How to build a lugged steel frame, with pics
 

I've had a few people suggest that since I'm building a new frame why not document it in a thread. So, for those that might be interested here's how a lugged steel frame goes together. I know some of you have barely or rarely seen lugged steel frames but this is how bikes have been put together for over a century. I'm using a Deddaccia Com12.5 tubeset, Henry James lugs and drops, Everest crankshell and a full sloping stainless fork crown. The head lugs and fork tips and drops will be high polish.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...31bc3ff52b.jpg
First thing is to braze the seat tube and crankshell.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fb9b6cc2da.jpg
I've added some stainless cable guides to the crankshell.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...79c746a0f7.jpg
Next, miter the downtube/headtube joint...
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8d9a6e7725.jpg
A fitup with the lower headlug, more lug filing to do before brazing..
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...81ee9625cc.jpg
.Here's the lower headlug brazed and polished and the toptube mitered and fitted up.......
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...77e7f5f50d.jpg
.And the toptube/seat tube miter fitted up..
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a9cd52e4a1.jpg
As it looks in the jig. Toptube ready for flux.....
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9dcd8245e1.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...eeeee304d6.jpg
Black flux on the headlug since it's stainless.White flux on the seatlug since it's all alloy steel.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2127483dd7.jpg
The seat lug brazed and cooling off. The flux is now a glassy coating that's starting to crack..........

Moving on..............
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5ee9b9c8dd.jpg
Upper head lug brazed and the flux washed off, ready to file the lug shoreline.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8e7c75519f.jpg
The front of the main triangle. Lower head lug polished, upper head filed and almost ready to polish.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4e612999e3.jpg
The main triangle, brazed. Head and seat tubes not yet trimmed.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...da172ff638.jpg
I'll build the fork next. Prepping the crown.

Wow.... Great work, and thanks for documenting!

and what are your prices? :D

Very nice pics. Can you talk about your experience leading up to this project -- e.g., other metalworking skills that you have, special tools, have you built bicycle frames before (I assume that you have), etc.

(For my money: lugged steel is as beautiful as a bicycle frame gets.)

Thanks, but not for hire.

Is that the 53 you're putting together for me? So far so good!

Thanks for posting, this is very interesting. I wish I had the tools and the skills to do this.

wow,really cool,please keep showing the pictures/process .

This is frame 60 something. I built the first one about 1975.

Special tools? Not much. Homemade fixtures and fork blade
bending tool (more pics coming).

Thank you. That is an amazing process...

I'm not sure I understand... is this the mold, over which you will lay the carbon fiber?

But seriously, can't wait to see it. Color scheme?

Not fair!

That is literally the toughest decision I ever make with these things, the rest is
easy.

Wow....thanks Steve....very very cool...and extremely interesting!!!

Right, so BF maintenance/frame ogling party @ Steve's!!!!

How/where/when did you learn this stuff?

Best thread ever.

NICE!!!
:beer:

So very very wrong. :eek:

Just dove in (a long time ago).
Like pancakes, the first one's never so good.

great pics!!!

Beautiful Steve.
.

NOT PINK.

I would go with copper plate.

Now how did I guess that you might say that? :D

But seriously, thank you. I know when I first read here that you built bikes I was very curious but I never did make it over to the Framebuilders subforum so thanks again for putting this together...

Now when they get that hemp based frame material perfected...:p