Show Us a Tool

[Mr. Coffee]

This little goodie came with my Eagle AXS upgrade kit. Didn’t expect it and it’s really a fairly high quality piece - not just a cheap give-away. Also compact and has all the stuff you need (of course) to keep your AXS running perfectly. So here it is:

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Sometimes those tools that come with other stuff are the very best ones. I have a CRKT (Columbia River Knife Technology) locking blade pocket knife that I got as part of a tool kit about twenty years ago. The tool kit is long gone but I still have the knife and use it all the time.

 

[rtp]

I've got a Irwin needle nose vice grip, and it's crap.
The jaws are all wobbly, and if you crank on it they twist and fall off.

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Irwin isn't what it used to be.

That's sad to hear.
It's been a long, slow slide but it's nearly impossible to keep track of which long-time tool manufacturers are still actually any good. Sadly this applies in power tools, garden/outdoor equipment and hand tools.
Hell, there's basically even TWO 'Craftsman' at this point, at least one of which (I think Sears could still use the brand name) is utter trash - I now just steer away from both. Troy-Bilt, Huquarvana, most Stanley power tool divisions, let alone the whole 'MTD' conglomerate - makes it miserable to be able to avoid the 'used to be a good brand but is now garbage' problem.

Irwin for me was always more electrician focused while most of my tools ranged in the general contracting and mechanic range, but most of my non-mechanic screwdrivers and maybe a few others...

My mechanic tools are (mostly bought used over time) Matco, SK, Snap-On, Mac, with some Park Tool added for bikes, some older Craftsman (I still have a ~30 year old or more Craftsman electric sawzall) and Thorsen, with some 'random from somewhere China), air tools a mix of older Campbell Hausfield, 1-2 heavily used Snap-On, 'plus some crap.' Other than a now-ancient HF mitre saw and polisher (bought the mitre saw for a specific job, was fine to be 'disposable' if it melted down at the time, still going 20 years later somehow), I gave up on 'random brand' cordless tools and went all in on Makita.. I had a monster 'mid-priced' Black and Decker 'Firestorm' cordless hammer drill have had for some time, but didn't trust investing in a full lineup considering quality changes with so many brands, which pretty much left Makita, Milwaukee, DeWalt then a few others with smaller lines (e.g. Metabo, Bosch).

Have added a few Knipex, Klein and Gearwrench misc tools over time, and Wilde for misc prybars, but tool prices, especially for the 'good' brands, has gotten even more insane in past years, and other than for single-use type tools, it's just not worth rolling the dice IMO on the quality or longevity in many/most cases..

Don't get me wrong - I buy 'cheaper' tools when they're lower use, but I expect when you're paying the $ premium for a 'good' or 'pro' brand - to get that quality, so both good and sad to know RE: Irwin...

 

[tomjasz]

I bought the strongest reading glasses I could find.
The ones at the dollar store only go up to 3.25
I found this 6.0 strength on Amazon.

weird. I tried to order a pair…
wont ship to USA address WTF?

 

[PCeBiker]

weird. I tried to order a pair…
wont ship to USA address WTF?
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Lol,..

Try this link to a different pair.

High Magnification Magnifier Reading Glasses Strong Power Readers 4.00-6.00 (Tortoise, 6.0) : Amazon.ca: Health & Personal Care

High Magnification Magnifier Reading Glasses Strong Power Readers 4.00-6.00 (Tortoise, 6.0) : Amazon.ca: Health & Personal Care

a.co

Or search Amazon for "6.0 reading glasses"

I like large lenses, I don't like seeing the frame when I'm wearing glasses.

 

[PCeBiker]

I found this pair that go all the way up to 9.5 magnification, but they're $100 with shipping.

SHINU +6.50 +7.00 High Magnification Blue Light Blocking Computer Reading Glasses Men Women-ZF115(C2,+9.50) : Amazon.ca: Clothing, Shoes & Accessories

SHINU +6.50 +7.00 High Magnification Blue Light Blocking Computer Reading Glasses Men Women-ZF115(C2,+9.50) : Amazon.ca: Clothing, Shoes & Accessories

a.co

 

[PedalUma]

Eagle AXS upgrade kit

Is it an electric bike or an all human powered road bike? The cassette's range seems limited in the photos. How many teeth on first gear, 32? I am doing an 11-50 over the weekend with a 90nm cargo motor. It is a chromo Jones. Robust.

 

[Rich W.]

Is it an electric bike or an all human powered road bike? The cassette's range seems limited in the photos. How many teeth on first gear, 32? I am doing an 11-50 over the weekend with a 90nm cargo motor. It is a chromo Jones. Robust.

