Bicycle Mechanics - Homemade skewers?

Hey all -
I'm going to build some homemade skewers for my roadie - basing it on some titanium all-thread. My question is this: what's the standard diameter for a skewer? I'm pretty sure it's m5, but I'm having a hard time finding ti rod in metric. My choices are down to 10-24 or 1/4-20. So....anybody have general advice about this? I'm thinking that they'll end up something like this, with similar handmade alloy nuts.

http://www.m2racer.com/images/img435ff9bca8b36.jpg

Thanks!

I just measured three different skewers in my parts supply. All three are M5 diameter. The Shimano and a house-brand "boutique" skewer are threaded a common M5x.8 mm. The Maillard is threaded M5x.9 mm.

10-24 has a major diameter of 0.190" or 4.8 mm so it's a bit undersize. 1/4-20 is .250 (no surprise there) or 6.35 mm and won't fit in the hollow axle.

My advice is why bother? Bolt on skewers aren't as secure as internal cam skewers and it's going to be a lot of work to make something not nearly as good as what you can buy.

I just measured three different skewers in my parts supply. All three are M5 diameter. The Shimano and a house-brand "boutique" skewer are threaded a common M5x.8 mm. The Maillard is threaded M5x.9 mm.

10-24 has a major diameter of 0.190" or 4.8 mm so it's a bit undersize. 1/4-20 is .250 (no surprise there) or 6.35 mm and won't fit in the hollow axle.

My advice is why bother? Bolt on skewers aren't as secure as internal cam skewers and it's going to be a lot of work to make something not nearly as good as what you can buy.


That's what my calcs came out to as well. Just thought I'd get a second opinion on things. As to "a lot of work" it'd be nothing more than cutting some all thread to length, cutting/drilling/tapping some aluminum hex bar stock to make the nuts. Grand total for enough to make 2 sets: $40 (from mcmaster-carr). The dealbreaker is that I think you're right - if that diameter's off, it's a no-go. Oh well, could have lost 1/2 lb off my road bike for $20. I'll have to skip the double-quarter-pounder today instead. :)

My advice is … It’s a Bad idea.

Especially if you plan to make it out of threaded rod.

A QR shaft should be a close smooth fit through the center of the axel. While the shear load is all on the axel ends a threaded center binder would have a spiral stress riser the whole length and it’s cross sectional area would be greatly reduced compared to a smooth shaft.

First off Ti is a stupid material to use if its to be put under a tension load.

Second it defeats the whole purpose of a QR if you need a wrench to get it off.

Third you will never get a decent quantity price on one stick so the cost per is going to be off the charts.

Fourth you just can’t make hand made nuts that are any good no matter what you make them out of because they will be too soft, nuts especially small ones must be forged, or heat treated after the threads are formed.

1/2 lb off my road bike for $20. I'll have to skip the double-quarter-pounder today instead. :)
Your existing skewers weigh that much??? Just for fun, I weighed two Shimano low line rear skewers and together they weighed 165 gms or 1/3 pound. I also weighed a pair of external cam boutique skewers and together they weighed 115 gms or 1/4 pound. How are you going to save 1/2 pound by replacing these? Would your new skewers have negative weight? :)