Making a bespoke Llewellyn

Dazza · 20 Maggio 2011

Brazing and the wash off the flux
I braze the stainless head tube logo
It is LASER cut and I dress the edges and then form it to fit the head tube
and braze it in place.
All my customers want these.
No one refuses.
I also file the seat lug to taper the lug edges and to have an even surface.
Lug filing and thinning is a luxury I do, it makes the lug look sexier.
It is a lot of work but I want the frame to reflect my care and love put into the frame.

Dazza · 20 Maggio 2011

I braze a stainless washer onto the brake bridge. Just to be neat and tidy.
I also started making the handle bar stem. I prepare the stainless steel stem lugs by reshaping the shorelines to a shape to match the frame lugs. I think lugged frames look sexy with lugged stems.
The last 49 of 50 of my customer's have ordered a stem with the frame.
Only one was not sure as he wanted to change his position.
The tube to join the two stem lugs is is made by Columbus for me. It is .8mm Niobium material.
These stems lugs were my first design and production of my own castings back in 2003.

Have a good weekend o-o

sdg71 · 20 Maggio 2011

but I want the frame to reflect my care and love put into the frame.

Man,

it works!

furia67 · 20 Maggio 2011

wooowww

anto.vane · 21 Maggio 2011

Che meraviglia questa discussione! Grazie Darrel! o-o

What amazing thread this is! Thanks Darrel, I hope you'll continue to write on this forum with other interesting posts and technical partecipation documented by photos like these, so we can understand better what it means work on a frame like yours...so much work!

Dazza · 23 Maggio 2011

Fit up the chain and seat stays
braze in the brake bridge
and the stainless detail between the seat stays is added.

This piece is optional, for the last 10 years nobody has asked not to have it.
When a rider rides behind a Llewellyn in the group they know it is a Llewellyn because they are staring at the heart with the arrow.
No need for large graphics to tell them
If they do not know of Llewellyn they soon ask the owner

Yes, that is marketing.
Even we independent builders market our products.
But we believe in the products we make.
It is not just a job for a wage.

Dazza · 23 Maggio 2011

The frame is all brazed up
I started the stem finish work
I make the fork soon

anto.vane · 23 Maggio 2011

Amazing job! o-o

a question for you Darrel: why have you threaded the bottom bracket before the sandblasting and not after? is there a reason or is it the same to do this processing before or after sandblasting? thanks...

Dazza · 23 Maggio 2011

anto.vane ha scritto:
Amazing job!
a question for you Darrel: why have you threaded the bottom bracket before the sandblasting and not after? is there a reason or is it the same to do this processing before or after sandblasting? thanks...

The flux is washed off with hot water after each brazing operation
as the silver flux is corrosive and gets on my hands and this gets transferred to the tools etc.
So I wash it all off as soon as I can.
Better for my heath the tools.
Then the threading and facing is done
so I havea clean BB face for alignments
I do not sand blast the frames.
I do later soak the frames in a mild phosphoric solution after all brazing is completes
The frames are all sent to Joe Cosgrove for paint
and he does the final cleaning before painting.

anto.vane · 24 Maggio 2011

ah ok, all clear, thanks for the detailed answer! o-o

Dazza · 24 Maggio 2011

I shape the fork crown
to make it look a lot nicer
the the blades to length
and close the fits and ensure there is not stress in the fork set up.
I then braze
All my brazing is with 56% silver braze

Dazza · 24 Maggio 2011

I machine the head set crown race seat in the lathe
and I file the crown to have an even appearance, just to look nicer.
I align the fork to a tolerance of max tolerance of .30mm laterally
and drill the brake hole.
I then started on the frame finish work.
I aim for a very high standard of alignment tolerances
and finish
It takes more time, but my clients deserve this in a true hand made product.

Dazza · 24 Maggio 2011

I filed the handle bar stem lugs even and give a sanding as well
These lugs are always stainless steel, even if painted over.

I start filing the frame lugs
Look into the bottom bracket shell
Full 100% miters
and the over lap with the seat tube and down tube is cut away as well.
A trick I must do that I learn't from my first boss 30 year ago (Eric Hendren)

That's all folks till tomorrow
ciao

bradipus · 24 Maggio 2011

Dazza ha scritto:
I filed the handle bar stem lugs even and give a sanding as well
These lugs are always stainless steel, even if painted over.

I start filing the frame lugs
Look into the bottom bracket shell
Full 100% miters
and the over lap with the seat tube and down tube is cut away as well.
A trick I must do that I learn't from my first boss 30 year ago (Eric Hendren)

That's all folks till tomorrow
ciao

this is not 'only' framebuilding, this is love...
grazie Dazza!

Dazza · 26 Maggio 2011

I had a short time in the workshop as I had other jobs and chores to do that must be done.
Just a few hours at the work bench.
Filing and sanding the top head lug and seat lug

I think the seat lug is the most interesting joint
with four tubes joining
This seat stay attachment style was inspired by a frame made by Ron Cooper (circa 1985) that I restored for a friend about 8 years ago
It is time consuming but I like it as it is light and triangulates the rear trianlges it has become my recognised style now.

Dazza · 27 Maggio 2011

just a few thing to finish
some polishing

Dazza · 27 Maggio 2011

the frame goes to my old training and racing friend Joe Cosgrove for his paint magic.
We won best paint at the 2010 North American Hand Built Show on a Custodian Lucentezza
The last picture is the frame which won best paint while at the show.

This frame's metal work is completed
and I start the next frame

When it comes back from Joe I will show the post paint clean up and assembly with Campy parts and hand built wheels.

Ciao for a wee little while

loscaligerocancellato · 27 Maggio 2011

waiting for your next picture!

Dazza · 27 Maggio 2011

loscaligero ha scritto:
waiting for your next picture!

there will be no more pictures of this completed frame
till it returns from Joe with colour. It will be painted Dark Brandy Wine with white panels.

I can continue to show pictures of the next new frame if you wish??

Panta Rei · 27 Maggio 2011

dazza ha scritto:
there will be no more pictures of this completed frame
till it returns from joe with colour. It will be painted dark brandy wine with white panels.

I can continue to show pictures of the next new frame if you wish??

of course

Making a bespoke Llewellyn

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