How to build a lugged steel frame, with pics
 

I've had a few people suggest that since I'm building a new frame why not document it in a thread. So, for those that might be interested here's how a lugged steel frame goes together. I know some of you have barely or rarely seen lugged steel frames but this is how bikes have been put together for over a century. I'm using a Deddaccia Com12.5 tubeset, Henry James lugs and drops, Everest crankshell and a full sloping stainless fork crown. The head lugs and fork tips and drops will be high polish.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...31bc3ff52b.jpg
First thing is to braze the seat tube and crankshell.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fb9b6cc2da.jpg
I've added some stainless cable guides to the crankshell.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...79c746a0f7.jpg
Next, miter the downtube/headtube joint...
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8d9a6e7725.jpg
A fitup with the lower headlug, more lug filing to do before brazing..
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...81ee9625cc.jpg
.Here's the lower headlug brazed and polished and the toptube mitered and fitted up.......
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...77e7f5f50d.jpg
.And the toptube/seat tube miter fitted up..
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a9cd52e4a1.jpg
As it looks in the jig. Toptube ready for flux.....
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9dcd8245e1.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...eeeee304d6.jpg
Black flux on the headlug since it's stainless.White flux on the seatlug since it's all alloy steel.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2127483dd7.jpg
The seat lug brazed and cooling off. The flux is now a glassy coating that's starting to crack..........

Moving on..............
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5ee9b9c8dd.jpg
Upper head lug brazed and the flux washed off, ready to file the lug shoreline.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8e7c75519f.jpg
The front of the main triangle. Lower head lug polished, upper head filed and almost ready to polish.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4e612999e3.jpg
The main triangle, brazed. Head and seat tubes not yet trimmed.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...da172ff638.jpg
I'll build the fork next. Prepping the crown.

Wow.... Great work, and thanks for documenting!

and what are your prices? :D

Very nice pics. Can you talk about your experience leading up to this project -- e.g., other metalworking skills that you have, special tools, have you built bicycle frames before (I assume that you have), etc.

(For my money: lugged steel is as beautiful as a bicycle frame gets.)

Thanks, but not for hire.

Is that the 53 you're putting together for me? So far so good!

Thanks for posting, this is very interesting. I wish I had the tools and the skills to do this.

wow,really cool,please keep showing the pictures/process .

This is frame 60 something. I built the first one about 1975.

Special tools? Not much. Homemade fixtures and fork blade
bending tool (more pics coming).

Thank you. That is an amazing process...

I'm not sure I understand... is this the mold, over which you will lay the carbon fiber?

But seriously, can't wait to see it. Color scheme?

Not fair!

That is literally the toughest decision I ever make with these things, the rest is
easy.

Wow....thanks Steve....very very cool...and extremely interesting!!!

Right, so BF maintenance/frame ogling party @ Steve's!!!!

How/where/when did you learn this stuff?

Best thread ever.

NICE!!!
:beer:

So very very wrong. :eek:

Just dove in (a long time ago).
Like pancakes, the first one's never so good.

great pics!!!

Beautiful Steve.
.

NOT PINK.

I would go with copper plate.

Now how did I guess that you might say that? :D

But seriously, thank you. I know when I first read here that you built bikes I was very curious but I never did make it over to the Framebuilders subforum so thanks again for putting this together...

Now when they get that hemp based frame material perfected...:p

Very nice photo documentation!

Alice, you should visit the Framebuilder's forum--there is an awesome thread on building bamboo frames.

If not pink, then how about ummmm....red?

East Hill

You're welcome. It's a good opportunity for me to answer the questions I get asked all the time:

No, it's brazed, not welded
Yes, you can buy lugs, tubes the whole deal
The fork blades come straight, I bend'em
It only looks old, I built it last month
etc.

Stay tuned. I'll build the fork in the next few days or so then on to the rear triangle.

"It's a classic style of bike, and I am a Keeper of the Flame, thank you.".

East Hill

How do you taper them?

They come tapered, either through a simple drawing process using rotary dies
or "Pilger" process which uses rotary dies and an internal mandrel which provides better
material thickness control.

I'll be building this one with Pilger blades. Makes for a very nice riding fork.