• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

MacGyver tool builders?

  • Thread starter Thread starter gggGary
  • Start date Start date
G

gggGary

Guest
There have to be a few more like me in here. Faced with spending $60 to 100 on a valve spring compressor. I visited the local salvage store (Delaney's, you Wisconsin guys and many fibs know where THAT is) and scored a slightly bent big C clamp with a missing swivel for a buck, then went through the scrap drawers and came up with the parts to lathe, grind and weld this. I straightened the clamp then ground the ball end into a cylinder and lubed it so the guide can rotate but stay straight on the shaft.

valve-tool.jpg

It works a trick. So what is in your "custom" tool collection?
Other tools in my collection: a combination fence post puller / tire bead breaker. Just built the wife a hot box for ski waxing. ($1100 at the dealer, total cost zero) The down side? A 40 by 60 shed full of stuff that "could be useful".
 
I'll have to add my steering stem bearing spanner tool I built out of pipe.


I like your idea for a spring compressor btw.
 
I don't have pics, but I have pipe wrenches with the handles cut off and a 3/4 or 1/2 inch drive hole drilled into them. Custom bent wrenches for injection pumps on Cummins Diesels, bent distributor wrenches, bleeder wrenches, GM W body strut cartridge tool, and a bunch of other stuff but nothing bike related yet.

When I need an expensive tool I usually got to harbor frieght, buy something for a couple bucks, and with a torch, BFH, and a welder there's not much you can't make with some imagination. I'm done giving the tool truck guys my money.;)
 
Here's my replace the O rings float valve seat remover. Based on a ball gauge for measuring the ID of drilled holes. I have an idea for an easy to build version I will post when I make it.

carbtool1.jpg

carbtool2.jpg
 
Last edited:
Probably the most common and easiest to make home brew tool is this tool for holding the fork damper rod to remove the allen bolt on almost any Jap bike known to man.

forktool-1.jpg
 
sharpened (metal) knitting needle to push out broken carb air screws.

Large iron nail head to tap stem nut free rather than the spanner wrench. some other tips that don't come to mind right now...
 
Sandy said:
Probably the most common and easiest to make home brew tool is this tool for holding the fork damper rod to remove the allen bolt on almost any Jap bike known to man.

forktool-1.jpg
Click to expand...

Hay I heve on just like that..
 
gggGary said:
There have to be a few more like me in here. Faced with spending $60 to 100 on a valve spring compressor. I visited the local salvage store (Delaney's, you Wisconsin guys and many fibs know where THAT is) and scored a slightly bent big C clamp with a missing swivel for a buck, then went through the scrap drawers and came up with the parts to lathe, grind and weld this. I straightened the clamp then ground the ball end into a cylinder and lubed it so the guide can rotate but stay straight on the shaft.


It works a trick. So what is in your "custom" tool collection?
Other tools in my collection: a combination fence post puller / tire bead breaker. Just built the wife a hot box for ski waxing. ($1100 at the dealer, total cost zero) The down side? A 40 by 60 shed full of stuff that "could be useful".
Click to expand...
Looks like a very nice upgrade from my idea, pretty much doing the same thing.

You can see a video of it in use on BassCliff's site (of course).

One (small) advantage of my system is that you still have a useable C-clamp. :-\\\

.
 
When I was trying to get my needle valves out, I pulled the "guts" out of a bic ball-point pen and used it like a ram to with a hammer. I'm sure everybody's probably already done something similar, but for those who aren't in the know, it's a perfect fit and it makes a solid contact.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top