Home-brewed valve spring compression tool?

[blaat!]

Before I go and fabricate something more elaborate than I really need, does anyone have a suggestion for a simple yet effective home-brewed valve spring compression tool or method? I tested using a C clamp and a short section of channel, but the clamp depth (throat) is a not deep enough and therefore doesn't compress the springs straight. It is not an operation I plan to perform frequently, so if it takes some set up time, that is just fine.

I understand it is only about 60 pounds of force. I'm thinking I might make a wood jig to hold the head so that the valve stem is vertical and put it in a drill press. I can set it on the drill press platform and press the short piece of channel straight down with the chuck. Seems like it will work, but still seems more complicated than necessary.

Is there a simpler way (besides parting with $140 for the tool)?

Thanks!
-Jim

[double diamond]

I remember seeing a very clever valve spring tool on ebay some time ago. It was two lengths of rectangular bar, perhaps 5mm thick and narrow enough to fit inside the valve spring just beyond the coils. The sides of the bar stock had angled notches (same angle as the “V” of the valve spring) on each side, perhaps 5mm from the end, that the valve springs would fit snugly into. These bars were bent at about 30 degrees outward a distance above where the notches were located. At the other end of these bars was a bolt hole. One would fit the tools on the valve springs, one on each side, and squeeze the two bars together, compressing the valve springs. When a bolt is fitted into the bolt hole to hold the two bars together, an inverted “Y” is formed by the two bars. With the bars bolted together, the valve springs are held compressed so your hands are free to rotate the retainer, tap it loose and remove the collets. Thought I’d saved a pic of the tool but can’t seem to locate it at the moment. If I find it I’ll post a pic. MW

[blaat!]

Sounds sort of like an approach I was thinking of... or maybe I'm reading your description wrong

I take two square stock rods, drill through and put pins in just the right locations. Then I can rotate the springs together and tie or duct tape the rods together while I remove the collets.

Like this:



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[Rick]

Blaat-
looks good, I think you'll need to bend the handles or let them pass each other somehow. I saw the Ebay tool also, same sort of thing, but your design looks better.
Rick

[jbcollier]

Hairspring valve springs were designed to be quickly and easily changed. I just use a largish screwdriver and take them off one side at a time. It very easy to do.

[blaat!]

Worked like a charm... I just rotated the springs downward, twisted the valve 90°and released the springs. I used scrap I had laying around, but if I were to make it again I would use a more robust rod and pins.





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