candrewt

I'm building up my first lugged frame and was wondering what the best way is to remove the casting texture from the surface of the lugs, also would it be easier to do this before or after the frame is brazed?

Scooper

I use jewelers' files, then progressively finer grit wet-or-dry sandpaper. It's easier to do this before brazing since you can more easily manipulate the lug to get access to the whole surface area.

unterhausen

you must remove the casting cruft from anywhere you are going to braze. I use a dremel with a 1/2" sanding drum.

mudboy

I use riffler files, a dremel with a 1/2" sanding drum, and emery cloth.

candrewt

rad! busted out the dremmel and things are going along nicely again. Thanks.

HMBAtrail

Unified wheels are the order of the day for this type of thing. It's what I use.

unterhausen

what's a unified wheel? sandpaper flapper on a drill?

Scooper

I got THIS when I did a Google search. It looks like these are small diameter aluminum oxide deburring/polishing wheels.

Ferrite

Unified wheels are like a dense scotch bright material you can put on a rotary tool like a grinder, die grinder etc... and are mainly used for finishing to get smooth surfaces. I love 'em.

Silverbraze 

if you are after a smooth unwaving surface to your lug
with even flows and transitions and tapers
it can only be done with files
and then
120/240 grit wrapped around the files
and hand eye co ordination
driven by muscle power
Power tools can never do it
no matter what you use
if you desire a high standard of finish.

Cyclist0094

From my own experience I agree with Silverbraze. Additionally I often glue 11" strips of sandpaper to thin strips of wood for working on contours (like using a body file on a car)

mudboy

I use double-sided carpet tape and paint stirrers. Also, you can never have too many files, and make sure you have files in a variety of cuts. You certainly don't want to be doing finish filing with a bastard cut, and you don't want to be mitering a tube using a fine cut.