Jack Romans wrote:
Well, I spoke too soon on good shape of Vent Noir. I see what looks like a
crack across the entire width of bottom of BB shell. Question, can this be
easily (read cheaply) fixed good enough for occasional riding or is bike toast?
I would guess the best fix is to replace the shell, but what about just
brazing the crack on inside and outside...would it hold for a while?
I have had this done, and a good welder should be able to make a decent job of it. Grind a V groove along the crack on the outside, almost to the depth of the shell thickness, weld it, grind it smooth, and don't forget to run a thread cutter through the threads to clean them up. If you have one with the crack only part way along, drill a hole at the end of the crack first, to stop it going any further.
Peter Brown, Lincolnshire, England