Building a Better Die Handle [to Use Cheap, Terrible Dies] (Mini Projects)

[@FuzzyDiceProjects]

It's been an unexpectedly busy month and a half, but the last few weeks have been a whole lot of video editing! The next Firebird episode is coming along but wasn't going to make this weekend, so I took some time to finish some Mini Projects videos instead so I don't totally miss June. I had wanted a better die handle for a long time and this wasn't a planned build, just something I came up with one afternoon and decided to follow through on. There is a lot going on in the garage in the background of this one too, with some expected (and some unexpected) upcoming video content teased.

[@VolkanTaninmis]

what about pinto?

[@FuzzyDiceProjects]

@@VolkanTaninmis Unfortunately it's just been sitting around. Partly because I don't have the time for it right now and partly because it's going to take a fair bit of money to sort out the engine situation the way I want to. I did fix a lot of smaller issues with it once I got the car home, but haven't fixed the big, glaring, overheating engine problem.

[@Keeg02.]

​@@FuzzyDiceProjectsI'm a ford guy. Ive been waiting for a small block ford build series from you. I know it may be years away but I will be here patiently waiting watching and rewatching every video you upload. Love your content!

[@williamworkman3996]

This guy's the Bob Ross of hotrodding

[@flubba86]

You and Inheritance Machining have got the side-project and side-side-project niche of quality content locked down tight. Something so satisfying about seeing all the different threads of a project joining together at the end.

[@CaptainSir56]

Every time fuzzydiceprojects releases a new video the day goes from good to great! Keep up the great work!

[@anthonybryant584]

Never a bad day when Fuzzy Dice Projects uploads

[@Noreed5]

It’s always fun seeing the rubber gloves deteriorate as the video goes on.

[@proudpennsylvaniaman7996]

Your videos are the topest of top notch quality. Wish you posted more often!!!!

[@Draphia]

NOT THE MAGIC SMOKE!

[@hyjenks7155]

If the dies end up slipping, you can always grind a small flat on each die for the set screw to tighten against.

[@Rico_G]

Yep, just a dimple will do.

[@FuzzyDiceProjects]

Definitely a good idea! My original plan for the second threaded hole in the die holder was to grind a flat opposite the dimple in the dies and use two screws to hold them if it became a problem, but so far so good!

[@jimm9776]

Isn't that what the slot on these is for?

[@blackmane0073]

"the dewalt drill only let out the usual amount of smoke".....bwahahahaha 🤣

[@thieltech1]

Finish the firebird videos this decade !!!! Please please I can't wait any longer ! Please oh please !

[@alexsuykov]

Part of me expected two screwdriver handles sticking out of this thing at the end.

[@FuzzyDiceProjects]

Oh. My. God. What a fool I am, think of the comfort! Version two coming soon.

[@orrprosegaming7851]

should do this as well. thanks for the guide and take care

[@CallumFaulds1]

This is a very neat little project.

[@coltonkruse2313]

Really nice side project!

[@RESTORATIONRESCUE]

Another great video!! Keep up the great work!

[@tomgast4766]

Great idea ! Nice job !!

[@rickwitt5735]

Looks great! Nice work!

[@klinkster]

The “adjustment screws” you mention on the wrenches you show that can be bought are for spilt dies, they’re used for opening and closing the dies a little to fine tune your threads. They’re not for gripping different size dies, which is what I think you think they’re for.

[@diegoloera435]

Awesomeness 😎

[@ronskopitz2360]

Probably already said, but you could remove the working set screw and use that hole to drill through the center section and into the broken bolt. It would have the benefit of drilling “backward” and might just drive it right out. Or just drill it from the outside : )

[@-Slinger-]

And if it does end up failing you can always sand the dies into octagons and try the expensive design by diy.

[@Hazmatt4700]

This was really cool. Earned a sub. But you will have to get tour own sammich

[@epicwinfacepie]

wow! i will follow

[@jeromeygreen4788]

I was going to make one, but the majority of what I do is clean up crappy threads and not make new ones so I found a solid ratcheting one. Still uses that stupid set screw but I've had no problems cranking down on the thing

[@FuzzyDiceProjects]

One of my mad-scientist ideas was welding two tabs on a nut to hold the flats of the die holder so that a socket/ratchet could be used with it, but that one seemed like maybe a step too far. Ratcheting would be nice for cleaning threads though! I have a set of thread chasers I use very frequently but sometimes a fastener needs a little more help.

[@MarkPdot]

The best tools are the ones you create, modify and/or repurpose yourself.

[@umad42]

That would make it so much easier to use my die set

[@RobertCoya]

Babe wake up, Fuzzy Die Projects uploaded a video!

