Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - New Dropouts

So Surly sells dropouts that they say can be "TIG-welded or fillet brazed." Has anyone tried this? My brother has an old (70's) Schwinn that he wants to make a true SS. I don't know jack about welding. There is a welding shop near my house. We were thinking about just going over and asking them if they could do it. Any thoughts?

Are the dropouts semi-horizontal on the schwinn? I would think that those would work better than surly ends for a bike with brakes.
Anyway- Ask at the welding shop, otherwise a LBS may be able to weld it for you, or point you in the direction of a local frame builder or someone who can.

Are the dropouts semi-horizontal on the schwinn?

I guess the dropouts look like:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/images/dropf-short.gif

I guess the dropouts look like:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/images/dropf-short.gif

those are exactly the kind of dropouts i have on my "rain" bike that i fixed. its a lot easier to convert than to have the sub-11 dropouts put on the schwinn. he told me he was thinking about getting the khs flite 100 they have at outback, did he change his mind?

those are exactly the kind of dropouts i have on my "rain" bike that i fixed. its a lot easier to convert than to have the sub-11 dropouts put on the schwinn. he told me he was thinking about getting the khs flite 100 they have at outback, did he change his mind?

Rick at Outback talked him out of it. He said for the money the Pista has better quality parts. Now he's thinking of really converting the Schwinn with all new parts and just keeping the frame. We were talking last night and decided you need to come over one night, drink beer, and talk bike building. Other than sex, I can't think of anything be mroe fun?

Rick at Outback talked him out of it. He said for the money the Pista has better quality parts. Now he's thinking of really converting the Schwinn with all new parts and just keeping the frame. We were talking last night and decided you need to come over one night, drink beer, and talk bike building. Other than sex, I can't think of anything be mroe fun?

haha, yeah, he told me they talked him out of the khs. i think its kinda crappy, they are a major bianchi retailer so its probably better for them to sell him the pista. the khs has been sitting in there for about 2 years for some reason, but they sell a ton of pistas and specialized langsters. it seems like the khs and pista's components are about the same quality, but what puts the khs ahead of the pista are the sugino cranks. plus it doesn't have the ugly chrome seat. i'll definately come over and drink beer and talk bike building. sounds like a plan.

what color, year, and size KHS - if I may inquire.

']what color, year, and size KHS - if I may inquire.

i think its roughly a 56cm, yellow, 2003 i believe. the thing has been in the same spot in the store foreeeeevvvverrr. they had two, a friend of mine bought one and this one keeps getting completely overlooked.

...but they sell a ton of pistas and specialized langsters...

speaking of langsters.. i'm hearing not so great things about them.. fragile hubs in particular.