Well I'm getting closer to finishing my "Woodsy" frame and being I don't have a money tree or work at a shop any longer or have one nearby. The simpler things that I could do by running down to the shop are more of a nuisance now. So I'm about 95% done and just need my head tube reamed and faced as well those are quite expensive they average at home shop unless your kicking out frames. I realize nowadays most shops don't ever have to ream head tubes anymore as how many at home frame builders live in "The Thumb" of Michigan.
Well my last frame I finished earlier this winter I was able to take to Assenmachers Cycling Center because Matt the owner is also a frame builder but driving to Flint isn't high on my list of places to visit. He also had a Campagnolo tool kit and I'm using a 1-1/8 headtube unlike my last frame so my options are slimming down. Not to mention it's a good three hour round trip drive for me when I have a few shops less then an hour away. But when a single shop doesn't have a reaming tool let alone almost half asked me why I needed to ream my headtube out as they can press in cups if needed or knew what I was talking about. One place told me I would have to take it to a machine shop. Alright check them off as a shop NEVER to visit. Really??? Do people in shops think bikes are only made in China and Taiwan and come assembled in boxes?
I thought one shop across the border in Canada would have it since they're a Colnago and DeRosa dealer but no dice. I know when I worked at the shop in Oregon we had the tools...mind you they never got used but we had them. Now if the guys at the shop knew how to use them that's another story but we had them. So I guess I have to take the bull by the horns and save for a headtube reaming/facing tool and BB tapping and threading tool and quit relying on shops who rant...oh we've been around for twenty some years...yada yada.
So if any folks would like to contribute to Philemon Cycles that'd be awesome! Maybe I need to start a Gofundme page.
Icetoolz sells a nice kit with both headtube and bb tools for $350 which is cheaper then just the reaming tool by Park. Time to part out a bike I guess or have a sale on my saddle bags.