# Any suggestions for a "home-made" nipple driver?



## sodak (Oct 10, 2006)

It seems that I am in need of a nipple driver more often than I thought. I keep changing hubs. I know there has to be someone out there that doesn't feel like spending $30 on this simple tool, like me. 

Has anyone made a tool that can be used to drive the nipples on the spokes or come up with another solution?  Would grinding down a flat blade work? 
Here is a picture of the tool.


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## mx_599 (Dec 10, 2005)

yes, exactly. i cannot take credit for it. another guy on this site had a very helpful web page on building wheels. i cannot find site but someone else will probably post it. i want to say his name is mike?

anyway, dremel the tip of the flat head screw driver with a dremel "cut-off" wheel. also works nicely for cutting cable housing and squaring up the cable housing ends nice and perpendicular.

if you don't have a dremel, i highly suggest it. good excuse to go buy one now.


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## Mike T. (Dec 30, 2003)

sodak06 said:


> It seems that I am in need of a nipple driver more often than I thought. I keep changing hubs. I know there has to be someone out there that doesn't feel like spending $30 on this simple tool, like me.
> Has anyone made a tool that can be used to drive the nipples on the spokes or come up with another solution? Would grinding down a flat blade work?
> Here is a picture of the tool.


Here are a couple of choices. Mine, from my  wheelbuilding info,  is here -










It works very well. It has the normal pointy end phillips blade with two of the webs ground off. If I made another (and I will) I would use a flat-bladed screwdriver and grind a "tit" on the end that would be the depth gauge for initial nipple threading (2-4 threads exposed is about right ~ with the correct length spokes that is!).

Then there is the one that's more like the one you showed (with the bent blade) and the directions for its making are in  Roger Musson's Wheelpro downloadable e-book. It gives you dimensions and everything.


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## sodak (Oct 10, 2006)

Hey thanks guys.... I actually saved the miketechinfo.com site awhile ago. I found it while gearing up to build my first wheel. I forgot I had it, it is a great source of info. I will give the home-made tools a try. When I get home I will order the e-book too.


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## MichauxYeti (Nov 10, 2005)

I modified a screwdriver bit that I use in my cordless drill. As long as you start the threads by hand to avoid cross-threading, this saves a decent bit of time and effort. The other nice part is how cheap the bits are. If you screw one up it's less than a buck for a new one.


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## benbrangwyn (Dec 19, 2010)

Made a very effective one from an ancient hand operated drill that I picked up for £2 at the local recycling centre.

I'd put a link straight to the page that I wrote it up on. However, as a newbie poster on this site, I can't include links in my posts. So, to get to the instructions on how to make it, go to "London fixed gear and singlespeed" site - lfgss[DOT]com and search for "Home made nipple driver".

Hope that helps. 
DoctorBike


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