erik c

Just wait if you're in his class next month.
If you can not wait.
Please,please don't do this with Mapp-Air.
It's highly likely you'll just end up with nasty habits for Doug and Herbie to try and undo.

GrayJay

I am also at the stage of biting my first bullet. Thus far, I have practiced brazing and been sucessfully with brazing frame repairs and converted an old road frame into a CX bike so I am eager to try a full build now. I ordered the NOVA may special for a Dedacciaa COM oversize 12.5 tubeset and cast lugs and BB ($94 total), seems like an awsome price for an introductory frameset. I promptly recieved my order and am quite impressed with the appearance of the lugs& BB. I am still deciding on geometry but plan to start on building my frame soon too. I had only mediocre results with using local sourced welding shop flux and brass rod so for this frame I order brazage flux and LFB rod from cycle design. I dont have a jig but I realized that the big contractor size tablesaw I have from woodworking has a large flat precision ground work surface that I should be able to use for laying out the frame horizontally.

AFAIK- the zero replica tubes are a re-named version of the SAT 14.5 tubeset, heat treated and thinner walled version of same metallurgy used in the COM12.5 tubeset.
Nova still has the standard size COM 12.5 tube+lug special listed on thier website;
https://www.cycle-frames.com/bicycle-...GS-and-BB.html

I thought that this deal dissapeared from they site at end of May but then it recently showed back up. They show inventory as currently out of stock but it might be worth a call to see if they have any 12.5 tubesets left or are getting any more in. At half the price of the zero uno package deal it is considerably less expensive and the slightly thicker tube walls and non-heat treated hardness are probably a bit more forgiving for a first time builder. Most of their other monthly specials for June are for aluminum but you might just wait until July to see what specials they offer next month for brazed steel. Thier NOVA house brand CrMo tube sets would also be a good first time builder tubeset and often go an monthly specials with lugs.

Henry III

I just need to order kit before I leave as my class starts next month on the 11th. So not much time to wait or wait till next month and hope the specials are good and get it in time before I leave. Plus it doesn't make sense to go there with my tubes already cut and if my measurements aren't correct then I'm stuck building a frame with the wrong dimensions. I'll just bring a brand new kit to work with.

GrayJay

Just a thought- You could get a Nova OS CrMo tubeset and use the softer, thicker (more forgiving) tubes along with the road lugs that you already are working on to build your first frame in your class. Save your nice light Deda Zero uno replica tubeset to build up later into a keeper frame once you have your brazing skills and equipment worked out.

https://www.cycle-frames.com/bicycle-...DT-AND-TT.html

Henry III

Yeah Doug said to get something not heat treated or thin walled so that kind of rules out that tube kit. lol.

GrayJay

Before ordering the Nova CrMo tubes for your existing OS lugs, I would give them a call and see if they can put together some variant of the COM 12.5 special with lugs&BB that they show as out of stock. It is basically like buying the lugs and getting the tubes for free. They still show inventory on many of the individual COM 12.5 tubes so probably do have most of it available, just beg them to sub in thier CrMo for anything they cannot supply with COM12.5 (like they are already doing for the ST in the kit). Their fork kit is also a pretty good deal for this month if you plan on forgoing plastic and building your own fork.

https://www.cycle-frames.com/bicycle-...DT-AND-TT.html

Doug Fattic 

Hey Henry, I’ve been inundated with requests for class information since I got back from Ukraine a few days ago. You got the last place for the summer class and there are a couple of guys that hope you won’t make it so they can come instead. I’ve got one place left this year in my November class.

Be sure and contract me as soon as possible so we can make sure you have the right materials for class. You won’t be making a tosser that’s for sure. That’s part of the trial and error guy’s method of education. You will leave class with a frame that is designed to your bicycle position and type of riding you do, will be less than 1mm out of alignment, be fully brazed without gaps, voids or overheated. The nanno second you start to make a brazing mistake, Herbie or I are right there to correct what’s going on. And of course you have to listen to and read a ton of stuff on how-to-braze before you even see the demonstrations of how to do it. The main difference between your results and an experienced builder is that it will take you 3 or 4 times as long to make it. Don’t expect to be well rested at the end of class.

Part of the design process is picking tubing that matches your body size and riding style – and of course is within your skill range. That we can do over the phone or by email (phone is the easiest) so there is time to order something I don’t have in stock before class.

ftwelder

I understand HenryIII's excitement. It's hard to hold back sometimes. I came close to starting a tandem yesterday with 5 mins of planning. Thankfully, the shop was too big of a mess to proceed.

Live Wire 

I think you would have pulled it off quite nicely had you decided you build it...just sayin.