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 Post subject: Building a Frame
PostPosted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 8:09 pm 
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Does anyone have experience building a frame?

I have an URGE to build a lugged Steel Gravel Frame sometime in the coming year or two.


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 Post subject: Re: Building a Frame
PostPosted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 8:25 pm 
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325racer wrote:
Does anyone have experience building a frame?

I have an URGE to build a lugged Steel Gravel Frame sometime in the coming year or two.


No, but I’ve thought about it too.

http://makerplace.com/event-1832089

https://moltenmetalworks.net/bicycleframebuilding/h

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 Post subject: Re: Building a Frame
PostPosted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 8:46 pm 
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OK, now yer talking! If you want to ride boring stuff, building your own bike is certainly a cool way to go about it. Sorry, no advice, except maybe look into a bike/frame building class. Seems like there was some sort of bike building school available if I recall?

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 Post subject: Re: Building a Frame
PostPosted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 8:46 pm 
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 Post subject: Re: Building a Frame
PostPosted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 8:54 pm 
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Or go real Woody! There are lots of examples out there.

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 Post subject: Re: Building a Frame
PostPosted: Sun Jan 28, 2018 8:42 am 
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There are tons of classes, with most starting at $2500 and range from 4 days to 10+ days. They can be taken in Portland, Seattle, New England, Old England, Germany, etc. You have to supply travel, room and board. So a frame building experience could cost upwards of $5000. Maybe when I'm retired I'll do that, but it would be more cost affective to just have a Pro build a custom frame.

There's so many resources online, I'm thinking more along the DIY lines. Super basic materials (lugs, BB, tubing, drop outs, brave ons) can be found for @ $300, higher end materials for @ $500. Supplies and DIY tools for another $200ish. There's online dimension/miter software etc.

So yes, I'm thinking 2019 might be the year of building a frame in my garage. If I embark on this project, I would certainly be open to sharing the experience with anyone else interested.


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 Post subject: Re: Building a Frame
PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 4:35 pm 
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I know enough to know that the most important part of bike frame building is the bench it is built upon. Most frame builders have a dead-flat steel table and jigs that support the various tubes at the exact heights and angles desired for welding. But with a lugged steel frame it should be a bit easier simply because you will already have the lugs in place at the triangle corners to guide the exit paths of the tubes. And steel bends well, so any small mistakes in exit angles can be corrected with a bit of persuasion. As long as you can jig up small holders for the lugs to allow them to be tacked accurately first, then it should work.

Another tool needed is a steel tubing bender. Chain stays and seat stays are complex, requiring many bends and cuts to allow tire clearance without pedal and chain interference. The front triangle would be pretty simple, but the back triangle is where all the magic happens.

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 Post subject: Re: Building a Frame
PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 6:37 pm 
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Also, I don’t know how much welding/brazing experience you have, maybe a lot, but if it’s not a strong suit I’d recommend a local course (ROP or Community College) and some practice, even if it’s just brazing cheap plumbing pipe & fittings, to get a feel for how heat and filler flows before trying the real deal. It’s one of those crafty skills where there’s an aha! moment in understanding it.

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 Post subject: Re: Building a Frame
PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 8:50 pm 
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Make one of these


https://www.pinkbike.com/news/btr-pinner-review.html

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 Post subject: Re: Building a Frame
PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 10:28 pm 
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I'm figuring I'll probably end up building 2, a practice frame with less expensive materials, then a nicer, lighter, etc, one with better tubing and lugs.

As for bending, etc, there are many preshaped chain and seat stays, not sure how much extra forming the would need.

The plan behind lugged vs lugless is that things are a little more forgiving in the alignment area, because the lugs do help with that.


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