"A bad workman...": the tool-chat thread.

I have this and really like it. Good buy. The only thing you have to watch out for is the wide Allen key 'sleeve' (there's probably a proper word for it) on one of the smaller Allen keys, as that keeps slipping off when you're not looking. I've nearly lost it at least half a dozen times so far (and will undoubtedly lose it at some point). But yes, it's a very good piece of kit.

Got the keys to my new place, it's huge. Help me fill it with tools.
I already have most of the specialised stuff, bb chasing and facing of all types, headset, taps and reams in all the bike sizes, disc tab facing both types and many others.

What I need, and multiple sets of are your daily use tools, Allen key sets, Allen key trio, cable cutters, cone spanners, crank bolt ratchet, chain tool, screwdrivers, crank extractor.
Only big boy tool I need a new of is a set of current "press fit all the things" press and extractor set. I'm feeling the wheels manufacturing jobs, comes to £350 ish for both sets.

Workshop is part my own workshop, normal drop your bike off for fixing, the other half is for members, you pay a monthly and allows you access to store (insured and proper looked) your bike (s), parts wash machine, full tools, my supervision (for sake of tools and to help) and a proper workstation etc. Also turbo trainer area where you can sweat and swear as much as you want as zwift looses it's connection again.
So, big boy tools live on a wall near me, where i can keep a vague eye on their usage, my own tools like in my massive bench/tooltrolley, public tools there will be 4x sets (more in time) to go with the 4x Park wall mounted type clamps. Each to contain your daily use stuff, Allen, screwdrivers, cable cutter etc.

Recommendations for said stuff?
I like var stuff but can't get them in the UK at a sensible price anymore. Unior make soke.nice stuff and then other tools are total gash and feel like they came from poundland. Pedros are gone? Abbey I wish.

Where is your workshop?

if you don't mind me asking...

Glasgow.

I saw your post in the car thread and wondered what you'd be doing with the space. Having different uses for it sounds like a smart idea.

I'm sure you know this, but avoid bike brands for generic tools. I use Bondhus Allen and Torx keys as they have been found to be very close to true-to-size. Pricey though, so perhaps Bondhus for yourself and Halfords for the others. For all the use they get, Silverline spanners and screwdrivers have been fine.

For bike-specific tools I've been impressed with Cyclus. Their headset cup remover is a good example of the quality and thought they put into them: the slits are finished with a hole to stop it propagating and the tangs are flared at the end, so they will still reach the cup even when working on a short head tube. It's also a heavier gauge of tube than you normally find on these tools.

I'd expect Cyclus tools to stand-up to heavy use from cack-handed users, such as you might find in a community workshop.

Keen readers of this thread will already know that I'm not, generally, a fan of Park Tool so I won't bang-on about them again.

I'd guess a torque wrench will be something a lot of your customers will need and if it were me, I'd get pre-set keys for the common, low range tasks (ie 4-7Nm) and a high range (covering 40-50Nm) wrench for cranks.

A surface plate would be a nice touch for truing rotors and can be had off eBay for £25 pound-odd. Second-hand obviously, but they'd be good enough for the task.

Yeah that's the one. Started as a "let's build an epic man cave with lathes and shit" between 5 of us. But costs were insane so only way to justify it was to make it a business and not a place to faff in. Hence it ended up as big as it is!

I used to like the pedros workshop stuff but haven't seen any in years so not sure what's happened to them. Bonduas make the Allen keys and other things like the small multi tools and I think screwdrivers for park. But your right, Bonduas make them closer to tolerance than they do for park lol.

Prob gonna go with wiha for Allens, they do a nice set with handles for £25 and without for £15, very high quality and have a neat snap feature to hold bolts on end of the ball.

Cycle specific for cutting, pressing, chasing and facing though. Only need thE multi press really now.

Headset spanners: is it worth getting anything other than a cheapo? I've got some ominous creaks coming from the front of my bike, and figure I should probably a) check it's not a steerer crack and b) learn how to refit the fork and adjust the headset myself.

Looking to get torque wrenchs - for low and high ranges.
Any tips?

I've bought two in my life-Icetoolz cheapo that had a really annoying seam in it from being cast which put ugly notches in every headset it touched but was good because it was long enough to get leverage, or a silly small Park tools one which didn't have a seam but did manage to get rounded off surprisingly quickly.

From this I don't know what I'd recommend. A third option probably.

The cheaper tools will be made to a lower tolerance and more likely to mark the headset, so it depends on how much you like it.

Some reccos here: https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/174897/?offset=100

Make sure it has a calibration certificate and you'll get more bang for your buck from a non-cycling branded tool.

When my LBS fitted it they mentioned the races were slightly funny sizes: 'try not to break it - we might have trouble getting another one.' So I suppose a reasonable quality one would be best. Park and Unior both seem to be about £15 - they likely to be ok?

(Edit: which Park one did you have, übé®_grübé®? Just seen Ribble have the combined headset/pedal spanner for a tenner.)

Unior are a proper tool maker (not just bike stuff), whereas a lot of Park Tool's gear is just rebranded and marked-up.

But I'm not shy about my dislike of Park Tool, so you might want an unprejudiced opinion. :)

Yeah that's the one I've got.

Think the Cyclo one looks quite decent https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cyclo-Pedal-Oversize-Headset-Spanner/dp/B0050VDNXK

Anyone used a cordless air compressor in the workshop? I've seen some of the pro team mechanics using them. This sort of thinghttps://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Air-Compressor-Heavy-Duty-18V-Ni-CD-Battery-Cordless-also-for-boilers-BNIB/222092454330?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649
Just want it for topping up tyres , not inflating from flat.

And I thought I was lazy!

I want an air compressor for cleaning chainsaw and flail mower. It would be great for seating tubeless tyres and pumping car tyres too.

Doesn't really make sense unless you are doing lots of tyres and you want to save your back. If you're on the road, just get a car plug-in compressor, and for the home get a compressor with a tank, so that you can easily seat tubeless when that day comes!

Busted my park tool headset wrench trying to get a bottom bracket off. Preferred it over the adjustable as it’s much more rigid. Anyway learnt my lesson and bought a 32mm combi wrench and it’s huge!. 6mm for scale

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bought a 32mm combi wrench

To replace the headset wrench?

No... I emailed the chain I bought the hcw15 from (I didn’t really say anything, just that I’d bought it this year and it’s broken) and they sent me a new one - even though I guess I was abusing it in trying to get a bb out. I bought the 32 combi just to use with the Shimano bb tool (that multi splined tool that ‘un’ square tapers use!)

No

Ah!

As you were.

Unior and var are what I have. Years of people borrowing them and no doubt abusing them and they are still here.
Had one if those 30/32 combination Park headset spanners and the 32mm is stretched out, probably from someone using it on something they shouldn't have. But mainly the combo element makes it hard to hold and use accurately

Does anyone know of a tool actually designed for removing 19mm FSA BB86 cups? I can get the bearings out with a drift, but then there’s no lip on the cups to drift them out.

Took a year or two, but the cheapo tool finally went pang.

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