Thanks for the warnings. My "help" is a bike pro, with all the requisite tools, knowledge and experience.
I was thinking I might leave the tube a hair long for a while, even though it will look pretty stupid. I guess I'll need more spacers tan i really need while I'm doing that.

And yeah, the idea I have to cut a tube, and then have only a tiny bit of adjustment is annoying.
I think I'll start a 50s rant/thread about it.

In other news, Tricia think we should hang it on the wall like sculpture until I start working on it.