Norton Reynolds tube frames

I sent the following inquiry to Ken Sprayson regarding Norton frames ;

Dear Mr Sprayson,
Thank you for your recent article on frames, but I would like to know your opinion on the use of 531 made Manx frames.
After a season’s use do you recommend the owner to heat up the tubes to stress relieve to prevent cracking/
If so should it be done in or out of a frame jig?
Also, would you recommend the same treatment on the road going frames?
On behalf of other interested parties, thank you for your informative comments.
And got the following reply;
Subject: Kens answer to your email dated 14/8/14


Reynolds 531 tubing is a high tensile material ( 45-50 ton/sq/ins), but having the versatility of mild steel. There is no need for any pre or post heat treatment when used for structural assemblies, though welding sequence should be observed, evening out welding constructions. 531 is suitable for fusion welding providing rapid quenching is avoided. Arc welding. Is not usually recommended due to the short heat affected area and the possible "notch effect" of the weld fillet. When using light gauges (ie 17 or 17 swg) bronze welding or small fillet TIG welding is recommended.
Welded assemblies at Reynolds Tube never needed stress relieving even in the war time aircraft assemblies, though care was taken in design and construction to avoid notch effects and stress raisers.
The experience gained in manufacturing the thousands of aircraft fuselage sections and engine mountings helped in the development and elimination of problems in the all welded motorcycle frames of 1950s and 1960s on.
Regards
Dave ( for Ken )

Right from the horse's mouth, as the saying goes. Thanks, Bernhard. That puts to bed a lot of the misinformation that's shown up on the forum about any need to "stress relieve" frames made from either 531 or mild steel tubing. I've always assumed the same applies to the many frames made here in the US from 4130 steel tubing, because as far as I can tell, none of the popular manufacturers (Trackmaster, Redline, etc.) felt the need to stick their frames in an oven after completion. Nor did the builders of thousands of light aircraft constructed from welded 4130 tubing.

Ken

Good to see that myth laid to rest.

Quoted almost straight off Reynolds Tubing Ltds old website I believe though,
which used to be around somewhere and had a large section devoted to their wartime aircraft manufacture,
and the discovery and marketing of Reynolds 531 tubing.
And mention of welding up 10,000 miles of tubing in WW2.

PS What has happened to the old Reynolds factory site in Brum ?

PPS. Perhaps Bernhard could correct the speeling in the title here, so future folks searching for REYNOLDS info can find it...
And correct Mr Spraysons name there too.

Re ; "What has happened to the old Reynolds factory site in Brum ?"


2000 A management buy-out on 24th January, took Reynolds back into private ownership, whilst keeping all the employees. Manufacturing of metallic products continued at Tyseley. The company is named Reynolds Cycle Technology (2000) Ltd.

2006 The company was renamed Reynolds Technology Ltd, to reflect the increasing revenues from diversification into “new” sectors for tubing outside the cycle industry.

2007 After 90 years at Redfern Road, the company moved to a modern factory building in Shaftmoor Lane, Birmingham.

http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Reynolds_Tube_Co

Also of some interest to Norton owner’s history on Grace guide page;

http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Norton
http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Norton_Motors
http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Norton-Villiers
http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Norton-Villiers-Triumph