Indispensible Tools.

robbarker
robbarker Posts: 1,367
edited December 2007 in Workshop
I'm sure we all have some tools or gadgets in our toolkits that have been pressed into service depite being "non-bike-specific". The sorts of things that Pedros, Cyclo or Park should have in their range but don't.

A few examples from my workshop:

Small pointed bradawl - great for opening up nylon cable liners after you've cut a length of cable outer and following the inevitable crushing.

Cotton bud with one end cut off - holding spoke nipples to insert and then engage them on the spoke thread rather than losing them in the rim.

Small needle-nose pliers with a bend in the nose - replacing ball bearings in wheelhub races rather than dropping them into the middle of the hub, where they will mysteriously disappear off the face of the earth.

Small maglite torch - for futile attempts at spotting ball bearings that have fallen into the middle of a hub because you didn't use bent needle-nose pliers.

Ball pein hammer - Knocking in star-fangled nuts and other delicate adjustments.

Ice lolly sticks - the only known method of getting grease to go where you want it to. Can also be usefully "whittled" for precision greasing applications.

Anyone else got any suggestions from their own workshops or toolkits?

Comments

  • aracer
    aracer Posts: 1,649
    robbarker wrote:
    Ball pein hammer - Knocking in star-fangled nuts and other delicate adjustments.
    I've now upgraded to the length of threaded rod method for installing starnuts.

    I find a dremel quite handy for various purposes.
  • pete.whelan
    pete.whelan Posts: 788
    A safety pin (nappie size), always keep it on my keyring, very handy for picking flints out of tyres before they go too far. In the workshop, I use a scribe for the same job.
    Recipe: shave legs sparingly, rub in embrocation and drizzle with freshly squeezed baby oil.
  • pete.whelan
    pete.whelan Posts: 788
    The other item I have is a vinyl sign-writing machine. Great for doing custom transfers, or making my own carbon effect rubbing patches
    Recipe: shave legs sparingly, rub in embrocation and drizzle with freshly squeezed baby oil.
  • Smokin Joe
    Smokin Joe Posts: 2,706
    Big hammer.
    Mole grips.
    Cold chisel.
    Even bigger hammer.
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    robbarker wrote:
    Small pointed bradawl - great for opening up nylon cable liners after you've cut a length of cable outer and following the inevitable crushing.

    I use an old spoke, sharpened to a point on a bench grinder

    I also use a spoke bent into a U shape to hold the ends of a new chain together when fitting a powerlink...

    homemade tool to stop the backs of chainring bolts spinning...
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer

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