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Mickey - I have always dreamed of getting into the frame building business. It would be cool to learn how to roll your own. I would be interested to partnering with someone to learn more. I really would like to be able to build Ti frames!
Gabe - What kind of cost are we talking about?
For those of you that have the experience, please share your knowledge.
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| POSTED BY: Mickey on 01/26/2008 | 11:28 PM |
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Yea, I've always wanted to build some frames as well. But as I mentioned in another thread, my welds look more like popcorn. But hey, you never learn if you try. I'd definitely like to see more info about this and work on my welds. Not sure if the welder I have is the right equipment for building frames or not, but it's a good place to start. I've got plenty of projects I have slated to work on that will require welding up... like my Jeep bike rack I plan to build. As for making popcorn... that's what I got a grinder for. 
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Howdy,
Im not qualified to talk much about tig welding or Ti but building with Ti is a lot more expensive,the shop needs to be practically a "clean room" and scrap is expensive. My experience is strictly brazing both with silver(lugs) and bronze(fillet).
When we started we purchased a lugged "kit" from Ceeway in England because we could get lugs in the correct angles,tube sizes for a Mtn Bike frame.
We built our own "parrelell jig from extruded t-slot aluminum purchased from Mc-mster-carr. It worked adequate but was very,very tedious. We also just mitered the tubes with good files so the intitial cost was about $600.00 plus tubing. We also brazed with Mapp gas..very good for silver as you do not overheat the steel.
To do it again from the start i think gettinga professional "hobby" jig from Henry James would be best..$1800.oo i think.
We also use a riciprocating spindle sander now..Ryobi $250.00..Home Depot
A good torch oxy/acetylene..$400.00
Various hand files,dremels,rotary grinders..$150.00..
A commitment cause you will f-up.
Ill throw out some comments about steel selection with my limited knowledge before long.
Overall, if you could get 3 people together you each could put in $1000.00 and set up a very decent home shop...
If you ever come to Asheville,Pisgah give us a shout and well be glad to go riding and show you our little shop.
We ride right out of Gabes yard into the trails....
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We will look you guys up the next time we come up to Pisgah.
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| POSTED BY: Mickey on 01/28/2008 | 10:10 AM |
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Count me in! I'd definitely like to check out what you guys got going on. I haven't had a chance to read all the threads and you may have already answered this, but what kind of frames do you guys typically build? Getting a ride in while there would be cool too!
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Mickey,
We build fillet brazed steel. We have built a few geared frames for friends and a few "coasty" single speeds. However the frames and bikes we love and ride are fixed gear mountain bikes AND bar-hopping sidecar bikes.
So if i could answer your question with a specific type frame--Fixies are it...
Between Gabe and myself i think we are up to maybe 40 frames now..mostly our own but we have maybe 8 to close friends...
We have a website..smokebikes.com....
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| POSTED BY: Gabe on 01/28/2008 | 12:28 PM |
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Smokebikes..........mountain fixies
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| POSTED BY: Mickey on 02/19/2008 | 09:14 PM |
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Gabe, You Thad got any new frames in the works now?
Those Sidecar frames are wild looking.
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| POSTED BY: Gabe on 02/20/2008 | 03:24 PM |
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Yeah, we are about to start a frame project to donate for a local cause.....more details on that latter. I am also in the design phase of another side-car bike that will have a hack assisted drive........I plan to configure it for off road use (gravel roads).........and there are a couple of other frames in the works for the end of May. I plan to attempt to keep up with a blog that I started with pictures and such when things start happening. Or stop by sometime and we'll show ya'll around.  http://smokebikes.blogspot.com/
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Smokebikes..........mountain fixies
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| POSTED BY: HoboBiker on 06/11/2008 | 03:42 PM |
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that head badge on the Canine is great! Nice touch!
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got a bad case of the itch, must be poison ivy - or could be fleas
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