Please do a derailleur hanger alignment tool next. I made one years ago. It is janky af, but it works and costs about nothing if you happen to have an old r. derailleur, some material and access to a drill press or some other method for drilling material truly perpendicular to a flat plane. You only use the mounting bolt from the old derailleur. Aluminum, or even plastic or wood could be used. Mine is aluminum.
My chain whip is an old chain through an old spanner. It works. My bearing press is a 10mm rear axle with some carefully selected nuts spot welded together to create the press pieces. A pair of nuts apply the pressure. My headset/Wheel bearing remover is a piece of 25mm steel pipe which received a bit of attention from a hacksaw then was flared with a steel ball bearing and a hammer. You don't need fancy expensive tools, especially if it's a tool you'll use once in a blue moon. Also, the pads issue, I simply use a pair of old debit cards cut to size such that they sit inside the caliper with a stem poking out the top. Secured with a tiny rubber band through a hole in the stem and a bit of stick through that band. Prevention is better than the cure, and if you've been out and maybe have some sticky pistons could prevent a slippery piston from yeeting itself from your caliper, a massive headache. At least it's mercifully rare.
For the bottle cage bolts and rear suspension dials instead of using nuts, use a hex coupler as it has a bigger surface area for you to grip onto but still small enough to fit everywhere.
Get an old rigid fork, upside down in a vice, and weld a nut onto the stanchion, put a round headed bolt into the nut as an indicator. Put another nut a little lower as a bonus disc truing guide. Bob's your uncle
The trueing stand is so cheap take two large cable ties one on either seat stay then cut down to length with nail clippers to just your rim width and your ready to go i have built heaps of wheels like this with a pair of verniers to check the dish with the wheel in the frame better than any truing stand .
Great tips. Particularly like the hex key in a nut for the bottle cage bolts. Last week I made a headset bearing cup remover from an old seat post. I had an old post with the same diameter as the internal diameter of the cups. I sawed off the top part leaving me with a straight piece of tube. Next I cut four 12cm long slots, one on each side at one end and slightly bent each of the four sides outwards. I slid it into the head tube and there was a satisfying click as it set into position, a small tap with a wooden mallet and the cup came out perfectly straight. A very easy to make tool which costs about £40 to buy.
Another solution for star nuts: Screw it onto a threaded rod that is long enough to go through the steerer completely. Then place a big diameter washer and a nut at the fork crown. Just pull the star nut into the steerer by screwing the bottom nut!
A little tip to make life easier. I painted all by black tools orange. Helps to keep track of those pesky Allen wrenches that disappear when you put them down.
Great vid. Having fractured my collar bone in 2, rib and punctured lung a few days ago on first ride of 6 wk holiday to SA, I didn't think I would want to watch mtb stuff, but as I have made a few tools, this was just the ticket!
For the star nut hack/bodge you need to add about 5mm of either washer or an oversized nut between the star nut and the socket or the upper star can't collapse inwards like it is supposed to, and can really jam things up. I found a cheap setting tool for like $12 after struggling way too much to get the bodge method to not go wonky, totally worth it.
I'm all for cheap or free. That nut/bit trick is genius! I reckon the time for chain holderers has passed. though, if you run a 1X set up. Dropping the chain off the front ring takes out all the derailleur tension, so you can fit the quick link easily. Note: It's even better if you run a waxed chain -- no oily mess. Cheers
Star nut setter. I just use an EMPTY C02 cylinder marked for depth with a piece of tape. It's the right diameter and shape for the star nut & steerer tube. Just tap it in with an hammer.
Absolutely make more tools pls. I would have never thought of some of that stuff you made in the video. Do u carry extra CR batteries for your bar/pai gage in your carry toolbox? Thanks for the great tool making pls keep it up
Awesome sauce... star nut setter = the right size phillips screwdriver... shaft goes through star nut, and handle is perfect inside diameter of steerer tube, voila
Great idea Blake. I found some of the foam on Amazon. Gonna snatch that. Already had a few tiny nut drivers like yours I’d made, and I’m totally stealing the brake tool. I like one one the other commenters below who used old credit cards mashed together as a disc brake wedge, gonna do that one myself.
for all the bit tools i'd say just spend some bucks on a good bit set and one of those mini ratchets like wera zyklop mini or some knockoff. apart from that some nice tips included!
