noglider 

The Park FFG-2 sells for about $90. That's a stretch for me. Any ideas for where to find some cheap or make some?

Thanks.

Panthers007

None are cheap. But BikeToolsEtc. seems to give a little less than $90. I opted for the German-made Cyclus. They work fine - and they are all about the same:

https://www.biketoolsetc.com/index.cg...lignment-Tools

Maybe you know a good machinist?

BCRider

Making something like that can be done easily but it all depends on what tools you have and what your skillset is. Without knowing a lot more about you and your access to what tools for working metal it's hard to suggest home made options.

But if you're asking about if you can run down to the local Home Depot and pick up some bits and peices and bodge together some gear to pry things back into place the answer would be a "maybe". I really can't see doing this unless you can face off and end drill some fairly heavy shafting for the pry bars. This sort of drilling and threading would need to be done to a better degree of accuracy than you can get with hand tools unless you really know your stuff. And frankly if you were that good with metal working you'd have just gone ahead and made these tools already without asking about it using the instructions for the FFG-2 as a guide to design your own.

noglider 

BCRider, you're right. And I'm not that good, which is why I didn't consider how tricky it would be to make them.

I guess I'll have to find the money. I work on a lot of bikes and feel lost without these tools.

Panthers007, is there a reason you bought the Cyclus tool rather than the Park?

canopus 

Here are some Parks (FFG-1) on Ebay for $50.00.

I bought my Campy ones on ebay for 60 about 3 months ago..

onbike 1939

In the workshop I work in we use a lot of CYCLUS frame tools, they are of good quality and have stood the test of time. Nothing fancy about them, just solid, well-made stuff.

noglider 

Ooh, cool. I'm sure these are the same ones I used 30 years ago. What improvements came in the FFG-2? I don't really need those, do I?

canopus 

I have no idea why they would change unless it is for different width hubs that weren't around when the FFG-1's were selling, but we might be talking what..2mm. Not enough to pass up some older tools IMO.

Or maybe some marketing guru thought changing the handles was enough to warrant a part number change.

Panthers007

I have always found Cyclus tools tougher and better than Park. And as they aren't well known here - cheaper.

Metaluna

I've never used one of these tools, so maybe I misunderstand how they work, or the level of precision, or leverage needed, but couldn't you do something like this:

1. Buy two threaded rods small enough to fit into dropouts, + 4 bolts and 4 washers.
2. Slide rods through dropouts so they are nearly touching, then clamp them into dropouts using the bolts & washers.
3. Use the other ends of the rods to bend the dropouts until they line up.

You'd need a pretty thin rod to fit through the dropout (10mm) so I could see where it might not be strong enough without reinforcing it somehow.

EDIT: Oops, I meant to say NUTS and washers, not bolts.

Homebrew01

If you could also get 2 flanged nuts, then they can go onto the ends of the 2 rods so they almost touch flange to flange. this wiil give you a better idea if things are parallel or not.

noglider 

I found a new bike shop. It's not exactly local. It's 10 miles away, and I rode there and back. The guy seems nice, and he's very knowledgeable, and he gave me an $80 for the Park tools, so I ordered them. Money is tight here lately, but I expect these tools will last me a lifetime, and looking back, they'll look like money well spent. I work on a lot of bikes, and I am about to spread a frame for a friend of mine.

Oh, the bike shop is called The Bike Stand in Scotch Plains, NJ.

Mr IGH

I bought a set last year, I've used them on 4 bikes to date. IMHO, they're essential tools for updating C&V framesets. Once you own them you'll use them all the time.

noglider 

I kinda picture myself going around the house, compulsively looking for things to bend into parallel states. A year or so ago, I went around the house with a watthour meter, measuring the energy consumption of all of our appliances.

Grand Bois

I've used two axles and flanged axle nuts.

fuzz2050

well who doesn't do that? The Kill-A-Watt is simultaneously the greatest invention ever, and a ludicrous waste of time.
'does it use more electricity to use a toaster, or a toaster oven?' Sadly, I know the answer.

noglider 

You and I must be twins, separated at birth.

illwafer

let us know when you spread a frame by pumping up a basketball.

noglider 

Anyone can spread a frame with a basketball. The trick is to get it to stay spread.

well biked

Just keep pumping it up, I imagine it will "cold set." One side may do all the bending, but it will spread. Very precise.

dahoss2002

https://bikeisland.com/cgi-bin/BKTK_S...ils&ProdID=987