Bicycle Mechanics - extending steerer tubes

I found a cheap Rock Shox Reba on ebay, but the steerer tube is too short for my bike. Is it possible to extend an aluminum steerer tube by welding a piece of aluminum or titanium onto the existing tube? Also, does anyone know if you can buy replacement steerer tubes for the Reba?

I'd first try finding a headset with a shorter stack height. But if you can't get short enough...They make steerer tube extenders, they may be called something else. They're basically like quill stems, but instead of a stem, it's just an extra few inches of steerer tube. I think zoom and salsa make some, probably other manufactuerers too. do a google s
here's one by BBB (whom I never heard of until I did the google search)
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cecilwalker.com.au/images/extender_sml.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cecilwalker.com.au/category174_1.htm&h=150&w=61&sz=3&hl=en&start=45&sig2=GEt5HtsSToCBiMHp0BXB3w&um=1&tbnid=uPEHopzWsq2QKM:&tbnh=96&tbnw=39&ei=8ygxR83yOJWwwAH_mPz9Dg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsteerer%2Btube%2Bextenders%26start%3D40%26ndsp%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26s a%3DNearch and you'll find them.

Just try to keep it within the bounds of reason, unlike this poor soul.

http://www.twbents.com.tw/2007new/R700/R700-01.jpg

WTH is THAT!

Some outfit from taiwan called TW-Bents has it listed on their site (http://www.twbents.com.tw/HTM/r700.htm) along with this freaky little folder (http://www.twbents.com.tw/HTM/r20.htm).

The bike in th first picture isn't finished yet. There are no spacers on the steerer tube, obviously it is done this way to be fitted properly for whomever buys it.

As for the original post, I would not try to extend the steerer tube on a fork if it is too short. Pass it on try to make some cash off of it and use that to buy something that fits. Welding and extra amount of tube is dangerous for the fact that it will have so much stress you will compromise the integrity of the weld. This could lead to the weld separating, the rest of the steerer tube cracking, or even (seen it happen before) the head tube of the frame cracking.

LMAO.. Of course it's unfinished. It's amazing a company would allow unvarnished pics of their product like these out. Steerer ridiculously long(anyone who fits that frame would never have a steerer that long, obviously), no housing, slack chain..whatta POS company.

And it looks, to me, like the pics were taken at a bike show.

I'd say go ahead and do it, if the hassle and cost of having a competent Al welder, preferably a frambuilder do it are worth it for you. I've had my steerer tube cut and welded (conversion from quill to threadless system) myself. It came out looking about like an un-cut tube and it has held up fine so far.

It cost me the grand sum of $10 but that was steel so it'll cost you a lot more $$$.

Don't do the extender thing. Heavy, nasty and probably flexy and creak-y as well, plus there's the tendency of quills getting stuck in there, and then how do you preload the headset?

To use an extender, they want min. of 40mm of steerer to extend up from the head shell. I use 39mm. They also want a max of 20mm of spacers used (maybe to relieve bending on the steerer). I use 30 mm of spacers as Im not what youde call a hard rider.

Can RockShox press a new steerer into this thing for a reasonable price?

You can't be the first person with this issue.

-Z

Good looks on all the input. Rock Shox won't repress steerer tubes. They say it compromises the integrity of the crown.