Why didn't you make a headset press? I made mine for $10 with a long bolt and many washers. Park Tool's is $130. You could've made a chainwhip too with a piece of wood and an old chain.
Aye I'll have 1 of each please lol I got red disc spacer things keeping the disks parted but that's just cool! The spoke chain puller I got hooked on my Blackburn multi tool i.wondered what it was its hooked round each end it fits perfectly and they are selling them with that!
Don't you need to sharpen/taper the front edge of the brake pad tool? If the pads were clamped there isn't space for the full thickness of the disc . I'm glad you had a chance to pull out the welder!
Love the star nut tool, so easy to make but does exactly what you need it to.
Well, damn, I need to make a pad spreader with an antler handle now. Thanks for the inspiration Blake.
Please do a derailleur hanger alignment tool next. I made one years ago. It is janky af, but it works and costs about nothing if you happen to have an old r. derailleur, some material and access to a drill press or some other method for drilling material truly perpendicular to a flat plane. You only use the mounting bolt from the old derailleur. Aluminum, or even plastic or wood could be used. Mine is aluminum.
I made a hanger alignment tool and it sounds very similar to yours. An old front wheel without the skewer in also works.
Gizmos and Gadgets Tool corner would be a great addition to the DSS. Loved this segment. Blake really is an inventor!!!
My chain whip is an old chain through an old spanner. It works.
My bearing press is a 10mm rear axle with some carefully selected nuts spot welded together to create the press pieces. A pair of nuts apply the pressure.
My headset/Wheel bearing remover is a piece of 25mm steel pipe which received a bit of attention from a hacksaw then was flared with a steel ball bearing and a hammer.
You don't need fancy expensive tools, especially if it's a tool you'll use once in a blue moon.
Also, the pads issue, I simply use a pair of old debit cards cut to size such that they sit inside the caliper with a stem poking out the top. Secured with a tiny rubber band through a hole in the stem and a bit of stick through that band. Prevention is better than the cure, and if you've been out and maybe have some sticky pistons could prevent a slippery piston from yeeting itself from your caliper, a massive headache. At least it's mercifully rare.
For the bottle cage bolts and rear suspension dials instead of using nuts, use a hex coupler as it has a bigger surface area for you to grip onto but still small enough to fit everywhere.
Even better for homemade suspension dials is to use a wing nut.
best gmbn vid in ages imo... a 'tools hack' segment ..as part of 'hacks and bodges' is the best idea of 2023! ... worldwide!
Blake, you are quite the engineer! Have you considered making a truing stand? I wish they weren't so darn expensive!
agree would love to see a truing stand
I made a stand out of 2040 extrusion. It's great, done about 6 wheels on it now
Get an old rigid fork, upside down in a vice, and weld a nut onto the stanchion, put a round headed bolt into the nut as an indicator. Put another nut a little lower as a bonus disc truing guide.
Bob's your uncle
The trueing stand is so cheap take two large cable ties one on either seat stay then cut down to length with nail clippers to just your rim width and your ready to go i have built heaps of wheels like this with a pair of verniers to check the dish with the wheel in the frame better than any truing stand .
I have a spoke chain tool too!
I've made a few tools, wheel trueing stand and am now looking at a bar centering tool to align bars perfectly.
Simplicity is one of the highest forms of sophistication.
The hand bits and nuts was brilliant.
Also , good job using the safety glasses!
Great tips. Particularly like the hex key in a nut for the bottle cage bolts.
Last week I made a headset bearing cup remover from an old seat post. I had an old post with the same diameter as the internal diameter of the cups. I sawed off the top part leaving me with a straight piece of tube. Next I cut four 12cm long slots, one on each side at one end and slightly bent each of the four sides outwards. I slid it into the head tube and there was a satisfying click as it set into position, a small tap with a wooden mallet and the cup came out perfectly straight.
