Bicycle Gear Scoring Tool

User-Contributed Project

User-Contributed Project

This project guide is not managed by MAKE staff.

Turn a freewheel into a cardboard-scoring tool and make cardboard origami!

  • Add Note x

We discovered this beautiful Japanese tool for scoring cardboard, and it inspired us to make our own version using a bicycle gear.

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Add Note Edit Step 1 — Bicycle Gear Scoring Tool  ¶ 

  • To make your very own bicycle gear scoring tool, you need to scavenge the following items:

    • one-speed BMX freewheel

    • a steel, adjustable bottom bracket (or bb) cup, 1.37 x 24 threads per inch

    • lock ring

  • You can find most of these things new at a good bike shop, but these parts are often thrown out and it is worth looking for used ones.

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Add Note Edit Step 2  ¶ 

  • To make a handle for your tool, start by tracing the inside of the lock ring onto a piece of cardboard.

  • Now draw a handle shape to your liking and cut it out.

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Add Note Edit Step 3  ¶ 

  • Trace your original handle about five or six times and cut these pieces out.

  • Stack the pieces and glue them together, alternating the direction of the corrugation (this will give it a bit more strength).

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Add Note Edit Step 4  ¶ 

  • Screw the b.b. cup into the freewheel.

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Add Note Edit Step 5  ¶ 

  • Push the b.b. cup through the hole in your cardboard handle.

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Add Note Edit Step 6  ¶ 

  • Screw the lock ring onto the b.b. cup.

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Add Note Edit Step 7  ¶ 

  • Grab a piece of cardboard and try out your new tool!

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Add Note Edit Step 8  ¶ 

  • Cardboard origami!

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Add Note Edit Step 9  ¶ 

  • You can make a wood handle if you like, but you get bonus points for using cardboard.

For more information, check out the Design category page.

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Guide Add Note

It may be easier and less expensive to start with a standard pizza cutter, and then cut semicircular grooves around the circumference of the pizza cutter blade (because cardboard doesn't need a heavy duty sprocket to pierce it).

Sean Lang, · Reply