My $6 repair stand
 

I was getting tired of bending down for repairs, and the stand I borrowed had to go back to it's owner.
I'm a cheapskate and dishing out $200+ for a stand doesn't fit in the budget at this time.
I took some scraps of steel that had been lying beside the house for another project and a length of round bar.
I bought some clamps for $6 that fit the round bar. I drilled a 1 inch hole on the square stock for the round bar. I then welded the upright to the hunk of scrap.
I built it high as I don't like bending, but I could drill more holes to lower the round bar as the clamps are removable.
But being made out of .120 2x2 and 1 inch bar it weighs lot's more then a proper stand.
I figure I could hang a 100 pounder from it!

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b4.../DSC01982a.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b4.../DSC01983a.jpg

Nice job :)

I was thinking about making one out of wood and pvc

that's a pretty nice rig. I like you have a hard time laying out $200 for a stand. I have a 2 bike rack on the back of my CR-V that comes in handy for most repairs, anything else and I can borrow a stand from a friend.

That is really great :) Thanks for the inspiration to have a go at building one of my own.

Nice Marinoni!

Nice, Yet another reason to learn to weld.

Clever use of the pipe clamps there. :beer:

I already welded up a stand, or I'd probably copy yours. Mine is based on a modified pair of Harbor Freight vice grips and totaled like $20 built -- so you got me there.

I'm interested in clever/simple designs to do the fork-mounted workstand. Anyone have a good home-made version.

Anyway, nice work!

I have been thinking of making one out of 1" threaded steel pipe. I was trying to figure out a way to clamp the bike. I like the way you did it. I saw one where the guy cut pvc pipe and used a latch clamp (don't know what they are called). I might give your way a shot.

These clamps are very secure but I wouldn't use them on anything but the seatposts. If you screwed them tight enough it may dent tubing. The rubber pads are really grippy so they don't have to be really tight to hold on to the seat post.
I could cut the one leg on the bottom to match the other and I guess I could paint it. But it only took about 10 minutes to fab up.
I think we need a thread on home-brewed stands as I am also interested in building a wheel stand for truing rims and building wheels.

Not to be critical, but you might want to wear a "bump hat" with that. I know I'd be taking "divots" out of the top of my head:)
Another idea might be to make a square "socket" for the vertical member to sit in. That way it could be taken apart for storage.

Good Job!

The clamps slide off and the rod slides out.
I bumped my head already so when I have it inside the garage I take it apart.
But I like the idea of the "square socket". I would have to find some square tube with the ID just bigger than the OD of what I've got.
I wonder if it would feel as solid though?
Hmmmm.

+1!

Excellent rig!

Nice concept and I have two comments:

1. Can you turn the pipe clamps around so the handles are inboard of the cross bar instead of to the outside? That would greatly reduce your head-bumping liability. It looks like the adjusting screw handles pivot enough to allow you to turn them with out hitting the pipe.

2. Try to find a couple of super-cheap seatposts to dedicate to the stand. Steel MTB posts would be ideal as you could clamp them as tight as you want and not worry about marring your good ones.

If you try the "square socket" you might want to add set bolts on 2 adjacent sides.

" I would have to find some square tube with the ID just bigger than the OD of what I've got."
They make 2-1/2" sq. tubing with a 1/4" wall. You might have to knock the sharp corners off the 2" tubing with a grinder though.

Drill a 1/2-5/8" hole through the whole works and "pin it" with a bolt & nut.
I'd think a 5-6" long "socket" would be adequate.

Nice stand! +1

You don't have to. http://cgi.ebay.com/PARK-TOOL-PC-9-H...QQcmdZViewItem

That's not bad but $75 + $75 shipping to Canadian border then to me via another courier + 20 brokerage + GST and PST taxes will be over $200.
I dIdn't want to spend $200 so I made this for $6.
But with all the tips that this thread has provided I am going to make another.
It will have:
-mounting for two bikes
-height adjustability
-it will be able to be broken down into three pieces for storage
-tool trays
And I am going to double the budget to $12.
Thanks for all the tips everyone.

i once built one for free:
it included a 6 foot ladder
a frame adapter(taped across top of ladder and then used it to hold up the bike)
a junkload of masking tape
a couple bags of rocks (so that it wouldn't tip)

eventually i got a really bike stand

Seems like you could drill a hole in the square tube on the side adjacent to the side where round tube enters. Weld a nut over the hole. Run a bolt into the nut to bear against the round tube. This would allow you to position the bike where you wanted by rotating the round tube then tightening down on the bolt.

That is an excellent idea. I was trying to think of a way to secure the round bar.

If you ever see me with a welder, call the fire department. I tend to set things on fire with a welder, especially my pants.

im thinking of getting some tubing and having a friends dad to weld it for me. or i could dish out $200, nice stand though!

I am sure you have tried rotating the clamps to a horizontal position, so you can hold the bike by the top tube? If you have, does it hold tight enough for ones liking.

For $200, get a tombstone stick-welder off Craigslist!