Magnaflux?

[RockinD]

After looking at my frame I started wondering if anybody has ever done an off frame resto and had their entire frame Magnafluxed? We used to do this to bomb lugs back in the 70's to check for cracks, etc. I don't even know if I could locate a machine large enough to do the whole thing, but with a 28 year old bike, it might be worth the trouble to hunt one down. Any ideas?

[nubee]

Is this method any good?

Welding Guide HIGH QUALITY WELDS THROUGH PENETRANT INSPECTION

[fredintoon]

Dye-penetrant works

Hi Nubee,
dye-penetrant works on all weldable metals while Magnaflux only works on metals that a magnet will stick to.
At AECL we used both methods to NDT nuclear welds, either is cheaper & easier than radiographic inspection.
Some drawbacks; unlike a radiograph, neither method will detect buried weld flaws, a flaw has to reach the surface for the dye or the magnetic fluid to enter the crack. Both methods need the welds to be squeaky clean, a painted weld for sure can't be tested. Magnaflux needs a tank of iron-bearing ink and a magnetising device, neither of which are cheap so you will be hauling the frame off to pay someone to check it for you. Dye-penetrant just needs the spraycans of dye, chalk & solvent.
And yeah, you have to know what you are seeing. There's a reason that NDT techs spend years in college learning to do this stuff.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[TADracer]

But, is all this necessary for an XS? I am not discounting the advantage of magnafluxing or other weld checking method but, nothing on an XS is light weight, including the frame. Mine was down to the frame about 10 years ago and all I did was spend an hour or two preparing it for paint. While this was happening I visually checked each weld and tube for cracking or twisting. You should do this from time to time anyway. I suspect the frame is pretty beefy. As long as no mods have been performed or the machine has not been in a wreck, magnafluxing is probably an expensive overkill.

Just my opinion.

[RockinD]

That's good to know

Thanks for the input, bike was dumped by po and the guy had suspended it from rear grab rail and heated the tubes on each side forward of the seat bolts because he said it was "bottoming out" when he sat on it. He thought he'd bring the back end out (& I guess, Up?). I noticed it when I took the seat off and saw rust in just those confined areas, but structurally I couldn't tell much after putting emory cloth to it. Hence, my question. I just didn't want to lead off with all this at first, but