Triple Clamp Pivot 

Just when you thought this guy couldn't be more cool he drops thrasher magazine.... independent trucks

Heelll-Yaa! From all of us in the UK! Tom is back!!!

a greeting from Vietnam. I have completed a course with 24 videos of you on how to make a wilton baby. I passed the test and my dream of owning a hand-made copy came true. thank you teacher

It’s amazing how you start driving a desk because you’re the only one that understands the entire process and before you know it, they’re claiming that you don’t know the machining process. How quickley they forget! Love the video’s as always!

Good to see you back to making things new again. Tom I have been a subscriber for years and you never have failed to impress me with your skill and humor.

Good stuff Tom! The Moore mug finally seduced me :) ATB, Robin

Blue Sharpie's for the win!!! Thanks for sharing 🇨🇦

That gun drill-ish technique is really neat. Thanks (as always) for sharing, Tom.

All is right with the world actual machining on Oxtool by the old master. Thanks for the video keep on keeping on.

Man Tom…you worked on skateboard trucks and dirtbikes? Had no idea you were so cool 🤙 working on both sacred disciplines! Lol 👍👍👍 P.S. Josh is pretty damn lucky to have you helping with his creation.

Good to see you back machining Tom!

The drill pilot technique seems so obvious after watching it done! Thanks for sharing.

The blue colorant is a naturally transparent dye. There is no black transparent dye, so they have to use pigment, probably carbon black nano sized particles. Pigment particles are harder to make flow as smoothly as dye. It would be interesting to see if black sharpie marks are thicker than blue marks

Great to see that you remembered where the on and off switch was on your Lathe Tom. Nice work my friend. Great hanging out with you and the other guys at Chucks get together Saturday. Always a fun time. Gary.

Tom, did you say you worked at Thrasher Magazine?! Can you talk a bit more about that either here or on a future video? Would love to know what you did there.

That turning towards the center.....I caught that thx!

It's very good to see you doing some machine work again.. The item you are making is typically called a steering stem. The top and bottom parts are called trees or triple trees. The whole assembly is typically called forks. There are some typical fits for that particular part. Generally these parts don't see any heat. I suspect that the evidence of heat means that the stem and lower fork tree are pressed together. Your buddy used heat and press / hammer to drive the stem out of the lower tree. Typically you'll find that the lower machined surface is slightly larger than the top so that the stem has a say mid range tight fit in the lower triple tree and bearing. The lower area may be stepped a very small amount to allow for a light press fit lower bearing. Upper bearing/tree surface is a tight slip fit as that bearing / tree has to move to set bearing clearances. The typical bearing is either a loose ball race or tapered roller bearing. The exception to a press fit on the bottom can happen if the lower tree has clamping bolts for the stem. They typically don't.

Hi Tom When you put a drawing together as steps it makes it better for the machinist to fabricate. All jobs should be this way. When I was working in a machine shop jobs, less mistakes. When putting a thread on a shaft it is all ways better to put a small radius at the beginning less sharp edges.

Very nice trick boring the pilot hole for that big drill. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

I've been watching RU-vid machining videos for a long time, but I've never seen that obvious-in-hindsight technique of "super perfecting" the start of the hole to give the drill its best chance of success. Neat.

Good shit Tommy, keep the machine work coming 👌

Hey there Tom, this stem is the shaft for two pairs of taperred roller or ball bearings that are sandwiched with the two nuts, motorcycle frame is the sandwich internals. Lower bearing is always a tight fit, however top bearing is a easy sliding fit. The two nuts are used to adjust the preload on the bearings so you need one of the bearings (the top that is) to be able to easily slide on the shaft. If it's too tight the adjustment is almost impossible. And the range of adjustment is quite limited there. You might want to drop your top ID half a thou or so for that. (also, for such a light bike making this part from 7075 would work perfectly, much larger bikes use aluminium stems) Glad to see you back thanos

Many tips explained greatly, Thank You Tom

Another great video, Tom. One thing that I like about your video's - is your editing. I especially like that you put the Channel name -And- Video Name - in the Splash Screen. All of your detailed explanations - you are a great instructor!

Thanks Tom for all the Pro Tips. It makes us all better machinists. 👍👍😎👍👍

Great and informal always enjoy your videos

Nice job. Didn't know that the shop custodian was allowed use the machines hehe. Also nice job catching Mr. Bozo before he ruined the day again!

Good job Tom. I have done a few Pit Bike mods/forks for a couple of guys.

thanks for sharing keep up the good work

love your machining content mate! always something to learn from Tom. That kid should consider himself lucky as to be working along side a Wizard in his craft!

