Filing a flat bladed screwdriver bit to make a nipple driver

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Jim77
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Joined: 20 Nov 2022, 1:13am

Filing a flat bladed screwdriver bit to make a nipple driver

Post by Jim77 »

Hi all,

Has anyone had experience filing a flat bladed screwdriver bit into a nipple driver?

I don’t have a grinder or dremel etc and wondered if it is feasible to use just a file or would it take days to do!

Thanks in advance.
Barrowman
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Re: Filing a flat bladed screwdriver bit to make a nipple driver

Post by Barrowman »

Did one many years ago with a file , don't recall it taking too long. Need a vice to hold it whilst filing though.
Jim77
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Re: Filing a flat bladed screwdriver bit to make a nipple driver

Post by Jim77 »

Ok thanks - gives me confidence.
peetee
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Re: Filing a flat bladed screwdriver bit to make a nipple driver

Post by peetee »

You could speed the process up by using a hacksaw, if the screwdriver is not hardened.
The older I get the more I’m inclined to act my shoe size, not my age.
Jim77
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Re: Filing a flat bladed screwdriver bit to make a nipple driver

Post by Jim77 »

Thanks for the tip.
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531colin
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Re: Filing a flat bladed screwdriver bit to make a nipple driver

Post by 531colin »

Just buy a Park Tool nipple driver. To rapidly wind nipples, counting turns.

Are you going to be building wheels? If not, I don’t think you need a nipple driver, just a spoke key….buy a Spokey.

Unior make a nipple driver bit for a few quid, to fit a battery drill or a screwdriver handle
Bike fitting D.I.Y. .....http://wheel-easy.org.uk/wp-content/upl ... -2017a.pdf
Tracks in the Dales etc...http://www.flickr.com/photos/52358536@N06/collections/
Remember, anything you do (or don't do) to your bike can have safety implications
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bikes4two
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Re: Filing a flat bladed screwdriver bit to make a nipple driver

Post by bikes4two »

Jim77 wrote: 28 Nov 2024, 7:49pm Has anyone had experience filing a flat bladed screwdriver bit into a nipple driver?
Yes - I made my nipple driver out of an old cheap screwdriver that didn't have a hardened tip (at least, not too hardened :-) )- with it held in a vice, it was straight forward and maybe 5 minutes to file down.

This is the tip profile gleaned from a book I have: -
nip-drv.jpg
nip-drv.jpg (8.96 KiB) Viewed 483 times
Without my stoker, every trip would only be half a journey
Jim77
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Re: Filing a flat bladed screwdriver bit to make a nipple driver

Post by Jim77 »

Thanks!
Brucey
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Re: Filing a flat bladed screwdriver bit to make a nipple driver

Post by Brucey »

Jim77 wrote: 28 Nov 2024, 7:49pm....I don’t have a grinder or dremel etc
well now seems a good time to rectify that; they are v. handy things to have.

Needless to say, but not every flat blade screwdriver is created equal; good ones should be close to file hard. It would be grinding every time for me.

Note also that you can make very good nipple drivers using old spokes; if you have a wheel's worth, they can be preloaded with nipples, significantly speeding the build process.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
peetee
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Re: Filing a flat bladed screwdriver bit to make a nipple driver

Post by peetee »

Brucey wrote: 29 Nov 2024, 11:14am
Jim77 wrote: 28 Nov 2024, 7:49pm....I don’t have a grinder or dremel etc
well now seems a good time to rectify that; they are v. handy things to have.

Needless to say, but not every flat blade screwdriver is created equal; good ones should be close to file hard. It would be grinding every time for me.

Note also that you can make very good nipple drivers using old spokes; if you have a wheel's worth, they can be preloaded with nipples, significantly speeding the build process.
Particularly useful for deep rims where a spoke nipple can disappear, never to be seen - but, alas, often to be heard. (ask me how I know :roll: )
The older I get the more I’m inclined to act my shoe size, not my age.
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531colin
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Re: Filing a flat bladed screwdriver bit to make a nipple driver

Post by 531colin »

When I built lots of wheels, I made my own nipple inserter/driver/picker-upper. Just Googled “nipple driver” and found a number of nipple drivers which hold the nipple on a (replaceable) spring, for inserting into deep rims. Never tried one of these, but looks interesting
Bike fitting D.I.Y. .....http://wheel-easy.org.uk/wp-content/upl ... -2017a.pdf
Tracks in the Dales etc...http://www.flickr.com/photos/52358536@N06/collections/
Remember, anything you do (or don't do) to your bike can have safety implications
rjb
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Re: Filing a flat bladed screwdriver bit to make a nipple driver

Post by rjb »

Colin's looks good. :wink: Search on the forum and there's a few ideas.

viewtopic.php?t=142692#p1556689 mm

Or a protruding spoke with a glued nipple.

viewtopic.php?t=150510#p1685490
Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway X2, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840, Giant Bowery, Apollo transition. :D
Jim77
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Re: Filing a flat bladed screwdriver bit to make a nipple driver

Post by Jim77 »

Just for the archive: this is what I have made which I am pretty pleased with and seems to work fine!
IMG_5301.jpeg
IMG_5303.jpeg
IMG_5304.jpeg
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