Stainless TIG wires

[citizen kane]

I'm looking for some advice about stainless TIG wire.

I making a bicycle frame, in fact I'm making another bicycle frame, Type Bikes Type 44 is already complete.

The new frame will probably be made in Reynolds 853 or Columbus Life tubing. Typically tube wall thickness in light weight bicycle tubing is between 0.6 and 0.8 mm and some components like the dropouts will be stainless.

A frame forum I use has consistently recommended 0.9mm Weldmold 880T tig wire.

I cant find this over in the UK but my research and specifically the Lincoln Electric website has led me to sifsteel 312 as a possible alternative.

Apparently 880T "flows" better than your typical mild steel filler and will be suitable for joining steel to stainless steel.

I can get hold of a pound of 0.9mm 880T from the US frame builder for a not unreasonable $35 plus approx $30 shipping, not a bad price I think you will agree but it seems a bit crazy shipping steel rods halfway around the world.

Does any one know of a domestic source of 880T or if 312 is a suitable substitute.

 

[rodofgod]

http://www.westbrookwelding.co.uk/mig/stainlessmig.html

http://www.ukwelder.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=7813

 

[chunkolini]

citizen Kane, what type of bicycle frames are you building? photos etc in projects please.
I love ths stuff.

Chunko'.

 

[citizen kane]

rodofgod,

Thanks for the links, looks like there are several potential stainless filler that could do the job.

chunkolini,

Type 44 is a single speed mountain bike built out of Columbus steel tubing.
Heres a few pics from the build.



Practice joint 28mm diameter 0.7mm wall thickness tube welded with 0.8mm mig wire.



To help prevent distortion and reduce weld breakthru I made and expanding heat sink for the top tube to seat tube junction



Front triangle mitred up and in the jig ready for tacking




Completed front triangle.




Back end welded on and cable guides added.

 

[wyn]

Nice work

That expanding heat sink is a magnificent looking bit of kit.

 

[bazt]

Lovely stuff!

A few Qs where did you you source the alu extrusion for the picture frame jig and how much did it cost? Did you have to machine any custom parts for the jig, or are they off the shelf? Sorry couldn't answer any of your questions.

Cheers!
Baz

 

[citizen kane]

Alloy extrusion was sourced from scrap. It was originally part of a saftey cage that housed a fairly dangerous piece of equipment, when the equipment was relocated to a new site the material was simply scrapped, bit of a lucky find really.

All the reamaing fittings and fixtures had to be custom made. The jig is not unique but my take on a design that many amature frame builders use. Its fully configurable for any sensible size frame and goemetry. Seperate jigs have been made to construct the back end but it eventually all comes together on the main jig for tacking.

 

[Shox Dr]

Very nice work. And another question for ourself if you don't mind. Where do you get your cable mounts from. Esp the ones for Hydraulic pipe, that use cable ties, I was going to machine some up, but was reminded about them the other day looking at my Old Boulder Starship frame

 

[citizen kane]

Have a look on this page

http://www.framebuilding.com/what.htm

 

[Robotstar5]

A few Qs where did you you source the alu extrusion for the picture frame jig and how much did it cost? Did you have to machine any custom parts for the jig, or are they off the shelf? Sorry couldn't answer any of your questions.

Is this any good?

 

[Shox Dr]

Have a look on this page

http://www.framebuilding.com/what.htm

Cheers Fella

 

[NTwoO]

Absolutely wild stuff!