Super lathe tutorial! Had never seen the pilot hole technique before. Thanks for passing that along!

Yes Tom,you did everything right.Thank you.

Glad to see you back on the machines again. Looking forward to seeing more. Thanks for sharing.

Great to see the Oxtools Tom we all know and love back in action - keep up the good work!

Thank you for the effort to film, EDIT and educate us. We value your work Mr Lipton.

very good video

Thank you for allowing us to hang out in the shop with you

Great machining content.

Nice little project... The 1144 Stressproof sure runs nice, I need to try some on a project. Good one Tom !

Finally, welcome back 😊

I made a triple clamp for a Honda mini bike from a piece of stainless (not sure of the alloy) heavy wall tubing for my buddy. It was one of the worst lathe projects I've ever under taken because of how terrible that mystery stainless machined! I've turned a bunch of 1144 since...and I've thought several times how much easier that project would have been using a more free machining stainless. Good tips on how to go about this project. This tutorial would have saved me a bunch of time and a $35 piece of 1144 would have saved me many hours of my life a few years ago.

Congrats with your new hobby. Machining is fun!

Yes, you remembered 🎉, nice video, thanks

Made my day! 🔧👍🏼🧰

Nice work Tom, reminds me of one of your older videos. Really enjoy your content, especially now as I'm moving. It's a welcome distraction.

Great to see you doing some machining work Tom. Wonderful quality, you haven't lost your touch. Cheers Nobby

Every episode I learn something new, thanks Tom!

You worked at Thrasher? Sweet!

A machining project.. Back in the saddle again huh. Waw that stuff so cool it cuts like brass.

Tom, you always make it look easy. Thanks for the video, some of us "wanna-be's" enjoy it very much.

Hope you didn't bozo the fit of the bottom bearing. Every steering stem I've dealt with on dirtbike triple clamps, KTM and Honda, the bottom tapered roller bearing is a press fit and the top bearing is a slip fit. Also, the steering stem itself is a press fit into the lower triple clamp. I've changed out neck bearings in quite a few dirtbikes from racing over the years and the bottom bearing is always a press fit and to remove them I had to press out the stem itself from the lower triple clamp in order to push off the lower bearing. They're in there tight!

I've been a Blue Sharpie convert for a couple years now. I agree they make a wetter mark and last a long time. The green ones are a close second place in my opinion.

Good one . We do not get 1144 Down Under . A USA only steel .

While I like the metal stuff and all, I thought you were now focused on wood stuff? No, eh? Love the gun drilling technique and I mess with old motorcycles as well. Yeah, I am happy! Thanks

Nice to see you back on the tools Tom...you mentioned 'work'? I thought you had retired? Great to see you back!!!

1144S is such a good material. My favorites are brass and copper, whenever i get to work with tasty chunks of that, i'm in heaven, but this one is a close third on that list. It's such a chill metal. I've several pins and axles, a few non lathe parts like latches and some plates with pins for mechanisms made out of this stuff and it's just such a joy to work with.

Awesome crossover of moto stuff and machining! Very cool. Btw- we call that a steering stem in the industry. He may already be aware, but All Balls Racing sells bearing kits for all sorts of fork conversions like this.

Thank you a million times, I have this project on my list and I was wondering about steel and technique. Been romancing 1144 lately and was leaning that way for my steering stem project. Reproducing a Cerriani stem for one of my vintage Italians. I will try the MCLNR and MCLNL with CNMG insert that I just purchased. And final cut around .010 for good finish.

Thanks for the machining video. Great to see the work and learn some methods.

As always... Thanks for the nice video Mr. Wizard. I always learn something. Thank you for sharing your Time and Many Talents. All the Best... Chuck

great video - thank you!

very nice work, thanks for the video

I prefer a green sharpie but each to their own I guess. I did a similar fork swap. A few years back. I ended up cutting the steer tube in half and tig welding a section in to get the length I need. Didnt have to cut any threads or bearing surfaces and the welds cleaned up nice on the lathe. Over 15k hard miles on the bike and she ain’t snapped yet.

Nice job as always 👍

WOW! Machining content! Yea!

24:50 I'm a fan, not a machinist, but this has me wondering if you'd normally set a stop and have the tool automatically pull away? Or is that a feature limited to CNC lathes? Also, good tip on the blue sharpie. I've had both and gone through a lot more black ones than blue, but didn't actually put 2 and 2 together on that. I shall have to source a pile of blue ones for my projects.

