New Betty Foy frame: trouble getting bolts into brazeons

[Earl Grey]

Seems like the paint was perhaps applied a bit too generously. Never
had this problem on any other frame. On a couple of brazeons, I have
so far been unable to get a bolt in, even when using a bit of oil and
much patience in lining up the bolt. Any suggestions? I don't have a
wire brush small enough to fit in the holes. Maybe nail polish on a Q-
tip? Does that have any chance of working? Other ideas?

Thanks!

Gernot

[Tom Harrop]

I had similar trouble with my new Bombadil last year. I actually snapped a rack mounting bolt off in one of the hourglass brazeons, so you may want to wait for advice from someone with better mechanical ability, but I used a stainless steel bolt to work the paint out of the eyelets slowly and carefully from the wrong side. You can sort of see what I mean here.

[Steve]

What you're looking for is a thread chasing tool for M5 bolts.  A good LBS should have such a tool, but you can probably also find them online or at a good hardware store.  Tom Harrop's idea below is similar in using a stainless steel bolt.

[Garth]

And good ol' Sears has them ... or they used to at least.  

The threads of braze-ons on new frames often need to chased as they framebuilder just brazes them on "raw" . Most dealers don't do this for you so it's always handy to have the thread chasing tools.  I have the M5 one as well as for the rear dérailleur. Not something you use a lot, but when you do need it

[Marc Schwartz]

The "right way" is to carefully run the correct size tap through the paint-clogged threads. The tap should go through fairly easily if it is the correct size (3mm or 4mm?). Borrow them if you can, but taps of this size aren't outrageously expensive, and good to have in the tool kit.

Good luck,
Marc
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From: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com [rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com] on behalf of Earl Grey [earl...@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2012 2:24 AM
To: RBW Owners Bunch
Subject: [RBW] New Betty Foy frame: trouble getting bolts into brazeons

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[Peter Morgano]

I have had this issue on a couple of Rivs, in place of a tap I used a well worn M-5 bolt so I knew it wouldnt bind up. I just ran it through a few times on each of them, it wasnt 100% better but def made it usable. I can tell you the brazeons got super hot running the "tap" but it did seem to work.

[Andy Smitty Schmidt]

Like others have said... clean the threads with a tap. you'll need 3 things... a handle, an M5 tap, and a drop of oil to lube the tap/threads to prevent binding when you're reaming it out. Any hardware or home improvement store should have a tap and handle. 

--Smitty 

[William]

And for prices, my Ace Hardware in El Cerrito had the handle for $6, and the taps for $5 each.  I bought the M5 and M6, and have only used the M5.  It is step 1 for any new frameset now at my workbench. 

[Earl Grey]

Thanks everyone. Sounds fairly unanimous. :) And thanks for the links,
Smitty. I should have mentioned I am in Thailand, but I have a pretty
well-stocked hardware store here, so with the links on my phone I
should be able to communicate what I need.

Cheers,

Gernot "first Betty in Thailand?" Huber

On Dec 30, 11:23 pm, Andy Smitty Schmidt <54ca...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Like others have said... clean the threads with a tap. you'll need 3

> things... a handle<http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1290735&cp=256...>,
> an M5 tap<http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1290736&cp=256...>,

[Ray Shine]

I say buy the tap.The advantage to a tap -- VS a bolt -- is the channels on the sides of the tap let the paint follow out as the tap is twisted into the thread pattern. Using a bolt pushes the shaved paint through the threads in front of it.   Plus, a tap is tapered at the entry, so proper alignment onto already cut threads s much easier, and the threads will stay intact.  By the way, with a properly sized tap, you won't need much torgue to shave off the paint from the threads

---

From: William <tape...@gmail.com>
To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Sun, December 30, 2012 9:28:06 AM
Subject: [RBW] Re: New Betty Foy frame: trouble getting bolts into brazeons

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[Tom Harrop]

I agree, buy the tool! I will be if I ever have to do it again, thanks to the snapped bolt.

[Marc Schwartz]

Tom,
If that broken bolt is still stuck in the hourglass braze-on, you can carefully drill it out using a #19 or 11/64 drill. Go slowly and use a few drops of oil (Phil Tenacious works as a decent cutting oil in a pinch). After drilling, run your trusty M5 tap through (again, carefully with oil) to clean up the threads.

Good luck
Marc

______________________________________
From: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com [rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com] on behalf of Tom Harrop [twha...@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, December 31, 2012 8:22 AM
To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com

Subject: [RBW] Re: New Betty Foy frame: trouble getting bolts into brazeons

I agree, buy the tool! I will be if I ever have to do it again, thanks to the snapped bolt.

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[Tom Harrop]

Thanks Marc. It turned out the rack was better mounted to the other side of the eyelet anyway, but I will remove the broken bolt at some point. I would do well to save some weight...

[Steven Frederick]

Yeah, the tap is better--I twisted a bolt right off in a braze-on
trying to clear the paint! Never did get that bolt stump removed
either...

Steve

[Kelly]

Tap is the best way.. I couldn't find mine and had to get the rack on so (don't do this at home) I just took a knife and scraped the paint off the outer side of the braze on.   The bolt went right in afterwards.. :)  Not to mention it covered up my laziness.

[Marc Schwartz]

Steve,
Please forgive my redundancy all over again, but;
If that broken bolt is still stuck in the hourglass (or any) braze-on, you can carefully drill it out using a #19 or 11/64 drill. Go slowly and use a few drops of oil (Phil Tenacious works as a decent cutting oil in a pinch). After drilling, run your trusty M5 tap through (again, carefully with oil) to clean up the threads.

Good luck
Marc

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From: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com [rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com] on behalf of Steven Frederick [stl...@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2013 11:34 AM
To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [RBW] Re: New Betty Foy frame: trouble getting bolts into brazeons