Here is a modern builder who flame welds cycle frames:
http://www.thursdaybicycles.com/
and a posting on the Framebulders list from Jon
'Thursday' Norstog himself:
http://search.bikelist.org/
David Benson Auckland, New Zealand
--- "Irving T. Howitzer" <emeneff@earthlink.net>
wrote: > David Benson brings up an important point to
> consider - in the thirties it was a standard process
> to flame weld the various types of tubing that were
> used in aircraft construction. A filler rod was
> employed and the results could be very nice indeed -
> depending on the skill of the welder, of course. I
> discovered this in an old book on aircraft welding
> from @ the late 1930's, or maybe it was the WW2 era.
> If I recall correctly, the gas of choice was a
> Hydrogen/Oxygen mix at low pressures. Like many
> welding processes it was not easy to master, and the
> problems with getting a reliable joint to survive
> aviation service is what I believe led to
> development of the TIG process during WW2.
>
> Enough with welding history - but it makes me wonder
> if some of those early lightweight frames Mick and
> Norman refer to might have been STEEL fillet welded
> with a torch ? They would probably have been
> Reynolds HM (531's predecessor) or Accles and
> Pollock (aka Accles and Bollocks)Kromo - both of
> which would have worked with the process. I imagine
> that these frames were produced as a means to save
> money on time and materials compared to a lugged
> frame, and steel filler rod has always been cheaper
> than brass or bronze.
>
> It would be interesting to see if anyone remembers
> repairing or repainting any of the welded/bronze
> welded frames in question, and if they recall what
> was used to stick them together.
>
> Mike Fabian in San Francisco
> who wonders what exactly holds those modern plastic
> things together ?
>
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