Re: [CR] TA Crank Extractor

(Example: History:Norris Lockley)

Date: Sat, 13 Feb 2010 09:07:01 -0600
From: "John Thompson" <johndthompson@gmail.com>
Organization: The Crimson Permanent Assurance
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <31812179.1265935795510.JavaMail.root@wamui-junio.atl.sa.earthlink.net> <4B9E41D4F23044B791A6DA83E79B0B58@D9VQN871>
In-Reply-To: <4B9E41D4F23044B791A6DA83E79B0B58@D9VQN871>
Subject: Re: [CR] TA Crank Extractor


Tony Opperman wrote:
> Marc -
>
> Please follow the following link to two photos of my TA crank extractor:
>
> http://idisk.mac.com/aopperman-Public?view=web
>
> If the link doesn't work directly, copy and paste it into your browser.
> If that doesn't work I can send you the photos directly off-list, but I
> thought others might like to see them, too.
>
> You'll see a folder labelled "TA Crank Tools". Click on that folder and
> you'll see two photos, one of the set and another of the extractor
> itself. I've had these since the late 1970s for use with the TA crankset
> on my 73 Raleigh Competition. Note that neither of these
> beautifully-machined tools bears an identification as "TA". Instead, the
> extractor (23 mm) bears the stamps "VAR 408" and "France". Neither
> appears home-made in any way. The socket wrench is interesting because
> the socket includes a hex tab for removing the dust caps.
>
> Perhaps someone else on the list might shed some light onto what "VAR
> 408" means and whether these were definitively made by TA. I hope this
> is helpful.

The VAR #408 tool was made by the French tool maker VAR: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/var/pages/var0013.html

The official TA extractor tool has the TA logo embossed on the bolt head; the letters "TA" vertically superimposed over a depiction of the TA chainrings:

http://www.os2.dhs.org/~john/ta-stronglight.jpg

--

-John Thompson (john@os2.dhs.org)
Appleton WI USA