Author Topic: DIY headset press  (Read 1178 times)

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
DIY headset press
« on: 22 March, 2021, 04:25:45 pm »
I need to transplant a headest from one frame to another. I thought I'd molish a DIY headset press for this purpose.

I've blagged a suitable length of threaded bar and a pair of nuts from work.  I've alwso sourced a pair of dome washers that are greater than the OD of the head tube to, in my mind, help keep the whole thing centrered as I tighten the nuts.

Good idea? Bad idea? I've got a niggling worry that the dome-ness of the washers will put a radial force onto the headset cups rather than an axial one. Shopuld I worry?
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

tiermat

  • According to Jane, I'm a Unisex SpaceAdmin
Re: DIY headset press
« Reply #1 on: 22 March, 2021, 04:30:31 pm »
Nah, it'll be right

TBH what you have described is 90% of the headset presses you can buy from eBay etc.

The one I have has two think, circular, pieces of perspex too but they are more sacrificial than anything functional.
I feel like Captain Kirk, on a brand new planet every day, a little like King Kong on top of the Empire State

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
    • Cycle:End-to-End
Re: DIY headset press
« Reply #2 on: 22 March, 2021, 05:21:12 pm »
Here's the answer - get two of the rubber door stopper things (round, like a bung) - drill a hole through and thread your rod through with them next to the big washers - then when you put the rod through the head tube the door stoppers will keep the rod pretty much centred as you wind it up to push the cups in.

It works a treat - I did loads of headsets that way before I bought a proper press.

I have a drawing somewhere - I'll have a look and see if I can post a link in the next hour or so

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
    • Cycle:End-to-End
Re: DIY headset press
« Reply #3 on: 22 March, 2021, 05:33:33 pm »
Here's the answer - get two of the rubber door stopper things (round, like a bung) - drill a hole through and thread your rod through with them next to the big washers - then when you put the rod through the head tube the door stoppers will keep the rod pretty much centred as you wind it up to push the cups in.

It works a treat - I did loads of headsets that way before I bought a proper press.

I have a drawing somewhere - I'll have a look and see if I can post a link in the next hour or so

Here you go - it's part of a series of "Briefings" I produced for my trivia and personal website years ago - lots of home-made tools, bodges and stuff . . . .  when I get round to it I'll update them and publish them again    [The website they're on sits on the back of the E2E website - just to save me hosting costs!!]

http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk/files/beewee-briefings/robsbriefings-2.pdf


Re: DIY headset press
« Reply #4 on: 22 March, 2021, 06:58:15 pm »
That's great Rob, thanks for publishing this.

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
    • Cycle:End-to-End
Re: DIY headset press
« Reply #5 on: 22 March, 2021, 07:31:31 pm »
That's great Rob, thanks for publishing this.

It's actually prompted me to update them all (about 15 sheets) and put them up on the website* - with a couple of others that have yet to be written.   Probably get that all sorted in the next month or so.

* website moved to newer technology in October 20 and not everything was transferred.

Re: DIY headset press
« Reply #6 on: 23 March, 2021, 12:25:35 pm »
I have one of those DIY presses too. The only advice I have is to do one cup at a time as it’s more difficult to keep both cup aligned together than with a proper one.
I am often asked, what does YOAV stand for? It stands for Yoav On A Velo

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
    • Cycle:End-to-End
Re: DIY headset press
« Reply #7 on: 23 March, 2021, 02:08:54 pm »
I have one of those DIY presses too. The only advice I have is to do one cup at a time as it’s more difficult to keep both cup aligned together than with a proper one.

A mallet and a block of wood to just get the cups (with a very thin film of grease around them) started works wonders for alignment.  The even pressure as the washers tighten should get them in straight.    [My original DIY press had the rubber door stops and I had a pair of washer-like bits of metal that came from a washing machine - being about 4 or 5mm thick meant they didn't flex across the diameter.  They were probably of the motor bearings, I can't remember]

The proper press I have now works for both headsets and bottom brackets with press-fits.  It's a Cyclus, with stepped press pistons.

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: DIY headset press
« Reply #8 on: 23 March, 2021, 10:43:13 pm »
Thanks for your info sheet Rob.  However, in the best traditions of the stubborn Interwebs, I pressed on (rim shot) with the materials originally mentioned.



Here's the knackered part. It's not a frame as originally mentioned it's the bottom part of the handlebars for a Pino. It does, however, have a head tube type thing. Note the rust hole, generally considered to be a Bad Thing.


An offcut of 16mm 316 stainless in a funky rolled thread with nuts to match plus a brace of domed washers. I mounted this vertically in the Workmate by poking the bar through on of the many holes. Slid adjustable spanner over the lower nut and dropped a suitable pin into another of the Workmate holes to act as a stop for the spanner, thus leaving me two hands to wind the upper spanner. I applied a smidgeon of grease to the outer edges of the cups and did a gentle tappity tap to get them started off square.


Hideously expensive replacement bars with bearing cups from the old set.
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)