sahiri

I just picked up a frame that I have been dreaming about for quite some time, a 1983 Fuji Opus III. In my readings I have seen people mention these particular frames were hand built? How can I tell? I haven't been able to find any definitive evidence on how you determine that. I can provide photos of my frame as needed.

Thanks all!!

noglider 

I believe all brazed frames from the 70's and 80's were at least partly hand built. I don't think there are robots for brazing bike frames. But I could be wrong.

kroozer 

I think all bicycle frames were/are "hand built" to some degree. What's the alternative-- that they were 100% built by robots? I imagine the difference was the amount of time spent on each frame, which would vary in a gradual curve from very little to a lot, and the amount of automation involved. I don't think there is any particular technique or established time point which defines hand built. It's a label that sounds good and is arbitrarily applied, kind of like food that's labelled "natural".

sahiri

I understand what you are saying, I wouldn't think the frames were entirely assembled by robots

I was just wondering if the high end bikes had a lot more individual assembly time from one person.

dailycommute

Believe fuji professional, opus, and team all were same frame (quad butted 9658 valite)with different specs on build outs. The lug work on them is definitely a step up from the rest of the fuji lines, so likely they all received a little extra look over, esp the professional. Opus and team were probably not as handled but still are very nice frames.

sahiri

Thanks for the info- I can't wait to get it on the road. I have been daydreaming about parts since I got it!

Grand Bois

I remember reading here that Valite tubing was developed specificlally for robot brazing.

It has to be true if it's on the Internet.

sahiri

I'm not sure....

etherhuffer 

Google 111th Anniversary edition. Pretty cool, signed by builder.

Wulf

I saw frames being machine brazed at a factory in the Netherlands. I imagine they did the same in Taiwan and Japan. Pre-cut tubes were placed into a jig and fluxed. The lugs were loaded with a bronze slug in a detent inside the lug and slipped over the tubes. Torches automatically moved into position and flamed the joint for a length of time, then rotated out of the way. It then went on to cleanup but I never saw what they did after brazing. I recall the tubes became very red.

noglider 

OK, when did machine brazing start? There some craptacular hand brazed frames from France and Italy in the 70's, so hand brazed doesn't mean good to me. I guess in the 80's hand brazing was saved for only expensive frames, once machine brazing got under way.