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Hello All, I wonder if someone more knowledgeable could maybe assist me.
I have a 'new old stock' aluminium LOOK racing frame that has never been built up. It is in perfect condition, only the top edge of the head tube has taken a knock during posting and as a result the head tube is no longer quite circular at the top, meaning a headset will not quite fit. I took it the bike shop and the man said 'That needs a machine shop pal'.
Erm... how does one go about locating a 'machine shop'? I am not aware of ever having passed one on the High Street. I know nothing about metalwork.... WWSTW do?
pics would help and vague location
there is a machine shop just down the road from me 🙂 However its possible the dent could be knocked out although with alloy you have to be careful as it work hardens
There is a chap on retrobike who builds all sorts including bikes. Danson67 is his user name. He would be able to sort.
A job like this can take ages to set-up and seconds to go wrong - getting it vertical and concentric otherwise it still won’t work. I’d be looking for a retired toolmaker with a vertical mill in his shed prepared to work for tea, biscuits and company.
Unless it's a super thickwall head tube, I wouldn't be machining anything. You might get away pressing something round and tapered into it to straighten it out enough to get a headset in. Post a picture?
This ex-bike business owner would slide in a round bar with a diametre slightly less than the head tube bore and clout that to knock the ding out. If you machine there's a good chance the headset will work loose with use because you've made the hole bigger and weakened the ding point which will yield.
Not a machine shop as said^^ but you will need someone who knows whether the amount of un-knocking will tear the headtube because aluminium bike frames are hardened to give strength