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Tool Nerds, Questions and Tool Snobbery

junkyard

You might feel a little prick.
Sep 1, 2015
2,601
2,303
San Diego
Nah this one should be fine, all the usefully bright xenon ones seem to have all the adjusty stuff I don't want and the leads get all tangled up so I'd rather have just the pickup wire.
This is what I have currently(badge engineered Chinese thing) and used a 20+yo old one before that, they are both crap but in different ways.

View attachment 167673
I hear ya on that. I have two old ones so I may never get to try one of those single wire ones. Vacuum gauges are quite useful in tuning and timing. I like to set timing at full advance.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,626
5,442
I hear ya on that. I have two old ones so I may never get to try one of those single wire ones. Vacuum gauges are quite useful in tuning and timing. I like to set timing at full advance.
Last week I did a points to optical conversion on a Toyota 2f and I got it all running and found that the advance diaphragm had ruptured so I have to try to find one of them. I also learned that the base plates are stupidly hard as a cobalt drill wouldn't punch a hole through it.
I have never used a vac gauge for tuning but I probably should learn as 3/4 of the things I work on are LPG/Propane/CNG or whatever it's called in the US.
 

junkyard

You might feel a little prick.
Sep 1, 2015
2,601
2,303
San Diego
Last week I did a points to optical conversion on a Toyota 2f and I got it all running and found that the advance diaphragm had ruptured so I have to try to find one of them. I also learned that the base plates are stupidly hard as a cobalt drill wouldn't punch a hole through it.
I have never used a vac gauge for tuning but I probably should learn as 3/4 of the things I work on are LPG/Propane/CNG or whatever it's called in the US.
try useing elmers glue as the drill bit lube.

the vac gauge can be used to set timing, and all carb setting but also lots of diagnostics. I just google one of those charts like they have for spark plugs. And I haven’t got to the best part, awesome gauges or a new tool.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,626
5,442
try useing elmers glue as the drill bit lube.

the vac gauge can be used to set timing, and all carb setting but also lots of diagnostics. I just google one of those charts like they have for spark plugs. And I haven’t got to the best part, awesome gauges or a new tool.
I had Rocol on it which normally works fine on snapped bolts but this was oddly hard, I managed to oversize an existing hole and tap that but a brand new HSS tap was making horrible noises and winding up pretty badly.
Would you know of any decent brands to look for in regards to gauges or kits?
EDIT- Woohoo, managed to lose this prick of a thing for nearly six months, need it for some reduction hubs.
P_20211120_172102_1.jpg
 
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junkyard

You might feel a little prick.
Sep 1, 2015
2,601
2,303
San Diego
I had Rocol on it which normally works fine on snapped bolts but this was oddly hard, I managed to oversize an existing hole and tap that but a brand new HSS tap was making horrible noises and winding up pretty badly.
Would you know of any decent brands to look for in regards to gauges or kits?
nah I just use stuff out of the collection of junk I got. But I like my old Stewart Warner. As long as it isn’t small its probably good.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,626
5,442
Not really sure why but all the larger sockets have the lettering machined in.
I'm guessing it's so the sockets don't get distorted as the smaller ones have the lettering at the top away from the hex, seems like an expensive way to do things.
I wanted knurled sockets and there are SFA options out there these days, it's all mirror finish chrome.
IMGP9657 (2).jpg
 

rideit

Bob the Builder
Aug 24, 2004
23,055
11,298
In the cleavage of the Tetons
Does anyone happen to have an EDC steer tube tap I could borrow, rent, beg, or appropriate?
Thinking of going that route, the Wolftooth handlebar tool kits have just been knocked out of my bars a few times on trees, which is mighty, mighty annoying. They also are a pain in the ass to just get out The 4mm for a two second snug on the seatpost or something…
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,626
5,442
I never thought about hitting a tree and losing a tool, that would suck!
I managed to get a Topeak Ninja under my BB shell, their bottle holder was a bottle launcher so I binned that and had to work out what to do with the tool.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,558
24,181
media blackout
Does anyone happen to have an EDC steer tube tap I could borrow, rent, beg, or appropriate?
Thinking of going that route, the Wolftooth handlebar tool kits have just been knocked out of my bars a few times on trees, which is mighty, mighty annoying. They also are a pain in the ass to just get out The 4mm for a two second snug on the seatpost or something…
I have one, but I'm a ways away.
 

