I read the article by Jeff Bridges pertaining to force fit collars
and would like to offer this advice.  I am doing a Lester Type 1 action
over and it has the same type of configuration as a Standard action.
The force fit collars are not available presently.  However, I have had
excellent luck by the following method to assure tightness with no
lock-tight.

First, look closely at the collar.  They almost always show how they
were forced on by the direction of the slight rise in the steel at
the center hole.  It's very subtle but you can see it.

Lay the collar on a hard steel surface such as the anvil part of
a vise.  Lay the flat head part of a ball peen hammer on top of the
collar.  Rap the hammer with another hammer.  This will flatten out
the raised part of the collar again and return it to tightness.

Be sure to use the two-hammer method to prevent striking the collar
at an angle.  By laying one hammer head on the collar and lining it up
properly and then striking that hammer with another hammer you can
flatten the collar back out.  It works great although takes a bit of
time to do them all.

When I put the collars back on, I use a small piece of brass tubing
cut to the exact distance needed to press the collar back on to the
stem.  I remove the wooden button, start the collar on with a tap with
a hammer and then put the whole thing in a vise to press the collars on
the exact same distance for every valve.  This makes life easier when
checking valve travel.

You can use this method to press on all the collars by using different
lengths of the brass tubing.  Be sure to use tubing that's fits over
the valve stem closely so that it doesn't kink up or bend.  If you take
your time with the very fist one you do, you can make tubing lengths
for each collar on the valve stem (4) and have your valve travel set
near perfect when you're done.

I hope this helps Jeff.  It sure bailed me out when I was in the same
boat.

Doug Vensel
dvensel1@twcny.rr.com.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]