Question for the framebuilders, I've got a strange hole in a random place in a brand new frame....

Hey all,

I guess this is an open question to everyone really framebuilders and anyone who might be able to shed some light.

I recently took delivery of a new frame from a brand that at the moment shall remain nameless but suffice to say it wasn't cheap. Upon initial inspection I found a small spot of damage to the paint on the underside of the downtube, it looked like a small hole through the paint not much larger than a pin but the there was a slight depression and the paint cracks spreading from the sides of the hole. Initiatlly I didn't want to scrape away the paint to inspect further in case it was nothing but when I took it down the LBS, actually to have the hydraulic brake hoses cut to size, I showed them the damage and the owner was pretty perplexed as to what could have caused. So we scraped away more paint and found that underneath there was actually a hole in the frame itself. It's is small but it's off centre of the down tube and in a strange location, closish to a threaded eyelet for a cable guide. This coupled with the fact that it was painted over would suggest to me that this hole was not made intentionally during the frame manufacture but I'm happy to be proved wrong. Is there any reason why when your building a frame that you would purposely drill a small hole like this?

Many thanks,
Ben

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IANAFramebuilder- but I seem to remember you sometimes put holes in to allow for gas expansion when heating the tubes. Since that's perfectly hole shaped- I'd guess thats what it is- put in to allow for the additional braze of the cable guide there.
In otherwords- intentional, and nothing to worry about. But I'd wait for a pro to answer.

Personally if on delivery the paint was damaged I'd return it, assuming it's a mass market frame.

both good answers, thanks!

I seem to remember you sometimes put holes in to allow for gas expansion when heating the tubes.

You do, but you wouldn't put a hole there. The down tube would be vented through a hole in the BB shell and possibly also through a hole in the head tube. You wouldn't drill a hole in the length of the tube, unless you'd ballsed up and forgot to drill them before you started.

Looks to me like a pilot hole someone drilled in the wrong place for the cable guide.

P.S. IANAframebuilder either, just a hobbyist.

No reason for a whole to be there. My guess is over exuberant blasting by painter, then filler.

Thanks @coldharbour, they just swapped the frame for me in the end but I still think maybe I should have just gone with one of your lovely ISEN all seasons instead...