Cutting down fork steerers

[Alison]

Is this a job best left to ones LBS or should I attempt it myself.

They are F7 forks that have just been resprayed so I don't want to damage them.

Thanks

Alison

 

[JS1500]

As long as you have the correct equipment (vice, hacksaw, file) and correct measurements there's no reason to take it to your LBS.
You're more likely to ensure the forks don't get scratched than they are!

How does the Clockwork look?
I bet it's niiiiiice!

 

[Alison]

Thanks

It is very nice IMHO and I cannot wait till it is put together. Still got to get a headset, bottom bracket, front mech, stem and canti hangers but I shall endeavour to get those over then next few weeks.

Alison

 

[leeww]

Agreed !

Do it yourself, a junoir hacksaw with a fine toothed blade and a file will do the trick, it is a very simple job.

Remember . . . . measure the length you need, then check it and check it again . . . then cut.

 

[Corduroyboy]

Ahead or threaded?
If threaded, it couldn't be easier:
1) Measure the required length
2) Check your measurements!
3) When you're sure about the measurements, get an old headset and lock it so that the top of the uppermost nut lines up with where you want to cut.
4) Make very small cuts (using the uppermost nut as a guide) and keep rotating the steerer in the vice.
5) Pretty soon all your very small cuts should join up.
6) Keep cutting and rotating until you're all the way through.
7) Gently file off sharp burrs

Don't attempt to cut in one: your cuts will inevitably be guided by the threads of the steerer resulting in much cursing!

If Ahead, mark where you want to cut with the edge of some tape and proceed as above, taking greater care with your small cuts (you have tape as a guide not a steel nut!)
Good Luck: you probably won't even need it!

 

[Russell]

If its an ahead steerer (which an F7 won't be but none the less) take it into a local machine shop and ask them if they'll cut it down on a lathe for you to the required length. Most won't charge you if you ask nicely, and they'll probably even put a nice chamfer on the OD to keep things ultra neat and tidy

 

[Alison]

Yes it is a ahead set of forks. I bought them recently from Orange.

Alison

 

[Stick Legs]

Alison, easy way with ahead is to use a tube cutter, rent it from your local hire it centre (or make friends with a plumber!).

 

[gump]

Hacksaw and file, job done. Doesn't even matter if not perfectly straight with ahead either, just looks poo.

 

[Lysander]

Aye, easy enough job- junior hacksaw will cut tube fine. Main thing to be careful of is vice jaws- get proper fibre pads, or use some old inner tube so that you don't get marks off the metal jaws. I usually too use either paper tape or blue marker pen to mark out the line for a scriber.

Trick to getting a good cut/ filed edge is making sure its square in the vice, and that you are filing at waist level, so ye can hold the file nice and flat.

Cheers,
Dav