THE MINI MAG. Volume 2 No.2
  February 2000

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Helpful Hints.

How to make
A Windscreen Rubber Locking Strip Insertion Tool.

Tired of patching up the screwdriver score marks in your paint job trying to insert the locking strip around the front and rear windscreens?
Well here’s an inexpensive way to make your own tool from local ingredients.


Material required:
A pack of 5 plastic file handles from Queensland Trade Tools - \$ 3.50
One large spring file clip - Any stationery store \$ 0.25
A pack of 2 part epoxy putty - Overflow \$ 2.00
3Brass or steel tube 12.5 cm long and 6mm ID .

Construction:

Remove one side of the file clip from its spring metal base. Carefully cut off the right angle stem. You may wish to leave a millimetre or two for better clamping into the tube stem. Clamp the clip section into a vice with the head across the vice jaws. Increase the pressure until the rounded head becomes a diamond shape. Now clamp the 2 arms in the vice with the diamond head exposed. Tap the head over about 30 degrees. This will enable the head to run along inside the windscreen moulding recess and allow you to have your hands clear of the windscreen surface.

Burr the arms of the clip with a file or sandpaper to ensure adhesion to the epoxy in the tube.

Next, tap the tube well into the plastic handle leaving at least 5 cm exposed.
( TIP.I used a wind chime stem with excellent results.)

Mix up your 2 part epoxy and feed adequate amounts into the handle stem allowing a slight surface flange, and the balance into the tube itself.

Take your clip and fit it into the tube and build a surface flange with the epoxy.
( TIP. I used a small 6mm OD dynabolt stem for greater strength and placed it and the clip at the end of the tube and then built up the epoxy around it.)

Allow to dry overnight and you will have enormous strength in the handle and stem, ready for a good day’s beading, and while you’re at it, you have 4 more handles to practice on. Happy Beading!

Bob Ward.