Tool Time

[plugboots]

Don’t know if this is been addressed, but I suppose Gunder has some titanium, plastic tipped tire iron that he received from the Jumbo-Visma team mechanic while he was covering the tour?

[Dee Hubbs]

Don’t know if this is been addressed, but I suppose Gunder has some titanium, plastic tipped tire iron that he received from the Jumbo-Visma team mechanic while he was covering the tour?

I've never ever recommend a crankbrothers product in my life, BUT the "Speedier Tire Lever" is one of the best tire levers to use at home.

[John_B]

Who has a recommendation for a 1/4 socket long metric ball hexes? Points if it is affordable and not Wiha. Or at least I'm more likely to buy it.

[Dee Hubbs]

Who has a recommendation for a 1/4 socket long metric ball hexes? Points if it is affordable and not Wiha. Or at least I'm more likely to buy it.

Lowes has a 7pc Cobalt set 3,4,5,6mm are 1/4"drive 7, 8, 10mm are 3/8" drive. For $26. Or you can buy them individually.
They also have a 6pc Craftsman set 4,5,6mm are 1/4"drive 7, 8, 10mm are 3/8" drive. For $37. Also available individually.

It's rare that you're one to find a "Long Ball Hex" with such a strong drive mechanism like a square drive. Ball ends are typically only are found on tools with limited leverage, like a L key or a T handle.
And anything over 6mm is going to be on something more substantial like a 3/8" drive.

BUT if you really want economical, and have all metric sizes be driven by a 1/4" drive, I'd buy a set of hex shank bits, with a good 1/4" drive to hex shank adapter. (like the Wera Zyklop Bit Adaptor 1/4" Drive)
Then you can get a cheap set like this:
9PCS 1/4 inch Hex Shank Allen Wrench Drill Bits Set 100mm Metric Tip Socket

[Gunder]

Don’t know if this is been addressed, but I suppose Gunder has some titanium, plastic tipped tire iron that he received from the Jumbo-Visma team mechanic while he was covering the tour?

I only have 3 sets, and I almost never use them for their intended purpose. I have found with proper technique I dont need them, unless its a very stubborn tire rim combination. I used to run the German Conti Trail kings with their burliest sidewalls and black chille compound on a wide ENVE wheel set. Thats the last time I needed a tire lever and I actually broke my set of cheap blue Park ones that I kept in the riding pack. Those got replaced with the Silca ones, that have never been used. I also have a Wolftooth chain link tool that I keep in the riding bag that has a tire lever built in... never used the tire lever portion, so cant speak to weather it or the Silca's are worth a damn.


However, I do use the shit out of my Pedro's one. I've had it for close to 20 years now, and it is one of the most used tools I own, but not for use with tires. Turns out it is hands down the best tool I have ever found for removing dust wiper seals on forks. Thats all I use it for, but I use it a ton for that! In my mind, its ones of those "must own" tools.

[Gunder]

Who has a recommendation for a 1/4 socket long metric ball hexes? Points if it is affordable and not Wiha. Or at least I'm more likely to buy it.

I would be very leery of a ball head on hex sockets. Ball heads should ONLY be used for assembly work and NEVER used for final torque / high torque situations or for breaking a fastener loose. They just dont have enough engagement in the heads and you will strip the faster head. So I only own them in a screwdriver set up. Here is a pick of a 5mm PBSwiss socket and a 5MM PBSwiss ball end screw driver.


I love the PB Swiss screwdriver version for assembly.

If you must have them in sockets, I'd look at Snapon as the hex portion of the socket is easily replable. Bondhouse makes decent budget hex tooling as well. I'm fairly certain Bondhouse supplies or used to supply the hex tooling for the Park tools.

[adrenalated]

Who has a recommendation for a 1/4 socket long metric ball hexes? Points if it is affordable and not Wiha. Or at least I'm more likely to buy it.

I recently bought these and while I haven't used them enough to comment on durability, they seem nice enough.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Capri-To...7HML/305347743
4/5/6mm are 1/4" drive and 7/8/9/10mm are 3/8" drive. Then I picked up the 2/2.5/3mm sockets individually.

Agree with the others that you don't want a ball end on sockets. Use a wobble extension if you need to come in at an angle. Stick with L-keys, T-handles, or drivers for your ball end stuff.

[John_B]

Thanks for the pointers and item suggestions. I'll reevaluate and check some of those out.

[Gunder]

I've been slowly converting most of my spray bottles over to refillable air charged ones. You fill them with alcohol, degreaser, lube etc, then charge them with an air compressor.


I have had really good luck with both of these. The smaller one is a Vapor brand. I keep it filled with denatured alcohol for use as a degreaser. I've found using it in one of the sprayers, the powerful concentrated jet it produces, helps flush things out more efficiently. This is great for suspension service, etc.

The other one is a Sure Shot Sprayer. You can adjust this from anywhere from a very fine mist to a highly concentrated stream you can shoot across the shop. I keep this one filled with simple green for washing bikes.

Lately I have been working with heat shrink quite a bit on my Monarch 10EE lathe rebuild, so I decided that while I had it and the heat gun out, I would finally color code my big PB Swiss hex Keys and Sockets. I tried to the keep the color pattern as close as possible to my PBSwiss L set. I think this is going to make it way more efficient to use these.

[Dee Hubbs]

I am also a big fan of color coding everything to match my Wera keys.



I catch my self saying “I need a pinky” instead of saying 3mm.
Or the difference between a 2.0mm vs 2.5mm is dark green and light green.

[EWG]

I am also a big fan of color coding everything to match my Wera keys.



