I am stripping down a frame to bare steel, for repainting and a fixie build. It is a lugged frame, but not fancy enough to have any sort of maker accents on the lugs, I was just wondering if there was anyway to add a design or imprint in the lugs, and what tools would one use?

Perhaps clicking on the Joe Bell site for lugged-frame painting ideas and suggestions?

I'm not thinking much about painting right now, I'm wondering if there is a way to add something like this to some of my

(Referring to the makers insignia on top of the fork lug)

What I'm trying to get at is how are those designs cut into the lug?

Or is it there in the initial creation of the part?

With lug cut outs, they are added often in the casting stage, but many smaller custom builders will cut them out prior to brazing. So in short, I have never heard of someone adding them later. Maybe you could try using a dremel tool. Good Luck

That probably cast or pantographed into the crown casting. A pantograph is something like a router for metal parts, used to cut out shapes, letters, etc from steel parts (or commonly, molds) You might be able to simulate this with a piece of sheet brass with a cut out logo. Braze it to the flats of the crown and file/finish. You should be able to add small extensions to the lug the same way, they wont add strength, just decoration. Maybe use thin tubing so it easier to fit o the tubes.

you would have to take the lug off to cut the shapes in, cuttin gin with a dremel will be difficult as the tolerance between lug and pipe are tight and you will most likely cut into the pipe which creates a structural problem.

some one posted that the lug is cast, i'm machinist and generally work on custom bikes (motorcycle) so maybe there is a reason for it but....what lunatic would cast a lug? casting creates weak parts, casting has all sorts of problems for parts designed to cojoin and load any kind of pressure.

if you really want to cut the designs in, i would suggest starting out with a caliper and measure exact pipe width, should be able to find pre fab lugs and find ones that a)fit and b)has enough material to cut out patterns without sacrificing structural integrity. you will need a torch to heat the pipe up and remove the lugs (i would guess it's brazed, clearly; scrape the paint first and heat the joint up, it will expand in the process so get a pair of crappy vice grips to help). careful not to crimp the pipe in the process, and good luck. for the torch, assuming it's brazed a propane torch should get it hot enough.

There are several materials to use, depending on complexity of design, so that you can sand blast the designs into the lugs. The pressure blaster and the proper media might set you back a few hundred bucks though.

Thanks for the intrigueing idea. I have access to all the needed equipment, so I'll have to give it a whirl and see how it works.