[@jimm9776]

8:28 Sir, have you consistently not lined the slot up with the set screw hole? 9:38 hmmm

[@0.mercury]

i love it

[@briangoldberg4439]

Curious why you didn't opt to line-up the set screw with the notch in the taps?

[@1leggeddog]

What happened to your Blazer? I miss seeing that thing! Ever got a replacement fender for it?

[@FuzzyDiceProjects]

It has unfortunately been a driveway ornament the last two years, other than the very dead battery and the tires rubbing it runs and drives but the exhaust needs to be repaired/reworked thanks to rust. I do have the body parts to fix it but the plan is to do a bunch of work to it at once while it's apart, and there hasn't been time for all that yet.

[@barthanes1]

Yeah, those harbor freight die handles are made out of cheese.

[@doolallyproductions7234]

I bought a really good handle from amazon and justa bunch of cheap dies MOTOKU 38mm 1.5" Heavy Duty Die Handle Round Die Stock Handle Wrench Holder 1 1/2

[@Jesse_The_Enchanter]

Round die = thread cutting. Hex die = thread repair

[@FuzzyDiceProjects]

That is sometimes true, but not always (as far as I can tell). Some hexagonal dies are marketed as "thread cutting" and some are marketed as "rethreading", but it's possible the info from the manufacturers just isn't clear. I can say for sure that I've cut threads in hardened bolts and round stock with hex dies just fine, at least.

[@Fastcar5000]

This is simply untrue. This is something parroted by old pipe fitters but does not hold true today. It is especially untrue with machine dies.

[@Fastcar5000]

Nope completely untrue. This was a trope passed down by pipe fitters. It’s especially untrue in machine dies.

[@Jesse_The_Enchanter]

@@Fastcar5000 must be my tool and die schooling was a lie 🤣

[@Fastcar5000]

@@Jesse_The_Enchanter guess so… seems silly to argue a point that can be disproven with a google search that provides information from die manufacturers. Good luck to you.

[@JoseGonzalez-kt8ti]

What brand lathe do you use?

[@FuzzyDiceProjects]

It was sold as a VEVOR 7"x14" but it's pretty much the same as most of the generic ones you see online, it just happened to pop up on sale with free shipping and was the cheapest option for me. I have broken some plastic gear teeth or something in it (had to edit the clunking out of the audio in this video) but it's currently still kicking and pretty much everything can be replaced/upgraded on these which is neat. Not really powerful enough for fast cuts or big steel parts, but it's been really fun and educational and it's way less likely to rip my arm off when I do something stupid compared to a big lathe.

[@zouarimohamed4066]

Nice to see you a gaine

[@anactualpilot]

real shafty..

[@aleks_jones]

lmfao literally my first thought when i picked this up earlier this week... the die holder is literally useless, i was so confused how they managed to even make it THAT bad. it's not even like you can do anything to make it better, it's just a chunk of chinesium shit.

[@FuzzyDiceProjects]

Right?! I bought those sets close to ten years ago and when putting this video together had the thought that "surely by now they have improved their product" but, as you discovered, they haven't changed a thing. They may as well put a cardboard die handle in the case with the message "For Display Purposes Only" printed on it.

[@wesleypipelayer7627]

Probably woulda been better to just enlarge the hole in the tap wrench handle. Then you could use any screwdriver

[@ViTALMaTThews]

Lol this is hilarious because mine literature broke after one use

[@Commander_ZiN]

Wrench too small ain't a design flaw, get a bigger wrench :P

[@mrhappy8966]

Wont lie every time I see a video and its not the firebird I get sad a little lmfao when man when....

[@LovelessAndroid]

Could uh you have just milled some flats on the dies? Haha

[@FuzzyDiceProjects]

They are very hard so grinding or sanding would be the best bet, and it would take a long time to do all of them (plus the larger sizes get a little thin), but adding flats would certainly work in a pinch!

[@AatroxSuppMain]

It may not be a firebird video, but your voice and redneckery is everything I need. If you respond, what's going on with the 91? firebird? I know it wasn't having any major issues from what I remember.

[@FuzzyDiceProjects]

I'm glad I can be there for you! The 91 Firebird is a bit of a long story and I don't want to share everything just yet, but basically it ended up sitting because the fuel/brake lines really needed to be replaced and I couldn't get the ignition timing advance to work for the life of me. Last fall I decided to tear into it and make a few big changes and got a ton of work done, but (like I do) I never finished it after I ran into a few problems I didn't have any time/energy left to deal with. I had plans to fix it this Spring but ended up getting pretty sick for three weeks precisely when I had planned to do the work, and I've been playing catch-up since then and haven't gotten around to working on any of the cars unfortunately.