I started with a Kaffenback road frame and fork and was prepared to take the hit if it all went wrong. I agree with the posts after mine that most alloy frames come with the headset and BB shell faced. The bulk of the frames I have built up came out of the On-One stable and the official view there was that all their frames were faced in the factory before being painted so any unevenness was the paint. As I was using cartridge BB’s, either square taper or octalink where the cartridge holds the bearings in line, then this wasn’t a problem with the BB and the consensus appeared to be that unless you were shelling out 100ukp plus for a Chris King headset then you shouldn’t be worried about a minor inconsistency with the headset cups.

No experience, but from what I have read then I agree that the consensus appears to be that if the BB shell hasn’t been faced at the factory then it would probably be better to get the BB shell faced, if using Hollowtech or one of the other external bearing BB systems.

Can you do damage – Yes. Press the cups in at a severe angle from the true and you risk ovalising the headtube/shell and I can’t remember exactly how you correct it but I do distinctly recall it’s a job for a frame builder and somewhere between a lot of money and a start again with new frame.

Having said that, if you have the bike in a workstand so you can see the seat of the action easily ( again, doesn’t have to be expensive, I got a foldable one that supports the frame from underneath for about 30ukp, ebay again ) and a press, make sure that the cups are lined up properly and engaged all the way round before you start tightening and take things steadily checking the alignment as you go then you should be fine.

I agree that it depends on whether this is your first and only bike build or your first of many bike builds. If the former then given the expense of the components, use the LBS ( and ideally get them to let you watch and ask questions ), if the latter then the cost of the various tools becomes worthwhile but you can still decide to accumulate them slowly and use them for the winter bike, play bike, singlespeed, wife’s bike, mistress’ bike, guy down the street’s bike. It’s not the tools that are expensive or the tasks that are difficult. It’s finding a way of justifying/subsidising the cost of the bits for the next build. Done via sales/ebay etc. I reckon 3-4 months to find all the right bits at the best price I can do and about a week of time in and out of the garage provided I ration out the jobs to put them together – Yes I know it can be done a lot quicker if you just go for it but some things should be savoured.

Wheel building took a little longer to get established because the only way to make it financially viable was to follow the Wheelpro/Roger Musson route and build the jig and the tools first and then the wheels. Takes almost as long for me to build and true a set of wheels as it takes me to build up a frame but the cost of the bits is a lot less. Hence my wife’s bike is about to get a new set of wheels that she didn’t know she needed.

David

I am also a complete mechanical numpty but have built up two frames for myself and 3 for friends over the last couple of years.

CRC sell an Xtools headset press for around 35ukp. I found one on ebay somewhat cheaper. The Park tools headset/BMX BB bearing press is efficient but pricey and Park tools other headset press costs more than at least one my bike builds ( an ebay special ) and therefore a no-no in my book. There are currently a couple of 10ukp rod and nut presses on ebay if you are happy for someone else to do the DIY work. There are several basic tool kits from various manufacturers that give you the various proprietary spanners for cranks, cassettes etc. Lifeline’s one seems to get the good write ups although I accumulated the tools in bits and bobs so have a cross-section from Park and Pedros to Halfords and Whoknows

The Crown race installers are basically tubes that slide over the steerer tube and whack the crown race into place. You can get machined rings to get a better contact with the crown race, again courtesy ebay but for the whacking I have used a length of white push fit waste pipe (ex B&Q, leftover from a bathroom makeover, 0ukp) with no issues for about 10 installations – drop on crown race and tube, invert, whack on bench until home. Headset cup remover is a length of pipe with a few longitudinal cuts at one end and the resulting segments splayed out. 12 inch length of copper pipe and a hacksaw and it works very efficiently. Agree with the comments about starnut setter. Xtools one is cheap and easy to use.

Most important item is probably a decent manual – I have one from Bicycle Illustrated which covers road and MTB and has piccies for thickies like me and also Zinn for MTB who seems to have anticipated most of my worries. Torque wrench gives a little peace of mind that you aren’t overstraining the bolts. Only job I wouldn’t fancy tackling is facing headtubes/BB shells or cutting BB threads as the tools to do these jobs are hideously expensive as will be the cost of fouling it up.

Then there comes the time when you decide that for completeness you should buy the wheels as two rims, two hubs and 64 spokes…. but that is a different thread I suspect.

Have fun.