[Closed] How to weld my inbred frame?

Photos? What’s the stress raiser? I’d hazard that it’ll just go again on the welds if there is no obvious stress raiser.

TIG should be neater I would think & I would leave it in. JMO.

Only way to repair that safely is to replace both chainstays.

TIGing it will just cause it to crack again (possible catastrophically).

Probably best to find a tig welder so it's neat tidy and strong. It will probably need some kind of reinforcement, maybe a fish plate over the weld. At 2 inches away from the BB you shouldn't have any problems with distortion at the BB but if it's a nice unit it might be best to take it out just in case, of it gets a little too warm the gear gets very runny. An old BB left in might actually help prevent the unlikely but possible distortion.

It's a cheap Inbred frame!

Hang it on the garage wall if it ha sentimental value, and buy a new cheap frame.

😉

Inbred isn't worth cost of new stays unless you are very attached to it.

Has it broken at the bend, dimple/crimp or welded on gussets? (don't know if the gussets were on all Inbreds)

Most durable bodge repair will be brazing on patches rather than just welding the crack. TIG welding the crack will work for a bit if you want a quick repair to tide you over whilst sorting a new frame.

Heat from there is unlikely to distort the bb. Leave in an old pair of steel cups from a loose ball bb if you want. Don't leave in a cartridge bb full of grease, plastic and maybe aluminium bits.

Yes I have got experience. No I don't have time to do it 🙂

I had one of the chainstays on my old Lava Dome welded up about 15 years ago, I just took it to the local blacksmith (sans BB) and asked them to weld it. It was a functional weld rather than a framebuilding masterpiece, but I slapped a bit of Hammerite over it and it's still going. Cost me £15.

Not sure how severe your fracture is or where it's located, but FWIW mine was a crack around half the circumference of the driveside stay, at the point where middle-ring chainsuck had taken some bites out of it.

Also worth sticking in a dummy axle or old hub - heat on the front of the stay will often spring the dropouts in / out.

I agree it's not worth the cost of replacing chainstays. Replacing entire frame isn't a silly idea except I don't have cash for a new frame right now.

For those of you who asked for more details
https://photos.app.goo.gl/wRxKdcrJn2eks4UC6

It's cracked on the bit where the tube goes thin to turn a corner (and maybe give some tyre clearance? tyre is deflated in pic). Crack goes roughly halfway through tube on both sides.

I don't know anything about how stress points work so, for those who do, does this lead to any particular recommendation?

That photo makes it look like the other side is gone as well.

That would be hard to plate as it is cracked in the dimple. I agree with Mick that plating works but personally I wouldn't on a crack of that size in that location especially as it is both chainstays and not just one.

Sorry but, having built and repaired a number of frames, in my view that one is now scrap.

EDIT: It also looks like there are cable guides on the top of the chainstay at the point the crack is making it difficult to extend any patch a suitable distance beyond the crack.

Looking at that photo I’d think it’s new frame time. Secondhand frames can be bought pretty cheaply - I’m not suggesting you buy the one I’m selling - but I’m going to sell my old 26er hardtail frame for £50 ish. There must be a lot of people out there (and preferably local to you) who have similar frames in the garage they don’t have plans for.

Either that, or look out for some cheap frame bargains - there were some no name alloy frames from the Far East on eBay when I was looking for a cheap 26er last year. Think for around £80 - £100.

The other thing to ask is has it cracked due to rusting from the inside? I doubt the Inbred frames have any fancy internal treatment.

That looks familiar.
[img] [/img]
I thought the standard tactic in this situation was to bitch and moan on internet forums until Brant gave you a refund out of his back pocket?

I must admit it never occurred to me to get mine fixed. It'd served me well, I retired it with honours and swapped the kit over onto an old Trek frame I had in the attic. Three years down the road I'm on a sixty quid 26" Cannondale frame, with another sixty quid Kona waiting in the wings (both bought on here).

I had a high end Raleigh steel frame mig welded up and it was fine, file the welds back and it’s good to go.

Took another frame to a local welders and he did the same to the dropout/chainstay junction which had completely snapped, mig welded again - that survived many more jumps and drops.

Inbred frames are basically made of gas pipes, any sort of steel welding will be ok as long as it’s done properly.

Patio needs weeding. 😉

I'm no expert but that looks fubared?