A very easy to make tool which costs about £40 to buy.
Another solution for star nuts:
Screw it onto a threaded rod that is long enough to go through the steerer completely. Then place a big diameter washer and a nut at the fork crown. Just pull the star nut into the steerer by screwing the bottom nut!
Nice video Mr S. I used a spoke and some broom handle to make a pick for removing brake seals and cleaning the slots the seals sit in
A little tip to make life easier.
I painted all by black tools orange. Helps to keep track of those pesky Allen wrenches that disappear when you put them down.
Great tip!
I think this is one of the most useful videos I have seen on GMBN. Thanks!
That star nut hack is very clever!
The socket and top cap star nut insert hack is brilliant! Thank you for that! 🍻
Great vid. Having fractured my collar bone in 2, rib and punctured lung a few days ago on first ride of 6 wk holiday to SA, I didn't think I would want to watch mtb stuff, but as I have made a few tools, this was just the ticket!
That brake pad aligner is sooo sick look awesome, id love to have one
Instead of using that spoke/chain thing you can also take your chain of the front chainring when installing your quicklink. 😊
Or just put each halfs at each end of the chain and link them together :)
For the star nut hack/bodge you need to add about 5mm of either washer or an oversized nut between the star nut and the socket or the upper star can't collapse inwards like it is supposed to, and can really jam things up. I found a cheap setting tool for like $12 after struggling way too much to get the bodge method to not go wonky, totally worth it.
Here in Canada we have 1/4 and 3/8 drive Allen Key sets
Chain whip: Old length of chain and a set of vice grips 😉
Inventor Blake strikes again! That break pad separator is genius! Il take 2
I'm all for cheap or free. That nut/bit trick is genius!
I reckon the time for chain holderers has passed. though, if you run a 1X set up.
Dropping the chain off the front ring takes out all the derailleur tension, so you can fit the quick link easily.
Note: It's even better if you run a waxed chain -- no oily mess.
Cheers
Blake is sending it, next level.
Great video. I used an old metal hanger to make the chain tool.
Thanks Blake! Great tips. I would love a Blake Custom Hand built one of a kind bike specially niche tools! I see unlimited business potential!
Best video ever! Keep these tool ideas coming!!!
I'll gladly buy one of those welded brake tools! Looks class
Nicely done Blake love the little thumb nut tool , 👍
Star nut setter. I just use an EMPTY C02 cylinder marked for depth with a piece of tape. It's the right diameter and shape for the star nut & steerer tube. Just tap it in with an hammer.
I've got a chain whip made from an old chain, some angle steel from another project and old bar tape for extra comfort
Theres some cool little tools made there,the disc tool is cool aswell for the pads. 👍great work as normal
Blake I love your disc brake tool. You are a GENIUS!!
Blake love the disk pad tool quite the tool lol
If your going to mass produce them put me down for one haha 😄
Keep the ideas coming 😊
Absolutely make more tools pls. I would have never thought of some of that stuff you made in the video. Do u carry extra CR batteries for your bar/pai gage in your carry toolbox? Thanks for the great tool making pls keep it up
Thanks! Perfect, more of this
UPVC pipe + connector for a fork crown race installer. The chamfered inner edge of the connector fits the chamfer of the crown race beautifully.
Nice, gotta try it myself.
You made me hungry, more selfmade tools please!
I made myself headset cup removal tool and hanger aligamant tool. That’s pretty simple and cheap to make
Fantastic, please do more Tools videos : )
This was awesome! Thanks
Food for thought Blake cheers matey 👍
Awesome sauce... star nut setter = the right size phillips screwdriver... shaft goes through star nut, and handle is perfect inside diameter of steerer tube, voila
I’ll deffo buy a pad aligner, you could try and put a wider diameter bar so then you could put a handle bar grip on 🤔
Blake! You are a genius for sure :D Love it, want one, would use it every day in my workshop for sure!!!
That's all genius. Why cannot i like this this 5 times?
Great video Blake. cheers 🤟
The thing with star nut and bikeshop happened to me. guilty😂 Thanx for the hack! didnt know that🤟🏻 really useful
Why would they remove the star nut just to service a fork?
