramps for my sweethearts wheelchair to get her in and out of the house. Does that count?
They did not fail.
I always enjoy your show.
I have a pair of those ramps out of angle iron you show as sketchy. Though I never had them feel wobbly in the slightest (maybe because our European car are a bit smaller and lighter then then American ones typically) I did go over the edge once. That was a world of pain I tell you. I don't go up them unsupervised anymore. Rather wait a day longer! On the plus side, the ramp didn't give an inch, even with all that impact.
The older ones were made of angle iron, very strong and heavy.
Lot's of interesting stuff, Thanks 🛠👍😊
Recently found your channel. Thanks for the tips on the steps. I have one but never knew about that procedure. Like you said, the directions aren’t complete. I grew up down the road from the Oak St depot and Mitchell Field. I’m assuming you’re not too far from there. Thanks for the fun. 😊
😂👍 Queens NY
I carried those plastic chocks in my car for years and thanks for showing how to use one of those demagnetizers lol👍. Hey are they having the LI tool meet tomorrow❓
Yes Rich! Thursday. 😃👍
Besides straddling a ditch which wasn't handy, we had a set from old railroah ties. As for chocks I am embarrassed to say it's always a chunk of wood. I have a couple of short 4x4s in the truck bed but I have used a piece of firewood. When I was young we would loos the muffler at times on rough railroad track crossings. Then it was car lifted with the bumper jack with a large rock or old fence post for a chock. You could always find a piece of wire on a fence post. Farmers hung leftovers on fece posts for quick repairs. I have two sets of metal ramps, they have held 6000 pound vehicles. Most of the time nowadays I roll the jack under lift and put jack stands under. I do have a home made set that are over engineered. I think they would hold the back end of a farm tractor. Sometimes it's easier to move them with the hand truck.
I first made my ramps to change tires on dual axel trailers. No jacks needed
We had the old metal ramps when I was a kid, and they worked OK for cars from the 70's and 80's, but modern cars/vans have the air dams or other body plastic too close to the ground and it hits the tall metal ramps, before the wheel starts to roll up the ramp!
Use homemade chocks to hold the horse trailer in place. Made they out of cedar so the termites leave
them alone.
I used to have a set of ramps made of recycled tires
they work good but they were heavy
Danoh- Heavy usually means strong! 😃👍
You can’t hurt my feelings. I used to bring the wrong tool to my dad.
Another entertaining video, and I would like to see your Boy Scout compasses. Cheers from Taxachusetts