Stewart #830

OK- Here I go again and take the dive into another frame. It's been 5 years since I started my previous ones, 2 years after completing them. Some of you know that my excuse for the long completion period was loosing my first wife. This time around my reason for the "what will be a too long a process" will be my new life and the time spent getting houses sold and bought. This frame might not be the first to be finished off in a different shop then it started in.

I will post a shot or two as I get steps done, but I won't take up too much of this forum's band width. Most of the photos and discriptions will be found on my Flicker Site. The photos I do post will be the more interesting ones. Unique aspects, home made tooling and that sort. Less fine lug shore lines and more process.

So #830 will be a classic dimensioned road bike with S&S couplers. My first one with them. It will have some SS bits, mostly the cable fittings, head badge and the couplings. The lugs have a little bit of scallop at what were the points. Construction will reflect my 30+ years of playing around, some bronze, some Silver.

My flicker is Bikesbystewart-- Stewart #830 - a set on Flickr --is the set for this bike.

The attached shots are of the initial braze on making. Being a life long shop wrench (and in the bike business that means you do a lot more) I have spent a lot of skin and frustration in dealing with the way commercial bikes are rigged. Cable stops too close to things, too much interference with accessories, casing loops too tight, bottle bosses poorly positioned or off center. You know the ilk. As i progressed with my building i have tried to have my braze ons reflect a working style. Easy to detatch cables to service, rack and fenders with clear strut pathways, bottles low and easy to remove. These initial braze ons are the result of all this. Visit over the weeks/months and see how they fit together and why. Andy.

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Looking good! I'm excited to see this start coming together. I dig the lug styling. Where did you pick up the S&S couplers?

Can't wait to see it come together! I'll be sure to chime in with stuff you taught me on the forums as if I came up with it myself ;-)

Too good not to share out loud.

http://flic.kr/p/dpkQgD

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Andrew R Stewart

Being a life long shop wrench (and in the bike business that means you do a lot more) I have spent a lot of skin and frustration in dealing with the way commercial bikes are rigged. Cable stops too close to things, too much interference with accessories, casing loops too tight, bottle bosses poorly positioned or off center. You know the ilk.

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Boy, I sure do.
makes me cringe - I worked cabling bikes for Gore in the race pits for 7yrs on top of wrenching solid since 89' - 1-2" long housing pieces makes me pissy.
Smooth arcs make me happy.
- Garro.

What doe the number 830 mean atmo?

All- Thanks for you interest. I'll post as I do steps or to answer questions.

Todd- The S&S came from S&S directly. I got them for evaluation and experiment use only 3 years ago and finally am checking them out. As i am not insured i can not sell them or install them on a frame for another. They are beautifully machined and are the biggest challenge this frame offers me. I have done only smaller stainless steel bits before. I will practice with SS tubing and plate a few more times before I go onto the actual couplers.

Richard- I think you know that I haven't made 829 frames... But I have done 37 (Over 34 years). Yes a simple system, reverse the serial number to find the frame's build number.

Andy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Andrew R Stewart

Richard- I think you know that I haven't made 829 frames... But I have done 37 (Over 34 years). Yes a simple system, reverse the serial number to find the frame's build number.

Andy.

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Nice atmo.
Mirroring.

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Some more progress in a short session tonight. Prepping the chain stays and drops. First shot is the lining up of the stays within the drops and shell WRT the tire's fat point, but this will be modified later as needed. Second it the finished stay/drop before brazing. It's the inside of the drive side and shows the extra clearance needed for the cog to not scrape the stay on wheel removal.

A few more shots showing intermediate steps on my Flicker site with more text too. Andy.

Stewart #830 - a set on Flickr

PS- I guess I don't know how to fully manage images, sorry about the double shots...

I just flexed my moderator muscle for the first time and fixed the double images for you. I feel dirty for editing another person's post.

Attachment 47879Attachment 47880Attachment 47881Three more shots here. Fork and stay stuff still. Some brazing in a week or so but other projects will need attention first. Andy.

