Re: [CR] Re: Bilaminated Frame Construction

(Example: Framebuilding:Tubing)

To: pariscyclesuk@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 20 May 2004 07:53:28 -0400
Subject: Re: [CR] Re: Bilaminated Frame Construction
From: "Richard M Sachs" <richardsachs@juno.com>
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

snipped: "The majority of the rather ornate lug embellishments on Hetchins frames are indeed bilaminates. Alf and Hymie even had these semi mass produced by having them stamped out. They even tried spot welding them to the main lug to make it quicker for the builder to make a frame. ever ones to cut costs and maximize profits."

lovely tidbit! many thanks. e-RICHIE aka Richard M Sachs formerly Thistle-Upon-Clarion R.C. Chester, CT

On Thu, 20 May 2004 08:38:42 +0000 "Mick Butler" <pariscyclesuk@hotmail.com> writes:
>
> Harry (Spanner) Rensch and Claud Butler were the pioneers of this
> type of
> frame construction method. The Paris Galibier would be just a plain
> lugless
> affair without this method.
> Primarily it was brought about for a variety reasons. Cast lugs were
> in
> short supply after World War II. Secondly you can only alter the
> frame angle
> on a cast lug by a few degrees, with bilaminates you can build to
> any angle
> and still have the appearance of a lugged made frame. We are talking
> about
> the period of very short wheel based frames with the crazy steep
> angles. The
> lugs with these steep angles were simply not available.
> Bilaminated construction is not easy and requires considerable skill
> to make
> a frame. The bilaminates are cut from flat sheet steel formed around
> the
> frame tube and normally silver soldered into place.
> The majority of the rather ornate lug embellishments on Hetchins
> frames are
> indeed bilaminates. Alf and Hymie even had these semi mass produced
> by
> having them stamped out. They even tried spot welding them to the
> main lug
> to make it quicker for the builder to make a frame. ever ones to cut
> costs
> and maximize profits.
> Regarding cheapness this is a fallacy if you use the 1955 Claud
> Butler
> catalogue as your reference you will find that the welded Club is
> the
> cheapest next is the lugged and the most expensive is the
> Bi-Laminated
> model. This also applies to the Sprint series the bilaminated frame
> was a
> whopping £2. 2s. 6d above the lugged version. this was over a half a
> weeks
> wage for the working man and would now equate to about £200 extra.
> Regarding blackboard drawings of lugs I don't know about this, what
> I do
> know is I gave Flash some Hetchins engineering drawings of most of
> their
> common lug patterns. These belonged to my Father who was given them
> by one
> of Hetchins lug cutters sometime in the late 70's. So there were
> indeed
> master drawings. H.R.Morris (titch) once told me that he used a
> shaping
> machine to cut his patterns for his fancy extensions (stems).
> Finally we have Harry Rensch, Claud Butler and Stuart Purves (CB
> Chief
> Designer) for pioneering this method of frame construction. I hope
> you will
> find this helpful and it clarifies some facts, on the other hand you
> might
> think its b------s but I can't use this banned word.
>
> Best wishes and be lucky. Michael Butler Huntingdon UK.