Rock Guy Posted June 5, 2020 Share Fair warning. I have zero 3D printer experience and I am not an engineer. I spend my days looking at rocks to earn a living. I was wondering if you could 3D print a flat socket to open up a fork's top cap to play around with volume spacers. I know what a regular socket does to top caps (form ill fated personal experience), using a non-metal flat socket feels like it could work, but maybe It's another terrible idea? I am sure it wont work for a shop to go this route, as I'm fairly sure the plastic (or whatever material it should be made of) will wear out pretty quickly, but for a garage tinkerer like myself it could be an option. It just seems like overkill to buy a beautifully made Fox tool if I'm just going to use it maybe 10 times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterbean Posted June 5, 2020 Share Fair warning. I have zero 3D printer experience and I am not an engineer. I spend my days looking at rocks to earn a living. I was wondering if you could 3D print a flat socket to open up a fork's top cap to play around with volume spacers. I know what a regular socket does to top caps (form ill fated personal experience), using a non-metal flat socket feels like it could work, but maybe It's another terrible idea? I am sure it wont work for a shop to go this route, as I'm fairly sure the plastic (or whatever material it should be made of) will wear out pretty quickly, but for a garage tinkerer like myself it could be an option. It just seems like overkill to buy a beautifully made Fox tool if I'm just going to use it maybe 10 times.Yeah at least testing it won't cause any lasting damage... But why not just buy a normal socket and grind the end flat? Although strangely I couldn't find a 26? I think, at builders.... Sold my fox now anyway... Good luck dude! Skylark, dave303e and Rock Guy 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNT1 Posted June 5, 2020 Share I spend my days looking at rocks to earn a living. Professional MTB crasher, are you? fanievb, Shebeen, AdamA and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock Guy Posted June 5, 2020 Share Yeah at least testing it won't cause any lasting damage... But why not just buy a normal socket and grind the end flat? Although strangely I couldn't find a 26? I think, at builders.... Sold my fox now anyway... Good luck dude!Definitely and option, but I couldn't find a proper Hex 32 (although I'm sure they exist) and I don't have a grinder (although I could probably make a plan). Really I'm just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock Guy Posted June 5, 2020 Share Professional MTB crasher, are you?Sadly this is quite close to reality. I exclusively do pro bono work though. I would have been rich man if I had a dollar for every time I have crashed. TNT1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaGearA Posted June 5, 2020 Share No it won't Most take some serious torque to loosen and then their recommend torque is also quite high Best prediction is the tool snaps when you're not even halfway to the force required to loosen it and then you smack your fork or frame with with A socket wrench ..... Don't do it 6 flat sockets are expensive but will last forever, the fox ones are crap BTW we stripped one after 6 months of use and went back to good ol steel Rock Guy and Skylark 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock Guy Posted June 5, 2020 Share No it won't Most take some serious torque to loosen and then their recommend torque is also quite high Best prediction is the tool snaps when you're not even halfway to the force required to loosen it and then you smack your fork or frame with with A socket wrench ..... Don't do it 6 flat sockets are expensive but will last forever, the fox ones are crap BTW we stripped one after 6 months of use and went back to good ol steelThanks, this sounds like some pretty good advice. Where's a good place acquire a set of these sockets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNT1 Posted June 5, 2020 Share Thanks, this sounds like some pretty good advice. Where's a good place acquire a set of these sockets?https://www.evobikes.co.za/components/park-tool-skt-6-flat-faced-socket-set-24mm-32mm.html Rock Guy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock Guy Posted June 5, 2020 Share https://www.evobikes.co.za/components/park-tool-skt-6-flat-faced-socket-set-24mm-32mm.html Not even that expensive. Thanks edit: Clearly my Googling skills leave much to be desired. Edited June 5, 2020 by Rock Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaGearA Posted June 5, 2020 Share Thanks, this sounds like some pretty good advice. Where's a good place acquire a set of these sockets?Order a single one in the size you need from someone that sells unior or any decent tool brand (Park tool is absurd) The builders ones are oraait IF they are flat and 6 sided Rock Guy and Vetplant 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alouette3 Posted June 5, 2020 Share Got a 6 sided socket at Builder for R45 a couple yours ago and just put an angle grinder to it to flatten it out. Didn't even bother firing up the lathe. Works a treat. R750 for the Park Set... eish PhilipV, Vetplant, SCD and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grease_Monkey Posted June 6, 2020 Share Not even that expensive. Thanks edit: Clearly my Googling skills leave much to be desired.Not that expensive? Eish, 750 for those sockets is a bit heavy considering what you can get the for without the ParkTool branding. TNT1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amberdrake Posted June 6, 2020 Share 3D Printed plastic might work once or twice, full infill and 6 walls,but its likely to strain fracture. Buy a socket and grind flat sorted id go as far as to check the second hand shops for a old one, sometimes you get lucky and find it but cheaper and then wont be as worried about modifing it. Vetplant and Rocket-Boy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket-Boy Posted June 7, 2020 Share 3D Printed plastic might work once or twice, full infill and 6 walls,but its likely to strain fracture. Buy a socket and grind flat sorted id go as far as to check the second hand shops for a old one, sometimes you get lucky and find it but cheaper and then wont be as worried about modifing it.I was thinking the same thing, even in ABS or nylon it wouldnt be very strong. Definitely 100% infill but even then I doubt I would even try it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebob Posted June 7, 2020 Share Buy a 6 sided impact wrench one from Force Tools or the like and take it to an engineering shop to have the chamfer removed. Exactly what I did and it works awesome! Vetplant 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisF Posted June 7, 2020 Share Rock Guy have a look at post #174 - https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/178320-scott-spark-940-or-what-else/page-11?hl=spark%20940 I had to hunt around a bit before I could find a hex-socket, but you will get it at a decent auto or engineering shop. Rock Guy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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