new tool

[w2zero]

There I was in the garage mahal tearing apart the 856 Animal I just bought off craigslist.  Almost boned out, just lacking removal of the headset cups.  I did start to tap them out with a drift and take my time to alternate sides for the frame's sake.  Got tired of that real quick and figured I'd just make another removal tool from some scrap in the shop.  Dug through the junk and didn't have anything even close.  Last one was made from some loose electrical conduit with the requisite splits in the tube and was used until it collapsed. 

Had to shop for some new tubing at the steel store and figured what the hell, I'll just use some t6 and save the rest.  Picked up some aluminum tube 10 feet, ten bucks.  Got it home and started to chuck up a Kett saw arbor in the die grinder to start butchering.  We have technology here so after cutting a chunk with a pipe cutter, set up a little vise in the mill and squared the ends.  Laid out three lines 120 deg apart and slit them with a .030" saw up to a hole drilled to avoid cracking later.  Then turned a steel plug on the lathe and pressed it into the aluminum tube so there is a reinforced end to beat on with the hammer.  Since I had already gone this far overboard, put it to the buffing wheels and polished it all to a chrome lustre.  Spread the three sections evenly and squared them to the new orientation and proceeded to biff the cups out with two smacks.  Now I have a headset cup removal tool that is worthy of display and cost about 80 bucks if you include labor.  Ebay has them for under 20 bucks with free shipping.  Oh well, it's all fun.
The large frame is not what I wanted but it should either sell or trade for the medium I need  plus there are some upgrade parts for my old 855.  With luck I'll have a second Proflex when company stops by for a thrash of the local trails.

[Lysander]

Well done............why buy stuff when ye can make yersel' at double the cost in time and money.........

[Spokes]

Its good to get carried away once in a while..

[Lysander]

Its good to get carried away once in a while..

Unless it's by some burly men in white coats........last time I didnae even have a chance to get my pyjamas.....

[w2zero]

Much rather make stuff as it burns time and I learn from it.  I do like a challenge after all. 

When I rebuilt the Fairlane, I swapped the 8" rear for a 9" and narrowed it.  Had to make tools for that as well.  Alignment jig, bench fixture and even a pad for the floor jack to install the center section.  Sold off what I would never use again and actually came out even, if not a bit ahead.  That involved a pile of car parts, a hundred bucks and extended use of an engine hoist I built for a pile of Ford 9" rear axles.  It was as complicated as an NFL trade in the end.

[Thunderchild]

Thanks for sharing your journey down that path that most of us have taken...probably.  how about a picture of your $80 tool.  Did you make a specific holder for it too.  You should.  I have used PVC pipe for headset removal.  Usually effective.  Once the end gets blunted, chipped, etc., I just cut off ~1/2 inch.  I do not split it and it takes a good many whacks, but usually works. 

Thunderchild