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Most shops frown on homemade tools, but my pipe clamp headset press was a success
Many mechanics insist you need a branded press for headset work, but I used some old steel pipes and a threaded rod. I was fitting a new headset on a customer's mountain bike and decided to try my method. After checking alignment and tightening slowly, it went in straight and true. The bike has been on several rides now with zero issues.
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kelly9871mo ago
Hot take: Shops hate money.
Okay but seriously, how many times have you seen a "pro only" tool that's just a simple jig in a fancy box? I've got a drawer full of old sockets and pipe scraps that do the same jobs. It's not about being cheap, it's about knowing how force actually works on a bike. That press you made probably worked better because you took the time to line it up right, instead of just cranking on some shiny lever.
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hollym291mo ago
Exactly! It's like the fancy tools trick you into thinking you don't need the skill. You just push harder instead of feeling what's actually happening. That's why @johnp98 is spot on about homemade stuff proving a point. My best bearing press is literally a big bolt, some washers, and a piece of pipe. It works perfectly because I have to go slow and pay attention. The real tool is your brain, not the shiny metal.
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