Old school Kleins had pressed-in headsets that were way ahead of their time.  The good thing about them is that they didn't require any adjustment and they were bomb-proof and lasted forever.  The downside is that changing the headset when it wears out (and it can last for ten years) or you change forks is a lot more work and requires a special tool. 

I was able to buy the frame of the press from a fellow cyclist but didn't have any of the attachments.  So when the guys at the shop said they would teach me how to machine, this was the first thing on tap to make.

I'll be putting up a guide on how to change a Klein headset but that'll have to wait for now.  So for now, just appreciate the machined goodies.

This was the very first part I ever made.  I started working on it at 9:00 in the morning.  We went to lunch at noon and I hadn't quite finished it.  I had no idea how to do anything. The machinists helped me, a lot, but it was a slow process learning to use the lathe.  How to turn something to the correct diameter.  How to get the correct width and the like.  So it took me 3.5 hours to make because when I say I was starting from zero knowledge, it was exactly 0.0.  Now, I could make the piece in a few minutes but that's what experience does for you.

The piece on the left was the second piece I made and as you can see, has a taper.  That was another long process to learn but the taper was eventually in there.

However, we then had to mill the slot into the piece.  The problem was how to clamp a circular piece into the mill. The machinist was thinking of all these ideas and I finally said, "Hey, let's not clamp it by the sides but by the ends.  Instead of cutting the slot left to right, lets move the mill table back and forth."  The machinist said, "Uh..yeah.  Good idea."  I was learning fast.