snapped dropout: repair options?

ScillySuffolk

Retro Guru
Unshipped the chain into the spokes, which locked-up and pulled the derailleur up and into the wheel snapping the dropout in the process, along the line of the adjuster screw.

It's only my beater Winter bike (1980's Raleigh, 531 main tubes, £50 for the whole bike), so I'm not too pissed off and I've had my money's worth from it.

I'd rather not skip it though, it's a perfectly decent hack. Getting the dropout replaced is certainly feasible and I was even thinking of getting track fork ends put in while I was at it.

Having a quick check online though it looks like it would cost £100-odd. I'm sure I could get the price down a bit, but even so that's a fair whack to spend on a modest frame.

Is this the sort of job that a competent engineering company could do, or does it need a jig?

Any other options/opinions/advice?
 
DIY? That's very good opportunity to learn something new :) If the frame is not very valuable and repair cost is economically not reasonable, why not? It's not a rocket science.
 
My local garage brazed a canti boss back on to my tandem for the cost of a pint three or four years ago and no problems at all.You can pick dropouts up on e bay now and then. Also easy to avoid a total respray by simply spraying in the drop out area in a contrasting colour.All a bit cheap and cheerfull but that seems to be the way you want to go with it so hope this helps
Regards
Peter
 
Nothing stopping you getting welded back on. Its hefty metal there. Any half decent mig welder will cope with that no problems. Tweek it straight whilst warm.
 
I can weld so because of the bike I'd have a go at welding it back together, though you'd lose the adjuster screw in the process. This is how I'd probably do it:

-Check the snapped off part is straight
-File the two pieces so they form a V when you hold them together
-Clamp the two bits together on something flat using a couple of small clamps
-MIG weld with CO2 so as to make a nice hard weld similar to the slightly higher carbon steel used in drop-outs
-build the weld up until it's slightly proud
-dress it back with a file where necessary
-ready to use
 
Thanks for all your suggestions: I'm considering my options...

To satisfy Ian's bloodlust, here are a couple of snaps:
 

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Oh, ok, that looks quite bent as well! In that case I'd still weld it, but I'd get another drop-out, cut it where the other one is snapped and use the same method. Just make sure the new drop-out is the same thickness as the old one or the wheel nut won't seat.
 
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