Cutting down fork steerers
- Thread starter Alison
- Start date
Porschenut
Dirt Disciple
The easiest way to get a straight cut while doing this at home is to get an old aheadset spacer to use as a cutting guide when using a hacksaw. Find out where you want the line, place the spacer right there, tape it to the tube with some duct tape or similar product and then cut away. The spacer will be somewhat ruined but they're cheap as nails anyway and someone always has an extra one sitting around.
Good luck.
Good luck.
fork steerer
cut it with a hacksaw or anything else. like someone else said doesn't need to be perfectly straight for ahead forks - doesn't matter about how it looks either cos it's hidden by the stem/top cap. has anyone used a pipe cutter? I've got one but never tried it on bikes cos assumed it wouldn't cut steel only copper
cut it with a hacksaw or anything else. like someone else said doesn't need to be perfectly straight for ahead forks - doesn't matter about how it looks either cos it's hidden by the stem/top cap. has anyone used a pipe cutter? I've got one but never tried it on bikes cos assumed it wouldn't cut steel only copper
Porschenut
Dirt Disciple
Re: fork steerer
It should work fine on steel since plumbers use theirs to cut cast iron pipe regularly.
The only caveat with a pipe cutter, is that with a soft material like aluminum, it swells the metal to either side of the cut. Basically, the edge of the cut will have a slightly larger diameter than the rest of the tube after the cut has made. It's easy to correct though. Use a metal file, dremel with a grinding bit or angle grinder to taper the edge back down.
worksok":3vl6nm5a said:
It should work fine on steel since plumbers use theirs to cut cast iron pipe regularly.
The only caveat with a pipe cutter, is that with a soft material like aluminum, it swells the metal to either side of the cut. Basically, the edge of the cut will have a slightly larger diameter than the rest of the tube after the cut has made. It's easy to correct though. Use a metal file, dremel with a grinding bit or angle grinder to taper the edge back down.
