vredstein

Anybody have or heard of anybody who has experience using this tool? It's much less expensive than the Park facer/tapper. I'm not looking for a tool to use for years on many frames, just a one-shot deal.
I could take the frame to a shop, but I have severe trust issues made more severe by working at a shop.

joejack951

Why not use/borrow the tools at your shop, or do you not work there any more? I'd be interested in hearing how those tools work. I might be interested in purchasing them myself if they do the trick.

Grand Bois

+1

krems81 

i'd trust most knowledgable, well equipped shops to do a tap on my bb (provided that there are no problems with the threads that I want to resolve), what i don't trust is that they need my $50 for it. They're basically making you pay for tool maintenance, because the labor takes 10 minutes if you bring in a stripped bb. I'd rather get my own tools, or go to the local non-profit open shop, which I've done so far in these situations. My local open shop is very well equipped. i don't know about yours.

Do you have a link to the icetoolz tap? I'd probably give it a try. If you like it, and it works out for you, I might buy it from you afterwards if you really only need it one time...

Mr IGH

https://www.icetoolz.com/icetoolz/ind....php?parent=48

Wordbiker

I'd work on the trust issues.

JonathanGennick 

Of course you're helping to fund the shop's purchase of the tool. What's unfair about that? They had to invest in the tool. They deserve to reap some reward for having done so. If repair charges were all about "just the labor", then auto and bike shops the world over would go out of business.

vredstein

I no longer work at the shop. The shop didn't have the tool anyways. They have no facing or tapping tools, not for bb shells, head tubes, fork crowns, pedal holes, crank holes, no dropout alignment tools, no torque wrenches, no flex hones or reamers.

vredstein

I work on bike issues. The tools are cheaper.

interested

The important facer bit is allegedly made of JIS SKS2 steel, a low alloy steel made specifically for cutting tools. If the price was right I wouldn't hesitate to buy this kit. I think the worst case scenario is that it may perhaps "chatter" when facing the BB, but that is just a cosmetic fault. How much economic sense it makes for you I can't say, but I bought a "cheap" Cyclus facer for around 70 euro because I had two bikes that needed facing, a decision I am happy with.

--
Regards

operator

If you actually knew how much that tool costs you wouldn't say such ignorant things. Most shops aren't using cheapass 'icetoolz' facers/chasers. If the bb is out of the frame, chasing shouldn't be more than $10-$20. I love how people think LBS should sell everything at cost and make no money on repairs. Good thing customers like you aren't supporting the shops.

frankenmike 

I used this set for a couple years in the shop, works well.

krems81 

Wow. I got jumped on there. First, I probably misphrased. I don't think its unfair, it just doesn't make sense from my perspective. Its like renting vs. buying. I don't hate my landlord for having me pay the mortgage on his property, but I'd really rather buy the property and build my own assets. In the same way, I'd rather have the tool myself.

Second, I think the response to my statement included some overreactions. Has to be said.

JonathanGennick 

I understand that. I may have jumped on you. I apologize.

I like to invest in my own tools too. Facing/chasing tools are big bucks though, and so far have been out of my reach.

Do you have a good source for buying Icetoolz? I've seen their website, but i don't see their tools for sale very often.

treebound 

The Hozan tool looks nice, but then so does the Park Tool one.
Here's a link to the process in case any lurkers are wondering what is being talked about.
https://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=106

How about buying the tool and then selling it as "used once".

operator

Even if I didn't have access to shop tools (which I do) I wouldn't buy facing/chasing tools. Simply not building/repairing enough of my own bikes to make it a sensible investment.

vredstein

I must might do that. I've been scouring Ebay hoping to find and ad saying just this.

krems81 

Thanks, I appreciate it. I build a lot of bikes, so owning a set would probably be warranted, since I regularly do custom builds for people. If I was only working on my own bikes I'd probably be content using the tool at the local non-profit open shop.

Vredstein, I would definitely consider buying the set from you after you get your use if you choose to buy it. Let me know how much you'd want for it after you get your use and I'll let you know if I can go for it or not.

vredstein

Sure thing, I'll keep you posted.

Panthers007

It appears facer-sets are flying off the shelves. No doubt due, in part, to the emergence of the external bottom-bracket as a top-draw. Here's though, is an example of these tools:

https://www.biketoolsetc.com/index.cg...&tc=Facer-Sets

And this will tell you why & how this works:

https://www.parktool.com/products/doc...7524_90924.pdf

well biked

That's a very good point. I thought about that the other day, the guys at Park Tool, who make a great tool in the BTS-1, must be elated that so many bottom bracket shells need to be faced these days because of external bearing bottom brackets.

fiataccompli

Back from the dead...but I was gonna ask about the original topic question...the Icetoolz tap/facer set. Seems like its being closed out on eBay pretty cheap right now. I have plenty of trust in my LBSs and don't mind giving them money either. In my case, I build and rebuild bikes for myself & friends and often find myself in the midst of a project late at night....so a couple hundred bucks is probably worth it (I think) for the convenience of being able to move forward on a time frame that fits my schedule. That is, if the tool is decent. I had hoped the emergence of pressed BBs would have put tapping/threading kits of all sorts in a major close-out state but apparently that's not the case. So, anyone have a long-term product review on these kits? I would want it for both Italian and ISO threads.

400trix

Is BICAS that bad?

jimc101

That's not a bike shop, if they don't have the basic tools. All the tools you have listed should be carried by a competent bike shop, The only tools I would't expect a non-specialist bike shop to have now are the setup tools for electronic shifting and certain tools which require manufacture certification, tools for certain brand of suspension spring to mind.

AnkleWork

Right, because they don't have risk, liability, depreciation, tax, interest, or fixed costs like rent, utilities, insurance, fees, etc.