Wait a minute? You align your valve stem caps?!
Mid-Western Flyer X-16 :: Assembled and Riding pg. 5
- Thread starter SkyknightJohn
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Inching along!
Checked the alignment for two days.
Checked again.
Tacked the seat tube. Did the top and bottom quarter welds of the tubes, switching from joint to joint to keep the heat down. More to come.
Performed a little more welding today, but no pics to show. It really doesn't look much different. I'm just doing a third or quarter section of a joint, moving to the next, doing that again, next one, etc... so I should have the front triangle fully welded after two more sessions. (I've only been able to work on it an hour or so per day.)
The hardest part is the BB joints. The BB is 0.083", with a heat sink in it to protect the threads and keep it round, and the main tubes are 0.035". So I have to keep the heat up to get a puddle on the BB, but keep it away from the main tube to prevent burn through and just "lick" it over to form the joint. The result, for me, is some less than pretty welds. Others are looking OK. Always learning.
The hardest part is the BB joints. The BB is 0.083", with a heat sink in it to protect the threads and keep it round, and the main tubes are 0.035". So I have to keep the heat up to get a puddle on the BB, but keep it away from the main tube to prevent burn through and just "lick" it over to form the joint. The result, for me, is some less than pretty welds. Others are looking OK. Always learning.
i like how your work look clean, professional and calculated.
ill have to build a frame with fresh tubings , a proper jig and more welding experience some of these days
ill have to build a frame with fresh tubings , a proper jig and more welding experience some of these days
I'm not so sure about the "professional" bit, but I've made enough errors in the past to have learned, the hard way, that "calculated" pays off. I know.. I know.. some people do well winging it, but I don't seem to"Proper jig" is a relative term. The true professional frame builders would probably be appalled at my setup. (Inspired by @OCD and since seen elsewhere.) As long as both axles and the BB are in the same plane, it will ride predictably even if the middle bits are a bit wonky.
I've only been TIG welding for 3 years, on and off, strictly for the purpose of frame building. I don't think the learning curve is any steeper than any other form of welding, and yes, practice and experience help. I recommend the videos series by Mr. Tig. (on youtube and weld.com)
FWIW, I'm using an Everlast PowerArc 160STH inverter. The most affordable machine I could find with High-Frequency start and the pedal control. AC only, so aluminum is out. As I mentioned earlier, the upgrade to a gas lens in the torch is well worth the money. It is 110v/220v capable, but I've only run it on 110v, limited to a max of 85 amps, but as I weld mostly 0.065" and thinner, it works just fine.
Finished the main triangle today. Some good looking welds I'm not embarrassed to show.
Head tube:
Top Tube to Seat Tube: one of my best!
I'll not be sharing a pic of the bottom bracket welds!
But they'll hold.
Here's a quick mock-up of things:
Obviously, some work to do still. The rear triangle isn't welded at all and it needs to connect to the front somehow. I have no clue if the fork/head tube are at the angle they'll be, etc.. etc... Just a quick pose for the fun of it.
Head tube:
Top Tube to Seat Tube: one of my best!
I'll not be sharing a pic of the bottom bracket welds!
But they'll hold. Here's a quick mock-up of things:
Obviously, some work to do still. The rear triangle isn't welded at all and it needs to connect to the front somehow. I have no clue if the fork/head tube are at the angle they'll be, etc.. etc... Just a quick pose for the fun of it.
Top Tube to Seat Tube weld is perfection sir !
well for me its very professional , i use mig flux core and only started welding 1 or 2 months ago ,using wood peices as jig for one weld and everything else is pretty much eyeballed
nice progress! keep it up!
well for me its very professional , i use mig flux core and only started welding 1 or 2 months ago ,using wood peices as jig for one weld and everything else is pretty much eyeballed
nice progress! keep it up!
Nice job dude, you got skills. Id kill to weld like that
A rough rendering of the plan. Steps ahead:
1.) Install headset. I'll then be able to have the front axle in the right place & get the head tube / fork angle set correctly.
2.) Align the rear axle & set with proper BB drop. This will also raise / rotate the rear triangle
3.) Shorten the chain stays. See the second pic.
4.) Check everything twice; then check again.
5.) Weld some more!
6.) All the other things to make it a bicycle!
1.) Install headset. I'll then be able to have the front axle in the right place & get the head tube / fork angle set correctly.
2.) Align the rear axle & set with proper BB drop. This will also raise / rotate the rear triangle
3.) Shorten the chain stays. See the second pic.
4.) Check everything twice; then check again.
5.) Weld some more!
6.) All the other things to make it a bicycle!
Sometimes it's nice to have the right tool for the job. Here are three I used today:
Headset reamer/facer makes the head tube interior just the right size, and makes the faces parallel top/bottom.
We've all used hammers and pipe to insert our headsets. I finally broke down and bought this press.
She looks so much better with a set of cups.
My planned 47" wheelbase won't work out, as seen here, but everything is aligned well. She's coming together.
Headset reamer/facer makes the head tube interior just the right size, and makes the faces parallel top/bottom.
We've all used hammers and pipe to insert our headsets. I finally broke down and bought this press.
She looks so much better with a set of cups.
My planned 47" wheelbase won't work out, as seen here, but everything is aligned well. She's coming together.
Looking good! That's some fancy hardware you have there. Used it all back in the day at the shop. Here's my homemade bearing cup press, works on BB and HS....
A few days of prep and she has chain stays! A complicated joint since the seat tube interrupts the CS->BB at the top, and they're not intersecting at a right angle. Grind, check, repeat.
Not far now my little smurflings!
Not far now my little smurflings!
Nice welds! Frame looks great.
Well done
Nice work on those joints and welds. 
Luke.
Luke.
Beautiful. Looks like a steep angle on the head tube. I ride an old Cannondale CAD2 that has a steep angle. My understanding is the steep angle could get you inside on the turns but it was a love hate thing. I never raced so I don't know about the turns, but I do have to pay attention when I'm riding the Cannondale...
Carl.
Carl.
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Yeah, I tried to do some digital mock-up of lines and next steps and it looked like it was at 76 degrees or so, and I started to freak out a bit. But it must be a perspective thing in the pic. In real life it measures 70 degrees, which is right in the 'relaxed' end of the range of normal. Of course, we'll have to wait to see how she rolls once she's on wheels.
The Renaissance Man
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Looking good!
Rear triangle finished! 44" wheel base.
Sorry, no action shots. I've been a little negligent in that regard.
Next steps: cold setting, ream seat tube, clean BB threads. At that point I can put wheels, handlebars and a seat on her and see if I built a bike or a pretty wall hanging. Then all the cool stuff like brakes, tank, & rack. maybe even paint & pedals!
Sorry, no action shots. I've been a little negligent in that regard.
Next steps: cold setting, ream seat tube, clean BB threads. At that point I can put wheels, handlebars and a seat on her and see if I built a bike or a pretty wall hanging. Then all the cool stuff like brakes, tank, & rack. maybe even paint & pedals!
Nicely done!
