Originally Posted by velonomad

I have built 12 frames over the past 15 years and all but two I have built with a $40 Mapp gas torch $20 worth of files, a decent $20 straight edge and a $15 cast iron table saw top from a yard sale. The benzomatic torches are fine for lugged contruction on tubes under 1.2mm wall, but it requires more practice to control filler flow. On fork crowns you have to back the work with reflectors to get enough heat on the joints to flow the filler.