Frame damage

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CJohnH

New Member
Hello All,
I have to decide whether damage to a very nice Holdsworth frame in Reynolds 531 tube is safe to live with or not. I acquired the frame as a restoration project. The shot-blasting prior to respray revealed a dent in the side of the top-tube towards the front. The dent is a round depression about 1/2inch diameter with a crease at the bottom as if caused by a hard edge. Having regards to the very fine tolerances of 531 tube, I just don't know if it would be irresponsible and potentially dangerous to fill and paint over the dent. I've invested a lot of time and money gathering bits and pieces for this project so it's a big disappointment, but I will scrap the thing if I have to. So, bottom line, is such damage ALWAYS a write-off and how does one tell?
 

alecstilleyedye

nothing in moderation
Moderator
photos would help. steel is a lot more resilient to damage than aluminium and carbon, but if you could put a picture up then one of our resident experts would probably be able to give an more definitive answer, and possible solutions…
 

raindog

er.....
Location
France
Don't fill the dent in, just leave it and paint, it will become part of the "character" of the bike. Having said that, a photo would be helpful, as alec says.
 

TheDoctor

Noble and true, with a heart of steel
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
Don't even think about riding it, it's scrap.
I'll take it off your hands if you give me a tenner.
*hopeful*
No, seriously, if there's no crack at the bottom of the dent it'll probably be fine. The steel is about 0.5 mm thick at that point, so it's not like it's tin-foil.
I would consult a framebuilder if you're nervous though.
 
OP
OP
C

CJohnH

New Member
Thanks very much to the four people who replied with encouragement. I am now trying rather unsuccessfully to post at least 1 photo. In the meantime though, I can say that the tube is not apparently split. I say, "Apparently" because the silly painters went ahead with the painting without telling me about the damage first, so I can't be absolutely sure without scraping off the new paint.
 
OP
OP
C

CJohnH

New Member
Want the perfect Catch 22? The Forum won't let me post a photo until I've become more involved but I can't get more involved because you guys need me to post a photo!
 

Norm

Guest
Unfortunately, that's set up because the vast majority of new members who want to post photos just want to advertise their "offers" of cheap kit or viagra.

You can post a link to the photo if it is hosted somewhere like Photobucket. :thumbsup:
 

alecstilleyedye

nothing in moderation
Moderator
if it's been painted over, keep an eye on the paint around the dent. if it starts flaking, it could indicate that the crack is growing. if it stays as it is, it's maybe that you've got away with it…
 

EYE-TYE-MAD

New Member
Hello All,
I have to decide whether damage to a very nice Holdsworth frame in Reynolds 531 tube is safe to live with or not. I acquired the frame as a restoration project. The shot-blasting prior to respray revealed a dent in the side of the top-tube towards the front. The dent is a round depression about 1/2inch diameter with a crease at the bottom as if caused by a hard edge. Having regards to the very fine tolerances of 531 tube, I just don't know if it would be irresponsible and potentially dangerous to fill and paint over the dent. I've invested a lot of time and money gathering bits and pieces for this project so it's a big disappointment, but I will scrap the thing if I have to. So, bottom line, is such damage ALWAYS a write-off and how does one tell?
In the 70s I ran a small enamelling business, a good percentage of the frames I worked on had dings of one sort or another, I have to say very few made the frame terminal. Even if a tube is bent it can be replaced, it's generally cracks that are the most dangerous if undetected. To check for cracks or broken braze, hang the frame, minus absolutely everything, by a length of fine cord then tap lightly with a metalic object. The sound should resonate, if there is a ringless dull return, worry. On the subject of shot blasting, I know I will incur the wrath of those that make a living from re-enamellig, but thin gauge tubes should always be chemicaly stripped. Each time a frame is blasted a layer of metal is lost & it doesn't take a degree in metallurgy to work out that if a frame is painted more than a couple of times throughout its lifetime the integrity of the metal will certainly begin to suffer. I'm afraid the reason that most enamellers shot blast is cost, but ultimately it's the owner of the frame that will pay for the penny pinching I'm afraid.
 

gilespargiter

Veteran
Location
N Wales
I must say for what it is worth, I would be far more concerned that the frame enameler shot blasted it. In fact I would be absolutely lived. I would at this point be demanding the cost of someone like Roberts (close to where your frame was built) building me another.
The ding, from your previous posting, would not seem to be that serious. The dent can be structurally filled using either lead filler designed for top class car body repairs or even with low temp brazing or silver solder. The paint will also stick to this as well as to steel.
It is definitely not a right-off, the tube can be replaced for a fraction of the cost of building a similar frame.
 
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