PVD IS Head Tube
Most framebuilders that work with steel have ignored the newer integrated headset design. I belive that it is the future. I decided to make up some very special head tubes for my bike projects.
Design
Stock
The 4130 stock required for this part is very rare. 1.750 OD x .250 Wall.
I ended up ordering the stock from Factory Steel and Metal Supply Co. out of Detroit, MI. EMJ Metals out of Freemont would be another good choice.
The price was $18.70 per foot with a $20 cut charge from 20 foot lengths. A six foot section should be enough to get 14 x 4.5" tubes.
Machining
A bushing was required to hold the part during machining.
Finishing
Special cutters will be required to finish the frame post welding. Cane Creek P/N TL0100. A little under $200 for these babies.
End Product
The head tube came in a little heavy due to a few manual machining considerations and some mistakes I made in the process. I would expect that a perfect CNC version to weigh in at ##.
Comparing this to a "standard" light machined head tube (93g) and a Chris King 1 1/8" headset (98g), this design doesn't add any real weight but is a far superior design.
On The Bike
Frame scheduled to be welded mid August.
