I am considering getting a frame powdercoated, and would like to add rack braze-on eyelets fore and aft before I do. Is this something I could do myself with solder, or do they really need to be brazed? And do I need to buy actual braze-on fittings, or could I get hardware store 5mm or 6mm nuts? Anyone done this themselves?
Thanks,
-J

Well, what we call "brazing" is actually done with silver solder. The only difference is the amount of heat needed, everything else is done as per usual. I suppose you could use regular nuts, but pay attention to materials and plating, otherwise you will get a very poor bond. I'd shell out the money for purpose-made items, myself.

It is something you can do, depending on your experience
as a metal worker and the sort of tubing your bike is made
from.

I have some experience as a welder and blacksmith, and
would be reluctant to do it myself to a frame i cared about.

Most framebuilders do such jobs at what I see as bargain prices.

I agree there are lots of places where you can buy the correct parts but I would never put them on myself.

Cool. I will try to find a local builder to do it. Any recommendations for a DC/MD area builder?

Is Proteus still in business in College Park ? Otherwise, I got nuthin'.

I did this to a Centurion frame that was made from Tange No. 5. In addition to rack braze ons I added three sets of water bottle mounts. I bought some silver solder and flux and borrowed a neighbor's oxyacetylene torch. It was really easy. I used actual braze ons that I bought online.

I´m 99.99% sure you know about P-clips (and those funky seatpost clamps with the rack mount holes), and that you have decided against using them, but am mentioning them nonetheless.

Best of luck, and apologies if I am pointing out the bleeding obvious.

By the way - steel P-clips are stupidly strong, so worrying about them breaking is not really an excuse not to use them. Not directed at the OP, by the way.

My question for the OP: Is this kind of brazing an art form you want to learn? Do you want, deep down, to build water bottle cages and custom racks and even whole frames? If so, I'd say yes, adding braze-ons to an old bike is a great idea. If not, and you're concerned with practicality and economy, I'd say no, read what Barchettaman said.

My question for the rest of you, and just to stir the pot a little: Is Undrewing a frame, that is brazing extra stuff onto a frame, any better than drewing it, that is cutting stuff off? I don't think there is anything wrong with either one, when it is appropriate, but both are done more than I consider necessary, and the damage they do to original paint &c is lamentable.

You just can't let a sleeping dog be can you?

I do agree but I feel it depends on the frame. adding rack/fender/lowrider and other assorted brazons to top of the line Colnago, Bianchi or some other bike is a bit much. but if one feels the need to add a set of rack brazeons to a CroMor frame so it better suits her/his needs then why not.

Remeber those little things BlackBurn used to make to go in the cutout on the dropout to attach a rack? Unless you were going to the doing loaded touring those and set of P clips are plenty strong enough.

Jeirvine you can try Bishop but I am not sure how busy he is and wether he takes outside work. I asked him if he would drill some dropouts for me but he never gave me a an answer. I even taught him something new and helped him solve a problem with a build and he kind of left me hanging.

Thanks again for all the advice. I will probably just go the p-clip route. I have no great interest in learning brazing (I have way too many hobbies already), I just thought the time to add braze-ons is right before a powdercoating. It's an 85 Trek 500 w/501 tubing btw.

Just do it yourself. You don't need a Oxy/Act torch to install braze ons. A simple propane or Mapp air torch can do it with ease. The parts are all super cheap so just get the correct parts. Check out cycle-frames.com

With no understanding or experience, what could possibly go wrong?

With no experience your better off using using propane or Mapp instead of a full on torch setup. You'll have to use silver instead of brass brazing rods because you'll never melt the brass otherwise. Just clean it good and lather it down in flux and go to town. You can't mess up too bad. If all else fails and their crooked. Just reheat it and reposition them. The benefit of brazing over welding.

John, you can always ask a plumber to do it, you can braze on 5mm nuts

the easy route is to use those rubber covered pipe clamps.

I see your lammy must be busted as you need to cycle!

you could ask Jerry to spray if for you, he is into bikes also.

I brought him a shimano nexus 7 hub from finland for his current project.

take care
mike

mhanyi at yahoo dot com

Not for me: A man's got to know his limitations, Briggs.

Alignment sounds like the problem.
I suppose if you made a jig
to align the braze-ons
using 5mm threaded rod
and a way to clamp them
to the chainstays,
it would be okay .

Tom Palermo is in Baltimore.