Need advice on tire spoons, for changing rears

I would like to get your opinion on what kind of round stock I should use to make some tire spoons like these:

 

  As we were discussing in another post, I want to try to change some rear tires myself.  I was going to order some from Northern Tool, but they were made from 11/16th stock and were very cheap.  The reviews were also poor, they said they were soft and bent easily.  I found these Ken ones, and they look good, but were much, much more money--it got me thinking.

 

  I have a good friend who is an amateur blacksmith.  He said we could easily turn some round stock into some heavy duty spoons like these.  Here's my question, what kind of metal do you think I should get to make some 30" and 18" spoons?  I was thinking 7/8" cold rolled, but i don't do much metal work.

 

  Thanks in advance, I appreciate all comments and thoughts.

Ryan I've been thinking the same. I just bought 10' of 5/8 cold rolled to make a WC clutch rod and I think I will use the rest to make spoons. Our tractor club has a good blacksmith shop and I thought I would take the round stock to them. I don't know if 5/8 cold rolled is good for this or not. I plan to make a forge someday.

Be sure to harden them when you are done or you will be wasting your time.

I bought some Ken-Tool bars for tubeless 22.5 truck tires and now find i use them for many things also, have had them for over 15 years and no problems. Also bought one of their tire malls with the duck spoon bill for breaking truck beads  . Quality tools aren't expensive they pay to own them.  If you want to try making some, look for some old crow bars at auctions or garage sales and reforge and harden and temper them after working , least you will be starting with good steel if the bars were good to start with and not cheap imports.  I use a old 20 # propane tank with a 3/4 full flow ball valve and flattened pipe as a cheetah for inflating tubeless tires to get them to bead. Works most of the time to give them that extra shot of air while adding air through stem.

Edited by Coke-in-MN - 27 Jan 2011 at 7:04pm

Yeah, the price to buy theses wasn't totally out of line, in fact it was very reasonable for a quality tool.  But my friend also didn't seem to be put off by the hardening process either.  In fact, he said we would just have to "be careful to harden it right".  He is a bright guy--college professor, ordained minister, published author and holds a PhD as well as common sense (a RARE combination in my opinion).  I really enjoy watching him blacksmith, he makes it look easy and fun.  I thought it may be fun way to spend a evening with him.  I may press him further to see if he thinks we'll be successful.  

Here it is,

Lots of good comments!  Thanks!

Edited by RyanTN - 27 Jan 2011 at 8:53pm

Ryan, here is a chart and some reading material. Maybe you have some old leaf springs laying around?  http://tidewaterblacksmiths.net/1.html

IF you can find some old boat shafts [ inboard type, thru hull] They have made nice bars for me in the past. I have the Napa brand and they are well made.

I use both lengths and plus a think it is a 4' bead breaker slide hammer had alot of good luck with.

If you want to remove an old tire that is no good take a coarse tooth saber saw and saw out a good size hole down to the rim , then use thin cold chisel to cut wire.Then just peel it off.

Build a nice wood pile.  Place wheel with old tire on top of pile.  Do it at night.  Don't tell anyone.  It will also remove all the old paint too.

I have wore out 14x24 grader tires on my wc. They should be easy to break down and remove shouldnt they????? I thought they would make beautiful blueberry planters near the garden but my wife says NO.

CTuckerNWIL wrote: Save em for sandboxes for your grandchildren.

I bought the set of three bars in 30" at an auction for $42.  I was walking back to the truck to leave as what I went for was sold and I had a few other items bought but didn't see anything else.  Looked over the crowd at the auctioneer's helper holding up the bars and he was saying going once at $21.  I started yelling to get a bid in and pushed my way to the front of the crowd.  When I bought them I thought I paid that price for each not all three but not so.  The auctioneer said to the fellow who almost bought them for $21 "that really hurt didn't it".  I laughed about it all the way home that afternoon.