Boil, Boil, Toil & Disc Tabs

It's been a while since my last post, and the frame is almost complete. 

Since the last post I've:

1. Boiled the  frame for a few hours in water to loosen up the flux (which is water soluble)
2. Brazed in the brake- and chainstay-bridges
3. Brazed on the disc brake tab (and a brake brace with integrated disc guard mounts)

Tristram (huntsman cycles) and I spent a day trying to boil the excess flux off our frames and had a bit of success, with the flux easily brushing or sanding off afterwards. My super friendly, elderly Italian neighbour was spending the day in his shed too: pressing grapes to make his yearly batch of wine. He said the grapes weren't very good this year, the juice was too watery and not at all sticky like the good stuff. So, to reminisce, he poured me and Tris a plastic cup of the good stuff-- his sweet, potent Muscatel.

Polo frame in my great grandmother's old stewing pot. The aluminium's looking so corroded and health-scary that my mum won't even let the dogs use it as a water bowl any more.

After the cleanup, I added the bridges. Brake bridge has a flush mounted threaded eyelet in case fenders are one day fitted for a single speed commuter build. Chainstay bridge was a nightmare to fit.

Chainstay bridge prior to brazing

 

Brake bridge prior to brazing, looking along seat tube

Brazing on the disc tab was lots of fun really. I had to make up a jig according to the IS2000 standard. I used some 9mm plate steel I had left over from my days working at PBR. Should really take a photo of the jig one day. It's super beefy. I thinned out the little web between the two slots which made it look pretty hot.

 

Disc tab brazed on, brake trial fit. Brace still to come in photo

I've also been getting some help around the place from the amazing mister jack. Doesn't he look dapper with his yellow belt, shifter and screwdriver

Help-o-rama

I also managed to get a secret spy shot of Huntsman Cycles' new bike before it's even been painted. Here's a sneak peek:

The photo was taken with my rather rubbish camera phone. It looks like i might have cleaned the usual smudges from the lens before i took this one. Notice the nice fillet brazing on this touring MTB. I think he's going to get it powder-coated Orange X15, hot! The test will be cycling down tassie's Western Explorer in a month or two.