Macgyver Bike Tools

[Mulger bill]

Nice work on the crown race setter Jean.

The cup remover, what diameter and gauge tube is it? My efforts to date have crumpled on the second or third use

Thanks
Shaun

[Stuey]

I know the cut and flared pipe is better, but I just use steel pipe around 20mm diameter and lie the frame flat on the lawn, then whack alternate sides of the headset cup from behind. As long as you alternate, it works fine, and I've had some really tight ones to deal with. Also, keep the end of the pipe square using a file occasionally so it easily catches the edge of the cup where it's inserted into the headtube.

Lying the frame flat on the lawn lets the frame move to minimise stress on the rest of the frame from the whacking.

That PVC crown race tool is tops! Just the right stuff not to damage the bearing surface. I've got some of the plumbers PVC glue, too, which would just be tossed out once it goes off, so I may as well make one...

[Jean]

Nice work on the crown race setter Jean.

The cup remover, what diameter and gauge tube is it? My efforts to date have crumpled on the second or third use

Thanks
Shaun

The OD is 25mm, but I'm not sure what the wall thickness is, probably 1.2-1.5mm. I'm not exactly a power user if it, but it has removed a few 1" and 1,1/8" cups without any sign of failure. I based it on an example I found on the internet that had used 1" copper pipe. That's probably a better material for the job, but 1" copper pipe is not to be found at Bunnings (maybe a plumping supplier might have it?).



When I made it I made sure the cuts were evenly spaced and of equal length so that any loads it took were evenly distributed. Easy tool to make though - probably took me 15 minutes or so, plus a bit of filing down the far cut end to make it neat and square (not essential, but it may as well be neat).

If you want any measurements to base one on I'm happy to supply.

Cheers

[Mulger bill]

Thanks very much Jean, I was using scrounged 1" copper tube for the last one, methinks it being a tight fit with a touch of rust. Took a lot of effort to shift.

I'll give the Al a go on me day off.

Shaun

[tedsbikes]

I've used a length of gal pipe about 40 cm 33.9 mm OD and 27.5 mm ID for installing fork crown races. And for installing the head fittings in a frame a length of 1/2 inch threaded rod and a couple of 1/2 inch nuts and old bottom bracket cups, one at each end, plus some assorted washers, should do the job.

Cheers Ted

[just4tehhalibut]

And if you have some metal tubing left over keep it to slip over the handles of your BB, pedal or other spanners to get more leverage. The Persuader.
Speaking of which I've had to make BB spanners and spoke keys from alu bar, the old BBs with the flat faces and the Shimano wheels with oversized nipples (don't read anything into that) and grind out an old cone spanner so that I had one spanner to take all the weird sized fittings on my Greenspeed trike.

[Jean]

I've used a length of gal pipe about 40 cm 33.9 mm OD and 27.5 mm ID for installing fork crown races. And for installing the head fittings in a frame a length of 1/2 inch threaded rod and a couple of 1/2 inch nuts and old bottom bracket cups, one at each end, plus some assorted washers, should do the job.

Cheers Ted

I tried a similar sort of press the other week with narrower rod (about 5/8" - not sure exactly - what I had lying around) and some blocks of wood, without much success. The narrower rod started to curve in tacking up the slack, something the softish wood facilitated. So I'd say don't try it with anything less than 1/2" rod and either hardwood or washers to do the pressing.

[HappyHumber]

similar sort of press the other week with narrower rod (about 5/8" - not sure exactly - what I had lying around) and some blocks of wood, without much success. The narrower rod started to curve in tacking up the slack, something the softish wood facilitated. So I'd say don't try it with anything less than 1/2" rod and either hardwood or washers to do the pressing.

My tool for the same fits Jean's description a bit more. I have some short chunks of old skirting timber - no more than about 80mm square about 20mm thick with a hole through the middle. They're square bits of hard wood - but they act as big soft washers-come-pressure plates.

