Ever needed a 1 time tool that is expensive?

[MTboatguy]

Well, I am in the process of using a product on my 5th wheel travel trailer to do some roof sealing before the end of the season gets here!

It is a seam sealing tape that is used by many of the large name manufactures called Eternabond, which is highly recommended, but when you put it down you have to roll it to activate the tape to stick to the seams, so I looked up and found out the 2 in roller they sell is about $30 bucks! Ouch, so I got to thinking, how can I make something that will work without spending so much money! This is the roller they say you need:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ETERNABOND-...525?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19e9a35b85

This is the product I am using:

http://www.eternabond.com/RV-Leak-Repair-Products-s/22.htm

So my beady little mind starts thinking and the wife says, grab one of the small paint roller handles we have for doing trim and see what you can come up with. Well I ended up taking my hole saw kit, drilled out two plugs of about 1.25 inches in diameter and sliding them inside a 1.25 inch mechanics socket, wa la instant tool that works just as good as the commercial one and it didn't cost me a dime!

 

[bruceb58]

Amazing how much that tool is.

Sometimes, I will buy a tool that's needed only once and then just sell it again on ebay.

 

[ehenry]

Harbor Freight ......granted its all Chinese junk but for a one time use it works......sometimes you get more than one use out of it.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Harbor Freight ......granted its all Chinese junk but for a one time use it works......sometimes you get more than one use out of it.

Sometimes.........

 

[MTboatguy]

Anytime I see something at Harbor Freight that I can use, I have to add at 4 hour round trip to the cost, or a 8 hour round trip to the cost, my closest HF is 130 miles one way, or the other one is 265 miles one way, so normally, I see what I can figure out, don't get me wrong, I do buy a lot from HF, but normally I load up when I go back to Washington to visit family!

 

[bruceb58]

I have a HF on my way home from work or just 10 minutes from my house if I need something on the weekend so I end up going there a lot!

 

[dingbat]

Anytime I see something at Harbor Freight that I can use, I have to add at 4 hour round trip to the cost, or a 8 hour round trip to the cost, my closest HF is 130 miles one way, or the other one is 265 miles one way

HF is 20 minutes from the house.I've not been there in almost 5 years. Getting something shipped to the house is more cost and time effective than going to pick it up.

 

[rogerwa]

The $30 would probably pale in comparison to having the work done by someone else.. So I would figure that into the "savings" calculation. Don't get me wrong, I am a cheapee myself and it pains me to do it.. I've spent far more on tools for a single job - but was worth it to get it done quick and correct.

 

[MTboatguy]

The $30 would probably pale in comparison to having the work done by someone else.. So I would figure that into the "savings" calculation. Don't get me wrong, I am a cheapee myself and it pains me to do it.. I've spent far more on tools for a single job - but was worth it to get it done quick and correct.

My little tool seems to be working just fine, I will have it done in about an hour, so I am quite pleased. Normally if I need a tool, I look at what it does, then if I can't make something, I will get it, but in this instance, my jury rig is working.

 

[Scott Danforth]

$30 is cheap. I would have probably done exactly like you did initially.

 

[MTboatguy]

$30 is cheap. I would have probably done exactly like you did initially.

There is no initially, I am done with the job and ready to put the trailer to bed for the winter.

 

[Bob_VT]

How about a heavy wine bottle....... beer bottles are too thin of glass

 

[redneck joe]

How about a heavy wine bottle

thats what i use in the kitchen instead of rolling pin.

 

[MTboatguy]

How about a heavy wine bottle....... beer bottles are too thin of glass

Depends Bob, I do like some heavy German Lagers! LOL

 

[Bob_VT]

You know if you had an empty 40mm shell you could make that tool and still drink the beer while you work.