The Tool Thread

Scotty675

Cable thief
I’m a big fan of the Bessey clamps too. Steel working g clamps are awesome but these timber clamps are really good. View attachment 366830
Bessey do some nice gear. I've used there I beam sasch clamps and for the money they are good value and easy to adjust. I've just bought some of there small quick grips to try as well (untested).
 

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
When i built the big bookcase I bought clamp ends for 1" pipe. Used a couple of 4m lengths of pipe each way. Worked really well. Put the clamps in the rafters of my garage in Rocky. Probably still there :(
 

gillyske

Likes Dirt
I wanted to share a lifehack that came out necessity recently. I had to install a crown race onto my fork. Previously I had an expertly cut 1.5" hole in a Minty's work bench with which to slap them into place with, but since moving to Newcastle, access to holes in benches has been scarce.

A few experiments with inadequate lenghts and diameters of PVC pipe I had about proved fruitless...then I saw it...

The perfect 1.5" opening that, after several gentle taps against the concrete floor had perfectly seated my crown race.
Just to confirm, using a 40mm peice of PVC pipe with an end cap didnt work?

I have an works headset coming and I have none of the tools to install it.

Also if have one has ideas on make shit press v something from cyclingdeal... or just any headset press.
 

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie

Jpez

Down on the left!
Last crown race I did I just went the 40mm pvc pipe route like I have before. Easy as.
only issue was the buggers at Reece would only sell me a 6m length. Yeanah that wasn’t going to happen. I was on my treadly so riding down the road with 6 m of pipe over my shoulder would have been a bit ridiculous.
Rang a plumber mate and he sorted me.
 

Isaakk

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Just to confirm, using a 40mm peice of PVC pipe with an end cap didnt work?

I have an works headset coming and I have none of the tools to install it.

Also if have one has ideas on make shit press v something from cyclingdeal... or just any headset press.
I've successfully installed a Works headset with some threaded rod, nuts, and two bits of wood - just need to be a little careful lining it up straight. Proper tools don't really work well for those anyway as the bearing seat(?) is offset.

If you wanted to do it "properly" and can grab some measurements, I can 3d print an offset drift to fit.
 

leitch

Feelin' a bit rrranty
I have an works headset coming and I have none of the tools to install it.

Also if have one has ideas on make shit press v something from cyclingdeal... or just any headset press.
Same as @Isaakk - couple of big washers, a 12x180mm bolt and nut and go slow. use a piece of string/fishing line tied to the seatpost/seat tube to help with alignment.
 

SummitFever

Eats Squid
Although my business runs its own in-house machine shop, I seldom get any time to do stuff for myself. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I'm going to try to take a bit of time every day to build some stuff that makes my life a little easier. Sometimes, that's going to be bike related tools (when the planets align and it makes sense).

Here's a case in point. I had to machine some parts out of brass rod on our vertical machining center using the 3-jaw chuck. Although these adapters could be easily made on the lathe, I don't have a CNC lathe, so making them on the VMC takes less of my time (particularly if the VMC's already setup for the job). These adapters allow me to use my wheel building stand with through axle hubs. I made some for 15mm (front) and 12mm (rear).



 

SummitFever

Eats Squid
Yesterday's job involved test machining some 5083 alu plate using a new cutter/flood coolant combo. 5083 is very corrosion resistant for harsh environments and almost a strong as 6061-T6 but is not affected by welding (6061-T6 will go back to T0 temper .eg soft in the HAZ). If I'm going to be doing some test cuts, may as well make something I can use. This time around its a 26mm spanner for my Fox 34 air/damper caps.

 

gillyske

Likes Dirt
Sucessfully (i think, cant ride it yet) installed my works headset with the flat plate press from cycling deal and used 40mm PVC to install the crown race.
Used a screw driver to remove the old crown race and a handle bar that I modified to punch out the old cups (raceface atlas handlebars are brittle as fuck if anyone was wondering).
 
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