Removing braze ons ??

[johnniecakes]

I recently purchased Serrotta Colorado frame with the intention of using it as a fixed gear. With the horizontal dropouts I should have enough adjustment to take up the chain slack. I would like to remove the FD bracket and the down tube shifter bosses. Is it possible to remove these with a MAPP/Oxygen torch? I am thinking if I hang a vice grip in the bosses for weight and heat the base of the boss I should be able to get it hot enough to remove the boss. Then remove any remaining brass with a file or emery cloth.

[sales guy]

You should be able too. Just know the paint around them is gonna blister. And the paint on the piece will catch fire possibly. Not for long tho.

[johnniecakes]

You should be able too. Just know the paint around them is gonna blister. And the paint on the piece will catch fire possibly. Not for long tho.

Part of this process is to grit blast it and have a complete repaint after removal of the braze ons. I expect this to be a spring/summer project. I have to get a crank and wheels also.

[paredown]

It has been a while, but someone (frame builder) advised me that that best way for an amateur would be to remove them mechanically. Use something like a Dremel to take the bulky part off, and then use a good file to remove the last ridges/brazing...

Maybe Dave or Doug will weigh in....

[sales guy]

It has been a while, but someone (frame builder) advised me that that best way for an amateur would be to remove them mechanically. Use something like a Dremel to take the bulky part off, and then use a good file to remove the last ridges/brazing...

Maybe Dave or Doug will weigh in....

This is the best way since it's not as destructive but since he's repaint he'll be ok.

[oldpotatoe]

I recently purchased Serrotta Colorado frame with the intention of using it as a fixed gear. With the horizontal dropouts I should have enough adjustment to take up the chain slack. I would like to remove the FD bracket and the down tube shifter bosses. Is it possible to remove these with a MAPP/Oxygen torch? I am thinking if I hang a vice grip in the bosses for weight and heat the base of the boss I should be able to get it hot enough to remove the boss. Then remove any remaining brass with a file or emery cloth.

Good suggestions but I’d leave them alone. Very unobtrusive and ya never know what future owners may want to use this frame for.

[David Kirk]

Removing braze-ons is fairly simple......heat it up until the silver goes liquid and the part falls off - or - cut and grind and sand until it's gone. Either can work.

Which way it's done should be based on the skill of the person doing the operation and both ways have risks. It's not common but I've seen tubes cracked by using the torch improperly and I've seen severely gouged and 'dipped' tubes as a result of being heavy handed with the cutting and sanding. So either method can work and either can do damage.

One thing to keep in mind is that even if done perfectly that the tubes will show slight indentations where the braze-on used to be due to the shrinkage and contraction during the initial brazing process. So even well done the tube will most likely look a bit wavy.

If you are not experienced I might suggest finding a painter that is comfortable doing the removal - send it off with braze-ons and get it back with no braze-ons and fresh paint. I know of a number of painters who can do this for you.

I hope this helps.

dave

[johnniecakes]

Thanks Dave

Maybe the best solution is to remove the bulk of the bosses with an angle grinder then finish up with file and emery cloth. I understand that a slip with the grinder would damage the tube. I will have to approach this carefully. Think I will wrap the tube around the boss with stainless hose clamps just in case of a slip. By using clamps I also have a “depth gauge” before the final finish filing and sanding. I never considered that the tube would be deformed under the boss where it was brazed. This is a project without a schedule so I can work at it when I have the patience.

Thanks again Dave

[fiamme red]

What's the downside of leaving the braze-ons alone? I've had road bikes that I built up as fixed-gears, and then later decided to convert back to gears. And of course removing braze-ons will decrease the resale value.

[David Kirk]

Thanks Dave

Maybe the best solution is to remove the bulk of the bosses with an angle grinder then finish up with file and emery cloth. I understand that a slip with the grinder would damage the tube. I will have to approach this carefully. Think I will wrap the tube around the boss with stainless hose clamps just in case of a slip. By using clamps I also have a “depth gauge” before the final finish filing and sanding. I never considered that the tube would be deformed under the boss where it was brazed. This is a project without a schedule so I can work at it when I have the patience.

Thanks again Dave

Cool - as alarmist as this might sound I would even be super careful with the files and emery. The tendency is to assume that it would be hard to go too far, too fast, but it happens all the time. What tends to happen is that most of the braze-on is gone and then the filing and sanding start to file the tube adjacent to the remnant of the braze-on as much as the braze-on itself. It can be tough to gauge. One simple trick is to use a wide sharpie to cover the area all around the stump and if the sharpie is going away so is your tube.

Good luck and have fun.

dave

[johnniecakes]

What's the downside of leaving the braze-ons alone? I've had road bikes that I built up as fixed-gears, and then later decided to convert back to gears. And of course removing braze-ons will decrease the resale value.

Functionally there is no reason to remove them. I just don't want to see them when they are not used. I never see me running gears on this bike and resale value is not really a concern. Just a fun project for me.