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How to build a lugged steel frame, with pics

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How to build a lugged steel frame, with pics

Old 03-20-08, 12:18 PM
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Cassave
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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.

First thing is to braze the seat tube and crankshell.

I've added some stainless cable guides to the crankshell.

Next, miter the downtube/headtube joint...

A fitup with the lower headlug, more lug filing to do before brazing..

.Here's the lower headlug brazed and polished and the toptube mitered and fitted up.......

.And the toptube/seat tube miter fitted up..

As it looks in the jig. Toptube ready for flux.....


Black flux on the headlug since it's stainless.White flux on the seatlug since it's all alloy steel.

The seat lug brazed and cooling off. The flux is now a glassy coating that's starting to crack..........

Last edited by Cassave; 12-02-22 at 11:25 AM.
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Old 03-20-08, 12:23 PM
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Moving on..............

Upper head lug brazed and the flux washed off, ready to file the lug shoreline.


The front of the main triangle. Lower head lug polished, upper head filed and almost ready to polish.


The main triangle, brazed. Head and seat tubes not yet trimmed.


I'll build the fork next. Prepping the crown.

Last edited by Cassave; 12-02-22 at 11:09 AM.
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Old 03-20-08, 12:27 PM
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Wow.... Great work, and thanks for documenting!

and what are your prices?
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Old 03-20-08, 12:28 PM
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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.)
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Old 03-20-08, 12:29 PM
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Originally Posted by prendrefeu
Wow.... Great work, and thanks for documenting!

and what are your prices?
Thanks, but not for hire.
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Old 03-20-08, 12:31 PM
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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.
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Old 03-20-08, 12:33 PM
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wow,really cool,please keep showing the pictures/process .
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Old 03-20-08, 12:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Brian Sorrell
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.)
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).
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Old 03-20-08, 12:38 PM
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Thank you. That is an amazing process...
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Old 03-20-08, 12:40 PM
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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?
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Old 03-20-08, 12:42 PM
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Originally Posted by Cassave
Thanks, but not for hire.
Not fair!
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Old 03-20-08, 12:43 PM
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Originally Posted by VanceMac
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?
That is literally the toughest decision I ever make with these things, the rest is
easy.
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Old 03-20-08, 12:53 PM
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Wow....thanks Steve....very very cool...and extremely interesting!!!
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Old 03-20-08, 01:11 PM
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Right, so BF maintenance/frame ogling party @ Steve's!!!!
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Old 03-20-08, 01:12 PM
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How/where/when did you learn this stuff?
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Old 03-20-08, 01:40 PM
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Best thread ever.
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Old 03-20-08, 01:52 PM
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NICE!!!
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Old 03-20-08, 02:06 PM
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Originally Posted by gr@sshopper
Right, so BF maintenance/frame ogling party @ Steve's!!!!
So very very wrong.
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Old 03-20-08, 02:07 PM
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Originally Posted by gr@sshopper
How/where/when did you learn this stuff?
Just dove in (a long time ago).
Like pancakes, the first one's never so good.
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Old 03-20-08, 02:08 PM
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great pics!!!
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Old 03-20-08, 02:12 PM
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PINK
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Old 03-20-08, 02:14 PM
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Beautiful Steve.
.
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Old 03-20-08, 02:14 PM
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Originally Posted by alicestrong
PINK

NOT PINK.
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Old 03-20-08, 02:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Cassave
That is literally the toughest decision I ever make with these things, the rest is
easy.
I would go with copper plate.
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Old 03-20-08, 02:27 PM
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Originally Posted by Cassave
NOT PINK.



Now how did I guess that you might say that?

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...
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