Valve spring compressor......what's everyone use?

dartfreak75 said
I'm looking for one also so I'm following this! I been thinking about making one. I love making my own tools for me it's part of the fun of the hobby iv made about 3/4 of my gunsmithing tools including an action wrench, barrel vice, recoil pad fixture, scope mount jigs. Alot of other jigs also. So I'm considering making one. I do have a stupid question about changing them with the heads on what keeps the valve from just falling inside the cylinder. Doesn't seem like a very safe way of doing it. I guess you would have to do them one at a time and rotate the engine around to let the piston up on the one your working on? I'm thinking of making or buying a clamp type.

Putting each cylinder at TDC works but it still leaves a little room for the valve to drop a little and makes it a pain in the butt.
As mentioned, start the cylinder up to TDC then feed about 5 feet of 1/4 nylon rope into the cylinder.
Then bring the piston on up until the rope is compressed against the valves and they don't drop at all.
Some use air in the cylinder, but I think that way is more trouble than it's worth unless you have all the stuff to do it already.
The rope is more positive and reliable in my own opinion.