But can't an investment cast lugset still be filed and indiviualized just as a stamped lugset would be? Couldn't a builder design a blank lugset and have it cast (which is supposed to make for a stronger lugset as well, no?) and then file each individual blank the same way he might file a stamped lugset?
>--- Original Message ---
>From: Richard M Sachs <richardsachs@juno.com>
>To: Doland.Cheung@sce.com
>Date: 3/23/01 10:49:36 AM
>
>
>On Fri, 23 Mar 2001 09:32:39 -0800 Doland.Cheung@sce.com writes:
>What does everybody think the pinnicle of the vintage lightweight
>era might be?
>
>>>>during the mid 70s, as the 'investment cast' era was being
> ushered in, bicycles would begin to lose their soul.
under
> the guise of new/improved/better/etc., the frame makers
> sold the bill that cast pieces advanced the quality of
the frame.
> in truth, particularly in that era, all that cast lugs,
one-piece
> brake briges, plug-in dropouts, and other similar parts
did
> was reduce the handwork involved to produce a finely
made
> frame. prior to that, it was a thousand little subconscious
>decisions
> that occured by each framebuilder every single time an
operation
> or a sequence was carried out. intuition. experience.
training. it
> matters not what you call it. it was needed to build
frames then.
> when the little parts started coming from foundries and
casting
> houses, most of the decisions regarding interfernce fits,
>clearances,
> aesthetics, etc., were taken out of the hands of the
framebuilders
> and susequently were made by mold-makers. in time, all
one would
> need to build a frame would be tubing and torches. the
phenomenom
> of learning 'how to make frames' versus 'assembling frames'
would
> spell the end of the classic bike as we CR listmembers
define it.
> it might be easier to state that many feel that pre-fab,
cast
>pieces
> are 'imitaion art'. i believe this is so. anything that
can be
>bought
> by anyone or used by anyone cannot be defined as 'classic'.
> please don't read too much in to this; i'm not comparing
eras
> nor saying 'us versus them'. i'm just answering doland's
question.
> e-RICHIE