tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post1329289812411018984..comments2024-03-29T04:01:31.445-04:00Comments on Lovely Bicycle!: Finishing What You StartedVelouriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-22806471756102571992015-09-28T00:31:58.382-04:002015-09-28T00:31:58.382-04:00I've been following your blog for a while and ...I've been following your blog for a while and never knew you took a frame brazing class. I just finished my first frame at UBI Portland's frame brazing class. Mine was a lugged (Richard Sachs Newvex) rando frame with way too many braze ons and now that I'm home, the pain of filing and sanding all of those shorelines bulging with too much silver is rising in my mind.J.E. Sawyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06903417148635418526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-28108929053834723082013-01-13T11:38:14.974-05:002013-01-13T11:38:14.974-05:00This is really fantastic. I'd love to take so...This is really fantastic. I'd love to take some framebuilding classes. I'm more than a little jealous.<br /><br />Great choice of fork crown, by the way.Eric Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17360291081839210114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-81708224805312478412013-01-08T11:52:34.246-05:002013-01-08T11:52:34.246-05:00The ultimate finish is chromeplate. Like shining k...The ultimate finish is chromeplate. Like shining klieg lights on the surface while a critic holds a pointer. All my non-utility bikes have had some chrome and I've always been in awe of the guys who made them.<br /><br />None of that chrome has been perfect. Most has had plain and obvious file marks. The game is to make it look good even though perfection is not attained.<br /><br />From what can be seen in first photos V's frame looks good.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-73103152884349644122013-01-08T10:05:27.239-05:002013-01-08T10:05:27.239-05:00Congratulations on the build.
I have always wanted...Congratulations on the build.<br />I have always wanted to build my own frame. In fact, there is a gentleman here in my town that offers weekend building course. He helps you design then cut then weld your bike under his watchful eye over a two week end period (8 to 9 hours a day all day Saturday and Sunday). <br />I also love the unfinished look that shows all the brazing and file marks. If it were mine I would clear coat (powder coat) it and be done with it.The Biking Vikinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01390526562349554341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-34809966839413003572013-01-07T23:21:06.067-05:002013-01-07T23:21:06.067-05:00Congratulations on your frame. It's a beauty. ...Congratulations on your frame. It's a beauty. I especially like the seat stay caps -- very nice. I have a couple of vintage frames from the 60s and 70s that have some pretty sloppy welds, especially around the bottom bracket. That's what you get with mass-produced goods.MT cyclisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17451590809473759574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-60153701406032456812013-01-07T21:13:49.300-05:002013-01-07T21:13:49.300-05:00"Overall, I see value in both, and I especial..."Overall, I see value in both, and I especially like the way Mike switches back and forth between them when one happens to make more sense for the task than the other."<br /><br />Cut by any means possible. - Musashi<br /><br />The frame looks good. <br /><br />It is intensely gratifying to get to a point where you know you call your task finished to you satisfaction, isn't it?<br /><br />The cranky sore fingers relax after a while.Corey Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15381826721030941179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-86876719645234228242013-01-07T20:20:34.500-05:002013-01-07T20:20:34.500-05:00“AND NOW LISTEN: THE RULE OF THE FINAL INCH! The r...“AND NOW LISTEN: THE RULE OF THE FINAL INCH! The realm of the Final Inch! In the language of Maximum Clarity it is immediately clear what that is. The work has been almost completed, the goal almost attained, everything completely right and the difficulties overcome. But the quality of the thing is not quite right. Finishing touches are needed, maybe still more research. In that moment of fatigue and self-satisfaction it is especially tempting to leave the work without having attained the apex of quality. Work in the area of the Final Inch is very, very complex and also especially valuable, because it is executed by the most perfected means. In fact, the rule of the Final Inch consists in this: not to shirk this crucial work. Not to postpone it, for the thoughts of the person performing the task will then stray from the realm of the Final Inch. And not to mind the time spent on it, knowing that one’s purpose lies not in completing things faster but in the attainment of perfection.”<br />from “The First Circle” by Alexsandr I. Solzhenitsyn<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09740693102543836135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-78128493973662999082013-01-07T19:46:10.039-05:002013-01-07T19:46:10.039-05:00Nice, I'm impressed with Mike's thoroughne...Nice, I'm impressed with Mike's thoroughness in checking your work.GR Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01145811568384053426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-8395656236532672532013-01-07T19:44:22.173-05:002013-01-07T19:44:22.173-05:00Your first bike , will make a nice story ,like &qu... Your first bike , will make a nice story ,like "Divine Rights Trip". Champagne before and after the 1st ride .ofoabhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02145180145442539127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-61065805198987441762013-01-07T19:11:56.809-05:002013-01-07T19:11:56.809-05:00All of this is terribly exciting and makes me REAL...All of this is terribly exciting and makes me REALLY want to take a class sometime! Congratulations to you on making your own bike frame! Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08236210810344032312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-41917937681630428982013-01-07T15:34:27.422-05:002013-01-07T15:34:27.422-05:00A full answer would require an essay, so topic for...A full answer would require an essay, so topic for a separate post. But quick summary of my impressions:<br /><br />The experience of production is very different. TIG welding is cleaner and "calmer." You are sitting down, not dancing all around the frame and pointing the torch this way and that. There is no messy flux. It almost feels surgical.<br /><br />Welding requires finer control of the torch, more precision, less subjectivity. <br /><br />TIG welding is harder to learn and get good at. But once you do get the hang of it, it is easier/quicker to do than brazing.<br /><br />The bond on a welded joint feels stronger to me than a brazed one. <br /><br />It is entirely possible to clean up a welded joint (on steel) so that it's smooth with no visible "pools." If a builder so desires, there is a way to make welded joints look seamless. <br /><br />Overall, I see value in both, and I especially like the way Mike switches back and forth between them when one happens to make more sense for the task than the other. Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-9098619729561900082013-01-07T15:12:02.812-05:002013-01-07T15:12:02.812-05:00So impressive an accomplishment. Starting to think...So impressive an accomplishment. Starting to think you're a Renaissance woman. Congratulations! Jim DuncanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-44884941443918772722013-01-07T15:11:27.957-05:002013-01-07T15:11:27.957-05:00What are your impressions of welding vs brazing, n...What are your impressions of welding vs brazing, not from an aesthetic but from a manufacturing point of view?Kyle T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-78127202844075499712013-01-07T15:09:09.529-05:002013-01-07T15:09:09.529-05:00I cleaned up and polished the lugs before we start...I cleaned up and polished the lugs before we started, and really enjoyed that part. It's funny, because now I can look at lugged bikes and tell whether the builder/manufacturer got rid of the casting marks or just left them as is. There is a subtly textured look to the surface of the lugs and fork crowns that were used as-is. They are visible under liquid coat but not sure about powder. Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-3228924819375492542013-01-07T15:05:24.669-05:002013-01-07T15:05:24.669-05:00Lovely Bicycle!Lovely Bicycle!jeffnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-37806178281857792502013-01-07T15:04:42.097-05:002013-01-07T15:04:42.097-05:00Exactly. I loved the little belt sander though; mu...Exactly. I loved the little belt sander though; much easier for me to use than a dremel, and perfect for chiseling away at the dropouts, when they needed to be dramatically shrunken. Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-73020242707943815822013-01-07T14:58:35.134-05:002013-01-07T14:58:35.134-05:00The method we used was putting a long pipe-like th...The method we used was putting a long pipe-like thing over each blade (I forget the name of this - but I've seen pics of this process on VSalon), then moving it like a huge lever to try to crack or yank out the blade. No matter how much force we applied, all we could do was twist the blade until it was all bent out of shape. But it would neither crack at the crown, nor come out of the socket. Eventually we melted it out carefully to see how much filler material was on the inside of the crown. It looked pretty good. Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-40312471154511885342013-01-07T14:50:05.003-05:002013-01-07T14:50:05.003-05:00beautiful lugs!beautiful lugs!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14219789306196538567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-55109538258094653092013-01-07T14:40:08.667-05:002013-01-07T14:40:08.667-05:00How do you & Mike fatigue-test in such a small...How do you & Mike fatigue-test in such a small shop?GR Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01145811568384053426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-72256365694428511352013-01-07T14:23:51.887-05:002013-01-07T14:23:51.887-05:00Yeah, that was actually the second time it was sup...Yeah, that was actually the second time it was supposed to be "the last day." We took some detours, since the goal wasn't so much for me to have a bike in the end, as to learn and properly understand every step involved in making it. Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-16627539394183399062013-01-07T14:15:32.598-05:002013-01-07T14:15:32.598-05:00That's a really fantastic achievement, V, well...That's a really fantastic achievement, V, well in. Can' t wait to see it ready to roll.DaveUKnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-51835445136044793632013-01-07T13:56:17.789-05:002013-01-07T13:56:17.789-05:00Don't mistake what I wrote in this post to mea...Don't mistake what I wrote in this post to mean that the bike looks professionally finished. Powdercoat is the right decision!Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-36701428936135709852013-01-07T13:35:02.678-05:002013-01-07T13:35:02.678-05:00I hope the ride is wonderful. Spring is near. En...I hope the ride is wonderful. Spring is near. Enjoy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-70905252762053694682013-01-07T12:37:13.103-05:002013-01-07T12:37:13.103-05:00I've got a couple of air and electric belt san...I've got a couple of air and electric belt sanders from 3 inches to 1/2" wide, they still only get you to about the 98% mark. You don't want anything that can be finished by machine when you want something really fine. I hope that never changes...<br /><br />SpindizzyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-85471989999738406952013-01-07T12:36:16.208-05:002013-01-07T12:36:16.208-05:00Yes, beware the "this is the last day" a...Yes, beware the "this is the last day" assessment of any complex project. Unless it's work you've done extensively, it rarely turns out to be the actual last day and risks making you rush, get depressed, or accept "good enough" when you know it should be better. Glad to hear you insisted on reaching a satisfying finishing point.MaxUtilitynoreply@blogger.com