What benefits are there from cutting the steerer, apart from lowering the bars (which I need as I’m a shortarse) I have jiggled the spacers for now but looks abit freaky with an inch of spacers above the bars!!

And will I be able to pull that nut thing down inside the steerer using a big washer and some threaded bar? I imagine there’s a tool to do it but I don’t like the idea of paying for a tool I’ll use probably once.

If you’re planning to resell ever, a steerer that’s 200mm or so will make it easier to do so.

pulling down the nut – yeah, as you described if the threaded rod fits (unless there’s a BIG taper inside the steerer)

to cut – MAKE SURE OF YOUR MEASUREMENTS (include height of stem, spacers etc)
I use 2 old stems to “frame” the cut line

It saves a gnats poo of weigth and looks a lot better. other than that, there’s no reason to do it. You don’t need to cut the steerer to lower the bars, just put the spacers on top of the stem.

As for the star flanged nut, if you’re careful, just thread a bolt all the way into it and drift it down a little. Only go deep enough to avoid the cut. Then once it’s cut, you can tap it down a little further to sort out the alignment by just starting the bolt into the cap and see if it sits straight.

Ok, as I said I’ve already got the spacers above the bars at the mo’ but looks a bit freaky!!
will leave it till next weekend and give it a go,
Oh, and can’t see me selling them as they’re only rockshox used on the commuter, owe me nowt and really not worth selling.