The threaded rod I used must be about 5/8" thick. I think I just grabbed the imperial threaded stuff because that's what I found first at Bunnings.

Even with a $$$ professional shop version of this tool, it's still a delicate, gradual process of getting the races home. Worry about getting the first square and nearly home & flush to provide reference for the second. Timber at bother ends when you're doing the first race also protects the steerer tube. Be careful all the while to back off the torque a little on the clamping nuts to ensure the rod stays a close as square to the central axis of the steerers as possible. It's nothing requiring laser accuracy, as you'd assume the head tube was cut & faced accurately to begin with.

[hiflange]

And my wheel truing stand - MDF made to Roger Musson's plans

I'm about to build a Musson truing stand, I'm fine with making all the MDF parts, but I don't have much in the way of metalworking kit. I'm interested to know how you went about making the two metal pieces that the axle drops into.
Thanks
Rob

[Mulger bill]

And my wheel truing stand - MDF made to Roger Musson's plans

I'm about to build a Musson truing stand, I'm fine with making all the MDF parts, but I don't have much in the way of metalworking kit. I'm interested to know how you went about making the two metal pieces that the axle drops into.
Thanks
Rob

+1, I used construction ply for the timber bits but have had poor results using either hacksaw or angle grinder to cut the steel, always been hopeless at metalworking

[cooperplace]

Chain hook is a great idea, been using one for years.
I made my chain whip out of some 1" wide flat bar steel and 50cm of old chain, drill 3 holes in the right spot and you're nearly done. Total cost about 5" labour.

for a chain whip I just nailed a 1-foot length of chain to one of the verandah posts, and whenever I need it, it's there.

[RobM]

A bolt, washer, wingnut and a small wheel (with the rubber tyre cut off) = less than $5 from Bunnings



Instant chain keeper! Keeps the RD tensioned while transporting and washing with the rear wheel off. No more chain slapping around and leaving greasy marks.



Hooray for mankind

[Mulger bill]

A bolt, washer, wingnut and a small wheel (with the rubber tyre cut off) = less than $5 from Bunnings

BRILLIANT!

[Jean]

And my wheel truing stand - MDF made to Roger Musson's plans

I'm about to build a Musson truing stand, I'm fine with making all the MDF parts, but I don't have much in the way of metalworking kit. I'm interested to know how you went about making the two metal pieces that the axle drops into.
Thanks
Rob

My dad is a frustrated metal worker/engineer and tinkers with metal in his workshop. I asked him to do it, but if I had to do it again on my own I'd get a short bit of suitable steel bar stock and drill as required, and cut and trim with a grinder. It might be a bit rough, but would do the job.

A more maleable alternative to steel might be bakelite. You could also try trimming and drilling a plastic cutting board - might work, might be a bit too flexy.

You could always go into a fabricators and pay to have it done too - probably wouldn't be too expensive, and I think it would be a lot less than a decent bought stand.

Having just gone down the 15mm though axle route I need to modify my stand soon so I can build a front wheel wheel.

[Mulger bill]

Thanks Jean, might give a fabricator a go.

Having just gone down the 15mm though axle route I need to modify my stand soon so I can build a front wheel.

Just a thought...
Take a suitable QR axle and some heatshrink to give it a smooth surface, feed it through the hub, add a QR and voila. The heatshrink should prevent damage to the inner axle surface of the hub and the QR will hold it nicely in place in the existing Musson bracket.

Shaun

[Jean]

Thanks Jean, might give a fabricator a go.

Having just gone down the 15mm though axle route I need to modify my stand soon so I can build a front wheel.

Just a thought...
Take a suitable QR axle and some heatshrink to give it a smooth surface, feed it through the hub, add a QR and voila. The heatshrink should prevent damage to the inner axle surface of the hub and the QR will hold it nicely in place in the existing Musson bracket.

