Re: [CR]Lugged steel frame repair

(Example: Framebuilders:Norman Taylor)

Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 17:59:21 -0800
Subject: Re: [CR]Lugged steel frame repair
To: gregb51@lycos.com
From: "Brandon Ives" <monkeylad@mac.com>
In-Reply-To: <IKANJGNONEHMEBAA@mailcity.com>
cc: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

On Thursday, January 30, 2003, at 05:00 PM, Greg Brooks wrote:
> how you would replace one of the main tubes in a nice lugged steel
> frame. Would you cut the damaged tube in half, heat the lug ends, then
> remove?

There are others better suited to answer this question but I've done a couple and this is how I did it. Cut the tube away leaving a couple inches beyond the lug. Check to see if the frame was pinned, if it was drill out the pins. Now using a large flame heat the remaining tube and lug trying to keep the heat as even as possible. I also try to heat the tube more and let the heat move from the tube through the brass to the lug, but you'll have to heat the lug area too. When you've got everything a dull red grab a pair if large pliers with a welding gloved hand and grip the extended tube with the pliers. Now lightly try to pull and rotate at the same time as you're still heating. Hopefully the tube will come out without removing any of the lug, this is why the even heat is important.

Let everything cool and use the remaining ends of the tube to guide you in the mitering of the new tube. Clean the lugs out as best you can of the old brass. Now replace the tube and braze away. There are other methods that entail grinding the old tube out and replacing it. I like the idea of that method because it doesn't requite reheating, but I've never done it so I don't want to try and explain it. This is one of the things that has been discussed ad nauseam on the Framebuilders list. If you want great details check there. enjoy, Brandon"monkeyman"Ives 70 degree Santa Barbara, Calif.