Temper for spanner type tools?

[zxc]

What do you lot think the tempering of a spanner should be?

I've just made a tool like this: http://incycle.com/images/library/large/park_hcw_11_09_m.jpg
It's to undo a stubborn bolt on a mountain bike.

Thanks for any help

[Bugleone]

Unfortunately the link does not go to the pic, so I can't see th spanner type that you made,...however, assuming it's not too radical compared to a 'common' variety, I would suggest the following which I came to about twenty years ago in making a set of special spanners;

I used spring steel from large helical springs, hardened right out in brine (actually sea water) and then as a later operation starting with the cold bright cleaned spanners, heated about 2 inches back from the head and waited for the oxidation to reach the bottom of the spanner cut-out and creep up the side jaws,.....when the sides were somewhat darker than 'straw',..perhaps getting to 'bronze', I quenched out by stirring vigorously in a large drum of clean water.

An old blacksmith at the time told me the best way was to wire a bolt head into the jaws of a spanner before tempering as this was once thought to make for a more even temper, ....although i did not carry this out.

[zxc]

Thanks
I was thinking of a spring temper But thought there would be too much give in the jaws to get this stubborn bearing race off. on the other hand I don't want it to snap As it's going to have a lot of force against it.
I'll try something similar to what you've suggested, maybe going into blue oxidation colours round the jaws (this is o1 steel).

This is another photo of the tool I've made (the part on the left):http://www.parktool.com/images/products/productimages/hirezimages/HCW-11_002.jpg

[Underhay]

I would use a spring temper for safety. It should still be easily hard enough for the job, particularly as O1 is rather high in carbon for this job. 0.6 to 0.7% C would be ideal for a spanner.

Hope it works OK :)

[zxc]

I would use a spring temper for safety. It should still be easily hard enough for the job, particularly as O1 is rather high in carbon for this job. 0.6 to 0.7% C would be ideal for a spanner.

Hope it works OK :)

Thanks, yeah I decided to do this as I could always redo the heat treating if I found it too springy. Unfortunately I still managed to snap it But that was with an extension bar and most of my weight.
I wonder now though if it would have been more responsive with less tempering?
On the bright side, the grain structure looked good :rolleyes:
Not sure what to try now or whether to just leave a bike shop with the hassle.

Thanks for the help anyway guys, I'm sure I'll be making more tools like this at some point.

[Underhay]

A friend of mine was trying to remove the rear hub bolts from an old Sierra. After he'd jumped up and down on a six foot extension on the socket, he put the wheels back on to take it to the local garage. When he collected the car the head mechanic came out to meet him and called him a rude name :D

Take it to the bike shop :)

[Ropeman]

It's definitely a right hand thread?

[monkey_pork]

OT but - good luck - these bottom brackets can be troublesome.

I've had real trouble removing these in the past, especially where the frame has 'taken on' :rolleyes: water during it's life and seized the BB in place - to the extent that I've lost the use of at least two BB spanners in removing these.

[Damascene]

I have a grotty BSO (bike shaped object) a mate left here for me to use as a runaround. The bottom bracket on that is pretty graunchy and needs looking at.
Same problem as you, it doesn't want to come loose, so it looks like I am going to have to make a tool up to persuade it to turn.

[zxc]

A friend of mine was trying to remove the rear hub bolts from an old Sierra. After he'd jumped up and down on a six foot extension on the socket, he put the wheels back on to take it to the local garage. When he collected the car the head mechanic came out to meet him and called him a rude name :D

Take it to the bike shop :)

Yeah the bike shop quoted me £10 just to remove the bottom bracket. Doesn't sound too bad now I've tried :D


It's definitely a right hand thread?

Yep, There's some thread sticking out that I followed clockwise going inwards.


OT but - good luck - these bottom brackets can be troublesome.

I've had real trouble removing these in the past, especially where the frame has 'taken on' :rolleyes: water during it's life and seized the BB in place - to the extent that I've lost the use of at least two BB spanners in removing these.

It's properly stuck from weathering outside for a year. I bought it off a mate the other day thinking it was a bargan that just needed a bit of tinkering :rolleyes:
I used to think aluminium was waterproof and didn't deteriorate etc, Recently I've had nothing but problems with alu threads


I have a grotty BSO (bike shaped object) a mate left here for me to use as a runaround. The bottom bracket on that is pretty graunchy and needs looking at.
Same problem as you, it doesn't want to come loose, so it looks like I am going to have to make a tool up to persuade it to turn.
Hope you get it sorted :)

[Bugleone]

After looking at this topic again, I looked up my copy of 'The Modern Blacksmith' by Alexander G Weygers late last night,....he has a two page section on making both open ended and box spanners and recommends using motor vehicle leaf spring, hardening to "brittle" using oil, and then;..."draw temper color to bronze or purple"

[Big_Al]

hi, are you wanting to strip the whole lot down to bare frame? or just take the crank arms off? let me know how far you have got.. its been a while but I should be able to talk you through it. :)

[zxc]

After looking at this topic again, I looked up my copy of 'The Modern Blacksmith' by Alexander G Weygers late last night,....he has a two page section on making both open ended and box spanners and recommends using motor vehicle leaf spring, hardening to "brittle" using oil, and then;..."draw temper color to bronze or purple"

I should have used some leaf spring first really But I haven't been forging in this oppressive heat lately.
I'll probably go with that tempering if I do it again, Thanks for the information.


hi, are you wanting to strip the whole lot down to bare frame? or just take the crank arms off? let me know how far you have got.. its been a while but I should be able to talk you through it. :)

Thanks for the offer But it's just a very weathered stuck bottom bracket. I've been using this tutorial: http://bicycletutor.com/bottom-bracket/