Hyper Strong Wall Mounted Bicycle Repair Stand

Wall mounted bike stand.
Hyper strong, hyper stiff
Allows bike to be rotated 360 degrees
Off the shelf 1 1/2" galvanized steel plumbing pipe.
Requires drilling, tapping, cutting steel pipe.

Step 1: Materials

All galvanized (or black) pipe from Home Depot
(1) 1 1/2" flange $ 7.41
(1) 1 1/2" tee $ 5.49
(1) 1 1/2" x 12" (pre-cut, pre-threaded) pipe $ 6.19
(1) 3/8" x 2 1/2" hex bolt $ .77
(2) 3/8" x 2" lag bolts for wall mounting $ .38
(1) 5/16 washer $ .09
total: $ 20.00

tap & bit to drill and thread bolt hole: 3/8 x 16 $ 7.94
1/2" drill bit (for clearance hole in top of tee)
14 teeth/inch 6" bi-metal hack saw blades
Milwaukee Sawzall, drill, good vise, grease

Step 2: Slice Tee

NOTE: do NOT slice along the center-line.
Clamp tee in vise; using a 14 teeth/inch blade, cut tee "the long way" so that one piece is approximately twice as big as the other piece.
You want the bottom piece to thread onto the 12" pipe; the top piece will be held in place with a bolt.

Examine your bike before you cut. Make sure you leave the larger piece with enough thread to thread securely onto the 12" pipe, but still cut enough so that the bike will fit into the tee.

This is the hardest part to making this clamp. You might be able to cut this with a hack saw, but I used a Milwaukee Sawzall.

Step 3: Drii and Tap Bottom of Clamp

Clamp the larger piece of sliced tee in a vise. This will be the lower or bottom piece.
Thread 12" pipe onto the tee and get it as tight as you can.
Using the bit supplied with the 3/8" tap kit, drill a hole as shown.
Thread the hole with the tap supplied in the kit. I used a socket set since I didn't want to buy the $7 handle for the tap. It worked fine. Start the tap with your fingers taking care to keep it straight. Slowly turn the tap 1/4 to 1/2 turn with the socket, then back it out 1/4 turn, then turn it in 1/2 turn, then back it out 1/4 turn, etc. You can feel it cutting. It's actually pretty easy and fun..

Step 4: Drill Clearance Hole

No photo.
Drill a 1/2" hole in the smaller of the tee pieces, directly over the hole you just tapped in the lower piece.
The 3/8" x 2 1/2" bolt will drop through this clearance hole and thread into the bottom piece, clamping the bike tightly.
I actually drilled a small pilot hole before I drilled the 1/2" clearance hole.

Step 5: Mount to Wall

Decide where you want to mount the bike clamp.
You MUST find a stud.
If you mount it too high, the wheel may hit the ceiling when you rotate the bike 180 degrees.
Drill pilot holes into the stud and mount the flange with (2 )38" x 2 1/2" lag bolts. You may want to use washers. I didn't.
Apply some grease to the flange threads and twist the 12" pipe/clamp assembly onto the wall.

Step 6: How to Use

You will need to protect your bike frame from the steel clamp with shims. I used pieces of schedule 40 PVC pipe. Depending on the diameter of your bike frame, ou might also add pieces of inner tube to make a snug fit.
Lift the bike onto the lower clamp; place the top of the tee over the bike frame (use a shim.) Thread the bolt, though a washer, into the threaded hole in the bottom tee. Tighten the bolt with a 15mm wrench.
Rotate the bike by turning the 12" pipe in the wall flange. My stays pretty much in whatever postition I leave it.

Step 7: In Use

watch the ceiling...

Step 8: In Use

Simple, cheap, functional.
I may replace the bolt with a knob from Rockler woodworking supply.
You could pretty easily add a 90 degree section and mount this clamp to a workbench.

Comments

[alanjohnosborne]

I haven't built it yet, but I plan on using a 3/4" black pipe, a 3/4" floor flange, and a 3/4" pipe clamp similar to the one in the pic (costs about $20), to make a wall mount repair stand.

Full credit to this YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csSVdcFjAV8 by Colton Lock, plus this instructable by headdead, for providing the inspiration to combine both designs.

