Tools you've always wanted...

[Curly3]

Smed, a rivnut works like a poprivet but leaves a female thread, good for sheetmetal, fibreglass and plastic's.

[TeeBone]

TeeBone please excuse my ignorance WTF are rivnuts ,can you show us an example of one installed on a bike,I am guessing by the pics they are like a captive thread kinda device like what modern bikes with alloy box section subframes have for seat & sidecover mounts etc?

You hit the nail firmly on the head - also called a "nutsert" too.

[GMC]

[crash n bern]

Firko> The installer came from Ebay member niculf in Germany and the nuts from tonkadaddy here in Australia. I think I paid around $270 for the installer and $120 for the 500 Rivnuts, both delivered to my door. Considering the cost for a bike shop to install them or the cost of buying here, I'm sure it'll be a cost effective purchase!

I've always wanted one of those.  But I just discovered you can make one for ten cents.
http://www.fjr1300.info/howto/rivnut-tool.html

[FAT-TOY]

  This tool if I can call it that, is one of if not the most important I have.  With my dicky back I just couldn't work on my bikes without it.  I look at all of CNC machinery available and think they would be wasted on me, I just couldn't use them.  I have over the years managed to learn how to weld, use a lathe, my small milling machine, computer etc but only up to a point. Jack of most trades and master of none.
                                                                                      Zane

[crash n bern]

One of my favourite tools was a length of 1/12" water pipe with a 1" piece jammed up it that I found under my dad's workbench.  I used it as an extension handle for undoing Harley compensator and clutch hub nuts for many years before they started selling those cheap air powered impact drivers.  I took it with me when I left home figuring he wouldn't miss it. Still use it from time to time, it's been in my tool chest for over thirty years.

[Tim754]

 16 to 29 year olds proceed on to next post please now.
Little Blue pills can bring back to life that tool you always wanted......

[Tim754]

Strange ,I have decimated my collection of bikes and parts over the past few years to a handful of "keepers" {my Honda 754VMX sidecar and a couple of SL125 hybrid fun racers OK ). But have not sold, passed on , bequeathed or given away one hand tool from the shit load in the sheds !!!! The thought to do so even to my own family just does not even register!

[paco]

A handy tool to keep in your tool box is a fifty cent coin.If all the other tools dont help at least you can call someone who might.p

[firko]

I just bought this handy little jig. I guess I could have made one but I'm old and lazy, I took the easy way . I'm lock wiring many of the bits on my current builds and this gizmo will make drilling the nuts and bolts a lot easier. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Safety-Wire-Pliers-Guide-Block-Metric-Bolt-Jig-/200840155458?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ec3019142&vxp=mtr
                                                                                                   
It works in with these, which every race bike builder should own.               http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-SAFETY-WIRE-TWIST-TWISTER-LOCK-PLIERS-/261019258601?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cc5f5cee9                                                                                                                                      ps...I didn't buy these, I've owned a set for decades.

[Tim754]

Both are must haves Mark. Surprised you only just added these two neat items to the Firko universal engineering establishment. Cheers Tim754
PS Be careful not to leave the wire spinners laying about, one of only a handful of items I have had "liberated" from a race meeting by some lowlife....

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a393/gmcloa/Misc/imagesCA4F3VA4.jpg   
 Neat Robotic arm welder Geoff ..but a lotto win might be in order for finance as they would not be too cheap?

[Tony T]

I might be a bit dopey................... but what good is it drilling in the threaded part that covered by the nut?   

I have to admit to being a bit of a safety wire freak too.  Always makes a bike look "factory". 

[firko]

I have to admit to being a bit of a safety wire freak too.  Always makes a bike look "factory". 

I'm tired of things falling off my bike (besides me ).. Drilling the nut and bolt gived you a place to lockwire and prevent the nut unwinding.....is that what you mean't mate?

Surprised you only just added these two neat items to the Firko universal engineering establishment. Cheers Tim754

As I wrote Tim, I've had the wire twister pliers for years. They're ex QANTAS I believe.

[Tony T]

Not what I meant Mark, but I get it now. 
I always drill and wire the head of the bolt rather than the threaded part. That's because most of my bikes aren't that old and have captive nuts.
On anything with a bolt and nut, I just use nyloc nuts.

You should see my DR750! I've lock-wired anything that stayed still long enough. 
I went to so much much trouble to get weight off it and then added 30 pounds of lock-wire!!! 

[Lozza]

The lock wire drill tools are a fantastic................................way to break drills