Frame Material - How to tell?

Hi All

I got donated an old Raleigh recently (1980 something I think) and am currently running it as my shopper bike. It's a nicer frame than my other Raleigh so looking at doing a swap once I've had it painted.

It's a bit scruffy and the previous owner had removed all the decals but there is a trace outline of a Reynolds sticked but I can't make out if it says 531 or 501

Anybody know where I could find out?

Thanks in advance for any assistance

Cheers

Ken

magnets

How would they work Murtle?

531 dents more readily than 501. Hit it with a hammer.

Some pictures would be good if you don't know what model it is.

OK I'll sort out some pics tomorrow to see if that helps

Angle grinder meet Ti.

If the sparks fly it's Ti

if the frame is light and glows in the dark its 531

Gas pipe tubes have thicker walls, therefore smaller internal diameter, therefore smaller diameter seatposts. If the seatpost diameter is over 26.4mm it's probably Reynolds something. If it's 27.2 then it's most likely to be butted 531.

Is it awesome?

If so it can only be 531.

Does it weigh as much as a duck?

get a tuning fork, hit it against the top tube..

if it makes a sound like this then it's 531

and if it sounds like this then it's 501

.. there is an outside chance it's columbus tubing, in which case it will sound like [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OvsVSWB4TI"]this[/ame
]

Sometimes i wonder what percentage of this site is pure spam... I'm sure it would be fucking rubbish without it though.

Ahh well, must accept it...

Repped.