Tips and tricks for tools and techniques

[beanojones]

Having gladly stolen lots of great knowledge from the collective experience of the people here ate the board, I offer a tiny tool trick.

These are great for dealing with most port plugs:

Park AWS-1 Y Allen Wrench 4-5-6 - Excel Sports

Any bike shop should sell them for about $10.00. They are much more useful than they should be.

Also comes in a ball end version:
Park AWS-8 Ball Bondhus Y Allen Wrench - Excel Sports

This little one is good for fewer things but is just as nice to use:
Park Tool Website

If you got some tool or technique tips, share away.

 

[Fishpie]

Old (empty) CO2 cartridge screwed into a 3/8th port makes a great handle when working on 1st stages.

 

[Couv]

Old (empty) CO2 cartridge screwed into a 3/8th port makes a great handle when working on 1st stages.

If you don't have a Scuba Tools universal wrench, a strap wrench can be used to open the main body.

A watch case opener (I bought one on ebay for about $10 including shipping) can be used to remove the seat retainer.

A plastic straw from your local hamburger joint can be used to protect a piston stem during installation and when it is out of the body.

Various size straws can be used when installing o-rings over threads, stems, etc.

Couv

 

[herman]

Old (empty) CO2 cartridge screwed into a 3/8th port makes a great handle when working on 1st stages.

4 to 6 inch long 3/8 x 24 (SAE fine thread) bolts are also a good and are stronger than co2 cartridges. These are a little hard to find at the home stores but good hardware stores will have them

 

[nereas]

Old (empty) CO2 cartridge screwed into a 3/8th port makes a great handle when working on 1st stages.

Good idea!

I use a cut-off LP hose for this instead.

 

[redacted]

4 to 6 inch long 3/8 x 24 (SAE fine thread) bolts are also a good and are stronger than co2 cartridges. These are a little hard to find at the home stores but good hardware stores will have them

Stronger may not be better. I considered the steel bolt but decided that between the fact it did not have a shoulder to limit its depth and that the brass threads would sustain damage before the steel threads, I'd go with old hose ends (HP and LP). I also have port adapters (3/8 to 7/16 and 7/16 to 3/8) if I need to grip it in a vise like with an unbalanced piston.

 

[herman]

True. I put the bolt in by hand, back it out a turn or 2 and then use a jam nut to make sure it does not move. I like the length the bolts give me to clamp it in a vise.

 

[captain]

You can double jam nut the bolt with the correct amount of thread exposed, about 5/16"

 

[beanojones]

Stronger may not be better. I considered the steel bolt but decided that between the fact it did not have a shoulder to limit its depth and that the brass threads would sustain damage before the steel threads, I'd go with old hose ends (HP and LP). .

That's an interesting point. The ScubaTools tool is steel as well.

(Lucky for me, I have no gear I need to keep alive. If it breaks/strips during disassmbly, it is retired.)

 

[HenrikBP]

A watch case opener (I bought one on ebay for about $10 including shipping) can be used to remove the seat retainer.

Couv

If you have large snap ring pliers with right-angle tips, they can be used to remove a seat retainer as well.

Henrik