Framebuilders - diy tube replacement?

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p-nor
04-24-06, 01:22 AM
i have a frame that has a crack in the head tube and i was planning on replacing it myself for the experience. my first thoughts are to cut the head tube into 3 pieces and remove the middle. then to heat up one lug at a time and remove the piece of head tube left in it. the hard part is going to be getting even heat to remove the tube pieces but i think i can do it. is there a better way?




paul

Dave Moulton
04-24-06, 09:38 AM
Yes this would be the correct way but a framebuilder would replace the head tube along with two new head lugs. It would be difficult to remove the tube from the head lugs without breaking them. But go ahead and try, it would be good experience; the worst that will happen is that you have to buy new head lugs also. You need a large soft flame that will heat the whole area uniformly. A rosebud tip is good for this purpose.
p-nor
04-24-06, 09:54 PM
dave,

thank you for the reply, it's nice to hear i'm on the right track. where is a good source for a new head tube (i don't know what steel the frame is made of, it's a very small production frame from oklahoma. lacquement cycles)?







paul

Dave Moulton
04-25-06, 08:09 AM
dave,

thank you for the reply, it's nice to hear i'm on the right track. where is a good source for a new head tube (i don't know what steel the frame is made of, it's a very small production frame from oklahoma. lacquement cycles)?
paul
Sorry I've been retired from the bike biz some 13 years; I am completely out of touch with suppliers. I'm sure others on this forum know, or you could even try a Google search.
Cynikal
04-25-06, 12:48 PM
I've heard good things about Nova Cycles ( http://www.novacycles.com/ ). A fairly goofy website but give them a call.
p-nor
04-25-06, 08:09 PM
cynical-

thanks for the link. nova looks like a great place, lots of stuff to check out. i think i'll get a tube and maybe a set of lugs from them. thanks again.







paul
muletrain
05-10-06, 07:12 PM
another good source for tubes and lugs and other frame building materials is henry james bicycles . See henryjames.com.
fixedpip
05-11-06, 04:35 AM
And depending where you are in the world, Ceeway Frame Building Supplies: http://www.framebuilding.com/