Mainline tool build

[Moser's Maple]

7903

1in square stock
1 1/4in square stock
1/2in course threaded rod
1washer
3nuts
2 3/4 coupler
2 1in coupler
2 1 1/4 in coupler

[Moser's Maple]

7904
1 in stock 18 in long
1 1/4 in stock 16 in long
Weld nuts to stock and rod

[Moser's Maple]

7905
Weld couplers together

[Moser's Maple]

7906
Weld couplers to 2 9in vise grips
May have to grind off nose of vise grips for a better fit

[Moser's Maple]

7907
Weld vise grips to square stock., add a angle support and crank handle and you have a new mainline tool

[spud]

Real nice tool Jake. The thing that always prevented me from buying a mainline tool is you can't buy one that has 1, 1 1/4, and 1 1/2 inch. It's these three sizes that I need. The price on these tools is crazy.

Spud

[mapleack]

Looking good Jake, you may have trouble with lateral deflection when using the smallest size, that's why the store boughts nest the sizes together. Spud, I don't remember where I got mine but it does 3/4, 1, 1.25 and 1.5.

[upsmapleman]

Lapiere makes one. I bought one from them a couple of years ago that goes from 3/4" to 1 1/2". The jaws are interchangeable so it doesn't stick out so far. You unscrew a wing nut and put the size you want in. All the jaws are mounted on the tool so you don't loose them.

[spud]

Thanks guy's I will buy one next time I am in Swanton. I had no idea they had one with all those sizes.

Spud

[mapleack]

I looked, Pruno makes it, Lapierre sells it.

[Moser's Maple]

Total cost
Vise grips. $40.00
All other parts purchased at tractor supply. $58.76
3 hrs of my time in garage

Store bought $250.00 ish???

[maple flats]

Real nice tool Jake. The thing that always prevented me from buying a mainline tool is you can't buy one that has 1, 1 1/4, and 1 1/2 inch. It's these three sizes that I need. The price on these tools is crazy.

Spud
Spud, I have one, bought it from The Maple Guys. It has 1.25 & 1.5 on the mainline tool tool, then I have bolt on adapters that give me 1" and 3/4". These are put on the 1.5" jaws, they are just half couplings to fit and each has a single stud welded on that comes out the back. This stud goes thru a hole in the 1.5" jaw and is held on by a wing nut to make it either a 1" or 3/4" jaw. Works slick.

[wwright]

Looks good! Have you used it yet how does it work ? I'm thinking about building one

Will

[CharlieVT]

8234823282338231
7907
Weld vise grips to square stock., add a angle support and crank handle and you have a new mainline tool

Thanks for taking the time to post this project. It prompted me to go ahead and make one.

One option folks might consider: Skip welding the crank on the nut on the end of the threaded rod. With a socket wrench driver in your portable drill you can loosen and tighten the mainline tool really quickly.
I usually have my drill handy when working mainline for tightening pipe clamps anyway so it's not like I'm lugging around extra tools.

[needmoremaples]

Going to try and make this thing today. Couple of questions tho?

Was the washer used or is that why its laying on the floor?

Welding the nut onto the rod just makes it a large bolt ?

If there is a nut welded onto the 1-1/4 tube and the bolt starts to spin, wont the bolt just thread into the 1-1/4 and bottom out?

[needmoremaples]

Got 1 made. Figured out how to make it work. Washer is welded to the 1 1/4 end, nut is welded to rod with 1" of rod leftover, guessed on rod length, slid it thru washer, then welded nut to rod again leaving a little bit of slop so rod can still spin freely. Then insert other tube with nut welded in the end. I think I'll use a drill and socket over the nut eventually but this trial run will be with vice grips. 20436

[Mead Maple]

Excellent job. I borrowed a set of tubing tools from my neighbor so I could build a couple sets (5/16 & 3/16). Those look awesome


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[cjf12]

What size couplers are you guys using for 3/4 and 1 inch tubing? I got 3/4 threaded unions at Lowes (largest they had). I haven't split it yet but seems it will be a bit small for the 3/4 inch line.

[maple flats]

I think you want to use the matching size in pipe coupling fittings, test to be sure. Thus 3/4/' makes 3/4" clamp and so forth. When you split them, you need to remove more than a saw kerf. Just A guess, but I think you might want to have each side of a clamp be about 40% of the whole.