Classic & Vintage - When a crack isn't a crack - the days of pressed lugs

It pays to know your lugs. These pressed Bocama Competition 83's often came from Bocama with a visible joint line up front. Depending on the skill or time available to the builder, little imperfections such as these sometimes visibly made their way onto a frame:

http://www.jaysmarine.com/pro_mkv_6.jpg

http://www.jaysmarine.com/pro_mkv_7.jpg

It's helpful to know these small oddities. Can save anyone a lot of potential panic.

http://www.jaysmarine.com/pro_mkv_8.jpg

-Kurt

Thats pretty cool. I checked my 78 professional and the builder took the time remove the line.

Thats pretty cool. I checked my 78 professional and the builder took the time remove the line.

The upper lug on this '78 was done right, surprisingly enough. Probably finished from Bocama well enough that it didn't show in the first place.

Though the finish on this Pro is a little sub-standard in comparison to my PY-10, it certainly is the best I've seen out of a common, production Raleigh.

-Kurt

Yes, my Professional is built noticeably better than my Gran Sport as well. Not saying it's perfect, but it's very noticeable.

Hmmm, I wondered how the devil those lugs were brazed. Are all lugs fashioned to the frame like shown, even for high end steel lugged frames? Great information. Thanks

Kurt, do you have an extra top lug by any chance? I have the competition 83 bottom and the seat cluster lug but a non-matching top. I've spent hours cutting and filing and it is close but I would love to find the proper lug. If not, are you interested in parting with the set? Or if you don't want to get rid of any of them, any guesses where I could find one?

Hmmm, I wondered how the devil those lugs were brazed. Are all lugs fashioned to the frame like shown, even for high end steel lugged frames? Great information. Thanks

They're not fashioned by bending them around the gap; they're simply slid on to each tube, and the brass slides into the gap via capillary action. The tubes are mitered so that they touch each other while inside the lug.


Kurt, do you have an extra top lug by any chance? I have the competition 83 bottom and the seat cluster lug but a non-matching top. I've spent hours cutting and filing and it is close but I would love to find the proper lug. If not, are you interested in parting with the set? Or if you don't want to get rid of any of them, any guesses where I could find one?

I know you've been looking for one. I wish you needed a spare seatlug - that I have; otherwise, I'd have to break up my one complete 93 set.

eBay might be your best bet. Keep searching Bocama.

-Kurt

I've been keeping my eye out for one for a while. The one I've been filing to match is actually pretty good but not perfect. My triangles ended up a little larger/closer to the border than I wanted.

Here is an early shot. It's been significantly refined since.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww335/telepciaka/My%20Frame/th_100_0900.jpg (http://s733.photobucket.com/albums/ww335/telepciaka/My%20Frame/?action=view&current=100_0900.jpg)
http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww335/telepciaka/My%20Frame/th_100_0899.jpg (http://s733.photobucket.com/albums/ww335/telepciaka/My%20Frame/?action=view&current=100_0899.jpg)

I'll have to take a look at the Competition to see if there is a visible line on any of the lugs.

I'll have to take a look at the Competition to see if there is a visible line on any of the lugs.

Probably not - the later Comp GS lugs were not as prone to gaps. They might have been investment cast.

The Sports, Superbe, Sprite, et. al, however, were severely prone to it, for Raleigh - during the TI era - hardly filed the weld mark at the bottom of the lug. This isn't present on the 1950's examples, which use different lugs - I'm almost certain they used Hayden blanks during this period.

-Kurt

Hmmm, I wondered how the devil those lugs were brazed. Are all lugs fashioned to the frame like shown, even for high end steel lugged frames? Great information. Thanks
Lugs like that are stamped out of sheet metal, then folded and welded at the seams. Sometimes the weld bead doesn't completely fill the seam and you get the lines as above.

Bottom line: it's a cosmetic issue, not a structural issue.

Depending on the skill or time available to the builder, little imperfections such as these sometimes visibly made their way onto a frame:

Sometimes? I see sloppy craftsmanship (http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/Site%20Contents/Bicycle_Basics/Bicycle_Determining_Quality/Determining_Quality_15_Page.htm) frequently on old road bicycles.

Sometimes? I see sloppy craftsmanship (http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/Site%20Contents/Bicycle_Basics/Bicycle_Determining_Quality/Determining_Quality_15_Page.htm) frequently on old road bicycles.

I was thinking about bikes in the Raleigh Pro's caliber when I stated that.

-Kurt