Attachment 48032Attachment 48033The study painting got put on hold so was able to braze up some things. Seat tube to shell, drop outs to both blades and chain stays. All three steps use home made fixtures. Here's two shots, more on Flicker at Stewart #830 - a set on Flickr Thanks for looking, Andy.

It's been a while since I added to the photo record of my new build. Did a lot of filing and ate some turkey. Today got around to the step that's new to me, the S&S coulpers. I made a brazing jig a few months ago in antisipation. Also shown is the new to me Brignelli fork jig. Up to now I have used a home made one or done a free clamped method off a vice and bench top. So these next steps have a it more anxiety then usual. The included shot is of the set up for cutting the tube where the coupler will be. Not visible are the tube's butt location, the shots on Flicker do show this. In the backround is the coupler brazing jig. Andy

Stewart #830 - a set on FlickrAttachment 48554

very cool, love seeing everyones processes and personal touches/details

The progress continues. I have a few comments about simple tube/shell alignment on my Flicker shots. These are not those. Andy.




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Hi Andy,

Can you tell me any history about your fork blade bender casting? I have one just like it that I acquired from another builder, but don't know anything about it and I have never seen another before yours here.

Thank you!

Dave

Dave- The Alu casting was bought many years ago, from who I don't remember (maybe Nova). It is like, but not, the Hammermill form. The radius is about 22". As i showed i clamp it in my vice and use the old blade as a lever.

I remember some one else mentioning that they had the mold for this form and was going to run off a batch. Since I already had mine I didn't record or pursue this. This was, maybe, 15+ years ago.

Since then i have aquired a couple of wooden forms (9" and 6") made by some one who frequented another email list. Again i don't find the reciept or his name.

Not much help, sorry. Andy.

Thank you....and sorry for the thread hijack. I was just curious. I got mined from another builder many years ago, who got it at an estate sale for another builder who had died and so I was curious of its origins. A photo of mine is below. I added the tip clamp and the paint. The original owner had added the 1/4" plate steel base. I also have some wooden benders, but use this one the most.

Thank you,

Dave

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-P...0/DSCN7970.JPG

Attachment 48925Today I continued wth my fork assembly and brazed the couplers into my TT and DT. Photos are on my Flicker site.

I will say here that I learned and relearned a few things. Relearned that gaps count although they can be worked with. Learned about flux traveling beyond the applied area and the fear that filler followed.

If this was a holiday TV show I'd be running back to my adoring family. Instead I have a lot of fine filing to look forward to... Andy.

Since I brazed up the couplers and fork I've aquired my first cold/flu for the season. Lots of time staying home but little motivation to do much... I have finish filed/sanded the couplers. This shot looks A LOT nicer then the above post's shot. I forgot that I like to start with the worst done brazing first. Did one really quickly then saw the globby ones and went to them next. I loaded a few shots of the finishing process on Flicker and, as usual, made more comments. Including the answer to my S&S Couplers thread question of the other day.Attachment 49000
Stewart #830 - a set on Flickr
I started to set up the jig (HJ Universal) but have a few mm's here and there to chase down before I miter the tubes. Hopefully that will be my next installment. Now to find the jig's manual and try to find those silly little millimeters. Andy

Attachment 49269I've loaded up another bunch of photos to Flicker. I set up the main triangle and brazed it up then did a couple of braze ons as well. I have to say that when doing the main triangle i had one of the worse days with a torch that i've had in a while. I burned flux, got poor flow around the lug edges, blackened a lot and just felt like a kid that was clueless. At least i got good flow into the depth of the miters, just wish the outsides were as good. I spent a long time filing and rough sanding to see how poor the shore lines are. So i'll get them sand blasted and have a go over/redo. in hind sight i can see a few things that should have been better. The lugs should have been a looser fit over all but with better/less edge gaps. The pins could have been better positioned. I should have wipped off the flux after sliding all together before adding more flux. I should have used a cooler flame yet preheated better. basicly I should have walked away from things after the first lug showed how far off my game i was. I really was pissed at myself but by the next day was more introspective. Today's braze ons went MUCH better. Any way have a look and please excuse the bad looking lugs, they will be nicer soon enough. Included is the shot of the BB/DT that didn't make it to Flicker. Andy

More photos loaded up. Perhaps Most interesting is the fork alignment. I show both surface plate and machinist tools process and a vice held with simple tools process. Also another small mistake is discribed. Andy.

