Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

right, then, guys, you've finished your rebuild , or you're sitting twiddling your thumbs waiting for warmer weather to take the elan out, and you're still without a '3-eared spinner tool'?

items required;
3" iron pipe cap
scrap 1/2" drive socket bigger than about 1"
6" square of 1/8" thick leather

a few minutes with a grinder, welder and stanley knife and hey presto!


ok, it's a bit 'agricultural', [ but bear in mind that I live in a rural area - defined by cattle, sheep and horses outnumbering people]. it's fine for you guys with access to machine shop to produce a nicely finished precision article, however, mine will not be 'on show', but for my eyes and hands only - in the garage





fred

edit p.s.I did start off with a stainless pipe cap, but decided it was too much work with the grinder [malleable iron being much easier], so I've still got it if anyone fancies having a go with it....

Excellent, a man after my own heart.

Got me confused though until I looked at the photos in reverse order!

Brilliant! Did you have any difficulty welding the socket to the cap?

I like it Fred,
I could make one of those and it is my sort of price as well! How is the leather lining fastened to the cap. The photo is not clear and a little out of focus. Not wishing to teach you anything but I use the `macro` setting for close ups, denoted by a flower symbol on my cheap camera. Could you please explain it or give us another photo.
Eric in Burnley,
1967 S3SE DHC

ericbushby wrote:I like it Fred,
I could make one of those and it is my sort of price as well! How is the leather lining fastened to the cap. The photo is not clear and a little out of focus. Not wishing to teach you anything but I use the `macro` setting for close ups, denoted by a flower symbol on my cheap camera. Could you please explain it or give us another photo.
Eric in Burnley,
1967 S3SE DHC

edit; oops! see below!

ericbushby wrote:I like it Fred,
I could make one of those and it is my sort of price as well! How is the leather lining fastened to the cap. The photo is not clear and a little out of focus. Not wishing to teach you anything but I use the `macro` setting for close ups, denoted by a flower symbol on my cheap camera. Could you please explain it or give us another photo.
Eric in Burnley,
1967 S3SE DHC

eric....my camera is an ipod borrowed from my daughter....no 'macro' or any other settings . wysiwyg....I suppose!
will try taking another pic when she comes back tomorrow....
the leather is fxed to the pipe cap by small [3.2mm] pop rivets in a blind hole, but could be a good adhesive maybe?
no probs welding the socket to the cap, but ground off surface of both before welding...

fred

I pod eh!
You are too flash for me. However I understand now and will start to gather the makings of it. Under a tenner is the target.
Thanks,
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC

M-Y-I, DYI, you're talking my language. I can relate to cattle, sheep and horses outnumbering people. I wander through the ranch supply looking at items and "engineer by availability" as well. There's another small project to put my "waiting for it to warm up" list. Thanks, Fred!

ericbushby wrote:I pod eh!
You are too flash for me. However I understand now and will start to gather the makings of it. Under a tenner is the target.
Thanks,
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC

eric
no 'flash' I'm afraid! I don't know how to use any other function!
both end cap [?3] and leather [?4] were from ebay [plus p+p of course]
to get a good fit of the leather, use paper to make a template before cutting the leather....
fred

should have mentioned....fwiw...my first plan was to coat the whole thing in some sort of plastic/nylon, e.g. plastidip, or molten rubber, etc. but being a skinflint and cheapskate, I chose leather as the simplest and cheapest option.......in addition, it could slightly appease the green lobby who might view roaring around in an unrecyclable plastic car burning up hgh octane fossil fuels just for PLEASURE, as an unpardonable sin!
fred