Home made shop tools, equipment, tips, and tricks.

sharperdill

Been Around the Block
Probably a waste of time and effort to get this going, but I come across a few things now and then and if no one else contributes, I will.

The idea of this post is to have a collection of home made tools that we all use and maybe some plans for future tools we would like to build. I figured why not put equipment in the mix, and other tips and tricks that may not be known to all of us (like using a little WD-40 on buffing wheels).

What gave me the idea was a spanner wrench that Staffy posted. Sometimes we are not able to aquire the funds to get a tool, but we have the skills, equipment and materials to make them.
 
I guess I will get the ball rolling with this. I found this disk/spool sander on the Knucklebuster blogs.


DIYdiskSander_01.jpg

DIYdiskSander_02.jpg

DIYdiskSander_03.jpg
 
I remember reading that someone here had made a bench grinder from a washing machine?
If anyone wants to chime in on that, feel free
 
arsey said:
I remember reading that someone here had made a bench grinder from a washing machine?
If anyone wants to chime in on that, feel free

Um, bench grinders are like how much at the store? Maybe $40? Is it really worth making one yourself?
 
PICT0009s.jpg



Made this to save room in my cramped shop. I'm able to pull it out to the middle when I want to work on it and push it into a corner when I'm not. Not much more than 2X4 frame with 5/8 plywood on top. It has 4 swivel casters to make it easy to turn around corners.
 
Fork Nut tool for Honda CBs or other bikes

This is for the Socket head nut at the top of the forks

Take a bolt with a 17mm head or whatever size fits your bike. Then Weld it to a spare 1/2" drive 9/16" socket. Voila your new tool

The Horse BC magazine is to credit for this one.
 
Stolen from $50 Mod Thread
Staffy said:
Shock adjuster tool. Cost about 50cents (maybe less) for a bit of scrap steel and wear and tear on tools....

I sat my ass on the bike last night and it hurt because the bloody shocks i've got for it were wound up to suit a mastodon or humback whale or something. That pissed me off as i don't have a spring adjuster tool. I went onto ebay and after exclaiming "How much do they want for that chunk of steel?" i decided to make my own.
Start of with the trusty piece of scrap steel you've been using to build all the stuff on your bike. I think this stuff is about 3-4mm thick. On it you need to mark out your rough shape. The think to keep in mind is most of these tools you'll see have the key (the bit that goes into the hole on the shock) around 135 degrees from the heel (the bit that joins the handle to the inside curve). That is so the handle will "pull into" the shock and cause it to turn rather than slip out. I made up a roughly 35mm radius which is about the same as the shock.
DSCF2059.jpg


No metal jigsaw blade at hand? Haven't gone and splashed out on a dremel yet? Never fear. Drill some small holes (not too close to the radius) along the curve. Follow this by drilling these out with a bigger diameter so the holes join together.
DSCF2060.jpg


Cut out the rest roughly with an angle grinder
DSCF2061.jpg


finish of with a flap disc, file, bench wheel, whatever you have. I held down my grinder upside down on the bench and used it like a grinding wheel (but i don't endorse this technique ;) ) to get all the rough edges out. I ended up having to take a lot more out of the heel to get it right. Just do a bit then check it, a bit more then check it until it comes out right.
DSCF2062.jpg


I now have rear suspension instead of a spine breaking system.

_____________________________________________________________________

Hoosier Daddy said:
Seeing as how DIY tools are in here this is my valve spring compressor
Being the kind of guy who has various "stuff" laying around and little $$ I didn't want to spend much on a valve spring compressor to work on my Cyl heads. I fabbed this and had the heads apart in less than an hour... Total cost $0

Parts used, 2 thick flat washers the same size as the spring retainer and a piece of round stock.



Cut the round stock to two equal sizes and tack weld to one washer then the other. I then put it in a vice to hold square and finished the welds.




Use a C-clamp with the new tool to compress the spring by putting the pivot foot at the threaded portion against the valve face and the tool on the spring retainer, compress and remove the keepers then slowly loosen the C-clamp.



_____________________________________________________________________

goodfornothing said:
Homemade Spring Compressor

IMG_4529.jpg

I was tired of looking for a place to compress my springs back onto the shocks. I found a place who'd do it for $20, but I thought to myself, "Heck, I can probably make something less than $20 that I can use over and over again." So I made this spring compressor and only spent $12. It is VERY VERY easy to make.

