Cassave

Greek to you?

Cassave

Ok, moving on. Starting to look like a bicycle frame.

The chainstays and chainstay bridge fixtured, fluxed and ready to braze.

Brazed and cleaned, ready to file.

Nice. Done with all the heat in this area so I'll chase the crankshell threads.....

Here's the bottom bracket tapping tool. Set up with English taps, left side= right hand thread, right side = left hand thread.

Cleaning the threads of excess brazing alloy.

Threads ready for a bottom bracket, I'll face the ends last, just before paint. Now on to the seat stays and brake bridge.......

DScott

Clint,
Great posts! So very interesting, and much appreciated.

What do you think about the stainless steel tubesets, like the Columbus XCr tubeset used by Pegoretti for his Responsorium? Do you think this material has utility, and how hard is it to use stainless vs. regular steel tubesets?

Cassave

As far as I know, the Columbus tubes are made from a Carpenter Steel, 400 series alloy.
It was designed as a forging alloy, not for drawn tubes. The materials are fine to work with,
but a bit tougher on cutters due to the high nickel and chromium levels. Brazing is no problem
with the right fluxes.

mrbisoy

I don't have the time nor the skills to do anything close to this, but thank you just the same for a very informative thread.

Cleave

Hi Steve,

This has always looked like a bicycle frame to me -- a very nice bicycle frame.

Cassave

The work progresses. I finished the rear triangle. The one spot that framebuilders typically try to make a signature design is the seat cluster. It's a very low stress location on diamond frames so it offers a lot of possibilities for variation. The design I prefer is the one here. I've built several frames with the same very clean modified fastback design.


Fitting up the stays. Some profiling still to be done.

The fairly complex shape that needs to be filed into the top of the seat stays.

Fluxed and ready to braze.

Brazed and cooling.


There, cleaned, filed and showing the finished brake bridge as well.

Added the front derailleur boss and two pair of bottle bosses as well. Next, on to the small braze-ons. Cable stops and guides.

Pepper Grinder

I thought facing was best done after painting?

roadfix

Following progress. Looking good!

HAMMER MAN

just outstanding and the process with the pictures is really super-cool.

OC Roadie

This has got to be one of the coolest most worthwhile threads I've ever seen on here.

Cassave

Facing after paint tends to chip the paint on the circumference of the BB shell.
Only the fixed side cup actually interfaces with the end of the BB shell. The non-drive side
cup sits inside the thing with the end of the shell showing.

I just take a razor blade and remove the paint on the end of the fixed side before installing the
bottom bracket.

Fat Boy

Are you using one of Henry James' frame jigs?

mtblurkr

This is a great thread. Thanks!

Cassave

No. All my tooling is homemade. Most of it's older than
Hank's line of jigs.

Cassave

My pleasure, glad you like it.

tinrobot

I love that seat cluster, beautiful work.

MTBMaven

+1 on the seat cluster. That is beautiful. Can't wait to see the paint scheme. Any thoughts since the last time you commented? Wet or powder? If I remember the lugs are going to be polished right?

alicestrong

Beautiful! My kind of bikey!

Cassave

Definitely wet (automotive acrylic urethanes with clear coat).
Probably 2 color and yes the head lugs, dropouts and fork crown are polished stainless.

I'll tryout some custom decals using the Pappilio waterslide paper I just found.

pv0463

C'mon, man...ease up! this is like freakin' torture! Home-made tooling, an original design where allowable (seat cluster), all steel construction, polished stainless lugs, wet pai....
Sorry, I have to go wipe myself now.
But seriously, will there ever be a right price for it??? Please?

Cassave

Ah, you never know.

I'll build it up and see how I like it.

chimivee

Awesome thread. Great pics. Excellent work.

This photo is brilliant!

Cassave

A few more shots from last evening.........

The brake cable guides brazed to the top tube.

A close up of one, the flux starting to crack as it cools.

And the rear derailleur cable stop (on the bottom of the driveside chainstay. Next come some homemade parts; chain hanger pin, shifter cable stops<br />and stainless wire bottle cages (similar to Nitto). Stay tuned...

voltman

Is it wrong that I'm almost as equally impressed that you're making your own cages as I am about the frame itself?