In response to John Jorgensen's post regarding Frame Saver, a few clarifications are needed.
Frame Saver is a petroleum based rust inhibitor. It does not neutralize any acidic, or chemical residue in the tubes after a plating job. The frame needs to be thoroughly neutralized, rinsed and dried in an oven after plating, thats the responsibility of the plater! It doesn't sound like that was done.
If thats done properly, Frame Saver will prevent oxidation (rust) from wreaking havoc with the inside of the frame tubes.
Frame Saver will not have a "chemical reaction" with any of the "various solutions" from the chroming process. Your " we were only guessing regarding the alchemyof the cause" should go back to the incomplete rinsing theory and factor in the non neutralizing of the solutions as well.
Lastly, Frame Saver wasn't available" about a dozen years ago" plus two. And---If the frame was two years old was it already festering before something ? was sprayed inside?? I'd go back to the incomplete neutralizing and rinsing theory.
Frame Saver works very well in preventing rust inside a frame. Any frame that is plated, then thoroughly rinse and dried would benifit from a thorough application of Frame Saver.
I'm not sure what happened to John's "friends" frame? The fact that the importer replaced the frame leads me to speculate that they may have had this problem before?
Peter Weigle
Lyme Ct.
> Kurt & all-
>
> Hydrogen embrittlement has lots of variables, here is a note on chrome and
> framesaver. About a dozen years ago, a friend calls me up to report that
> his famous maker Italian frame then about 2 years old has a series of pin
> holes along the bottom surface of the top tube. This is a careful guy,
> bike was always hung indoors, never in the
> rain, basically light use. Framesaver was used on the tubes. the headlugs
> and chainstay were chromed. The importer covered the problem with a new
> frame, we were only guessing regarding the alchemy of the cause, best
> guess was incomplete rinsing of the one or more of the various solutions
> in the chroming process was the culprit, with a
> possible chemical reaction with the framesaver. My friend was made whole
> in this case less the rebuild cost. I wish I had more information
> regarding what happened just that that was the sequence of events.
>
> I would vote for wet paint, been down the powdercoat route long ago,
> stripped two others. Just say no to powdercoat.
>
> John Jorgensen
> Torrance Ca