TornadoCAN99

I'm nearing the end of my Bamboo Bike frame build and need to start putting components on. I understand there's a large Park tool for pressing in the headset races on the head tube.
Is there a homebrew method not require that specialized tool?

I'm thinking a suitable length of threaded rod with big steel washers & nuts and my set of standard crescent & socket wrenches.

fietsbob

1) you got the head tube machined out to where a standard headset will fit ?

Yea an allthread and nuts and fenderwashers will press it in.

question 2 is : have you machined the faces of the head tube square? too..

FMB42

+1 to what fietsbob says. No, make that a big +1.

Your "threaded rod with big steel washers & nuts" method sounds pretty good to me. Just make darn sure you start out with the races "good and true" with the head tube.

Use of an "easy does it" and "don't force it" attitude and you should be good to go...

And hey, please post some pictures of your interesting work...

TornadoCAN99

The headtube came with the kit...there is no machining work to be done on it...1-1/8 standard sizing.

There's a viddy on the kit vendor's website showing the park tool to press in the headset races...they caution about making sure things go in squarely...but the tool doesn't appear to do anything special to achieve that...though it looks rugged and nice big lever arm handles on the nuts. The rod I have handy is 5/16 mild steel...strong enough for this job or likely to strip the threads?

fietsbob

1.125 " is the Fork steerer OD, not the head tube ID or the OD of the bearing race holder
that presses into the headtube.

since you are off on that I double down on taking it to a Professional Bike shop.

got a Digital caliper that resolves down to 3rd decimal Point.. thousandths of an inch.

Read Off the dimensions from that, of the parts that have to fit together.

TornadoCAN99

Thanks for the advice...I'll check my kit vendor for specs on the head tube and headset sizing as the video's don't mention it...I guess most of their clients build the bike at their location and they just supply the right parts.


Details on my frame build progress here:
https://www.pbase.com/d30/bamboobike&page=1

Reynolds 

I've installed many headsets with 2 wood blocks and a hammer (carefully), never had a problem. Probably some think it's crude, but if you aren't careful you can mess it up with a headset press too.

HillRider

If you are sure the headtube was reamed and faced to the proper ID and parallelism, you are good to go.

Your 5/16" all-thread is more than strong enough. Just be sure the washers you use are big enough to span the entire edge of the cups and don't press on the bearings (assuming they are cartridge bearings) or distort the bearing seats. I use a disk of thick leather under each washer to help prrotect the cup edges. Also, it's better to press one cup in first and then the other, not both at once, and be sure they are started and remain straight as you press them into place.

ultraman6970

You can use the rod method or the fork method.

FBinNY 

No problem with the rod and washers, but the sequence counts. First press in the upper cone, using the bottom of the head tube as a flat reference to keep things square. Press fully in until it's solid. Then press in the lower cup, using the crown race in the cup to protect the lip, and press from the center. The upper cone will be the reference to keep things square, but here you don't have to be as concerned about bottoming it, because it'll settle with the first few rides.

When I watch newbies press headsets, the one serious mistake they make is trying to press both cups at the same time. Often the entire systems cams to an angle, which can damage or distort the headtube.

Six jours

I have been using the threaded rod/nuts and washers routine for decades, I'm embarrassed to admit. I also do both cups at the same time. You just have to pay very close attention, keep the rod in the middle (rather than off to the sides at an angle) and stop to whack things back into position if they start going crooked. The same is true, frankly, if you just do one cup at a time - and I've generally found that one cup will go in most of the way before the other one starts going itself. Either method requires care and attention.

The main advantage of the proper tool is that it controls and guides the cups very nicely, requiring very little attention. For as many headsets as I install, I really should just buy one of the damn things, but I just never get around to it...

Bezalel

I use threaded rod and plywood blocks, pushing in one cup at a time. I also keep a bar clamp on hand in case it looks like the cup isn't going in straight.

dbg

I recently switched to doing one at a time --seemed prudent. I also recently acquired the Park tool press and like it much better than the old threaded rod.

HillRider

Over the years I've installed enough headsets using the threaded rod and washer method to justify getting the proper tool but, after each installation, I'm so sure I'm not going to ever do another one so I don't buy anything better. So far so good.

Myosmith

+1 on doing it one cup at a time. The first time I tried it I attempted both cups using the threaded rod and fender washers and had to tap the cones out and restart a couple of times because they weren't starting true. Once the dim bulb flickered a little, I figured out what the problem was and the third attempt went smooth.

leob1

I just did one a few days ago, I use 1/4 all thread, it worked fine. Like the others said, one at a time. If they seem to get stuck, but not cocked, put tension on it the a light tap with a hammer will get it to seat. You also need to seat the crown race on the fork, you can use a piece of 1 1/4 PVC pipe to push it on. Again, make double, triple sure it is started straight before you apply force.

TornadoCAN99

Thanks for all the tips.
I will be swapping a fork over from a donor bike so no need to do a crown race.
I'm taking my frame to LBS tonight to have them assess what headset to install. May have them perform the install if it's reasonable and fast.

My frame is looking nice and I hope to be ready to ride by end of this weekend, assuming all goes well with all the part swaps.

Cheers.

ultraman6970

I use an old headset cup backwards instead of the copper pieces in the picture. And there is other way using a threadless fork but cant find it right now.



https://www.instructables.com/id/How-...stall-a-heads/

TornadoCAN99

I'm thinking to use the two BB "Bungs" (as BBS calls them...I call them plugs) pictured below to act as my "washers" for the headset press in:


I`ve grabbed a digital caliper from work and the headtube ID comes out to 33.58mm or 1.3220 in.
I will stop be a LBS tonight to have them recommend the correct headset & re-measure the tube directly.

TornadoCAN99

OK..happy to report a successful mission. The headset went it lower cup first as suggested. But it did want to go sideways a few times. I stopped torquing on the AllThread and just tapped the large/1" thick Alu plug-spacers (being used as washers) with a ball-peen hammer to straighten out the cup...then continued torquing. Same happened when it came to the upper cup...and same cure worked.

ultraman6970

Pictures man!

TornadoCAN99

My progress can be tracked here...headset first appears on page 3:

https://www.pbase.com/d30/bamboobike&page=1

ksisler

An adaptation to the all-thread design which centers the unit better; starting from the top

Your wrench to hold the top from rotating
nut
nut (tightened into above nut)
small tight washer (if 1/2" rod, use 7/16" washer)
large fender washer (if 1/2" rod, use 7/16" washer)
large fender washer (if 1/2" rod, use 7/16" washer)
small tight washer (if 1/2" rod, use 7/16" washer)
nut - start of top alignment (tightened up to above washers)
small 7/16" washer stack (3-5 each) which fits close to inside diameter of the headtube
nut - end of top alignment (tightened up to above washers)
\/
The middle of the rod
\/
small 7/16" washer stack (3-5 each) (which fits close to inside diameter of the headtup)
large fender washer (if 1/2" rod, use 7/16" washer)
large fender washer (if 1/2" rod, use 7/16" washer)
small tight washer (if 1/2" rod, use 7/16" washer)
nut
your Wrench or Socket - use this one to gradually tighten pushing the bottom cup in.

When the bottom cup is in, take off the bottom nut to free up the bottom stack and then install it upside down to put to cup in from the top.

Hope that helps
/K