Flathead guys or medival gynecologists

[Jethro]

I scored a couple of things this weekend at the flea market. I found a set of clecos with the pliers and this tool. The old guy I got it from said it was for a flathead and that sounded reasonable, but I've never had a flatty apart so what do I know. I struck a deal and got it for 10 bux.I got it home and my wife said it looked like something her Doctor might use....Here's the question , Is it going to be usable for a flathead V8? The only flathead valve tools I've seen on Google are long "pickle fork" thingys....Should I become an amateur gynecologist? web page (http://img57.photobucket.com/albums/v175/39jethro/Dsc00452.jpg)

[FLAT6]

That is a valve spring compressor tool to remove the valve train on a flathead. Very handy tool, but some of them are made with weak steel and can bend or break at the fork end. Nice score, it will help in the compression of the valve springs to remove the retaining clips and horseshoe clips.
Mike

[Bruce Lancaster]

It's a generic spring compressor, probably 1920's-30's vintage. Really made for inliner flathead engines, and would work on most of them. Not really much use on a FH Ford, although it might be able to get the springs, since the real fight in there is the guides.

[delaware george]

i have one that is like a pair of pliars,but they open when you squeeze the handle...i thought they would close to compress the spring http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[Bruce Lancaster]

Many go underneath everything, pushing the spring up from the floor of the side chamber so retainers can be removed--baffling if you're used to those silly rocker arm things.

[Bruce Lancaster]

Oh, yeah, Jethro--remember to warm that thing before using it, otherwise the screaming will keep the neighbors awake...

[delaware george]

what kind of spring compressor would you use for the assemblies when they are out of the motor?,to reassemble them

[raven]

"Should I become an amateur gynecologist?"

I thought that was every man's dream...
r

[Bruce Lancaster]

"what kind of spring compressor would you use for the assemblies when they are out of the motor?,to reassemble them"
I'd say the currently available answer, assuming flathead Ford here, would be one of the KD compressors that has a screw type compressing knob out beside the spring, or virtually any of the various antiques that turn up at swapmeests that compress inward rather than outward against the block.
I'm lucky here--I have the original KRW bench mounted Ford compressor, a device that looks about like a wine bottle corker: You just drop the assembly into the cup, pull the lever, and pop your retainer on the protruding stem at the bottom--takes about half a second per valve!
Anything that will hold the spring and compress it slightly will do the job. Many tough olde school mechanics did the job with their bare hands--stock L-head springs are much softer than OHV ones.
A quick no-tech free answer that I think would work on most Ford flathead street springs would be just a half-inch hole in your bench top--stand the assembly on the hole valve head up, lean on the valve, and reach under with the retainer!