SirMike1983
Riding a '38 Autocycle Deluxe
Borrowed that photo from the old 10 speeds webpage - not my frame. It's a looker though, yes.
I've acquired a few of these old tools over the years, but not the HTS tool. I considered buying one off eBay awhile back, but it would see limited use with a hobbyist like me, so I decided not to. buy.
You probably could indeed make a tool like that. It's not overly complicated, just need to get the correct dimensions and a good, tight and precise threading befitting the force you'll need to exert to straighten a frame and the ability to get a close, precise adjustment on the frame straightness. I'm not sure whether or not you'll need heat. The frame definitely looks bent, but not necessarily kinked or folded up. As great as the paint is, I would be inclined to go to bare metal around the damaged area to look for folds or stress marks/cracks. Paint hides many sins (and damage sometimes). I would totally ride a straightened frame where it was just bent before, but I'd avoid a frame with visible stress marks or hairlines.
Straightening a steel frame is part science and part art. You have the science of the materials and physics forces at play, but you also need a "feel" for how much force is being exerted, and what the area of the bend needs to look like when you're done. There was a time when bike shops would strip down to the frame and do the straightening needed (within reason). Or they'd straighten a bent or tweaked steel fork. But many shops won't touch that work now. Glad to see detroitbike still does it at his shop. Generous offer too.
I've acquired a few of these old tools over the years, but not the HTS tool. I considered buying one off eBay awhile back, but it would see limited use with a hobbyist like me, so I decided not to. buy.
You probably could indeed make a tool like that. It's not overly complicated, just need to get the correct dimensions and a good, tight and precise threading befitting the force you'll need to exert to straighten a frame and the ability to get a close, precise adjustment on the frame straightness. I'm not sure whether or not you'll need heat. The frame definitely looks bent, but not necessarily kinked or folded up. As great as the paint is, I would be inclined to go to bare metal around the damaged area to look for folds or stress marks/cracks. Paint hides many sins (and damage sometimes). I would totally ride a straightened frame where it was just bent before, but I'd avoid a frame with visible stress marks or hairlines.
Straightening a steel frame is part science and part art. You have the science of the materials and physics forces at play, but you also need a "feel" for how much force is being exerted, and what the area of the bend needs to look like when you're done. There was a time when bike shops would strip down to the frame and do the straightening needed (within reason). Or they'd straighten a bent or tweaked steel fork. But many shops won't touch that work now. Glad to see detroitbike still does it at his shop. Generous offer too.