Proflex Project

[Mr752]

Thought I'd share my project with you all.
Bought a Proflex X-P8 and Crosslinks off Orange71 not so long ago.
Been rebuilding it with some newer parts, but the main part of the project is to fit disc brake mount to the Crosslinks.
Going to use aerospace grade epoxy to bond the mount to the fork and found an Aluminium welding/brazing rod that you can heat with a plumbers heating torch, there was cost issues with welding the mount to the fork, heat treating and stress relieving.
Anyway did a test piece and hammered it to destruction(or tried to) so no problems there, just waiting for some Avid Juicy's to be delivered to allow me to align everything up before fixing in place.
attached some pictures and will post some more as I progress.
Most people would probably just buy a fork with mounts but I really love these forks for XC and I like a challenge!

 

[stew-b]

i would chambfer thge edges of the alu section a little so it sits flush on the frame.

 

[Mr752]

chamfer

yeah on the test pieces I did I chamfered the edges and used the rod like a filler wire until it was flush. If you chamfered it so the channel sat onto the tube you wouldnt have as much of a fillet, the bumph on the DuraFix website says that after cooling the filler wire is stronger than the parent metal.

 

[orange71]

how cool is that! absolutely loving it!

have you talked to Old Proflexer and seen his files?

 

[Mr752]

OP

Cheers Ed,
You made it all possible mate!!!!!!!!
Yeah had some in depth correspondence with OP, Colin and Shovelon.
Had to talk to some pretty clever people when it came to the epoxy part, think it'll be after Xmas now before I do anything else.
Saying that the discs will be here Monday and Mrs752 doesnt break up for Xmas till Friday!
Had to buy a 50ml 2 part epoxy gun for this and that was £20.The epoxy is £10 a shot for 50ml
If anyone else wants to try it I can point them in the right direction glue wise and they can use the glue gun if they pay the postage.
The Alu welding is great and has potential for other stuff, I'll take a picture of the test piece I hammered and post it.
Paul

 

[Russell]

Thats brilliant. Its so good to see someone doing something like this. Keep us updated!

 

[shovelon]

Very good man! Looks like you are a pro!

Terry

 

[Mr752]

Test Piece

Here's the result of my Test to Destruction using a 4lb hammer on one of the test pieces!
I have every faith in it when its on the bike
The guy I spoke to about the epoxy said if the instructions about prepping the parent metals and mixing the epoxy are followed exactly then the joint will be as strong as a weld.

 

[orange71]

wow that's good. My only question then would be about fatigue life.

 

[Mr752]

Shovelon said that if you cooled it with water it would speed up the age process and give you about T4 maybe. If you just left it from welding, the age process would take longer
To weld/braze this you only need to heat the metals to 300'c/700'f so I'm not sure how those temps will affect the molecular structure of the metals as oppose to TIG welding where the temps are in excess of the above, I'll PM Shovelon, he'll know being welding Guru.