#straightfromthetorch Frame building photos

I did a few details of the bike in silver and I found brass easier to work with, probably because of the flow temperatures Hulsroy mentions. You had to be a bit more precise with sliver, whereas brass was fairly forgiving.

Plus you will have been using oxy-fuel. I think the question was is MAPP enough for brass, which it isn't. The key with lugs is getting a relatively large area up to a consistent heat quickly enough to not sequester the flux before the silver has flowed. Ceeway sells practice lugs and tubes. I'd suggest buying a load and practicing with whatever gas you are going to use.

Have added AAQ thread to the forum ;)

Ah, thanks for explaining. Leaves the frame buliders to the frame building talk

If that's what you got from it I explained it wrong ;)

Building a working frame all by yourself with minimal tooling is perfectly doable if you take your time and use your head. Many people on the forum have done it, and hopefully with this new sub forum it will be even easier! Frame building is just plumbing in a straight line etc...

Was just realising all my advice was based on Oxy-Acetylene torch, and I didn't really twig about MAAP usage.

Oxy fuel is the way forward, MAAP is a workaround but it is deffo sub-optimal. Rent free oxygen and propane are cheap enough that after the first frame its worth taking the plunge imo/

Or just HTFU, and get a BOC account.

Sadly I've neither the space, money or time to have a go, much as I would love to. The week spent with Dave Yates was one of the most relaxing, enjoyable holidays I've ever had. And I got a frame at the end of it.

Air products ftw

How much money we talking for a torch, gas and everything in between, good enough for a novice?

Jigless joy! I spent about an hour measuring and checking, not quite believing the curly chainstays actually held the wheel straight. Really not sure why I thought this bike was a good idea, but I'm very glad I did.

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If you're going to build a frame jig-less then the hetchins curly stay/flying gate crossover is about as ballsy as it gets. Chapeau!

Go to France http://www.bricodepot.fr/catalogue/poste-a-souder-bi-gaz/prod13363/ brazing rods are cheap too..

BOC account /bottle rental = really spenny.

Every year I forget to cancel my account, and wince when the invoice arrives.

For the 'hobbyist', I believe there is a mob in Dartford that does the gas, and you just pay a refundable deposit on the bottles, rather than a rental.

Does mean going to dartford though......

If you just want to give it a go, I've got a torch and some bottles I probably won't be using 'till the New Year, you can borrow them if you fancy.

For the 'hobbyist', I believe there is a mob in Dartford that does the gas, and you just pay a refundable deposit on the bottles, rather than a rental.

Does mean going to dartford though......

Nationwide, not just Dartford 😎
https://www.hobbyweld.co.uk/products/oxygen/
Buy the gas and pay the cylinder deposit. Use it over a weekend, or years... Return and exchange just for the cost of the gas. Or hand it back and get your deposit back ☺

I use Bennets car parts in tottenham for Argon and o2.

http://www.bennetts.com/p0/sgs-welding-gas/418334.htm

Just pay bottle deposit, no rental.

I also use London Gases for propane, again no deposit and they come and collect deliver free of charge.

BOC are a rip off if you aren't using much gas.

Also, i think Oxy Propane is just as good, if not better than Acetylene for brazing/silver soldering, gets plenty hot and is cleaner/less sooty. A lot easier to get hold of propane without a bottle rental too..

That's a good call but you won't be able to get acetylene rental free. You can use propane no problem, but will need to mess around with tips etc to get the right flame.

Yes, far fewer soot bogies with propane ;)

I use oxy-propane for all my hot metal sticking, using a rent free hobbyweld oxygen bottle and a calor gas 13kg propane bottle. It seems to be the cheapest solution to get you up and sticking metal together

I switched from BOC to rent free Adams Gas six months ago for argon, way cheaper and they deliver for about £25. No van so picking up from BOC was always a shitter.

I tear through argon at a horrible rate nowadays, so air ptoducts account makes sense, but years ago I just had rent free from r tech welding and that was fine.

Also, i think Oxy Propane is just as good, if not better than Acetylene for brazing/silver soldering, gets plenty hot and is cleaner/less sooty. A lot easier to get hold of propane without a bottle rental too..

I agree. I am solely on propane now. I have much better fillets and virtually no pin holes.
Only reason I would go back to Acetylene would be to try a Gasfluxer system. Unless they can be set up with propane as well.