Originally Posted by
Steve_sr
Well, I took some caliper measurements of the seat tube both above and below the top tube. The tube is round within a couple of thoudandths. The diameter is also pretty consistent within .005-.010" both above and below the top tube. So it looks like some idiot didn't know how to use a reamer.
OR.. the thin walled titanium tubing came in a size that made it a poor fit for any standard Seat tube known to man and woman so the Builder slipped a sleeve in and shipped it out the door............. which is what all these posts are saying in weird but wonderful ways....
go to a Well Stocked Hardware store, buy some appropriate shim stock, cut enough to fill the void of your consternation, clamp that sucker up and GO RIDE.
oh, and Reaming Titanium is a real BIG pain, not to be attempted without a specially coated reamer and No Slots in the surface to be violated.
Cutting Titanium makes cutting low nickel Stainless Steel look like aluminum.... the stuff is Stringy, Springy, loves to tear, ruins tool bits, and coils up "chips" in a big damn mess that wants to burn any flesh nearby. '' and, as my friend that worked at Precision Cast Parts (Jet Engine Compressor Blades, Hush hush jobs for NASA, the CIA, etc...) pointed out.. the Dust is Poisonous.. cool, huh?
https://makeitfrommetal.com/tips-for-turning-titanium/