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Frame crack - 1939 Viking (Columbia / Westfield) - Least bad solution?

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Unless it was brazed originally. Than the metal is "contaminated" by brass and you are committed to the same material. If it going to be repaired wire wheel the area and take a look.
 
Westfield Mfg brazed all their frames. Only during WWII did they weld frames because of the brass/bronze being restricted. All contamants and paint would have to be removed from the area to re-braze but structurally the bike would be like new. My guess would be you would loose about 1 to 2 inches of paint around the crack. If you can live with that to have a solid frame then do it, otherwise leave it alone and the crack may get larger if t he bike is ridden extensively.

I doubt any kind of glue or epoxy would provide anymore than a cosmetic fix.
 
@cbustapeck Did you get the master link I sent last week?

You may want to check this thread out posted by Jay81 with a similar problem on his Westfield frame. https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/viking-streamline.99755/post-645526

Here are the patents issued to Westfield showing the type of frame construction they used. The one shows the upper tube construction of the top tubes on a boys frame at the seat post (fig. 2). Not sure how the frame is attached lower on your girls frame but likely has a sleeve underneath the tube at the joint similar to the other frame connections. The crack appears to be thru the brazing at the joint. As Mr. Columbia posted the crack should be rebrazed not welded. Jay81 repaired his similar crack so you might contact him.
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a bicycle frame is hardly thin metal to weld using a mig. I used to do big time rust repair on old car bodies. I've welded lots of thin metal. evidently it takes practice, my neighbor was asked to weld together a sheet metal piece for a mutual friend, all he welds is big heavy X Ray equipment, he couldn't do it without burning through.

I have no idea what I am doing that works where others have a hard time of it.
 
Those car repair welds are different. 1: they are not structural; 2: car body work is done in stiches--can't do that in this case. 3: you used to occasionally blow through that 18-20 gauge metal and then blob a cold weld to fill in the resulting hole. NOBODY sells a bike that is MIG welded--they're all TIGed. This most recent roadbike craze gave birth to hundreds,, maybe thousands of youngish frame builders, many of them are very talented. I would eat my hat if there aren't several in the Cleveland area. Find one online or through LBS and go talk to them.
 
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a bicycle frame is hardly thin metal to weld using a mig. I used to do big time rust repair on old car bodies. I've welded lots of thin metal. evidently it takes practice, my neighbor was asked to weld together a sheet metal piece for a mutual friend, all he welds is big heavy X Ray equipment, he couldn't do it without burning through.

I have no idea what I am doing that works where others have a hard time of it.
That is what it is to be a Pro. Years of practice and then it just always happens
 
Those car repair welds are different. 1: they are not structural; 2: car body work is done in stiches--can't do that in this case. 3: you used to occasionally blow through that 18-20 gauge metal and then blob a cold weld to fill in the resulting hole. NOBODY sells a bike that is MIG welded--they're all TIGed. This most recent roadbike craze gave birth to hundreds,, maybe thousands of youngish frame builders, many of them are very talented. I would eat my hat if there aren't several in the Cleveland area. Find one online or through LBS and go talk to them.

""they are not structural"" inner and outer rockers, inner wheelwells in the trunk, trunk floors, body mounts, under floor cross members, these are all structural. rust repair goes much further than outer sheet metal.

"stitches" you really only need to stitch what you can see. inner structures not so much. there would be no need to stitch a bike frame. however a stitched repair on that crack would be plenty to hold it together, not as strong but strong enough

"nobody migs a new frame" true but irrelevant.

yes blow through in sheetmetal happens sometimes, especially where the original steel is pitted or thin. my neighbor did nothing but blow through on that project. not sure what a blobbed cold weld is.
 
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@cbustapeck Did you get the master link I sent last week?

You may want to check this thread out posted by Jay81 with a similar problem on his Westfield frame. https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/viking-streamline.99755/post-645526

Here are the patents issued to Westfield showing the type of frame construction they used. The one shows the upper tube construction of the top tubes on a boys frame at the seat post (fig. 2). Not sure how the frame is attached lower on your girls frame but likely has a sleeve underneath the tube at the joint similar to the other frame connections. The crack appears to be thru the brazing at the joint. As Mr. Columbia posted the crack should be rebrazed not welded. Jay81 repaired his similar crack so you might contact him. View attachment 1218458
View attachment 1218459

I did, thank you very much! I really appreciate all of this information. I’m going to be looking for someone to braze the frame.
 
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