Shorten a headtube?

[steveoz]

Ok so I have a Ti/carbon Serotta Nove - it has an "extended" headtube - the aesthetics are bothering me- is it possible to remove a cm of the tube? It is titanium....

[charliedid]

I did it.

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=245770

[joevers]

Originally Posted by charliedid

I did it.

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=245770

Wow this is great. I love the fixture you made for it. My partner has got a 650c waterford with about 3cm too much head tube and we've been talking about chopping it off for a bit now.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by joevers

Wow this is great. I love the fixture you made for it. My partner has got a 650c waterford with about 3cm too much head tube and we've been talking about chopping it off for a bit now.

It worked really well, though it was not I that made the jig or did the work. A friend and bike shop owner was the brains and skill behind the task.

[aaronf]

Yep, I've done the same thing on a Legend. I made an expanding collet to hold the frame by the headtube and then cut it on my milling machine after indicating dead vertical. Reamed and faced, no problems.

[steveoz]

I'm actually shocked that I received positive replies! Figured it'd be a no-no..so a fine toothed hacksaw will cut Ti ?

[Louis]

Originally Posted by steveoz

I'm actually shocked that I received positive replies! Figured it'd be a no-no..so a fine toothed hacksaw will cut Ti ?

Ti 6Al 4V yield strength is around 128 ksi

4130 steel (aka chromoly) is around 63.1 ksi

So Ti is more challenging. See below for some more info.

http://blog.lenoxtools.com/industria...-machine-shop/

https://forums.thepaceline.net/archi.../t-175784.html

[hockeybike]

Check, check, and check again. It might be the case that the headtube won't take a headset cup if you cut it. I think if the wall diameter changes (e.g. butting) you might be out of luck.

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by steveoz

I'm actually shocked that I received positive replies! Figured it'd be a no-no..so a fine toothed hacksaw will cut Ti ?

Make sure it isn't machined on the inside to a different diameter further down. I think you're probably okay on yours, but in case others read this thread down the road, it should be known this is not the case for all metal headtubes - Holland, for instance, machines the inside of their titanium headtubes (on some).

[steveoz]

Awesome ! Thanks for all the replies - now just have to find time to actually do the project!

[Dave]

I would suggest trying an abrasive cutoff tool rather trying to saw the extra material off. If you have access to the head tube facing tool, all you have to do is get close, with the initial cut.

During my 3000 hour hot rod build, I used a 4" diameter Makita a lot, but I also have a bigger 7" that I used to cut off some 1.25 inch tube with .375 inch wall thickness, that was part of the suspension, welded to the frame. It really wasn't a tube, it was a solid bar with a 5/8 hole drilled all the way through.

Even a dremel tool would probably work, if the cut is marked with masking tape and the cut is made slowly around the tube, not through it. I cut off carbon steering tubes, usually with a hacksaw, but I cut around the tube, following my masking tape, not through it.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Last year I removed around 12mm from my frame's head tube. The builder had brazed an extension of 20mm onto it. I used two stainless steel pipe clamps to form a guide and used a normal fine tooth hacksaw blade. To my eye and with all measurements I was able to take the cut looked incredibly straight, but I had my LBS face the HT and press in the cups. All has been well.

Personally, I would be more reluctant to do this myself with titanium. As Clean39t mentions, the HT may not simply be a straight tube.

David Kirk or other former Serotta builders on the forum may have first hand knowledge of the head tubes used on the model of bike in question. I'd certainly place high value on his response to this thread.