Is my titanium frame toast?

[d8mok]

Re:

Personally I’d not mess with it. Treat it as a battle scar.

 

[Remko]

Re:

For what it's worth, the damage on the chainstay doesn't look like a crack to me. If you look closely, you can see some sort of structure in the lines.
To me, it looks like there was some piece of sharp metal stuck between the chainstay and something else that wouldn't move. A stuck chain would be the obvious reason but I'd think of a different non cycling situation.
In any way the force on it has been great, but I can imagine that the tube is still in tact and not cracked. But it's probably a week point now in the tube.

I'd just build it and check it after every ride.

 

[ishaw]

Re:

Thanks. I'll get some better pics at other angles as I'm 50/50 as to whether it's a crack or not. I'm tempted to file it back a bit to help confirm but don't want to weaken it further.

 

[velofrog]

Re:

don’t file it. if you’re unsure if it’s a crack, build a wee bluetac ring around the suspect area and fill it with WD40, if it doesn’t drain away then there’s your answer

 

[ishaw]

Re:

Good idea with the blutack. I'll do that later and update on drainage.

 

[Remko]

Re: Re:

For what it's worth, the damage on the chainstay doesn't look like a crack to me. If you look closely, you can see some sort of structure in the lines.
To me, it looks like there was some piece of sharp metal stuck between the chainstay and something else that wouldn't move. A stuck chain would be the obvious reason but I'd think of a different non cycling situation.
In any way the force on it has been great, but I can imagine that the tube is still in tact and not cracked. But it's probably a week point now in the tube.

I'd just build it and check it after every ride.

I wanted to add to my post that I'm seeing the same pattern in the light scratching as can be seen in the deep scratching.

 

[ishaw]

Re:

Boo, gt85 and blutack suggests that gt85 drains away.

Looks like I do need to find an economical way to fix it.....

 

[mattr]

Re: Re:

For what it's worth, the damage on the chainstay doesn't look like a crack to me.

You must be looking at a different photo Looks like a fairly "standard" crack along the seam.

 

[Remko]

Re:

Could be, but I don't think standard cracks have these patterns in the "crack" itself. It looks more like they have been cut in. Anyway, too bad the frame was sold this way.

 

[ishaw]

Re:

Clutching at straws, but doesn't gt85 evaporate to take moisture away? I couldn't get anything to come out of the drain/weld holes.

As for the crack, it's not straight and does look like chain suck damage where a chain has cut into the metal, but it could also be a seam I guess.