Shaun

After posting that yesterday I had a quick Google and found this guy (aka - mtbtools) and his machined hub adapters on Ebay:

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/mtbtools/m.h ... ksid=p3686

As much as I like a good Macgyver, sometimes its just easier to throw $15 at someone else's solution to the problem.

[bennett]

A bolt, washer, wingnut and a small wheel (with the rubber tyre cut off) = less than $5 from Bunnings



Instant chain keeper! Keeps the RD tensioned while transporting and washing with the rear wheel off. No more chain slapping around and leaving greasy marks.



Hooray for mankind

Awesome idea!

[cycles gitane]

Old thread revived

An idea for holding small steel parts including ball bearings ( I have seen the proper item at the LBS), but this is cheaper

The parts required.......



speaker magnet, screw top lid, stainless bowl

Assembled......



cycles gitane (who has lost too many small items in the past and likes the look of stainless steel)

[Mark Kelly]

+1, I used construction ply for the timber bits but have had poor results using either hacksaw or angle grinder to cut the steel, always been hopeless at metalworking

Ignore Musson's directions and use aluminium instead of steel, it's much easier to work. It's also a closer approximation to your dropout width.

Take a 400mm long piece of 6 x 25 flat bar and cut it in half.

Drill a 10mm hole 25 mm from one end of each bar and two 6 mm holes at 75mm and 175 mm from the same end. If you have a drill press, the easy way to do this is to clamp the two pieces on top of one another and drill the holes in one go through both pieces (that way they line up).

Take a hacksaw and slot down to each side of the 10mm hole from the end of the bar, then use a file to even things up so the axles will slip in easily. This end of each bar should end up looking like a track dropout (after all it's serving the same purpose).

Countersink one side of each 6mm hole. Drill two 6mm holes in the support struts of the Musson jig at 25mm and 125mm from the top. Use M6 CS screws to attach the two aluminium pieces. To get good alignment, bolt the two Al pieces together with a short M10 bolt in the axle slots, clamp the supports in position and then do the M6 bolts up.

[Mulger bill]

Ignore Musson's directions and use aluminium instead of steel, it's much easier to work. It's also a closer approximation to your dropout width.

Wish I'd thought of that. In the end, a couple of rabbits hopped from the maintenance shed at work (thanks Johnny ) straight into my bag
Now I've got to scrounge up some more heavy ply, the uprights are too short for a 700c wheel (Measure twice, cut once ). The workaround is effective but ugly.

[wqlava1]

Crank Remover for square taper cranks. Standard Crank puller stripped the thread on the crank, bashing/levering wouldn't work.

Enter Homemade crank remover

Unfortunately Homemade crank remover stripped the thread on the bolt (hi-tens next time?). Slot tube over crank, spanner on nut in device, tighten bolt to push out the crank (in theory)

Effective method=hacksaw to crank (as pictured)

Bychosis,

I'm really impressed with that one. I think that what might make it work is the square thread off an old broken G-clamp (about an 8" one) that I have lying around. Next time I go past a steel place I'll get a few inches of something like 30x40mm or 40x50mm (whatever will fit the crank and the broken stub of the clamp casting in it) and see what i can make work. i'll need to weld something inside the section to support it all. A good use too for the clamps where the cupped facing surface gets knocked off - they are already turned down to the right diameter to push on the BB end!

[wqlava1]

Chain hook is a great idea, been using one for years.
I made my chain whip out of some 1" wide flat bar steel and 50cm of old chain, drill 3 holes in the right spot and you're nearly done. Total cost about 5" labour.

for a chain whip I just nailed a 1-foot length of chain to one of the verandah posts, and whenever I need it, it's there.

I've got one chain whip with wide enough chain for 1/8" cogs, and one that's not. I keep not being able to find the right one. That's a great idea. I can have one of each size (Thick for 1/8", medium for 6/7/8 speed, and a thin one) nailed to the tall stumps under the house. The wife and Heritage Vic (who have an interest in our house) would have my hide if I tried the verandah post. Wish I'd seen this when it was first posted.