My scratch built bikes

[Doormandean]

I love this one a LOT! Definitely loving the style with the seat post having the same curve as the wheel.

Do you find you have had any strength issues with the tube extension that the crank is on? Is it strong enough to stand on?

I'd love a tube roller to get those long sweeping bends, jolly expensive bits of kit though - even buying the dies to make your own! Any chance of seeing the bars from the front please?

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Lots of times I added another tube on the bottom of the BB. I didn't on this one.
Its pretty sturdy. I doubt that standing on it would affect it. Would be hard to bend
16 gauge tubing welded on to something by just standing on it. Maybe hitting it with
a 10 pound sledge hammer would bend it. Just my opinion though. Doing them like that
they never wiggle or anything. :roll: Roller benders are cheap here. Harbor freight sells
the one I use for $100. Made in China.

 

[Doormandean]

That's bloomin' lovely! thanks for that pic
Great job fella

Can't believe how cheap the rollers are over there, they're 6 or 700 pounds over here so that's about 800 to a 1000 US dollars! Crazy money! Almost worth buying them there and shipping it over (if I had the money :lol: )

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Thanks glad you like it. The bad part is the roller benders weigh a hundred pounds so shipping
across the pond would be expensive too.

 

[wimpy]

I agree on the bike: really great looks. Especially the bars. Looks kinda like the antennae of a grasshopper. Cool.
About the pipebender: is this the kind of bender you use? http://www.harborfreight.com/media/cata ... _18569.jpg
If so,they're sold in The Netherlands as well,for only 99,- Euro's. So maybe it's an option for Doormandean. At least it's closer to his home than The States.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

I use three benders that Hydraulic, is one. This jd2 ($550 one die) is another

And this $100 roller is the other

They all have their uses. If I had to use just one it would be the roller.

 

[wimpy]

Drool...... If only I had a shed with more workspace and a missus with less jabber. :wink:

 

[Doormandean]

I agree on the bike: really great looks. Especially the bars. Looks kinda like the antennae of a grasshopper. Cool.
About the pipebender: is this the kind of bender you use? http://www.harborfreight.com/media/cata ... _18569.jpg
If so,they're sold in The Netherlands as well,for only 99,- Euro's. So maybe it's an option for Doormandean. At least it's closer to his home than The States.

Fortunately I've got a tube bender, it's the roller that's uber expensive over here, nice idea though thanks!

 

[Little_Will]

Excellent fabrication work on all those bikes. My favourite has to be the yellow though, followed closely by the metallic red/cream fat frank bike 8) . Hopefully one day I'll get the chance to build a frame from scratch?

Will

 

[Uncle Stretch]

The first red one and the yellow one are basically the same frame. The red one just has more rake
and a little different chain stays.
Glad you like them.
Building a scratch built bike is easier than most people think. The dreaming up something
that will look cool is the hard part. Its hard sometimes not to copy someones design. You
will see one and then your mind will tell you about it later while you building and then you
think its your design. Really there are only a few ways to bend tubing. :roll: :roll:

 

[King Zebba]

What die do you have for your JD2 bender? Just curious. I'm guess'n 3/4" - 3 1/2?

 

[Uncle Stretch]

I bought it to do the stays on a frame. I only have 1'' dies. The bad thing is the smallest die they sell
will do a 5 1/4'' inside to inside bend. The options are to build a frame that is pretty wide on the stays
or cut an inch out of the middle of the stays and weld them back together.

 

[King Zebba]

Still a nice bender though!

 

[Azonic]

Alot of nice rides there, i need tube bender bad!

 

[Gdcast]

My favorite one is always your next one Uncle!
Been playing with the idea of building a basman 346 replica for a wile now... know you have been in the same spot... any tips?

 

[blackdiamond]

:shock: i want one!

Seriously your an artist! i wish i had one of your frames to build up and paint!

 

[Voyager Al]

hey,Unc...the green bike, with the thin seat and chain stays. Looks odd. Is there alot of flex since the stays are so thin?

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Its solid rod and I have used it several times on builds and never noticed any flex.

 

[kingfish254]

Another buried treasure post.