I'm also thinking about using Colton's design, but rather than ceiling mounting it I'll mount the pipe flange to a piece of 3/4" plywood that sits on the ground.

[Single_L]

I love you wall mount idea. I paired it with another instructable to create a simple, very cheap, and very sturdy wall mounted seat post clamp repair stand.

- 1" floor flange, 18" - 1" pipe, 1" to 3/4" reducing elbow, 6" - 3/4" pipe with one threaded end cut off and filed smooth.

Other Instructable: https://www.instructables.com/id/Bicycle-Work-Stand-for-10-in-5-Minutes-attaches/

[sethy79]

Very simple and effective repair stand. Just note that the hole for the hex bolt attaching the top piece will probably need to be in the threads of the 1 1/2" tee. Plan this carefully so that you have enough thread to get the bottom piece on securely, but place the hole so your bike does not cover it. I had to drill a second hole since the first was just covered up by the bike. Also, I used old inner tubes to wrap around both pieces of the cut pipe. It grips great, cost nothing and pads the bike from damage beautifully.

Thanks for the idea. I'm loving it already.

[godscountry]

instead of making a clamp,measure top bike bar,cut same size opening in T fitting,then you can slip bike into the T-fitting.

[joel.will]

I made this project, and ended up re-drilling and tapping because I didn't have the hole far enough out of the "clamp" area. I recommend placing your bike in the clamp to check the placement of the tap hole.

Awesome project, overall. My first unqualified success following an instructable.

[Waldie]

Neat idea. The only change I'd suggest would be to arrange the cut of the Tee so that the leg onto the stand-off was not cut - at least in the thread. Having a fairly heavy machine, I'd be a bit concerned about having the side mount spread, and drop pff the pipe. The use of a tapped hole to work the clamp, though, is most ingenious. I like it.

[headdead]

You are right. It would be stronger if you slice the tee without cutting off any threads. Speaking of cutting, a bandsaw with a metal cutting blade would be my preferred method.

[2 stroke]

what about angle geinder

[headdead]

All good points, Phil. With access to a welder (and welding skills) you could also avoid threading the pipe by welding a nut to the bottom.

[Phil B]

In my experience with welding nuts to things the threads in the nut somehow distort from the heat. I always have to chase the threads afterward. In Mobile, Alabama I toured a WW II battleship. All of the electrical boxes were bolted to nuts that had been welded to the steel plate walls. I have always wondered how they got bolts to thread into those nuts.

[kington99]

what welder are you using? electric causes far less localised heat distortion than oxy/acet

[Phil B]

I have a 220 volt Miller Thunderbolt stick welder.

[Esmagamus]

Then don't be surprised. Stick welding is the toughest welding process in common use, so it's natural to heat something too much, especially if you're afraid of making a pool of slag that looks like a weld but comes apart while cooling.

[Phil B]

I remember being surprised the first time I used a stick welder to attach a nut to something. The threads bound up pretty hard on the stud I tried to insert. What surprised me was that I had used an oxy/acetylene welder to weld nuts to things and the threads were fine afterward. I have just adapted and now chase the threads with a tap after welding.

[2 stroke]

why not put a bolt in the nut then weld it

[headdead]

I'm guessing, but would it work to weld the nut to the pipe while a bolt is threaded through the nut? Might the bolt keep the nut from distorting?

[Phil B]

My experience is that the threads in the nut still distort and removing the bolt causes a lot of wear and tear on those threads, too. Sometimes I just drill and tap the metal; but, if it is not thick enough, I weld an extra layer of metal over it, drill both, and tap them.

[Amir]

That's a good idea. I just discovered the nut distortion problem yesterday when I welded up an adjustable bike repair stand out of bed frames. I think your way would leave a much cleaner job. Thanks

[see spot run]

nice project. regarding the welding suggestion, there is plenty of debate about the potential health dangers of inhaling zinc fumes while welding galvanized pipes. In that case, it would be better to use black pipe instead of the galvanized.

[Esmagamus]

Not just galvanized pipes. I SMAW is used, the welder inhales poisonous fumes from the electrode.