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Shop Manuals - Create the Ultimate Workbench Companion!

Started by Jason Edge, March 05, 2013, 10:06:48 PM

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Jason Edge

Here's a little piece I wrote up and included in the Feb 2013 Newsletter regarding what to do with those shop manuals coming apart at the seams:
   

Turn that “Falling Apart” Shop Manual
into an Ultimate Workbench Companion!
by Jason Edge
   



You know we all love and cherish our shop manuals and use them constantly in that never-ending pursuit of restoring our 1963 & 1964 Cadillacs. The problem is they start coming apart at the seams, and get torn and soiled after almost 50 years of use.  Instead of discarding or throwing into a box or drawer you can turn them into something even more useful than before!!  If you are serious about your work on these cars I recommend keeping a clean desk copy, but also keep a workbench copy as described below.



The trick is very simple, in that you take each individual page and put them in acid free clear sleeve protector which in turn goes into a Large 3 ring notebook.   If you get the very large 5” notebooks and thinner sheets you can fit a complete shop manual in one note book, otherwise, it will take two notebooks.
 




ADVANTAGES?  You can thumb thru the pages with greasy fingers without worry of tearing or soiling the pages, and the pages turn easy.  You simply wipe the clear sleeve down when you are finished.  In addition, you can remove individual pages to make copies or scan, or to have by your side as you work on the Caddy.  In closing, you can often find great deals on shop manuals that might otherwise be considered poor condition…but perfect to put in a notebook!

ps...just to add, I do the huge Master Parts books the same way...which are almost always found on ebay, etc in loose leaf form!
Jason Edge
Lifetime Member
Executive Vice President
CLC 1963/64 Cadillac Chapter Director - www.6364Cadillac.com
CLC Carolina Region Webmaster - www.CRCLC.org
CLC MRC Benefactor
email - jasonedge64@outlook.com
1964 Coupe DeVille - Sierra Gold - http://bit.ly/1WnOQRX
2002 Escalade EXT - Black
2013 Escalade EXT Premium Edition - Xenon Blue
2022 XT5 Luxury Premium - Dark Moon Blue Metallic

The Tassie Devil(le)

Thank you Jason,

I have a '72 Workshop Manual that is coming apart at the seams.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

curly


Guidematic


Great idea!

But it must be immensely time consuming to put each page in one of those sleeves.  ;)

Mike
1970 Fleetwood Brougham 68169
1985 Eldorado Coupe 6EL57
1988 Eldorado Biarritz 6EL57
1990 Brougham d'Elegance 6DW69
1994 Fleetwood Brougham 6DW69

cadillacmike68

Initial pain, but probably worth it. I can attest as to how irritating it is to smudge up a page in one of my manuals while working on the cars.  >:(
Regards,
"Cadillac" Mike

Jason Edge

Probably 15 years after creating my first "workbench companion" the amount of time I have spent has been a blip on the radar! LOL.

Cadillac Mike...it is well worth it.

... No more dirty or torn pages, smears on the sheets wipe right off;

... need to take specific shop manual info to the auto parts store for look-up or cross-match,  or to the body shop or mechanic or whoever , I just take the one  page and not the entire book.

...need to scan a page to email or just make a copy...there it is...slide it in...slide it out.

You can also get the clear sleeves  in packs of 200 or more at Staples, Office Max, Walmart, etc and often put these items on sale.  I actually just re use the old 3 ring note books from work that they are throwing out anyway.   I think the 63 manual is about 600 pages, or 300 sheets.  That's like a walk in the park compared to the 1000+ page Master Parts book which is definitely a Vol 1 & Vol 2 set! LOL.

By the way, the picture at top has been my "Desk Copy" since late 1996 when I got into the 64 Cadillacs, and will turn it into another "Ultimate Workbench Companion".  I will have to time myself. :-)
Jason Edge
Lifetime Member
Executive Vice President
CLC 1963/64 Cadillac Chapter Director - www.6364Cadillac.com
CLC Carolina Region Webmaster - www.CRCLC.org
CLC MRC Benefactor
email - jasonedge64@outlook.com
1964 Coupe DeVille - Sierra Gold - http://bit.ly/1WnOQRX
2002 Escalade EXT - Black
2013 Escalade EXT Premium Edition - Xenon Blue
2022 XT5 Luxury Premium - Dark Moon Blue Metallic

wrench

Very nice! I usually use greasy fingerprints as bookmarks.
1951 Series 62 Sedan
1969 Eldorado
1970 Eldorado (Triple Black w/power roof)
1958 Apache 3/4 ton 4x4
2005 F250
2014 FLHP
2014 SRX

Jason Edge

Note. I finally got around to putting the "coming apart" shop manual seen in top picture in a nice 5" 3 ring notebook and is up for sale for $50 + s/h.  If anyone needs an "Ultimate Workbench Companion" 1964 Cadillac Shop Manual email me at jasonedge@nc.rr.com and provide ship to address. I've probably got $20 of materials invested and of course a little bit of time inserting the pages in the sleeves.

Here is a picture in the new notebook:

Jason Edge
Lifetime Member
Executive Vice President
CLC 1963/64 Cadillac Chapter Director - www.6364Cadillac.com
CLC Carolina Region Webmaster - www.CRCLC.org
CLC MRC Benefactor
email - jasonedge64@outlook.com
1964 Coupe DeVille - Sierra Gold - http://bit.ly/1WnOQRX
2002 Escalade EXT - Black
2013 Escalade EXT Premium Edition - Xenon Blue
2022 XT5 Luxury Premium - Dark Moon Blue Metallic

cadillacmike68

Regards,
"Cadillac" Mike

Jason Edge

#9
The 64 is sold and no additional shop manuals of any year right now. Best bet is to find one coming apart at the binding on ebay, etc, but nice otherwise, and pick up for decent price and make up your own per original post.
Jason Edge
Lifetime Member
Executive Vice President
CLC 1963/64 Cadillac Chapter Director - www.6364Cadillac.com
CLC Carolina Region Webmaster - www.CRCLC.org
CLC MRC Benefactor
email - jasonedge64@outlook.com
1964 Coupe DeVille - Sierra Gold - http://bit.ly/1WnOQRX
2002 Escalade EXT - Black
2013 Escalade EXT Premium Edition - Xenon Blue
2022 XT5 Luxury Premium - Dark Moon Blue Metallic

aod92

Great idea. If mine starts coming apart I will do the same

Caddy Wizard

Thanks!  I took a below average 54 Shop Manual and did this and am really pleased...
Art Gardner


1955 S60 Fleetwood sedan (now under resto -- has been in paint shop since June 2022!)
1955 S62 Coupe (future show car? 2/3 done)
1958 Eldo Seville (2/3 done)