I catch my self saying “I need a pinky” instead of saying 3mm.
Or the difference between a 2.0mm vs 2.5mm is dark green and light green.

That’s excellent work, but I’m fairly sure it would cause my head to explode if I worked in someone else’s non colored coded shop.

[Gunder]

I am also a big fan of color coding everything to match my Wera keys.



I catch my self saying “I need a pinky” instead of saying 3mm.
Or the difference between a 2.0mm vs 2.5mm is dark green and light green.

Nicely done. I’m impressed you where able to find orange heat shrink.

[muted reborn]

I bought a Topeak Smartgauge D2 and it's not smart at all. I had to go to a bike shop to figure out how innacurate it is - they think mine is 7psi too low. A few people here love this thing - what am I missing? I can't recalibrate it, can I?

I'm returning this POS - it doesn't do the exact thing it's made to do. What do you guys recommend instead?

[g_man80]

My D2 also reads about 4-5 psi low. And my Topeak Joe Blow reads 5 psi HIGH. My 10 year old Serfas matches my analog gauge and both tpms systems in our cars. I just account for difference when I’m checking pressure since it’s at least consistent. Still frustrating considering the cost. Wonder if they would warranty it.

[XXX-er]

reminds me of this woman I was with several GF's ago who never changed slow/ fast clocks she just accounted for the difference in HER mind, so i would be like " fuck we are late" and she was like no that clock is 15min fast so we are right on time and every clock in the house was fast or slow by varying amounts which only she was aware

[Gunder]

I bought a Topeak Smartgauge D2 and it's not smart at all. I had to go to a bike shop to figure out how innacurate it is - they think mine is 7psi too low. A few people here love this thing - what am I missing? I can't recalibrate it, can I?

I'm returning this POS - it doesn't do the exact thing it's made to do. What do you guys recommend instead?

The problem with most of those cheap electric gauges, is they vary in accuracy quite bit in relationship to the battery level....

Ive been really happy with this combination

Presta accugage . It's cheap and so far has been dead nuts on. Granted I haven’t dropped it yet.

For inflation I use a Milton Digital inflator It uses quick change chucks on the tool end, so its quick to swap from presto to shraeder, etc. It's also EXTREMELY accurate, extremely well made, but it aint cheap. I have dropped this one and it still works.

[EWG]

reminds me of this woman I was with several GF's ago who never changed slow/ fast clocks she just accounted for the difference in HER mind, so i would be like " fuck we are late" and she was like no that clock is 15min fast so we are right on time and every clock in the house was fast or slow by varying amounts which only she was aware

I did this for years. Some were off by many hours due to power outages etc. Drove my lovely wife nuts. Finally gave in to the man and normalized to keep aforementioned lovely wife a bit more sane.

Based on this, your ex was obviously awesome.

[babybear]

so people would rather go nuts/insane then to simply change the time on the clocks?

[Greenstateofmind]

I've never ever recommend a crankbrothers product in my life, BUT the "Speedier Tire Lever" is one of the best tire levers to use at home.

My knuckles are smiling

[XXX-er]

so people would rather go nuts/insane then to simply change the time on the clocks?

well if you are single nobody else looks at the clock so you don't really have to, I seem to remember she started changing them after I freaked out a couple of times and it was obvious she needed to start fixng them

But you cant really do much with a pump guage thats reading wrong so the user has to account for it but at least the guage is alwasy going to be wrong by the same amount so you can account for it

[muted reborn]

My D2 also reads about 4-5 psi low. And my Topeak Joe Blow reads 5 psi HIGH. My 10 year old Serfas matches my analog gauge and both tpms systems in our cars. I just account for difference when I’m checking pressure since it’s at least consistent. Still frustrating considering the cost. Wonder if they would warranty it.

For some reason if it was about 3psi off, I Wouldn't care, but 7psi is just ridiculous in my head. I'm returning it. I also learned from this my floor pump is 3-4 psi too much.

The problem with most of those cheap electric gauges, is they vary in accuracy quite bit in relationship to the battery level....

Ive been really happy with this combination

Presta accugage . It's cheap and so far has been dead nuts on. Granted I haven’t dropped it yet.

For inflation I use a Milton Digital inflator It uses quick change chucks on the tool end, so its quick to swap from presto to shraeder, etc. It's also EXTREMELY accurate, extremely well made, but it aint cheap. I have dropped this one and it still works.

Thanks! $400 is a bit much for my usage so I got the other one you recommended. It's amazing how you seemingly have the best of everything.

[nickwm21]

More tools from the job.

Custom #4 poker/yanker


Can anyone guess what this “Apprentice” is used for?


A $7000 PAF gun. Designed in Liechtenstein, made in Austria.



Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[EWG]

so people would rather go nuts/insane then to simply change the time on the clocks?

Don't knock it till you try it.

Random clock times, not insanity.

Well ... maybe both.

[Dee Hubbs]

I had to set some star nuts in new forks.
I don’t have a star nut setter tool (gasp!). So I had to build one.
11/16 scocket set.
35mm M4 scocket cap bolt.
M4 nut cut square to fit 3/8 square drive
M4 nut inside socket to to keep bolt from moving.
M4 nylon thread lock nut upside down for pushing on the star nut.
Tape to measure my 15mm setting depth







Depth nut is set to allow the top star to flair up a bit. Hammers in straight, keeps it centered. Threads back off of the star nut.

[XXX-er]

Back in the day I had a Z1 I bought used that had half a doz star nuts banged in one on top of the other and then a couple banged in from the bottom to attach a fender result being it was impossible to remove any of them ... I had to drill some of them out and bang some of them out