Has anyone ever had braze-ons added to a frame?

[canonball]

Here's the deal:
I am thinking of building my own cyclocross mutant on the cheap. I have an old 70's schwinn steel frame. I have wheels + brake levers. I'll probably go with a single ring set up (42) + bash guard. I have the cranks (old pre ultegra stuff) + chain ring. I have an old sun rear derailleur (6 sp) + a 6 speed freewheel, OR I have an 8 speed cassette + wheel for it and I would just have to get a cheap rear derailleur. I can pick up a threaded steel fork with bosses for about 20-30 dollars (nyc bikes has some) so
the only other mod I need to make is to have the brake bridge moved or removed + braze on brake posts added. Has anyone ever taken a frame to a welder to have this done? How did it go?

Thanks

[cyclintom]

It usually works out fine with a bike that isn't too new and top of the line-ish. The newer bikes had seat stays so thin that they could become brittle from brazing on cantilever bosses.

It's pretty cheap as well. I think I paid $35 complete but then I had to paint the frame. I sanded it down and used spray can paint from a paint shop and not an OSH. Still, the paint that comes out of a can is pretty soft and chalky. So then you get a good can of clear laquer and spray that on and because clear laquer is pretty hard it works pretty well.

I didn't have to move the brake bridge on the Gitane Tour de France which was a really radical road bike for the time so I don't think you'd have to move it in your Schwinn. But to find out all you have to do is throw a cyclocross wheel in it and try it out. Someone you know must have a rear wheel you can borrow for a couple of minutes.

By the way, I have a 63 cm Bertin Frame and Fork that I'll donate to anyone that wants it for the cost of packing and shipping.

[alreadyblue]

I just have a couple comments to add.

If your going with a single ring up front, I'd really suggest going with the 8 speed in back. You'll want the gear range.

Second of all, if you end up spending anything more than $75 on labor and $30 on parts, you might want to check into getting a more modern frame off of ebay or something. They have new frames for $160 or so. They aren't the highest quality, but certainly lighter and stiffer than your old schwinn frame. And probably more reliable.

[fogrider]

I found a set of centerpull brakes off ebay, should have enough clearence for 30mm tires. I'm not sure how powerful the brakes will be, but if its not enough braking power, I will change out the fork for cantis and keep the centerpull for the rear.

[cyclintom]

I just have a couple comments to add.

If your going with a single ring up front, I'd really suggest going with the 8 speed in back. You'll want the gear range.

Second of all, if you end up spending anything more than $75 on labor and $30 on parts, you might want to check into getting a more modern frame off of ebay or something. They have new frames for $160 or so. They aren't the highest quality, but certainly lighter and stiffer than your old schwinn frame. And probably more reliable.
This really is the correct way to go. In the end, old junky conversions are just old junky conversions. What with Nashbar frames and similar frames all over the internet it just doesn't pay to put any money at all into old frames unless there's a specific reason.