ebarker9

Monkey
Oct 2, 2007
848
242
Are the cheap spoke tension gauges on Amazon etc any good? The sub $50 ones.
I have the Park one and it seems like the consensus on most of these is that they're fine for determining how evenly tensioned the spokes are but not the actual value. I definitely can't justify one of the Wheel Fanatyk/DT/etc gauges for my one wheel build every two years unfortunately.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,558
24,181
media blackout
I have the Park one and it seems like the consensus on most of these is that they're fine for determining how evenly tensioned the spokes are but not the actual value. I definitely can't justify one of the Wheel Fanatyk/DT/etc gauges for my one wheel build every two years unfortunately.
thanks, that's kind what i figured. it'd be more useful for making sure the tension is even rather than "right"
 

Andeh

Customer Title
Mar 3, 2020
996
973
Does anyone happen to have an EDC steer tube tap I could borrow, rent, beg, or appropriate?
Thinking of going that route, the Wolftooth handlebar tool kits have just been knocked out of my bars a few times on trees, which is mighty, mighty annoying. They also are a pain in the ass to just get out The 4mm for a two second snug on the seatpost or something…
I've got one too (unless someone borrowed it again recently)... can't recall where you're located. I'm in Half Moon Bay, CA.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,225
20,003
Sleazattle
Does anyone happen to have an EDC steer tube tap I could borrow, rent, beg, or appropriate?
Thinking of going that route, the Wolftooth handlebar tool kits have just been knocked out of my bars a few times on trees, which is mighty, mighty annoying. They also are a pain in the ass to just get out The 4mm for a two second snug on the seatpost or something…

I am running the newer version which uses a standard star nut. You just have to hammer it down below where the tool mounts and it uses a fiberglass reinforced plastic doohicky to hold the tool and to preload the headset.

Works much better than the threaded steerer in my experience. You just can't store a CO2 cartridge with the tool.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,558
24,181
media blackout
I am running the newer version which uses a standard star nut. You just have to hammer it down below where the tool mounts and it uses a fiberglass reinforced plastic doohicky to hold the tool and to preload the headset.

Works much better than the threaded steerer in my experience. You just can't store a CO2 cartridge with the tool.
V1 or V2 of the threaded steerer setup? Supposedly V2 works better, but I only have v1. I also have the lite version in two of my bikes.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,825
13,054
My new setup will be tube and tyre boot strapped to the frame, then the small 70cc OneUp pump, with V2 tool and the small storage capsule holding bacon, plugger and some park stick on patches.

I wish you could get the EDC plugger without having to get the chainlink pliers too.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,225
20,003
Sleazattle
V1 or V2 of the threaded steerer setup? Supposedly V2 works better, but I only have v1. I also have the lite version in two of my bikes.

It came on a used bike so not sure which version. I don't necessarily have problem with the threaded steerer but the extremely shallow splines on the top cap that turns into a strip-a-thon if you have to tighten with the mini-tool on the trail.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,558
24,181
media blackout
It came on a used bike so not sure which version. I don't necessarily have problem with the threaded steerer but the extremely shallow splines on the top cap that turns into a strip-a-thon if you have to tighten with the mini-tool on the trail.
I get that concern, but generally speaking it's kind of a non issue, headset preload doesn't need to be so high you're at risk of stripping it. I don't disagree that it could be better, but in my experience it hasn't happened. I've had my stem come misaligned in crashes (twice now) and the preload on the headset wasn't affected.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,626
5,442
Seems the patent for electo-mechanical torque wrenches expired this year, wonder if more people will start miking them? Hopefully they do as beepers, lights and buzzers are shit in comparison to a click.
Snap-On group for some odd reason bought out Norbar a while ago so their wrenches my drop in quality if they start getting them made by the Poms, hahaha!
1638676202186.png
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,626
5,442
I have seen a couple online and they look really handy, I think one said 70W output.
I still don't know why Ryobi have one off the shelf but Milwaukee don't, seems odd.

With the iron I got a few months back I am sorted, only thing that really has to be torched now is an Anderson plug lug.
Someone has to put out a decent cordless heat gun, the Ridgid/AEG one looked good but was supposedly a bit dangerous and doesn't come to Aus.
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,259
8,765
Crawlorado
I have seen a couple online and they look really handy, I think one said 70W output.
I still don't know why Ryobi have one off the shelf but Milwaukee don't, seems odd.

With the iron I got a few months back I am sorted, only thing that really has to be torched now is an Anderson plug lug.
Someone has to put out a decent cordless heat gun, the Ridgid/AEG one looked good but was supposedly a bit dangerous and doesn't come to Aus.
Been pretty pleased with my Dewalt 20V heat gun, but then again I'm mostly only using it for heat shrink and some plastic forming.