Spesh Turbo Tero 5.0 (90nm motor) with an 11-50 12sp cassette (PG1230) and 44T chainring (Praxis). Orig was 11-42 x 36. Fine for climbing (for me - not really MB range) but way to slow on the road. So with the above gearing changes and the class 3 upgrade, it now has very nearly the same low gear ratio and a lot more top end.

In gear inches I went from 25.10 to 25.69 on the low end and 95.45 to 116.75 on the top end. So big improvement for my riding which is some moderate to easy single track, and a lot more gravel (dirt) and paved roads. And some day paved MUPs. Just aren’t any near me so this involves some travel, but I have a few picked out and I’ll always watch for more when on the road.

What photos?

 

[PedalUma]

It sounds very nice. Good job! Sure, we want photos in its natural habitat. I did some single track today on my 85nm three-speed. This bike is so much fun and so simple. I cleaned and lubed the drivetrain, had a tuna salad for breakfast then went for the hills. I even saw some snow in the mountains 60 miles to the North. It is nice to look at from a distance. When I came back I had a coffee with my toes in the sand. Here is the 3500km chain I used and the type of lube.

 

[Rich W.]

That is a classy looking bike. I’m still looking for the right early ‘70s Peugeot PX10 for nostalgia reasons - not sure what Im going to do with it but it looks like you have the technology to make it a semi-stealth e-bike, which is better than making it a wall-hanger.

Super-Tero in its natural habitat:

 

[PedalUma]

‘70s Peugeot PX10

One potential pit fall is that the chain stays on '70's road bikes can flex causing automatic shifting and the quick release is hard to keep in the dropouts, making the rear wheel fall off every ten-minutes. We are talking about more power than they can often handle. Maybe if you weld in a 120mm long brace between the chain stay and seat stay, it could work. Here is a new bike that could handle it. And its brother with a drop bar, but rim brakes. Oh, the second chainring is just decorative for that classic style on these two.

 

[rob feature]

I remember some jackass trying to tell me that his car stereo would kill me,.. something about stopping my heart or my lungs blowing up or something.

I said 'yeah whatever dude, you just go ahead and try to kill me with your stereo.'

I sat in the back seat of his car and he cranked it.
I didn't die, but it was pretty Fricken Kool!!

My chest cavity was vibrating and I couldn't see straight because my eyeballs were shaking.

Maybe not that guy, but it is a thing

 

[PedalUma]

The Governor of Tennessee just signed a law banning drag in public. Here he is with pearls.

I have had an insatiable craving to work on a bike like this one and it just came in.

 

[Tars Tarkas]

The Governor of Tennessee just signed a law banning drag in public. Here he is with pearls.
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Ron DeSantis Jr.

 

[PedalUma]

Is this that before and after photo?

On that Jones bike I will install a cassette with a slightly better range, using these tools, but it will be 1/3rd more robust and with a much thicker chain.

 

[tomjasz]

Poor Roshan. Exactly the sort of customer that made even a percentage of the sales, not enough.

 

[Rich W.]

Caveman industries comes through again. I got really tired of the poorly designed holder for my ball-end metric Allens, so out of frustration did this. I’ve spent far more time fighting the plastic holder than it took to drill a few holes in a block of wood. And yes, that is vertical grain fir - only the best!

It’s left over wood scraps from this project:

 

[PedalUma]

Caveman industries comes through again. I got really tired of the poorly designed holder for my ball-end metric Allens, so out of frustration did this. I’ve spent far more time fighting the plastic holder than it took to drill a few holes in a block of wood. And yes, that is vertical grain fir - only the best!
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It’s left over wood scraps from this project:
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Well done on the gate! That is a beautiful design. It so nice that it even attracts the tour bus. What is the finish coat? Looks like satin. And, I can almost smell the combination of wood chips and beer. I spend too much time looking for tools. Obviously, it is also perfect for drill bits.

 

[JGcycle]

Caveman industries comes through again. I got really tired of the poorly designed holder for my ball-end metric Allens, so out of frustration did this. I’ve spent far more time fighting the plastic holder than it took to drill a few holes in a block of wood. And yes, that is vertical grain fir - only the best!
View attachment 148310
It’s left over wood scraps from this project:
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Beautiful gate--very nice work.

 

[Rich W.]

Beautiful gate--very nice work.

Thanks (A little off topic here but what the hell) I went a little over the top on welds but I learned building custom boat trailers when I was in my 20’s so I did this on a frame that no one would ever see. Also designed and built my own hinges because nothing on the market would work with the wall I built. Finish is a satin polyurethane applied to all sides before assembly to protect all that VG fir. $1200 just for the wood, but under $2k for the whole project.

 

[PedalUma]

Sweet. It is a thing of beauty, creativity and ingenuity. The supports under the wall posts must be strong. I can now see that the tourists in the tour buses witnessed the entire process. I don't mind being expansive on this thread. I am inspired.