Weight Weenies

Hey, looking some advice on this before I take the plunge.

The caps that are welded on to the end of the chain stays dont seems to be a structural component of the frame, so is it safe to drill here?

I'm worring about the drill hole spawning cracks along weak points, but I guess even if cracks appear on this end cap, they would stop at the weld joint and not propogate to the chainstay itself. Or would they?

Or maybe to the end caps stop the deformation of the shape chainstays and they are actually an important bit of metal that should not be messed about with?

Any feedback greatly appreciated...

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Technically no problem, but good luck with the drilling through about 4-5mm of titanium....

That spot is likely fine to drill. It should not be more than 1mm thick or so, use a punch to mark your spot, and then I like to start with a small bit to get a pilot hole in (if you don't have a fixture to hold the frame and the drill/mill this is usually a very good idea), but depending on the size of the hole for Di2/your skill level that may not be necessary.

Good luck.

use a drillstop as well.

Titanium will get very hot get it done professionally, other wise you will find yourself getting through a lot of drill bits

Just lube the hole often...every 15-20 seconds and your bits will be fine

Use a slower speed to drill rather than full rpms. If you have a buddy who can help you, get a sprayer and spray the drilling area with water. Ideally, you would have cutting/cooling solution, but to buy a gallon of that stuff for one simple job is rather pointless.

I'd call Litespeed.

I second the slow speed and water or a spray solution. Just your average spray bottle will work. I've even heard of some builders using windex to cool when cutting. The guys that have suggested that this is a two person job are also pretty spot-on - the area you will be drilling is not going to be conducive to a one-handed job and spraying your cooling solution as you go, so an extra set of hands to squeeze the spray trigger will be very helpful. And if you're not familiar with drilling through metal tubing or something similar, then I definitely recommend the drillstop. As for calling Litespeed, it's insurance, but the info here is solid to cover your bases.

That should be easy to do for anyone with access to a quality drill press. It might be a pain with hand-held tools, though.

how are you going to rig the frame into a drill press? it would be pretty tough to clamp that in there at the correct angle and not damaging the tubes

Are there any custom builders in your area who work with titanium? If it was me I'd take it to them and see what they say.

If you have ever faced a titanium headtube you will realize what a pain in the ass this is. I would consider taking it to a local machinist- this is one of those "how hard could it be!" situations that end up in something getting destroyed.

If you're familiar with drilling it's a pretty easy job...it's just the material is very hard. Just use the guide explained here above and it should be fine. Drilling that spot won't affect anything. I've a Vortex and it looks almost the same at that point.

But be patient as Ti is very hard! Take your time, new bits beginning with a small hole and work through it to the desired diameter slowly. Spray enough while drilling on slow speed. If it gets too hot, just wait a bit or cool it with a wet rag. Just like drilling a hole but with patience.

I've sanded my Litespeed Vortex...i know how long it takes to work on a surface like Ti...it took me weeks to get my desired look!

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Howdy
How are you going to Di2 the rest of the frame?
cheers