There are thousands of new tools made by hundreds of tool manufacturers. Some of these tools are extremely specific, some work on a variety of parts, others are straight out of a catalog, and a few are handmade, but all of them can make your life easier. Each month, STREET CHOPPER will feature a new tool that will help builders of all calibers, from garage to professional, get their bikes finished faster and with less hassle.
Never throw away an old tool-it can usually be modified to serve another purpose. I had a bunch of old screwdrivers, some of which I hardly use anymore because the blades are rounded or chipped. I thought I could put one of them back into service as a pry bar for small parts and stubborn hoses-a tool I didn't possess that wouldn't cost anything to make.
The old flat-blade screwdriver...
The old flat-blade screwdriver had lost the majority of its chrome plating and had begun to turn a copper color. This was not an expensive screwdriver, as the copper plating revealed-copper plating is used to cover questionable metal.
First, I set the blade of...
First, I set the blade of the screwdriver in a large table vise. If the blade is touching the vise, the vise acts as a heat sink so the plastic handle won't melt. I used a regular propane torch to heat the screwdriver until it was red-hot and pliable.
I used a regular pair of vise...
I used a regular pair of vise grips to firmly grasp the metal and bent it into an L-shape.
I left the screwdriver in...
I left the screwdriver in the vise until it was cool to the touch. Now I've got a tool I'll use a lot, and it didn't cost a penny.