Building a work stand

In article <[email hidden]>, Andy Dingley

Quoted message said:

I don't have one, have never seriously used one, but I do
have access to much welding kit. Any advice on designs ?
I don't want to build one, then find I want to fiddle
with the design afterwards. What's important in a good
work stand ?

Kestrel Engineering make/made a very good basic bike stand -
you will need to weld up some bits of square bar to allow it
to be held in a normal bench vise. Sorry I don't have any
pictures - I donated mine to my nephew in Greece. It fitted
under the bottom bracket and had a clamp which held the
frame in place - how firmly depended upon the operator. It
also had the facility to hold the front wheel straight.

If you want to take this to email I'll take a few photos of
the one I use in the shop which clamps on the top tube but
it is mostly castings and was made about 1930 something.

--
A T (Sandy) Morton on the Bicycle Island In the Global
Village millport.netmillport.netOpen ↗

Andy Dingley posted ...

Quoted message said:

I need a work stand (fercking front mech alignment....)

I don't have one, have never seriously used one, but I do
have access to much welding kit. Any advice on designs ?
I don't want to build one, then find I want to fiddle
with the design afterwards. What's important in a good
work stand ?

Stability, versatility portability. My three priorities.

Visit a few bike shops to have a look at a few stands first.
You're likely to pick up some good ideas, but probably more
importantly, can also decide on what 'features' aren't
important to you.

--
Paul

(8(|) Homer rocks .. 😉

Andy Dingley said:

I don't have one, have never seriously used one, but I do
have access to much welding kit. Any advice on designs ?
I don't want to build one, then find I want to fiddle
with the design afterwards. What's important in a good
work stand ?

Copy the Minoura RS 4000 :-)

I suggest if you do build your own stand, you buy a Park
clamp for the top of it.

--
Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University

Sandy Morton said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Andy Dingley said:

I don't have one, have never seriously used one, but I do
have access to much welding kit. Any advice on designs ?
I don't want to build one, then find I want to fiddle
with the design afterwards. What's important in a good
work stand ?

Quoted message said:

If you want to take this to email I'll take a few photos
of the one I use in the shop which clamps on the top tube
but it is mostly castings and was made about 1930
something.

There are a few other lurkers with a welder and a desire for
a work stand. The stand part isn't a problem. It's the
holding the bike part that is taxing the grey matter.

..d

I built one recently, albeit out of wood and 10mm threaded bar. The
stand is removable, so the car can get into the carport once the stand
has been taken down. Picture here:

ebdev.misys.comDSCN0391.JPGOpen ↗

I've got spare threaded bar and washers, if anyone needs
some to make something similar.

Clive

In article <[email hidden]>,
David Martin

Quoted message said:

There are a few other lurkers with a welder and a desire
for a work stand. The stand part isn't a problem. It's the
holding the bike part that is taxing the grey matter.

I had a Kestrel(I think) one in which the bottom bracket sat
in a V on the stand and a long screwed hook held the bike in
place - i ain't any good at ascii art and the original is
now in Greece.

It wasn't expensive.

--
A T (Sandy) Morton on the Bicycle Island In the Global
Village millport.netmillport.netOpen ↗

in message <[email hidden]>, Andy Dingley

(') said:

I need a work stand (fercking front mech alignment....)

I don't have one, have never seriously used one, but I do
have access to much welding kit. Any advice on designs ?
I don't want to build one, then find I want to fiddle
with the design afterwards. What's important in a good
work stand ?

probably needs to fold away, but not especially small.

The most important thing is the clamp head. Personally for
me my minoura stand (w300) was so inexpensive and the clamp
head is so well designed and effective I can't imagine being
able to bodge anything nearly so useful up myself without
spending a lot more money on bits.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke)
jasmine.org.uk~simonOpen ↗

;; Semper in faecibus sumus, sole
profundum variat.

Reply to Sandy Morton

Quoted message said:

I had a Kestrel(I think) one in which the bottom bracket
sat in a V on the stand and a long screwed hook held the
bike in place - i ain't any good at ascii art and the
original is now in Greece.

My Tacx stand is like that: the BB sits snugly into the
angle of a sort-of hockey-stick-shaped metal bit, with the
springed hook most of the way up the handle of the hockey
stick; the hook clamps onto the down tube.

I wouldn't buy it again, for two reasons: firstly, unless
I'm careful I trap the gear cables (and at best I have to
stretch the cables round the clamp slightly), and secondly,
it no speak recumbent.

--
Mark, UK. We hope to hear him swear, we love to hear him
squeak, We like to see him biting fingers in his horny beak.

In article <[email hidden]>, Mark McN

Quoted message said:

I wouldn't buy it again, for two reasons: firstly, unless
I'm careful I trap the gear cables (and at best I have to
stretch the cables round the clamp slightly),

I didn't have a problem with the Kestrel.

Quoted message said:

and secondly, it no speak recumbent.

With one of these you should have bought a crane :-))

--
A T (Sandy) Morton on the Bicycle Island In the Global
Village millport.netmillport.netOpen ↗

On 14/4/04 11:05 pm, in article
[email hidden], "Simon Brooke"

Quoted message said:

in message <[email hidden]>,

Andy Dingley (') said:

I need a work stand (fercking front mech alignment....)

I don't have one, have never seriously used one, but I do
have access to much welding kit. Any advice on designs ?
I don't want to build one, then find I want to fiddle
with the design afterwards. What's important in a good
work stand ?

probably needs to fold away, but not especially small.

The most important thing is the clamp head. Personally for
me my minoura stand (w300) was so inexpensive and the
clamp head is so well designed and effective I can't
imagine being able to bodge anything nearly so useful up
myself without spending a lot more money on bits.

Having had to get the welder out anyway this morning and
having a few bits of steel lying around I have finally
bodged myself a work stand.

basic design:

Upright 25x15mm box section. Cut a V in the two short sides
and put in a short piece (60mm ish) of 20mm angle corner
down. This takes the bottom bracket.

Weld a longer (20-30cm length of 25mm angle at an angle to
take the down tube.

Grind a few bumps in the wide angle to stop a securing strap
from slipping.

Job done in about 20 mins. Parts cost under 5 quid. I might
get some thin rubber (or grab a pair of marigolds) to
protect the frame.

At the moment it works by being held in a bench vice or
workmate. I'll bodge some legs when I have time,
possibly folding.

JPGs later..

..d