How Many Degrees Will a HT Lug Bend Answered
 

Like the wise old owl in the Tootsie Pop commercial was asked, "How many degrees will a head tube lug bend", the answer came with a catastrophic answer: 1.5 degrees. Tried to move the bend just a little more after hogging out material from inside the lug and the lug distorted and is all out of wack now. Time to get a replacement. Hope Henry James has one more left laying around!

Now the world knows how far to push it.

You'd probably have better luck bending lugs if you used stamped lugs rather than investment cast lugs like the Henry James.

Yes, a stamped lug will surely bend easier than a cast lug, however the Henry James lugs are just about perfect to my eye. Thin and nicely cast, they clean up easily. It is a shame they are done with their lug business. Fortunately they still have a few left and one arrived today.

Already planning the next frame and am considering lugs. Any made in USA?

Pretty sure HJ was the one and only U.S. made lug in recent years. You might find NOS lugs that someone else had cast, but I'm not sure who that would be.

What are the lugs from Nova like?

Pretty sure the Nova lugs are from Long Shen. I have gotten the impression there are other companies in Asia casting lugs, but most private label lugs are LS.

They make very nice lugs

steel bends better when orange-yellow hot.. blacksmithing temperatures..

Just about any current builder that I know of bends frame bits cold. There are an exception or two out there. Andy

I thought about heating it up, but not sure that would have prevented the lug distortion since I was looking for 3 degrees or more. Got the new lug and moved it only 1 degree and will adjust to the limitation. Seriously bummed out with having to outsource lugs to another country. No more 100% US made frames. Will adapt as all good men do.