Its about installing a new fork, isn’t it?
Great idea Blake. I found some of the foam on Amazon. Gonna snatch that. Already had a few tiny nut drivers like yours I’d made, and I’m totally stealing the brake tool. I like one one the other commenters below who used old credit cards mashed together as a disc brake wedge, gonna do that one myself.
Brake Pad Alignement Tool MUST-HAVE-I-DO 🤤
Great video. Very useful ideas. Keep posting more of the same.
Love the brake tool amazing idea
i want one of them alignement tools blake made,looks sick🤘
Hi Blake when was you doing the homemade tools hacks and bodges video?
That is amazing so simple and effective
Blake and workshop let's gooooooooo
Also made crows foot wrenches, drill and file hole square. Needed to torque suspension nuts for servicing
I'm just proud of having cut a PVC tube to use it as a crown racer installer 😂I wasn't paying 25 bucks (the cheapest ones!) for that tool!
Thanks Blake there is some great ideas, 👍 🤘
Wow my man, you have saved my son hundreds of reddies. Thanks Blake give Ross a load. 🤘🤘👌👌
Legit DIYs. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks! Are you going to try any?
All of them!!!@@gmbntech
Awesome! more please
I want one! Awesome ideas 💡!
Yoo love these vids
for all the bit tools i'd say just spend some bucks on a good bit set and one of those mini ratchets like wera zyklop mini or some knockoff. apart from that some nice tips included!
You can make a nice pick with an old spoke or a piece of fender strut
For the chain link I just leave the chain off of the chain ring, then put your link in then just pull the chain onto the ring. No spoke required. ;-)
Why didn't you make a headset press? I made mine for $10 with a long bolt and many washers.
Park Tool's is $130.
You could've made a chainwhip too with a piece of wood and an old chain.
Great ideas 👌
You could use the bench vice as a press, to press the bits into the nuts, rather than hammering them in
Where did ya get that Colorado tag hanging on your wall. Perty cool
Pretty sure you can pick up stubby ratcheting bit holders for real cheap from your local auto zone or equivalent 😊
Another one for the bottle cage is hot glue inside a bottle cap, press the hex key in while the glue is still hot
A chain whip. Easy, old chain and a piece of ally (made one last year).
How about using a wingnut for that shock adjustment tool?
I’ll have one those disc tools if you’re offering Blake 😉
Blake, I love your nuts! 😂 Great trick! Thank you 🎉
I'd take a welded brake tool for sure ❤
The Society for the protection of blokes sheds, APPROVES of this video!!!!!
Yoo I love these vids
Aye I'll have 1 of each please lol I got red disc spacer things keeping the disks parted but that's just cool! The spoke chain puller I got hooked on my Blackburn multi tool i.wondered what it was its hooked round each end it fits perfectly and they are selling them with that!
So Blake to have a plaster on his finger by the end of the vid. :)
#Blake I'll take a brake pad tool, thanks!
Make your own
I want one - Yes PLEASE!!
I like your shadow foam
Just use a plastic tirelever to open disc pads, pedros for example, easy, cheap and does double duty!
Hey Blake, if you'd like one of your signed, handmade brake pad adjustment tools put to use in south korea I'd take one!! lol
Ill have one of those caliper tools Blake.😉
I want one of your tomahawk disc brake tools.
Actually, I work at a bike shop and I would love one! 10:00
Very nice 😃🤙🏾
Thanks ✌
Don't you need to sharpen/taper the front edge of the brake pad tool? If the pads were clamped there isn't space for the full thickness of the disc . I'm glad you had a chance to pull out the welder!
use a wing nut to give your fingers greater purchase when using them.
Yes please!
09:55 I'd love to own something Blake built!
Put those bits into a socket instead - fits in the small 1/4” one I believe
yup i have one of those stubby 1/4 bit drivets or those stubby rachet head thingies for bottle cages..
Defo need 1 of them pad shifter thingemagigs
Will Berd spokes work with the chain thingy? 😂