Here are the materials you need:
- 7 in. of 2x4
- 9 in. of 1/8th in. x 2 in. steel flat bar. (You can use 3/16ths thickness if you wish)
- Two (at least) 1.5 feet of 3/8th dia threaded Rod. I got two 2 ft rods for about $3 for both.
- Six 3/8th in. Nuts
- Six 3/8th in. Washers

I already had some 2x4 wood laying around along with the washers, so all I needed were the other stuff.
Materials.jpg



Cut a 7 in. section out of the 2x4. Next you need to put a notch in the middle of the 2x4 where the spring will sit. I used a mallet and a flathead screw driver to chip away at the wood. Then you need to measure how wide you want the rods to sit from the middle. Just make sure it's big enough to fit the shock in. Cut a 9 in. section of the 1/8th in. x 2 in. steel flat bar and measure accordingly where the holes should be. Make sure you drill 3/8th holes in the wood STRAIGHT!
IMG_4518.jpg



Use a dremel to cut a wide enough slit in the middle for the shock. File and sand the edges once you're done cutting.
IMG_4521.jpg



Next, insert the threaded rod in both holes and secure it to the 2x4 with washers and nuts.
IMG_4519.jpg


IMG_4520.jpg


NOTE: EXCUSE MY UGLY SPRINGS! Now, put the flat bar on the rods and put a washer and nut on each rod. I put duct tape to further protect the springs, even though they're banged up as hell. Compress the spring by tightening each nut. After that, it's pretty straight forward. When using this, the 1/8th flat bar bent when I was compressing the second springs. REMEMBER, this compressor works best when you can get the flat bar in between coil/loop 3 and 4 on the spring. Just place the bar closest to the top of the spring and it shouldn't require much to get the seats in. You also don't need to clamp it upright. You can lay it on the floor and compress the springs.
IMG_4524.jpg


IMG_4526.jpg



Done!
IMG_4533.jpg
 
When installing those stupid circlips on your honda pistons after cleaning them up and replacing the rings, Stick a bolt through your wrist pin with a washer on the head end and a nut on the other. Make sure the OD of the bolt shaft is larger than the open portion of the circlip so that when you try to put your circlip on with needle nose pliers and drop it twenty times its not going to fall in the bowels of your engine but wont fall any further then the bolt that goes through it.
 
Engine stand and sheet metal brake! Wow! 8) I'm too embarrassed to show my home made stuff! But, I have made a "tire changing station", wheel balancer, bead breaker, fork clamp, and axle removal tool.
 
I most definitely want to see that sheet metal brake when its completed.


biker_reject said:
Engine stand and sheet metal brake! Wow! 8) I'm too embarrassed to show my home made stuff! But, I have made a "tire changing station", wheel balancer, bead breaker, fork clamp, and axle removal tool.

I would like to see them, no matter how good or bad the workmanship. I am curious about your wheel balancer, is it a static or dynamic balancer?
 
buffer... soon to make a version 2... this ones a bit to wide in the center and a bit underpowered (one 6 inch wheel is as big as i would go to use it without slow down... going to bump up power for 2 8 inch wheels).

IMG_0197.jpg


i built all three benches seen here. one in the back is mine... i made it a bit bigger but no recent pics.

IMG_1084.jpg


close up of my own. those are 1970s school lockers as the bottom. super sturdy and tons of storage!
IMG_1083.jpg


cant think of any other stuff off head; i dont need many custom tools, and my tools are the one thing i will pay big money for.
craftsman hasnt let me down yet, and i have tools from them that are over 50 years old!
i might build my own tool chests (im thinking air assisted... hmm...) we will see. hard to find space with the basement packed full of unfinished woodwork (my dad being a perfectionist and carpenter... gah).
 
sharperdill said:
I most definitely want to see that sheet metal brake when its completed.


I would like to see them, no matter how good or bad the workmanship. I am curious about your wheel balancer, is it a static or dynamic balancer?

Oh, good Lord. I was hoping no one would ask me about my so-called tools. It's a static balancer consisting of a steel rod ran through two (West German) sealed ball bearings from a skateboard build I never completed! The bearings are nestled in the tabs of a bike stand. HA! It's copied from a "Scud Man" vid I caught on youtube. So, there is no workmanship involved. I plan to buy a wheel balancer from Harbor Freight some time this week. Theirs is on sale for $39.00, normally $59.99. Really, the nicest thing I built was my work bench. It's junked up right now, but I'd really like to take a picture of it.
 
dang! you guys are no joke... main tools i make are bearing puller
(get a lag bolt slice it down the middle, then run a long flat head screwdriver through the other side of the hub into the slip and hit with hammer... works great)

front fork remover, threaded rod and some big nuts and lock nuts to fit down the tubes to unlock the lowers (on some bikes)

then pretty much play it by ear after that
 
jay_kent said:
Fork Nut tool for Honda CBs or other bikes

This is for the Socket head nut at the top of the forks

Take a bolt with a 17mm head or whatever size fits your bike. Then Weld it to a spare 1/2" drive 9/16" socket. Voila your new tool

The Horse BC magazine is to credit for this one.

I figured about the same thing ;)

CA40AB59-0376-4867-A603-86B6AA2BFDE9-6330-00000B45666D30FF.jpg


Yeah yeah this thread is 2 years old...
 
Back
Top Bottom