the easy answer to steven's query is 'yes'. anybody
can do anything to any lug and affect a change in its
appearance. my points had nothing to do with aesthetics,
'ceptin that ornate cast lugs are the work of the foundry,
not the framebuilder...
i had failed to make the additional point that the (metal
used to make a) cast lug is less equal to the tubing it holds
than the type which preceeded it. the quality of a lugged joint
comes from the skill of the brazer and the precision of the miters,
not from what type of material the lug is fabricated from.
yes, the cast steel is stronger than the (older) pressed steel.
but once the joint is brazed, i feel its integrity is enhanced by
the pressed steel lug type. similarly, i feel it's integrity is NOT
ENHANCED by using lugs of cast steel. (i don't want to say it's
less enhanced, or weaker, or poorer...).
what one does to change a lugs' ornamental details is a seperate
issue that does not apply here. however, the original post was about
vintage/classic...and i feel once the industry embraced pre-fabbed
material, (read: cast parts...), it was the end of that era doland asked
about.
e-RICHIE