I am a frame builder AMA

Mid blade eyelets/bosses, is there a standard for where they go?

Looking to put some on a fork for someone to fit a pizza rack to, I have the fork but not the rack, not sure they’ve even bought one or settled entirely upon the rack yet.

I have one in the shed, as well as a steel rule and a set square. I also have a sequoia which I believe has pizza rack optimised mounts. If you want I can measure up anything you want tomorrow if it helps, maybe take some crap pics as well.

Thanks for the offer but no need. I got a suggestion of 165mm from bottom eyelet to mid blade one on the fb group and the customer is going to order the rack and bring it to me anyway.

No worries

28.6 OD Columbus Life seat tube, what size seat post?

Hand built frame, never built up, and I can see there is a bit of paint residue inside the seat tube from being powdercoated.

I thought it was for 27.2 dia post, but it doesn't fit. Not sure if the seat tube just needs to be reamed for the 27.2 to fit, or whether it should be a 27.0 seat post ?

27.2, needs reaming

Great, thanks for confirming.
LBS Monday then...

@DaveYates is looking to clear out some bits

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/381164/#comment16746263

I was wondering if I could trouble someone with some help? I am about to have a bike to delivered to me and was suddenly confronted with a photo of the bike that made me think the tubes are steeper than normal. I realise it may have to do with photos as well as the angle of the photo, but can someone tell me these angles look normal or uncomfortably steep? This bike has been all across France on various long distance trips and was custom made.

Thank you!

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Looks like a Follis randonneuse with low trail. Nothing particularly odd looking from here.

Oh thank you! I compared the frame by eye with online images of other randonneuse and touring bikes and it seemed like they were slacker. But its hard to tell with photos, I guess.

From what I understand, 73° is typical or ideal for relaxed and less nervous cycling on long touring trips. Whereas trail bikes are steeper for quick turns. Since the bike was custom made, it may be a steeper angle as a special wish.

Anyway, if you think this looks average, then I am relieved.

Rather embarrassed to say that the image was initially skew...corrected now. Hah!

Just compared it with this Singer (as a classic road bike) and the angles appear to sort of match up. Sigh.

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After getting a steel frame sand blasted and powdercoated I've noticed a pin hole in the top tube. Potentially could have been caused by the sand blasting. I previously have been putting framesaver in the frame but now concerned it could still be rusting inside. Any suggestions for how to check other than buying a small camera that I can put in through the vent holes in the headtube? I sanded back the powdercoat a few inches either side of the pin hole and there's no more holes.

Generally ie it’s not a hard and fast rule, there would be debris rattling around inside the tubes if it’s corroding from the inside.

Of course, anything rattling around in there now could be blasting media rather than rust.

Where did you get it blasted and coated? Are they used to working in bikes? If not chances are they’ve blasted out too aggressively/with too abrasive a media and that’s the cause of the hole.

Thanks. It's a place in Dublin who mainly do automotive parts but also do bikes. I have a feeling it may just been too aggressive. I can't hear anything rattling inside the frame thankfully.

Will keep riding it anyways and just see if it gets worse over time. Will fill in the hole when I manage to get some brazing kit sorted.

Not too piss on your chips but I have a friend who had a couple frames powder coated (one at a cheap place that probably blasted too aggressively and one at a better place that should have known) and they both cracked within a fortnight of each other. I can’t help but think that the blasting and coating was the common denominator.

Yep think I'm coming to that realisation myself! Will keep an eye on it for a few short spins and see how it goes and will look to replace the top tube soon.

@Hulsroy 's Condor is making me do this...

(This is so nice...)

I would like to do something similar to an old 531 Raleigh frame that I have. First action would be to braze canti studs on the seat stays and move the seat stay bridge up to get clearance for 32s.

I have a metal workshop at work that I can use for making the canti studs fit nicely, but the part that is new to me is the brazing (really want to learn this).

From what I understand, the easiest way to get into this would be a MAPP gas torch and silver solder.

My question is, would this be strong enough for the canti mounts?

I am thinking about this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Profire-Bottle-Disposable-Cylinder-plumbers/dp/B07D5Z7JRT/ref=asc_df_B07D5Z7JRT/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310135442117&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=393475781599789051&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006886&hvtargid=pla-700336005838&psc=1

and this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175533730559?hash=item28dea02aff:g:AwoAAOSwbWZaXNwz&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoBrsW5L0cJl2UM4pa5Ct9HOI8ihKIX7%2Bsn2n8AzviJ5OCyg0AGKoxn4SQrJqpqpb62wvyASyuRzZsSZEYmEKx7CKWySuQyE0ZIruuOqH86AwO0jkNu6tbPuF0ow%2Bv8gXaBjP3oivA0M0jSj63oOVgMg4oCOIiGJ0a5qGiVtaGKyVUb6%2BtMxk8dz1OvgnjN5URlYDwSI4E7wKLUQ42WNCLzw%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR6bC3b-zYQ

Would this get me going?

Any input much appreciated! Thanks in advance!!

Hi

I think you might get away with that setup. I've only done bottle bosses with mapp before but that worked. I don't know if you can get the bosses and seatstays hot enough quick enough to melt the silver. But only one way to find out really.
Two things: make sure the fit is good on the studs to frame and make sure the steel material (frame and braze ons) are hot enough to allow the silver to flow out on that material. Meaning to let the flame melt the silver! That way you'll get a good strong bond.
I'd probably always weld or fillet braze brake bosses, but it might be fine with silver really.

Edit: is it not cheaper to just let your local builder do the brazing and then maybe just do the fit up?

Thanks for your answer, you make amazing bikes :)

If I actually needed this bike I would probably let a pro do it, but I don't, so I won't... this is mostly an experiment.

What do you mean by "let the flame melt the steel"? I would have thought you try to get the steel hot so that the steel melts the silver, and not the flame melts the silver? Did I get this totally wrong?

Cheers!

I meant silver sorry. A bit tired.

The steel needs to be 550°c ish to allow the silver to flow out. But sometimes I see students melt the silver with the flame without the steel being hot enough. It's hard to explain in words. Practice on something before jumping to actually doing the frame

That makes sense, thanks. I'll report on how this goes!

I have put brake posts on with silver, just whack loads in there. Dunno if I'd do brake posts as my first brazing job mind, maybe do some bottle bosses, cable guides etc to start with to get a hang of the heat control.

It's probably worth getting your silver from Ceeway rather than ebay, the stuff I get was around £4 (plus vat) a rod last time I ordered it and the rods are considerably longer.

Thanks, sounds encourging! Does it matter how much silver is in the rods? The ones from ebay that I showed have 55%