I am a frame builder AMA

Doesn’t make any difference, I rode my handmade frame for months then stored in for a year before paint. Any good painter will properly clean the frame prior to paint

You can ride it all you want.
I'd be careful using too much grease when mounting components tho if your painter isn't careful blasting/cleaning the frame, grease/oil will start running when curing in the oven.

EDIT: this^

Thanks both! I thought flash rust would be a problem but I guess not.

I'd be careful using too much grease when mounting components tho if your painter isn't careful blasting/cleaning the frame, grease/oil will start running when curing in the oven.

I would have never thought of this, thanks.

I just picked up this old Raleigh frame (Reynolds 531) and was wondering if there are ways of increasing the tire clearance. I think it doesn't need much. I read about crimping chain stays and saw the attached picture a few pages back. Is that something that could be done to any frame? I thought about getting it done by Winston Vaz if he is up for it. Doable or utter nonsense?

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you can ask, but i doubt winston would do that kinda thing. Its asking for trouble

You could dimple it depending on the shape of the stays. Depends how much you wanna increase the clearance by really.

I guess dimpling is what I mean by crimping. From the measurements I took I don't think I need much.

Dimpling only really gets you 2-3mm per side bear in mind

Its asking for trouble

In general or specifically to retro-fit to a finished frame?

Im gonna preface this with i am not an engineer and have built 15 frames so no expert builder either.

I think that chunking a big ass lump out of the chainstays like that has to be done really well. I know people do it with success, but in general i think it has a good chance of not lasting that long. If you braze the bond area is very small, little to no area for reinforcement.
Tigging is IMO a better option, especially if you purge it, but you still have to do it effectively. Hard to get good pen without burning through.

However...I know people do it and it lasts, so it all depends

What are doable alternatives (leaving out whether it makes sense financially).
A chain stay yoke?
Completely new chain stays?

probably new chainstays would be the idea, a yoke would be a challenge i think. But its a lot of faff that maybe just worth getting a new frame.

Yeah a new frame is obviously easier but I kind of want something a bit weird. A 650b canti randonneur with nice lugs, a 1" steerer and downtube shifters. The only of the shelf option ticking all these boxes seems to be the Crust Romanceür . Which is $1275 before shipping and import. Quite steep for a fun n+1. I also like the fun and nerdyness of a more tricky project and a unique outcome. So I am not opposed to spending a bit of money on it if the outcome is right. I am just trying to sanity check this here. The frame clears knobby 700x35c in the front and just about touches the chainstays. So 650bx42 slicks might already fit. I am meeting with a friend soon to stick his 650b wheels in and check this.

Otherwise Winston lists

new chain stays from two £ 140 one £90

So maybe I just need to put that kind of money in to get what I want. I guess I should give him a call. Thanks for your input.

why not get an older 700c tourer from the 80s in 531 or something? not sure if the canti mount placement would be an issue for the different wheel size, but you might not even need to go so small

That's what this is. A Raleigh Royal 531 80s canti tourer. So yeah the canti sockets need to be moved down for 650b wheels. I could obviously just stick 700c x 32ish wheels in there and be done with it but ideally I want 650bx42 with space for mudguards. It is just something stupid that I want nothing that I need.

It is just something stupid that I want nothing that I need.

that i can endorse

In layman's terms: I am bored.

Do it yourself? Unless the frame has immense sentimental value
You can silver braze the bosses with a MAP torch and crimp with a G clamp or vice

exactly what i was gonna suggest (but i didn't want to recommend something daft)

MAPP torch and bosses would come in under £100

MAPP torch

I have a spare torch if you are in ldn and want to borrow it @Oddo

It doesn't. I bought it for this project and it wasn't particularly expensive. I am fine to pay some money for it to get it done right and neat though. I also don't have a workshop or any of the tools for diy. Just a patio and the tools to build up the bike.

Just thought it would deal with the boredom aspect :)

@PhilDAS :D it might but if this can work I'd like to be good and I have zero experience with welding and brazing. I will spend that time selecting and hunting parts for it. I can easily waste time that way :D

@Biggles567 Thanks! I am in London but for the same reasons as above I am going to check with Winston first ;)

Picked this frame up the other day. Is someone in the London(ish) area able to repair?

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Chop it and do a quill seat post!

(Actually that's a shit idea. Don't do that)

Thats an awkward one, did it fail under normal use?