homespun headset press idea
 

I really need my own headset press. I would love to have my own Park, VAR, or better yet the deluxe Bicycle Research one that combines reamer, facer and headset press all in one for a lovely price just shy of $300! Actually forking out the $$ for any of these is a problem since I always need the cash for something more critical, so I started thinking: why not use my wood lathe and turn some maple hardwood into some custom bushings and use some 1/2" (or better yet 5/8") threaded rod, and some other custom fabricated bits to rig up a smooth acting, powerful headset press of my own? How hard could it be. If I do produce it, I'll post up my creation here. :)

There are some threads on this. I started one awhile back that got lots of replies. I made my own headset press awhile back for $15 at a hardware store - long bolt, brass bushings (need to get correct size to fit 1" or 1.125" headset cups", large washers and a nut. You just tighten the nut and it forces the headset cups in like a knife into butter.

The trickier part is tooling to get the headset cups *out* of the frame in the first place.

with a bit of care, a rag and a screwdriver and a hammer will do you just fine.

Second Timcuppery, but mine is even simpler, just two very big washers that fit over the ends of the cups and a long bolt and nut. Grease well, makes it easier to install and more importantly, remove.

An old steer tube works even better. Cut it off the fork and use a hacksaw to slot the bottom of the tube so that you have 4 prongs on the bottom of the steerer. Bend these outward slightly. The prongs should slip into the headset cup from the outside but will spring outward to catch the lip of the cup. Then just drive the cup.

For the homemade press, the washers work but they can be difficult to keep the headset properly aligned. Spend a little cash and buy just the cups for a good press. It makes alignment much better and much easier.

On the other hand, the Park tools are sweeeet! I've been able to aquire the crown set tool, the cup remover and the headset press over the years and they are so much easier to use than the kluge jobs that I've made. The press, in particular, is like butta ;)

The problem with washers is that they place the force on the outside of the cups. This is fine with most cheaper steel headset cups, but not with lightweight headset cups where the aluminum cups have steel races. Ideally, when pressing in a headset, you want the force distributed in line with the part of the cups that fits into the frame. Bushings that fit closely do this. Washers don't.

you can get headset presses for way cheaper than 3 hundy. doesnt nashbar make one?

Just how many times are you planning on putting in new cups? I give my team's wrench 10 bucks and it's done by the time I come back with a couple of coffees. Don't get me wrong, I'm the king of do-it-yourselfers, but some stuff just doesn't make sense due to the limited volume.

I always just tap them out with a punch or a home made drift,and press them in with a 2x4 and a hammer.My method is half azzed;it would be nice to have a real"press" of some sort.Hardwoods should make nice cup presser inners-heck,if you are a real cheapskate you could put them on either side of a big screw type pipe clamp,and just press them in.Maybe you could make a run of just the wooden "pressers" and sell them here.Luck,Charlie

http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/146...-Cup-Press.htm
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=4209

Simple, but effective........I'll post this again...:D

I made one of those too. I just can bring my self to buy a $99 tool I would use so infrequently.

(I say $99 because the $50 Pricepoint tool is backordered.)

Would you mind listing exactly what you have there? In terms of size, etc.

3/4" bolt, nuts, and washers.

1/2" allthread works too. If you have a long head tube, finding a 6" or 7" bolt (or longer) could be difficult. You can find allthread in lengths of up to 4' at any hardware store. Just cut it to the proper length.

Great tool. Using a bit of hardwood (or soft brass bushings as someone has already stated) as a washer to press in the headset cup. Placing the 'wooden washer' between the headset cup and the metal washer on the tool alleviates some of the issues other posters have raised.

Made one similar to the Fixer's for the cups about 40 years ago and it still works. For the fork race I made one with a pipe that had an ID just slightly larger than the fork OD...again a lot of years ago...still works on the 1" steerer tubs. I will need to make another when I go to a 1 1/8" steerer tube. Shouldn't be a problem.

I use some hardwood dowel bits and a pipe clamp. I get someone to hold everything in position until I get the clamp started. Haven't ruined a headset yet.