In a message dated 10/10/01 8:20:14 AM Eastern Daylight Time, jtaylor@hfx.andara.com writes:
<< Good god you people must think you are made of money. You need a hammer and a drift, and a length of 1/2" all-thread and a couple of nuts and a couple of large washers. >>
Roy's point was that he WAS not made of money and sought to avoid these shop level tool purchases...
In any case, "J", (please follow the rules and properly sign your messages to the CR) you are correct that basic stuff works fine for re-installing a headset.
In addition to your above mentioned home spun tools, nice length of plumbing pipe can do well in setting the fork crown race. You can also carefully press in head tube cups in a big vise if you have one large enough....
I hesitate to mention the obvious but please remember that just pressing or hammering these parts in place does not equal a properly working headset. I have noticed that in particular many vintage bikes have been roughly and improperly prepped to receive these cups and cones. Famous makes from the past were often made without proper tools (dirt floor workshops, etc!) I have seen fork crown races just filed to fit, etc. Gosh, maybe someone of us might argue this is part of the charm and character of these old bikes?
A trip to your local bike shop would still be smart to have at least the head tube reamed and squared and the fork crown race machined with Campy, VAR or Park tools. Then you can hammer/ squeeze/ squash your parts in to your hears content!
Dale Brown
Greensboro, North Carolina