Helpful forum!

[silversmith]

From Velonomad to Nessism to the the good Doctor Deltron (and many in beween) this forum has been a big help to me building my first frame.

I used a mapp gas torch with 56% silver solder wire and 56 & 65 Silver paste (it's a jewelers thing (;-)) and even some brass to filet braze the fastback stays.

I was fearful of not having enough heat for the bottom bracket so I used a hand held propane torch to supplement my mapp gas. The joints came out fine, with nice internal filets and just a bit of silver pooling on the underneath of the chainstays.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j72/martinheldt/bbdone.jpg

I used 56% silver solder paste squeezed into the seatlug joints and then fed in a little 56 as it came up to temp. I couldn't have been happier with the result:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j72/martinheldt/seatlugdone.jpg

I always liked fastback stays. Nessism advised me against a socketed seat stay lug so I broke out the brass and filet brazed the stays in place. The miters for the stays were complex. I spent a lot of hours with various files cutting them to close tolerances.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j72/martinheldt/fastback.jpg


I already took it on a suicidal spin across my driveway. I shoved in a seatpost, slipped in some wheels, grabbed onto the steerer tube and kicked off down the drive.

Yeah.......

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j72/martinheldt/DSCF0016.jpg

[bellweatherman]

Nice work. I like the BB shell. What kind is it?

[silversmith]

The BB and lugs are Long Shin from Nova. I'd definitely order them again. They came very nicely finished.

[jeremyb_nz]

What sort of jig did you use?

[Revtor]

did you model the geometry off something in particular? just wondering. the joints look great, cant wait to see it cleaned up. great job!! one day, one day.. glad to hear a MAPP gas plus propane torch can give one enough heat...

nice job
~Steve

[Nessism]

What sort of jig did you use?

Jig is not necessary but it does save time.

[silversmith]

Jig is not necessary but it does save time.


Indeed. I got my angles lined up and pinned the joints with finishing nails. I had to tweak the rear triangle ever so slightly. Other than that the frame came out of the brazing in good alignment.

And Nessism, I'm ready to go again with those Bikini lugs I have on the shelf! I'm glad you called me off those because I ended up with a set that included a seat lug I really like.

Revtor:

did you model the geometry off something in particular? just wondering. the joints look great, cant wait to see it cleaned up. great job!! one day, one day.. glad to hear a MAPP gas plus propane torch can give one enough heat...


Thanks!

I used an old Fuji touring bike for a guide.

I think the Mapp by itself would have been enough. I had the BB surrounded by concrete block to help reflect heat. I didn't have any trouble getting things hot enough.

The Mapp works OK but is just a little too wide a flame. It probably makes for messier jobs.