What's the best blade for cutting a steel steerer tube? And are there any specific tools to make the job easier? Also, what's the easiest method for measuring?
plumbers pipe cutter, quality one tho for a steel tube, measure twice and all that - measure with fork in situ is easiest and less chance of a **** up
Didn't realise you can get plumbers' pipe cutters for that wide a diameter. The ones you gradually tighten and move around the tube with the wheels cutting as they go?
Hacksaw is better and more versatile.
Use a cheap Mitre box from one of the hardware stores.
Yep any old hacksaw blade.
Make sure you measure twice and cut once.
32tpi HSS hacksaw blade.
pipe tool I use gives a cleaner cut than my hacksaw would
Use a file then.
Pipe tools can deform the steerer tube, if you tighten them too much.
Mitre block is a good idea, but use a hacksaw, and take your time. Use a file to get rid of any rough edges afterwards.
Do NOT use a junior hacksaw, on a sunday, when you can't get any spare blades. That took hours to sort out my Kona P2s!
I use one of these
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32 TPi Sandvik Bimetal HSS blade in a good quality hacksaw, and make sure the tension in the blade is just right, if it's not the cut will be pants
i use an old wooden stool and a hacksaw.
Measure with a micrometer, mark with chalk, cut with a deft blow from a good sharp axe. Nae bother. 😆
Park guide tool for a hacksaw is great but expensive unless you are going to do it enough to make the investment worthwhile. Mite box works ok but you can faf about for a while clamping it in and packing it out to stop it moving while you cut
Can always use an old stem as a guide if you've not got the correct tools.
Don't use a pipecutter.
Hacksaw as noted above and a park steerer cutting guide.
hacksaw & 2 old stems, then a file for the raggy edges
no lives depend on how perfect that cut is; as long as it's long enough and level-ish, you're on
I've used both over the years. Pipecutter was ok but was hard work in the end as you have to be patient and not tighten it too much in one go. Hacksaw worked quite well, but definately measure twice and clean all the bits off afterwards.
"[i]Park guide tool for a hacksaw is great but expensive unless you are going to do it enough to make the investment worthwhile. [/i]"
the Park cutting guide is on of those "how did i do without this for so long" tools, turns a 15 minute faffy bodge into a 2 minute accurate job, and i'd say pretty much essential if you go anywhere near a carbon steerer, handy for handlebars too
and you can hire it out to friends for beer too 🙂
Cutting guide is probably nice to have, I've used an old stem for ages, that seems to do the job well enough. Now, will some-one please be kind enough to invent a SFN that I can put in straight? That would be lovely.
[i]Cutting guide is probably nice to have, I've used an old stem for ages, that seems to do the job well enough. Now, will some-one please be kind enough to invent a SFN that I can put in straight? That would be lovely. [/i]
That'll be a Park SFN setter or alternative then ;0)
Another tool like the steerer cutter that you wonder why you didn't buy earlier.
When setting a SFN, I use a really long bolt screwed in, and can then tap it from the side, to straighten the SFN up. Possibly not ideal, but has worked for me on several occasions. The hard part is to get the bastard thing to go in straightish, in the fist place. And removing them? Big, big power tools.... 👿
For occasional use, things like steerer cutting gudes and SFN nut setters, are a bit too spensive, really. Maybe just pay yer LBS a tenner or so, to cut the steerer and install a new SFN? No tears method. They **** it up- they buy you new fork.
Like JoB says, once you've used the Park you couldn't go back. I bought it thinking I'd use it once and leave in my tool box to gather dust til next needed in years to come. Then word got out and I've fitted 4 more since including a carbon one. So it may pay for itself in beer.
You could take it to the bike shop but I'd rather be independant and it was worth it to save the petrol and inconvenience of going there. I worked at a (crap) bike shop where they just clamped the steerer in the vice and went at it like a barber surgeon. Hopefully your LBS is better.
You could buy a pipe cutter but one good enough to cut a steerer will be dearer than the park tool. The park tool can also be used to cut the odd pipe.
In the end it's nice to have and use the right tool. Like the old dockyard fitter I knew once said 'Don't force it son, use a bigger hammer'.
When measuring for the cut, I'm going to cut it a few mm below the height of the top of the stem so that the top cap can tighten down on the stem, correct?
correct
or cut lots above and experiment with spacers - best option imo