Stuff you have made today

[beeRS]

...simple 10min job so I thought . Making some threaded reducers and reducing bushes whilst modifying an old bicycle fork to take a standard 12mm thru axle. I thought why not use some of that random titanium a mate salvaged out of the scrap bin for me, it will be light and corrosion resistant. First time machining the stuff and what an absolute ordeal. Took about 20 mins just to run the tap through it, couple of mm at a time. This stuff is horrible, but got it done in the end. Just a reducing bush for the other side to make, so no more tapping thank goodness..........never again


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That’s really neat. If such a thing isn’t already commercially available, you should be selling these. Titanium is nice, but a 6000 series aluminium would suffice for manufacture.

So will you be fitting a thru axel at the rear too?

 

[bricol]

...simple 10min job so I thought . Making some threaded reducers and reducing bushes whilst modifying an old bicycle fork to take a standard 12mm thru axle. I thought why not use some of that random titanium a mate salvaged out of the scrap bin for me, it will be light and corrosion resistant. First time machining the stuff and what an absolute ordeal. Took about 20 mins just to run the tap through it, couple of mm at a time. This stuff is horrible, but got it done in the end. Just a reducing bush for the other side to make, so no more tapping thank goodness..........never again


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Aluminium or steel forks? If aluminium, and you want it to last, some reading about galvanic corrosion (and how to slow/stop it) might be called for.

 

[Hood]

Got some button heads this morning and turned the head down slightly to fit. Much happier with them than the black stainless cap screws.

 

[Maker]

The button head slightly overhangs the chamfer on the stainless part, how could you ever put up with that?

 

[Hood]

The button head slightly overhangs the chamfer on the stainless part, how could you ever put up with that?

Easily

 

[lchris21]

That’s really neat. If such a thing isn’t already commercially available, you should be selling these. Titanium is nice, but a 6000 series aluminium would suffice for manufacture.

So will you be fitting a thru axel at the rear too?

Thanks. Nothing I could find online. Rear axle is already 12mm, just the forks were 15mm. It's an early Raleigh frame and fork, before gravel bikes became mainstream, the 15mm was a development from the MTB industry apparently. 15mm wheels are available but limited. I've got a spare set of 12mm wheels and a lathe .... cheaper than a new set of forks or a new bike! I have no plans for selling...

 

[RichardM]

Got some button heads this morning and turned the head down slightly to fit. Much happier with them than the black stainless cap screws.

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The button head slightly overhangs the chamfer on the stainless part, how could you ever put up with that?

I was thinking why not make the pivot base out of aluminium, just think of the weight saving.

 

[Maker]

I was thinking why not make the pivot base out of aluminium, just think of the weight saving

Agreed, and either move to four fasteners, or make the foot hexagonal, the three screws on an eight sided part clashes visually. And I think I'd DA or gritblast the ally, the straight grained finish doesn't work with the rotational symmetry either

 

[Blobber]

Got some button heads this morning and turned the head down slightly to fit. Much happier with them than the black stainless cap screws.

View attachment 479498

The button head slightly overhangs the chamfer on the stainless part, how could you ever put up with that?

I was thinking why not make the pivot base out of aluminium, just think of the weight saving.

Agreed, and either move to four fasteners, or make the foot hexagonal, the three screws on an eight sided part clashes visually. And I think I'd DA or gritblast the ally, the straight grained finish doesn't work with the rotational symmetry either

Boy they are pulling this apart!

 

[Hood]

Boy they are pulling this apart!

Bloody troublemakers

My next idea for a stand is in the works (design stage) so they will have loads more to moan about if I ever get that one done

 

[Blobber]

Bloody troublemakers

My next idea for a stand is in the works (design stage) so they will have loads more to moan about if I ever get that one done



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Nah dont like that
Can you not use tube instead of the square box, upsets my OCD that I dont have

 

[Maker]

My next idea for a stand is in the works (design stage) so they will have loads more to moan about if I ever get that one done

I quite like the adjustment mechanism actually.

 

[Hood]

Meanwhile I have been fitting an oem Honda centre stand, never liked the SW Motech one I bought.
They said putting the springs on was hard, first one piece of pi** and I thought what are they havering about, second one, teuch as hell as it has to bend over the first one, my spring puller agreed.

Ended up having to use a ratchet strap to get it stretched into position.

All is good now however.

 

[Hood]

I quite like the adjustment mechanism actually.

Only problem is it will, at least at this stage of thoughts, have to be cable operated. Not a big deal as 90% of the time it will just be in normal position, the other 10% will be when on farm/dirt roads where the ground is uneven. Sadly I am too old, stiff jointed and a short erse to boot so I mostly need to have the bike on the side stand to get on/off as it is not only tall but heavy.

 

[MattF]

Only problem is it will, at least at this stage of thoughts, have to be cable operated. Not a big deal as 90% of the time it will just be in normal position, the other 10% will be when on farm/dirt roads where the ground is uneven. Sadly I am too old, stiff jointed and a short erse to boot so I mostly need to have the bike on the side stand to get on/off as it is not only tall but heavy.

Wouldn't a system akin to an office chair stem be easier?

 

[Hood]

Wouldn't a system akin to an office chair stem be easier?

I had been thinking along these lines a year or so back but concluded it was not safe enough. Imagine deploying the stand, then coming back a while later and the gas shock has leaked and the bike is having a nap.

I then thought well what about the gas spring and a locking mechanism but the problem is it can't be foot operated as you need to release with your foot for adjustment and then you lose balance as that is the foot required to keep you upright So thought of the current design and having it cable operated and probably more robust than a gas strut.

 

[minimutly]

Bloody troublemakers

My next idea for a stand is in the works (design stage) so they will have loads more to moan about if I ever get that one done



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Harry Enfield "you don't want to do that, no no no"

 

[RichardM]

Bloody troublemakers

My next idea for a stand is in the works (design stage) so they will have loads more to moan about.

Constructive criticism please!

 

[northwest]

Made myself busy today and finished a couple of jobs that came in over Christmas, first up a drawbar for a Tom Senior Mill a pal of mine has bought:



Made a rod for my own back with it as I used a bit of N24T and it is bloody tough stuff, came out well though:

 

[northwest]

Then it was time for tiny helicoils :



And a piece of Phos Bronze for a front sight blade:




Bloody fiddly:



It works too:



Yes, that is the sight picture, always keep the front sight in focus.