What's the Worst Tech Advice You've seen in a Magazine?

[Loren]

I do like the new style of Hot Rod Magazine. It's looking like they're willing to spend a little more of that money they collect from the ad pages, on the editorial pages. My only question after the last issue (which I loved) was whether they'd be able to keep it up for the next. So far so good.

Finnegan is a real asset to the mag I believe, but he's been on my radar for small boo-boos. This month a freind's accident inspired him to put on a pair of leather gloves while using a band saw, in the quest of caution (pp. 12), and there was a comment about A833 overdrives, which were "found in early-'80s GM two-wheel-drive trucks.

That trans was also found in GM 4wd's (there's one in my back yard) and some Dodges as well, although I guess he didn't actually exclude them. And, uh, do NOT wear leather gloves while bandsawing, or using any other power tool which has any liklihood of grabbing the glove and pulling your hand into it. That is general knowledge in the mfg. trades but here's a link: http://www.forrestmfg.com/wear-glove...-a-bandsaw.php

Since we have magazine columns in Hot Rod for exposing internet lies and bad advice (pp 127, 145) maybe there should be one going the other way...

[Manifestospeed]

Finnegan's at least trying to do better than DF's legendary wear-flip-flops-while-knocking-back-Coronas shop safety plan.

On the other hand, maybe there's a missing fingers-n-toes episode of "Roadkill" in the future.

[dieselgeek]

It's not really advice, but what drives me up a wall is the "Great Manifold Tests" - all they say is "this one did better than that one" and people buy into it.

The problem is, in the real world, each manifold will perform differently on a different combo. Those tests in the magazine should never be released without individual O2 sensor data that shows if the manifold has good distribution between cylinders or not, which is 99.9% of what makes a manifold worth a crap or not. In the real world.

[boxer3main]

magazines do good..the net is the scary one.

if cutting something hazardous, gloves would be needed..seems like nitpicking, the glove mention.

[Gary 351C]

HOT ROD, November 1979, "50 low-buck how-to's". Even as a 14 year old kid I thought WTF!?
Of course, it was the 70's and alot of people probably didn't think there was anything wrong with doing this to their all-original
LS6 Chevelle convertible.

[DanStokes]

I'm with Loren on this. When you need protection from a bandsaw blade is when you're working on little pieces. The solution there is to fixture the piece in some way - use a pushblock, clamp it with a pair of Vice-Grips - something along that line. The article Loren attached makes a number of good points, mostly that the gloves won't protect you from the blade and will make you more clumsy.

As far as bad magazine advice, I think the worst is to use ramps to work under the car. I know of two guys who were killed in this manner, one of which was a HS friend. If you pull sideways on a bolt (like a pressure plate bolt) there's WAY too high a chance of toppling the car sideways off the ramps. Buy a jack and a decent set of jackstands.

Dan

[Bill McGuire]

HOT ROD, November 1979, "50 low-buck how-to's". Even as a 14 year old kid I thought WTF!?
Of course, it was the 70's and alot of people probably didn't think there was anything wrong with doing this to their all-original
LS6 Chevelle convertible.

Attachment 13825

Classic. Priceless. And wrong in so many ways, starting with the fact that florists' foam is specifically designed to draw and retain water.

If you were trying to design a body repair so that a big bondo cowpie falls on the ground when you slam the door, this method would be nearly ideal.

Thanks for sharing. I was amused/horrified.

[Deaf Bob]

I'm still scratching my head....

[oldsman496]

Attachment 13825

OMG. Uh. ummmmmmmmm........... wow.

no wonder i always thought spray foam in a can was a high tech solution...

[Thumpin455]

Classic. Priceless. And wrong in so many ways, starting with the fact that florists' foam is specifically designed to draw and retain water.

If you were trying to design a body repair so that a big bondo cowpie falls on the ground when you slam the door, this method would be nearly ideal.

Thanks for sharing. I was amused/horrified.

I have found stuff worse than that when ripping into old cars. My Cougar had bondo about two inches thick in some places, they didnt even bother to bump the dent, just filled it with mud and sanded it smooth. Gee I wonder why it cracked.

I tend to just ignore stuff I see that is somewhat more work or just plain wrong in magazines. If they want to do it the bad way, I dont mind as long as they dont bring it to me to get it fixed the right way. The bandsaw thing should have been obvious, but apparently Finnegan didnt take shop classes.