Originally Posted by
Doug Fattic
Design your frame and then select your lugs and other materials. The less experienced you are the better it is to have lugs that match the frame angles. Hank mo longer has his Henry James lugs made. He had 4 down tube angles, 57,59,60 and 62. These were fantastic for beginners. Some can still be found. He had a couple of degree options on his top and seat lugs too.
Stamped and welded or Nikko bulge formed lugs can have they angles modified more easily. I have some sets of Nikko lugs. You can get a better fit with seat and top tube lugs by sloping the top tube a degree or 2.
A punch set is necessary if you want to get clean shorelines when you braze. That way you can place your blows more precisely.
Thanks, Doug. At the time all the information I could find reflected the bulge type lugs and I didn't know the difference. Nova didn't offer multiple lug angles - so I simply didn't know what I didn't know. I had the whole frame drawn out full size on butcher paper and bought some grinding bits. I just didn't realize that other lugs were available, and just assumed small bike builders need to suck it up.
I still have everything in storage. Maybe I'll get brave and cut those two lugs up. Cheaper than replacing them at this point.