do some builders file tigged joints to finish?

[eddief]

I am pleased with the new Gunnar Sport. When I look closely at the joints, they look really damn smooth. As in no squeezed out tooth paste bumps. Is this how good tiggers tig or would you expect there were some bumps and they got filed to smooth?

[Charles M]

depends on the material but likely after weld finnishing

[David Kirk]

The best welders can leave them alone. The rest finish them some and then powder coat them.

dave

[eddief]

has a fine wet paint so not too much bulk over the joints.

i'm thinking Waterford and Co probably lays em down smooth and then paints em to finish.

the comparison to my tigged foreign Fuji...well there is no comparison.

[sean]

I had a builder friend customize a stem for me that was tig welded. He went back in and smoothed all the welds. Looks almost brazed.

[Ken Robb]

When I toured the Waterford plant I met a welder, watched him work, and inspected a rack of frames that had just been welded. He was darn good. I'm pretty sure the same folks do Gunnars and Waterfords. I think the welders get to do a lot of frames relative to a one-man operation so their learning curve is probably pretty steep. It seemed like a happy place to work too so I would expect much turnover and the subsequent training of new guys.

When I toured Serotta I saw some pretty darn smooth tigged frames in the pre-paint area too though none were being done while I was there. Interestingly one of the few/last forks was being brazed. :)