Andy - I really enjoyed the photo set; thanks for taking the time to add all the captions. It's nice to see people share their process in such detail.

Andy,
Just curious as to what flux/rod you are using? I also agree with Dyon. The captions are awesome.
-Todd

Todd- I use GasFlux flux and brass rod (CO4). The Silver is Harris 56%. It time I'll try others but since I don't build too often i am reluctant to drift. If I knew how to blog my approach to sharing might be different. Thanks for the feedback. Andy.

Looking real nice Andy.

Attachment 50242After a self imposed lay off, flu, holidays, and a new furnace I am getting back into the swing. I rebrazed the main frame lug edges to fill gaps and such, did some finish filing/sanding, attached the head badge and started on the chain stays/shell joints. Here's the Bb shell in mid filing. Compare this to the shot from a few weeks ago... Andy.

More shots on Flicker. Chainstays are brazed and sanded. I've started the seat stays set up. Andy.

Stewart #830 - a set on Flickr

The seat stays are attached and the ST reamed. I tried a different stay cap look then what I've done before. This proved more challenging then i was ready for and I had to touch up the stays' fillet with the ST lug then do some top cap filing to have all the surfaces and points work out. I'm relitively happy with the results but would do things a little bit differently the next time. Andy.

This weekend has been productive. The brazing on my frame #830 is all done (unless I've forgotten something). I've uploaded 15 more photos to my Flicker site Stewart #830 - a set on Flickr In the past i've attached a photo to this thread's posting but for some reason my photos won't transfer. So you'll have to go to the Flicker site for any shots.

Next will be the final filing/sanding, face and chasing, aligning, beer drinking and figuring out paint. Since I started this frame I have added to my aligning tooling. So while much of the building shots are done there still are a few nugets left. Andy.

Attachment 50801Attachment 50802Attachment 50803This will be the last post for a while, unless any one asks a question. I have done the final sanding over the frame's surface, navel jellied it and did the last frame prep/alignments. I have had some difficulties with this frame. Most related to lug fit up and temp control, my filler flow and flux burn was not good at times. I had some good results too, alignment is spot on with very little after efforts, the S&S couplers went pretty well and much felt comfy. It has been a couple of years since my last frame so overall I'm ok with how this one turned out. My attempt at a different style of lug tips is mixed, not bad but after riding the bike for a while I'll have a better opinion to this scalloped style.

The most interesting element in this last batch of Flicker photos shows my new aligning tools in use, provided by Alex Meade. The method of supporting the HT with a through rod on cones and the ST at it's center is very nice. I won't go back to the BB post methods, although I'll still use the BB post for whipping.

Next update will be in the Spring when the paint is on. My painter has agreed to have me help out with the prep as the weather gets warmer. Thanks for looking, Andy.

Looks good Andy. Despite all your self chastising about the brazing technique, you seem to have turned out quite the well aligned frame. Can't wait to see her painted and shined up.

Attachment 53645Attachment 53646Ok- It's a few months later and the paints been squirted. I'll keep this post short and tease with a couple of short. More on my Flicker. The bike's not built yet. The shop wrenching season is taking over. Andy.

The build up is complete and I've gotten some miles on the new frame. I really like the handling, the fit is right and life is good. The dark blue contrasts well with the SS surfaces. Parts fit as planned.

Today i had a moments oops as I turned onto some fresh chip and seal. The recovery was quick and without thought. I've got to figure out the handling package and dup it for the next bike!!

Here's the Flicker set link (plan to move to another site, the Flicker changes suck) [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/73195587@N00/sets/72157631892556165/]Stewart #830 - a set on FlicAttachment 54887Attachment 54888/url] And a couple of shots to make you want to see more. Andy.