Machining content AND it being a lightsaber handle to boot! I'm happy ^^

Sorry about the pauses poor internet here. Great project. Thanks for sharing.

Thx for sharing your knowledge. What is difference 1144 and 1145? Can 1144, 1145 be heat treated, welded? Thx

Its called a steering stem bolt, it is pressed into the bottom triple clamp.

Please tells us more about your time at Thrasher

Nice video. Thanks! Nice to see some machine work. I learned a new trick starting a drill with an exact pilot hole. How many RPM were you using to cut the threads? Thanks again!

Nice work, as always 😊😊 A question, if I may - where did the name Ox Tools come from? And, is the lettering significant or just a logo? And one more - what is your intro music? Any story behind it?

26:49. Cratex? Excellent work, as usual. Many thanks.

Very cool

Good stuff Tom 👍....DELICIOUS!!!..👌

You worked for Thrasher? I feel like there should be a story time. 😂

You worked at thrasher? 😂 the stories you have 😅 🤙

Does the center hole have a function? If not it could be smaller for additional strength.

22:10 have you tried Bic marker pens? I swear, those never die. I have one that's been on my work bench long enough that it looks like a relic from the Roman times. Bic permanent marker, i currently have the chisel tip (code 2300). It's a bit unweildy for most, i see some people avoid it specifically because of that, but for me it's just right. I remove the plastic brand thingie from around (not glued, it's shrinkwrapped) and paint it high visibility pink, because i tried leaving them natural for a while and i'd always end up buying another.. and another ... and another, regardless of how tidy i wasy.

Steering stem is the proper name.

I seldom use black Sharpies on steel. Just can't see it as well as blue, green or red. I keep all 3 at hand, & use a color code system to help my damaged brain, (literally injury damaged). Green is beginning points, blue is removal & red is stopping point. My bench top lathe is mounted on a laminated bench of 0.5" 6061 T6, 1.125" marble & 2 layers of 0.375" 6061 T6, w/ overlapped joints, on top, for a flat, rigid top. I have a slab of 1" steel in front of the lathe, about 50% of the bed length. The slab is a handy mag mount, as well as an easy erase notepad for detail sketches, dimensions & removal calculations. The multiple colors of Sharpies really helps keep things straight w/o having to rely on a Swiss cheese memory. Living w/ a brain injury takes some extra work to avoid bozo moments, galore. I even prefer brown over black, if I need a 4th color.

Tom How does that 44 finish compare to the finish on 12L14 ? Thanks 32:13

When you worked at Thrasher? Do tell

I love the 1144 but I wondered if the hardness and strength once you remove a bunch of material? Isn’t it “work hardened”? I never want to weld it because I assume it has sulfur in it? I need to make the same kind of part and wondered if I could use that instead of 4140. Fantastic seeing you running your machines again Tom! It was gratifying to see you have to think about the inside mic. I have a hell of a time trying to read mine.

Request: is it possible to make a set of crimping dies for motorcycle hydraulic brake lines?

"...when I worked for Thrasher magazine...? Tom, are you a skater?

Tom, my lathe drawings look almost identical to yours! (diameters on the part or below, lengths above) Unless I'm going to use a carriage stop and gage blocks, (no DRO here) the incremental dimensions are just an invitation to accumulate error, or accidentally omit something like a bozo. Critical features get dimensioned, same as you, to measure directly, or select proper tooling.

Thanks again

Hi Tom (or community). Noob question here; is the feed synchronized to the rotations to make sure you start at the exact same point everytime while cuttting thread?

I could be wrong here but you didn't need to put the hole threw it. No real reason for it except cheaper. No 2 what was the actual measurement of the old shaft where the bearings ride? If it's .98thousands that's 25mm. Kawasaki would be Metric. Run into this a lot with lawnmower spindles. Metric bearing standard nut. Really like how you showed how to get a true hole threw the center. I need to remember that. Good to see you back.

👍 that's one luck dude

Hi Tom, it's called a steering stem. Nice job anyway.

Cool vid. What was that you were polishing the threads with?

Thanks!

To be sure. Put it in gear, Fenner :-) 19:50

that nut fit on awfully loose, should have quit while you were ahead before the spring pass. Good info on boring the ID before drilling, never would have thought of that. One other thing with 1144 stressproof, it's great stuff for applications such as that but not where it requires welding. 1144 does not weld

Why did you not cut a thread relief?

The only reason that part is hollow is to save weight, is my bet. Lots of things like that are done on motorcycles to reduce weight.

Not sure if anyone else noticed it, but there was a strange "pop" after the drill is removed, at about the 2:10 mark. I can't see what causes it....