Modifying engine stand... just a thought.

[bugnut68]

I have a non-collapsible rollaway engine stand that's probably sixteen years old or better.  Even for light tightening duties, the engine tends to turn around with fair ease.  There's just a simple T-handle that uses a set screw design to clamp down on the engine stand part, and I was wondering what the adverse effects would be (if any) of drilling through the engine stand tube that fits into the rollaway part of the stand so that the set screw would screw into the tube and prevent the engine stand part from turning within the rollaway frame part?

The threaded part for the set screw is on the outside of the rollaway frame, so the screw would essentially serve as a brace to keep the engine from turning inside the frame.  My thought was either that, or drill the tube all the way through and install a long through bolt and nut that would totally lock the engine portion in place.  It would eliminate the ability to rotate the engine, unfortunately, but in theory other holes could be drilled for the purpose of positioning the engine at different angles.

Simply brainstorming here, so any feedback would be appreciated.  Don't have the funds for a new engine stand at the moment, unfortunately... the engine build has bled me virtually dry...  Lol.

[youngnstudly]

There are no adverse effects of drilling into the removable "head" of the engine stand. I have always done that on any stands that didn't already come that way since just tightening the t-handle into the head tube will still allow the head to rotate, given enough force. Quite a few of the stands I've seen either have 1 position or 4 positions-one every 90 degrees....Or they just have dimples on the tube that slides into the stand and the t-handle sits in the dimple. I weld a nut onto the engine stand itself and install the head into the engine stand (as far back as it will go), then spin the head around 360 degrees while holding a pencil through the hole in the top of the stand  (where the nut is welded on). That will give you a scribe line of where to drill your hole(s) once you decide where you want them. You can also "prick punch" some dots on the tube (through the welded nut) to mark where you want holes. A Protactor, angle finder, a level, (or even a piece of wire/string if you like math) will give you accurate markings in whatever increments (degrees) you want your holes at. You can still tighten the t-handle down to lock the head in place if you happen not have one of your holes lined up exactly. Good luck.


P.S. Add a magnetic parts tray to the vertical tube of the stand for those times when you spin the engine and drop a few tools/nuts/bolts that you forgot were on top of the engine. Everytime I do that, I pick the pieces up that fell and place them on the surface closest to me (usually a box or table) and then spend 25 minutes looking for the pieces after forgetting where I put them. 

Andy

[bugnut68]

There are no adverse effects of drilling into the removable "head" of the engine stand. I have always done that on any stands that didn't already come that way since just tightening the t-handle into the head tube will still allow the head to rotate, given enough force. Quite a few of the stands I've seen either have 1 position or 4 positions-one every 90 degrees....Or they just have dimples on the tube that slides into the stand and the t-handle sits in the dimple. I weld a nut onto the engine stand itself and install the head into the engine stand (as far back as it will go), then spin the head around 360 degrees while holding a pencil through the hole in the top of the stand  (where the nut is welded on). That will give you a scribe line of where to drill your hole(s) once you decide where you want them. You can also "prick punch" some dots on the tube (through the welded nut) to mark where you want holes. A Protactor, angle finder, a level, (or even a piece of wire/string if you like math) will give you accurate markings in whatever increments (degrees) you want your holes at. You can still tighten the t-handle down to lock the head in place if you happen not have one of your holes lined up exactly. Good luck.


P.S. Add a magnetic parts tray to the vertical tube of the stand for those times when you spin the engine and drop a few tools/nuts/bolts that you forgot were on top of the engine. Everytime I do that, I pick the pieces up that fell and place them on the surface closest to me (usually a box or table) and then spend 25 minutes looking for the pieces after forgetting where I put them. 

Andy

Thanks for confirming what I suspected!  I think it would be a worthy modification.

[SCOTTP]

I weld a gland nut to the stand for crank assembly

[bugnut68]

I weld a gland nut to the stand for crank assembly

That's a good idea, too!  Now I just gots to learn how to weld...