Carlton track bike

Should be getting hold of a Carlton (hence Raleigh right?) track frame, 1986, white, track drop outs, 531. Think the seat tube is jammed in which might be a mission, really want to get my new wheels on this frame. Will probably be inundating you guys with questions when I get hold of it. Anyone had any experience of Carlton frames?

I've got a Carlton. a refurb track frame from the 60s. Some old dude sold it to me on eBay. It's 531...beautiful. I was lucky as it was pristine and then built everything around it. You'll love it once you've finished....it's owrth the time and energy, (and money)!

but, stuck seatposts are a nightmare! cheap for a reason ;)

^ +1 sell it to me.

shouldn't be more than £10, I expect it's in a state.

but, stuck seatposts are a nightmare! cheap for a reason ;)

Yeah, but you dont necessarily need to get it out.

A bit like having an integrated post.

If the seatpost is too much trouble, you could always sell it on at a small profit (to me)

My first track frame had a stuck seatpost. Got a frame builder to cut it and then warm the tubes slightly. Came out no problem and I sold the remnants of the seatpost for a tenner.

Ha, if I have to cut it out i'll sell the seat post on here ;-)

Hacksaw and a small hacksaw blade according to Sheldon.

Don't go for the hacksaw straight away

Ha, if I have to cut it out i'll sell the seat post on here ;-)

Hacksaw and a small hacksaw blade according to Sheldon.

easier said than done. made many a man cry!

Ha, i'm sure! We'll see when I get hold of it, waiting on a friend to pick it up.

easier said than done. made many a man cry!

It made me cry, bloody hours on that thing! Every lunch time for a week, 6 cuts in all and chisel out the rest taking care not to square off the tube.

just get a good vice with jagged teeth and use the leverage of the frame you'll soon have it out.

vices and hacksaws will do nothing if it's oxidised in (essentially welded) you'll twist the frame tubing or end up with small bits of seat post stuck inside that you can get no grip on. edit: so be careful when you try the wd40/plusgas/twisting thing.

Sheldon is right about almost anything, but I will say hacksawing a seatpost out is bollocks.

Caustic soda, people. that is all.

word! burn the bastard out.

+1 How will cutting off the SP stem help get it out the DT??

Plenty of grease and don't over work it (expands when hot) and it will come. oh work it down before up to lube the tubes inside
Oh a vice on a bench helps

caustic soda method
other methods
Sell me the frame

I'll be selling on my graham weigh if this one is ok...
It's not particularly special, but I like it.

Any ideas on the best route to repainting the frame, chaps picked it up but not brought it to work (seldom drives as he's always on his bike). Said it might need a respray.

Should I powder coat, or get someone to do a proper job...?

get the post out first ;)

Not enough belief, i'll have it out within an hour. I've got the full might of an engineering department behind me. You name it, I'll hit it with it. We've got some Titanium nitride coating rigs too, now theres an idea.

bets on peeps!!

If you heat the frame with a blowtorch the steel will expand, yes, however alu expands at a lower temp so will effectively get more stuck until it melts, at which temp you have taken all the paint off the seat tube and possibly messed the frame's brazing. Heat + plumbers/electronic freeze spray down the seatpost plus twisting with seatpost in vice or pole through an old saddle and you'll be all good I reckon. Hard work, but in my experience worth it. In war though, there are always losers. Hopefully just a seatpost in this case. Oh and the heat will bake the paint a sort of yellowy colour. If you're gonna repaint it anyway just melt it out.

How about a liquid nitrogen bath for the seatpost, shatter the bugger... or possibly shrink enough to pull out..