Building a STEEL BIKE FRAME: The Art of Brazing

Ever wondered how a frame builder makes a steel bike frame? This video will give you the clearest view of the whole process!
Today, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how an Italian craftsman creates a steel bike frame from Columbus tubes and cast lugs.
You’ll see Officina Battaglin’s master frame builder Gianantonio brazing a Portofino (the first steel frame in the world with oversized lugs).
Step by step.
From applying the flux to carefully moving the torch around the joints, what you’ll see in this video is really the heart of the frame building process.
In fact, there’s nothing that impacts a steel frame’s ride quality and durability like the way it’s built.
During the brazing process, the builder carefully melts a brass rod and makes it flow through the joint to fill the space between the tube and the lug.
Brass has a lower melting point than steel, so the heat required to melt the brass doesn’t overheat the tubing.
It creates a metallurgical bond that makes for strong and durable joints while preserving the tubing’s properties.
While Gianantonio makes it look easy, the art of brazing a lugged steel frame requires several years of practice.
Gianantonio started out as an apprentice frame builder when he was only 14.
He mastered the craft under the guidance of the best frame builders at Battaglin (who were arguably some of the best Italian masters of the time).
So, if you want to see how he’s keeping the ancient art of brazing still alive by building custom frames at the Battaglin workshop, this is the most detailed video you’ll ever find!
ABOUT OFFICINA BATTAGLIN
Officina Battaglin is the steel bicycle brand founded by the 1981 Giro-Vuelta double winner Giovanni Battaglin and his son Alex.
With its collection of custom steel frames and bikes handbuilt in Italy, Officina Battaglin is the only bicycle brand managed in person by a Grand-Tour winner.
Each steel frame is made to order and designed to the owner’s specifications by Giovanni Battaglin himself, to deliver the most comfortable and pleasant riding experience.
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HERE you can access our FREE video series “The Man of Steel” and get a behind-the-scenes look at the specific process used by the 1981 Giro winner in his eponymous bike workshop in Italy ➡️ officinabattaglin.com/free-vi...
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[@stephenschreier3026]

The master welder has very good control of his torch,that's impressive. So much work goes into a custom steel frame,and nothing is fine that a columbus tube steel machine!

[@OfficinaBattaglin]

Hey Stephen, glad you like our Master's work! There's a massive amount of work behind building and finishing a custom steel frame.

[@raoulreyes4857]

Artistry!

[@danielchua6632]

The hiss of the torch seems to blend well with the spa music, reflecting perhaps the Zen state of mind of the master brazer… insightful video! DanielChua

[@bottecchia1214]

Mükemmel kontrol,Usta

[@RodrigoRA1976]

Magnífico! 👏🏻

[@OfficinaBattaglin]

Grazie! 🇮🇹

[@Vip-db2mq]

uma bela obra de arte ta de parabéns..like ai pra fortalecer e vim mais videos como esse

[@simonechirienti2233]

Capolavoro! Si vede tecnica, esperienza e soprattutto un immenso amore per quello che fa. Impressionante.

[@OfficinaBattaglin]

Grazie Simone! È proprio così 🇮🇹

[@pabloporzio8556]

Una obra de arte. Cumplimenti a voi.

[@OfficinaBattaglin]

Muchas gracias!

[@williamlott7612]

The tip of your torch looks like what is called a “rosebud” in the USA, except yours would be a miniature version. I used a slightly larger tip installing cryogenic liquid and gas systems; all copper, brass, and stainless steel as carbon steel is brittle at cryogenic temperatures. The filler metal I used was either 5% Silver Alloy or 50% Silver alloy. Gas welding is a very satisfying process especially watching the filler metal following the heat of the torch. Darlington, South Carolina USA

[@CDMJDMHHC]

My frame would be british racing green ang high polish alloy components

[@SMidberg]

Shouldent you protect the threading .Or is it pressfit?

[@Z-Man1973]

Very cool (well, hot, I guess)!! Does the heat of the torch have to be kept to a temperature low enough so as not to impact the integrity of the steel? Can you do a follow up video showing how the dropouts are brazed to the seat and chainstays? Really enjoyed this.

[@OfficinaBattaglin]

Correct, heat control is crucial to preserve the tubing's properties. Glad you enjoyed this, we'll do more videos like this for sure!

[@heldersousa3459]

Poderiam me dar a oportunidade de um visto de conheçer a Italia e a oficina.

[@ahamedameer1551]

What welding is this ?

[@markcarlson7305]

Silver brazing with an inline fluxer and paste flux on the joints.

[@Lisbikes]

Do you sell your lugs for large diameter tubes?

[@OfficinaBattaglin]

No, we developed them for our frames.

[@Matt-dx3wo]

How important is not overheating the steel if you're using air hardened steel? I don't understand why it is so important to not overheat the steel if you can also TIG weld it without issue.

[@eurobeatmachinist732]

With tig you have the gas preventing oxidation and the metal becoming bad.

[@Matt-dx3wo]

@@eurobeatmachinist732 I've since answered my own question I suppose, as I've been brazing steel frames. The flux used for brazing also prevents oxidation, but that doesn't have anything to do with the reduction in hardness and tensile strength that can occur when brazing. That has more to do with how long the metal is heated, how many heat cycles, and how slowly it cools. Smaller fillets are apparently better for preventing this weakening. Also, the air hardening steel bike tubing (such as Velospec) should be better at not losing hardness and tensile strength.

[@HampCoLLC]

I assume he's brass-brazing and any idea what gas he's using? And it looks like he's done this before!

[@Lisbikes]

I think, he had made pre assembling in a jig. I usually braze outer sides of lugs in a jig. Then I check it on the table and braze once more to let the silver or brass to flow inside the lug without jig. But I don't make all frame at once, only front triangle and chain stays.

[@devlinsgd1971]

Definitely seems to be too hot for silver. Interesting that he doesn't pull the brazage all the way through but goes in from each edge of each joint. ie inside and outside.

[@OfficinaBattaglin]

Correct, it's brass-brazing!

[@biggirlbathingsuits8210]

@@OfficinaBattaglin Which grade of brazing brass is popular in Europe for bicycle frames?

[@OfficinaBattaglin]

@@biggirlbathingsuits8210 it depends on the builder.

[@oanneschernobyl5446]

What is a white cream??

[@leonardpearlman4017]

"Flux", which FLOWS, it turns into glass actually... a bunch of molten oxides, so the metal oxides you're generating dissolve into the flux, see? Then the brazing alloy can touch the base metal, and wet it, and there you are!

[@tongalizia3175]

Saluti,,,,,ho una bicicletta Battaglia del 88. Offrite restauro per adattare campagnolo 11 record velocità vernice, decalcomanie ecc ecc. grazie….

[@viyacheslav.]

А почему пламя зеленое?

[@OfficinaBattaglin]

It’s a special type of fuel gas to avoid overheating the tubes.

[@diegoferreira2394]

Dicerto é calibrado isso aí depois né,fica tudo torto

[@yuriyanovski]

bonfire meditation)

[@tomthompson7400]

looks more like silver soldering to me ....