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Reaming a 44mm head tube

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Reaming a 44mm head tube

Old 01-03-19, 02:10 PM
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BigPoser
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Reaming a 44mm head tube

My third frame is built and I need to get the head tube reamed. It's a Paragon. I called my LBS that has done my other frames and they don't think they'll be able to do the job. So, my question is if my LBS can't handle this, is a machine shop capable of taking out the .5mm around each end of the head tube? What would you do if you were in this predicament? Buying a $1500 tool isn't an option for me at the time being.

Thanks in advance.

Brandon
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Old 01-03-19, 03:51 PM
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I used an adjustable reamer , CN, they;re about $80.. I used a size for seat tubes this is not a headset installation job?
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Old 01-03-19, 05:45 PM
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Originally Posted by BigPoser
is a machine shop capable of taking out the .5mm around each end of the head tube?

Brandon
Yes...they should be able to. I have a small mill so, that is a limiter for me. The cost might be high as the set up was pretty time consuming. This Paragon headtube works really well for this as it's relieved internally. I was able to just go straight down through and keep the same alignment/set up. If it wasn't relieved internally, it would be much fussier. This is a 90mm HT and I was able to use a long-ish boring bar and do both ends with the same alignment - with very light cuts. A longer HT would require a bigger mill/bar but a machinist should be able to do it easily. Next time, I would clamp to the DT and closer to the HT to add some rigidity.

Facing it is the hard part for several reasons (one being my machinist skills!).

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Old 01-03-19, 08:00 PM
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I've faced head tubes with a hand file and a good square. Actually easy but time consuming and takes some focus. I worked the face a bout a quarter of it at a time. The body is placed on the face and the blade travels down the HT as the aligning edge. File the high spots and recheck. When you think you're done place a piece of emery cloth on the face and with a large washer or other flat block rotate the cloth to smoothen out the face. Recheck after the face shows sanding marks. Do all over as needed. Andy
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Old 01-04-19, 05:57 AM
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Try to find another shop or a framebuilder in the area that has the proper reamer/facer for a 44mm head tube. At worst, buy the Park cutters and take them to your shop so they can use their tool to do the job. I bought the cutters for around $250 and made my own handle. I have a large mill and boring head, but I would't trust my ability to fixture and mill it to exactly the right diameter.
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Old 01-04-19, 07:02 AM
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My experience has been that most shops, unless they've been around for a LONG time, don't have the tools to do the finish reaming and facing of a frame. Your best bet is to find a local framebuilder to help you out.
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Old 01-04-19, 10:04 AM
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my lbs faces and reams every new bike they sell, so that wouldn't be a problem for them. I have seen builders that really hate that, which I can understand, but production bikes are a mess. Never thought of using a boring head, I'm going to have to think about setting that up.
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Old 01-04-19, 03:45 PM
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Thanks all. Checked with a machine shop and was told about $400. It's all in the set up. Waiting to hear back from my last shop in town as to whether the mechanic has the tool or not. He's old school apparently.

I like the idea of getting the cutters and taking them to my shop to handle. A buddy of mine can get Park at cost so maybe I will end up getting my own set after all.

Didn't think this would be such a hassle.
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Old 01-04-19, 05:07 PM
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For a while there people were listing these things fairly regularly, but I haven't seen any for sale recently.


boring out an existing bore is a pain, I did that to replace my lathe cross slide nut. At normal shop rates, $400 is not outrageous at all. I'm sure the first head tube I bored out would take a half day at least.
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Old 01-04-19, 07:13 PM
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Come to think of it... I have the Park 44mm reaming cutter and the "extension" cone (whatever the proper name for that is -- goes over the 1-1/8 cone on the handle set to fit a 44mm head tube), never used, that I'd be willing to part with below cost. I picked up a full set of reamers/facers recently that covers all the possibilities. Let me know.
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Old 01-06-19, 02:38 PM
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Originally Posted by David Tollefson
Come to think of it... I have the Park 44mm reaming cutter and the "extension" cone (whatever the proper name for that is -- goes over the 1-1/8 cone on the handle set to fit a 44mm head tube), never used, that I'd be willing to part with below cost. I picked up a full set of reamers/facers recently that covers all the possibilities. Let me know.
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Old 01-07-19, 07:26 AM
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Reamer, facer and cone are spoken for with a back-up alternate if the first falls through.
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