I am a frame builder AMA

If it was me I’d want to trim the legs back to get past the slotted bit (assuming the legs are slotted to accept the plate drops?) to ensure 360 degree support. I’d have thought leaving the slots there would just be a massive stress riser and recipe for disaster.

Also, personally, would want to pile plenty filler material in there to ensure a proper bond.

You might be able to cut the dropout away and use a lug style end like this.

Interesting, thanks. I don't think those will be the right solution, as it doesn't look like they will offer enough additional length, but they do look nice!

how hard is it to stick weld some cable stops on a steel frame? easy job I can do myself?

I think you may blow holes in thin wall steel tubing with a stick welder

hmm ok. I think my dad has a brazing set up i can use.

I had a crash the other day which has bent my forks. I've just noticed cracked paint around the headtube lugs too.

Normally frames bend at the tube but this is at the lug. It's only noticeable because of the stressed paint. Is it safe to ride with a new fork?

Is it safe to braze in new fork blades into the old crown? It doesn't appear to be damaged.

Only reason I am considering this is the bike was my grandpa's which I was slowly restoring with some upgrades. So there is some sentimental value involved.

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This just popped up in my inbox:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjj6VMz5V-w&t=88s

I've bent fork blades like that back into shape and they've been fine.
You need a length of timber, workbench and bike chain.
more details and beautiful/informative sketches here: https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/235128/?offset=300

Personally I'd be a bit more concerned about those headtube lugs.

Disclaimer: I'm not a framebuilder so I don't know shit.

Thanks for the info, that is promising.

I felt the other way. I thought the forks might be a write off and the frame would be okay.

You can bend lugs in the building process to get different angles so is this similar to that? Or are the tubes under different tension now with potential of failure.

I haven't a real clue either. Maybe it can be wall art now as it only fits with a lanky stem.

Looks to me like the fork crown is off. Steerer could be bent.

I’d get the fork out and inspect the steerer as a start.

TIG welding a hairline crack in a downtube – how hard can it be? Is there more to it than running a bead over the crack? It's a pompino so won't be very thin tubing.

probably be fine, i tigged a crack on an already very dead frame once just out of curiosity. It was around 0.6mm i reckon so middle ground in terms of thickness. Just keep the filler in/near the puddle as it can run away pretty quick. Also its probably gonna be very hard/impossible to clean the inside. The puddle will likely be pretty squirelly because of all the crap on the backside, maybe worth purging if you can be bothered as it might mitigate some of the dodgy puddle characteristics from the shite inside.

oh god i've just remembered the inside's all full of congealed boiled linseed oil (mixed with rust) :D

do you have a Y-type pipe thing for purging?

and while i'm here, i'd like to pop a couple of triple cable stops along the top tube. this sort of thing.

i have no brazing torch, so was thinking of tig pulsing around the plate with no filler. i can't imagine the forces are insane enough to snap that off...

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yeah i have a y splitter thing from the bottle, which works fine.

Tigging the stop on should be ok i think. just move quick, try not to sink loads of heat into it. Might be wise to try and avoid placing it over the butt transition. Easier said than done as its hard to find the butt on a frame thats already together, but afaik its a good bet to avoid placing things over the transition zone. When i put braze ons on i always avoid it.

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The fork mod in this video is outright sketch, right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dtVCNQ59M0

His file technique has me raising an eyebrow. And get a vice man!

headset cup removal was interesting

Everything in that was very agricultural

Agricultural is what I call my Soma ... you know, heavy and overbuilt, withstanding a lot of punishment ... taking a 1" fork, cutting a hole in there for the disc and then brazing a post mount on doesn't strike me as exactly overbuilt, or indeed risk free?

I agree it is looking like a pretty shit job. I was mostly referring to the stick welding and MIG welding. That has no place in framebuilding imo

Yeah that was interesting. Not sure why he broke out three different metal gluing methods.

I didn't like the way he operated every tool in a kind of scrubbing motion - even the drill