Simple sphere removal tool (chain version)

[VertVega]

Here is a home made sphere removal tool which is easy to make and simple to carry in a toolbox.

Thing's you'll need:
- Bicycle chain (fit around sphere)
- Bicycle tyre inner tube (to wrap around sphere)
- Electric drill and drills for metal
- Grinder (like Dremmel tool)
- 1/2" socket wrench
- 1/2" socket (size like 24,25,..30 mm)

* Drill 2 holes on the opposite sides of a socket
* Using a grinder smoothen the holes and make them wide enough for the chain to move easily
* Measure the length of chain that would wrap a sphere and go through the socket
* Chain can be locked from both ends with a metal pin
* Cut inner tube length that would go around a sphere (better grip and sphere paint protection)

Parts




Full grip




Sphere removed




Here are some dimensions (inch and cm scale). A torque wrench can also be used if the sphere is very tight.

[HollisterCutie]

thanks for the tip!

[VertVega]

There has been a discussion about a difficult rear sphere in the forum recently.

Yes, the rear ones are usually much more difficult, they dont live in a nice warm dry environment like the front ones and they corrode.

That's funny. Here the fronts are usually tighter than the rears; certainly no corrosion to speak of!

The tool described above worked fine with the front spheres. I decided to test it with the rear spheres.
I snapped the chain with the socket wrench after couple of trials (i.e. in the Northern Hemisphere front spheres are easier than the rear )
Front spheres were so clean, no rust (as seen above) but the rear were just the opposite.

So I decided to make the version MK2 or series 2 of this tool and it worked fine Here are some pictures.

making new tool. (snapped chain, socket hole widened and new chain with lock)


compare old and new chain


voilà, series 2 is ready