ok, well we all know how rediculously priced this tool is, so i was trying to find the topic on the the home made ones. Couldn't find it, so i'm just wondering if anyone has the link to the topic on the homemade headset press that was on this forum sometime earlier this year..

(the one that was made up of a really big bolt and some nuts and washers)

I actually just took mine to the LBS, the guy didn't charge me, I stuck a few bucks in the tip jar.

I wouldn't call ~$50 for a headset press ridiculously priced.

https://www.pricepoint.com/detail/146...p=325%20SETHP5

I don't have the link but I made mine with a piece of all-thread, a couple nuts, and some big washers...easy peasy and it works just fine.

I couldn't find the one here on BF but Dave Moulton has a similar style. I just used my own version of it to good affect a few days ago when swapping in a Tange unit.

https://davesbikeblog.blogspot.com/20...placement.html

I made one exactly like Brock describes it above. Under $10, and no waiting for a mail order.

And here's a pic:

what about installing the crown race on the fork? what do you guys usually use for that?

i know that theres and install tool from park tools but if you don't have one then what do you guys use to improvise

I concur with the above post. I have used a piece of all-thread and some washers, and nuts to fit on several installs this year.
For the Crown race I have been using a piece of PVC pipe that fits, so far so good.
Cheers,
Chris

that's cause that one is on sale...... it's about half price, and i was going off prices of niagara,

https://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...ucts_id=430405

but then again there's this one which looks pretty much like that homemade one, it just has longer handles one both sides.

https://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...ducts_id=19840

but the homemade one looks like it would cost under 10 bucks...that's a +1 for me

I've installed a crown race using a mallet and a length of aluminum pipe that was once the shaft of an old cafe umbrella. Worked like a charm.

I have the home made setup and I found it difficult to keep centered. What I've been doing recently, though, is using a copper/brass or whatever it is fitting from the home made setup to hammer each cup in individually. I find that slowly tapping around the fitting in a circle gets the headset in quite easily and quickly, you just have to be careful to not jam it in lopsided, and for that reason to be careful initially until it's going in straight and you can hit it harder.

Well.

I posted the pic of the $10 solution above, but I also use my Campagnolo headtube facing tool equipped with the supplied bushings to install head sets on worthy frames. There's a soft (aluminium?) washer under the cutter.

+1
I'm using a piece of aluminum tubing and dead blow mallet.

Nope - it's always been that price. It was that price two years ago when I bought mine.

I had a home made press similar to those posted here. It worked well enough, I suppose - but the right tool for the job works so well it isn't even a contest. For $50, it was a no-brainer to me. I'm all for DIY solutions, especially when the proper tool is prohibitively expensive. This one isn't, but it's your money.

I made one just like the one Jan uses here. On mine I put one roller thrust washer under each nut.

I use a 1/2" drive socket to center the tool on the race.

The Price Point tool works well for me. For the crown race I use pvc pipe with duct tape over the end.

Believe it or not, I have a headset press (Park) and this can still be a problem. Over the years, I've installed headsets with a hammer and a block of wood, the homemade press and the Park press, and no matter which tool you use, you have to pay attention to what you're doing. All three can put the cups in crooked if you don't take your time and watch.

Mine is identical to the one pictured by Jan; I added a couple of brass bushings to center the bearing races.

Most of my "big tools" have come from craigslist scores - I think I paid ~$90 for this haul, complete with aluminum case


here it is broken down


Here's another, I think I paid~$30 for -


All it takes is one or two key tools to be included to make it well worth the purchase!

+1, I even bought two cheap wrenches at Northern Tool that are dedicated to the press. $15 or so all totaled, including the wrenches.

I'd never use the 2 washer method....never. I couldnt tell you how many thousands of headsets I've removed and installed and nothing beats the proper tool.

The cheap 2 washer setup has 2 major flaws...at least in my trained mechanics eyes......

1: Sooner or later your going to mess up the edge of the cup
2. Because there's nothing to prevent the cup the cup rocking to side your much more likely to start a cup crooked. Nothing good comes from a crooked cup in a frame.

Either buy the proper tool or have your local shop do it.

Just out of curiosity, were those tools listed in the bikes category or tools? I never see anything like that listed in the bikes category up here in Maine.

Agreed. Mine looks just like Jan's and cost about the same as his. No problems.

They were both under "bikes", I also scored another small haul in the same way but I didn't have a pic handy - it had the 3 nice campy wrenches in it (BB/headset/pedal combo). The big haul in the case was from an ex-mechanic. The two smaller hauls were from older riders, I guess they didn't ride much any more.