Finally got the chain stays silver brazed in. A lot of massaging to get the columbus stays to fit correctly in the Pacenti bottom bracket. But, I'm very happy with the outcome. No, I don't use the plastic squares or pipe cutter hanging on the wall. I have a seat stay mocked up loosely. Zoom in and you will get an idea of how they will look. Time for a cold one prior to work fun...............found a quarter on my ride to Dylan's farm in Canby.

Devo, will this be enough mud clearance? The tires are your Ritcheys. I believe there is more room than on your Curtlo. I gotta say, and I'm just sayin', the Paul dropouts are a pain. Do you want the 433mm measurement from the center of the axle slot or bottomed out?

Hard to do the scallops. The threaded boss precludes using files and not much room for a rotary tool. I'm thinking hours of tiny pieces of emery paper.

Alas and alack(sp), life got in the way yesterday and the brazing was put off until today. Yeah, the job, all 24 hours a week of it gets in the way. Sweet Tina has assured me I get all day tomorrow for a "frame day". This morning, I spent some time pre-fitting the seat stays. I like. Devo, do you have a preference as to spacing of the stays at the seat tube? Like Dylans or directly behind the seat tube lug?

The front triangle is now completely silver brazed, including the lone cable stop. The sepia coloration on the tubes and lugs after brazing is only a flash rust, not thermal discoloration. The hot soak to remove the flux is the cause, even though I use compressed air to dry the frame immediately after. Yeah, carbon just does not braze well and I had such high hopes.

This shot is a mock up of the chain stay-dropout alignment with the 65mm BB drop and 433mm chain stay length. You can see that the axle setting screws(not installed) will just clear the top of the chain stay. I have seen frames where the chain stay is pinched for clearance and it's not pretty. Tina has a wine thing in Hood River this afternoon, so if the frame building fairies are good to me, I will get the chain stays and dropouts brazed in this afternoon.

Almost done, even though the extended seat mast is giving me problems. I didn't finish yesterday because sanding the "skin" off of the contact areas of the lugs took longer than I anticipated. I should have it all completed today though. Then on to the chain stays and dropouts.

Here's a couple of shots of the almost finished
hand cut miters. Didn't want you to think there
was ugliness under the lugs.

The front triangle is ready to be cleaned, a little cold setting of the points, sanded, and silver brazed starting Monday. Devo told me to stick to the facts, so I won't elaborate on how I got the time to finish the triangle.

Blurry, but I filed off the center indicator and drilled the pilot hole for the rear brake.

The seat tube and bottom bracket is all shimmed and ready tostart fitting the down tube. Behind the bottom bracket you can see how I use feeler gage blades to set the correct dimension.

Exactly 73 degrees.

Starting to look like a bike frame. The rest of the week end is pretty busy, but hopefully I'll get the front triangle ready to silver braze on Monday.