Stainless Scrapper

[deven_science]

I've spent most of this year working at a hospital, plumbing a couple of new wings to expand the place. Behind the hospital is a big dumpster by their mechanical building, wherein they toss stuff not up to standards. Broken office chairs. Dented up carts. You get it.

I'd seen several IV rolling racks in there, and pulled five of them out, to take home. They're made of stainless tubing of various sizes, mostly 1" and 7/8". I've decided to make a stainless frame, completely from junk out of that dumpster, plus some other jobsite scrap. This frame will be 100% free, which is good, because I'm thinking of spending the extra dough to put better parts on it than I normally do.

I've only got enough for a frame right now, but I'm really hoping they throw away more, so I can make forks and bars out of stainless, as well. Here's my pile:

I tried to bend the stainless in a conduit bender, and it folded. So sharp bends are out. However, as you can see from that top piece, when in my roller, it rolled quite nicely. So I'll work with that. The short thicker piece near the top of the pic is 1 3/8", and I'm going to make that work for a headtube. The cups are a little too tight for it, but I'll message them on, somehow or another.

My main issue was a lack of stainless for a BB. I was even going to buy one, but all frame suppliers are out of SS stock. Then I found this piece of 2" stainless pipe that I've had for something like 15 years from a different project, and when I tried a bearing cup in it, it was closer than I expected! It's just a 1/16th loose!

I'll shim it, or weld a small bead inside it, or something to make it work. It's too close not to.

 

[rgrrbt]

Nice score! Here's hoping you find more for the forks. This bike is going to have a great story behind it.

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

looking forward to this.

 

[deven_science]

The front half is looking like my typical style, so once that's together, I'll ponder if I want to do something different for the back, or will the fact that it's stainless be enough to stand out.

 

[Wildcat]

"The cups are a little too tight for it, but I'll message them on, somehow or another."

I used a frame that had a too narrow headtube for standard cups. I was able to cut a slot in each cup then tap them in. It wasn't enough of a difference for the bearings and races, they worked fine. I positioned the cap so the slot was in the rear, not noticeable.

 

[Pondo]

Cool build, I love the concept. With all stainless that's going to be a sharp looking frame! Will you go with a brushed or polished finish? Very cool!

 

[deven_science]

Cool build, I love the concept. With all stainless that's going to be a sharp looking frame! Will you go with a brushed or polished finish? Very cool!

I'm thinking polished, but we'll see how it goes.

 

[curtisfox]

I've spent most of this year working at a hospital, plumbing a couple of new wings to expand the place. Behind the hospital is a big dumpster by their mechanical building, wherein they toss stuff not up to standards. Broken office chairs. Dented up carts. You get it.

I'd seen several IV rolling racks in there, and pulled five of them out, to take home. They're made of stainless tubing of various sizes, mostly 1" and 7/8". I've decided to make a stainless frame, completely from junk out of that dumpster, plus some other jobsite scrap. This frame will be 100% free, which is good, because I'm thinking of spending the extra dough to put better parts on it than I normally do.

I've only got enough for a frame right now, but I'm really hoping they throw away more, so I can make forks and bars out of stainless, as well. Here's my pile:
View attachment 219241

I tried to bend the stainless in a conduit bender, and it folded. So sharp bends are out. However, as you can see from that top piece, when in my roller, it rolled quite nicely. So I'll work with that. The short thicker piece near the top of the pic is 1 3/8", and I'm going to make that work for a headtube. The cups are a little too tight for it, but I'll message them on, somehow or another.

My main issue was a lack of stainless for a BB. I was even going to buy one, but all frame suppliers are out of SS stock. Then I found this piece of 2" stainless pipe that I've had for something like 15 years from a different project, and when I tried a bearing cup in it, it was closer than I expected! It's just a 1/16th loose!
View attachment 219242View attachment 219243View attachment 219244

I'll shim it, or weld a small bead inside it, or something to make it work. It's too close not to.

Try a center punch around the inside, it will swell the metal and the cups may fit them..............Curt.

 

[69SHOVLHED]

supposedly-- i've never tried it-- you can fill stainless tube with sand to keep it from folding when you try to bend it. funny, some stainless is really easy to work, then the next piece will be some different alloy that is impossible to cut without a plasma cutter, won't bend without cracking, or is just a PITA. but the best thing about stainless is you just wipe it down with a greasy rag and done.

 

[deven_science]

The limited amount of stainless I've got on-hand is sort of dictating the build. I used the scrap piece from the front downtube as the seat tube, including the straight bit I would normally cut off. That's okay, as I'm thinking that may make room for a short seat post.

 

[deven_science]

I've set aside one stick of 1" to make stainless forks, and one stick of the 7/8" to make a custom set of SS bars, as well. So, with the limited amount of SS tubing available, I'm trying to plan the rest of the build. Here's a couple of art deco inspired ideas.

Not super loving either of these. Well, I actually do like the top one, but I'm not sure that rear would be strong enough with them running parallel so close together. I had the idea to make a faux-tank out of three staggered bars that don't quite go all the way across, but now that it's laid out, I'm not sure I'm as sold on it as I thought I'd be. This may end up a little more traditional looking.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

The look of the top one is really good, but the two bars look like a swing arm suspension that is missing its spring; it definitely looks like that rear end would flex

 

[BartRidesEternal]

I've set aside one stick of 1" to make stainless forks, and one stick of the 7/8" to make a custom set of SS bars, as well. So, with the limited amount of SS tubing available, I'm trying to plan the rest of the build. Here's a couple of art deco inspired ideas.
View attachment 219577
View attachment 219578

Not super loving either of these. Well, I actually do like the top one, but I'm not sure that rear would be strong enough with them running parallel so close together. I had the idea to make a faux-tank out of three staggered bars that don't quite go all the way across, but now that it's laid out, I'm not sure I'm as sold on it as I thought I'd be. This may end up a little more traditional looking.

What about a stainless steel lanyard or rope underneath for that extra stiffness?
I have considered it on my wooden bicycle build.
Looks pretty strange (read: awesome) too

What I like about stainless steel as well is the colour when it gets heated! A bit like oil slick but more real or something like that.

 

[deven_science]

I think I've finalized the design, which'll mostly be a pretty simple cantilever design (hey, what can I say? I love cantilevers). This week, I'm focusing on getting the BB in place.

 

[deven_science]

And the BB is cut in. Next challenge will be to start the rear.

 

[deven_science]

Used two bends that were in the parts I had on-hand to start the chainstays. I even put in some braces a few inches back, which looked terrible, and I spent three times as long to cut them back off and clean the area up. ugh.

 

[Ulu]

That’s pretty swoopy!

 

[Tallbikeman]

Nice work so far. I really like your design. These types of projects always seem to have deadend ideas that need reworking, I know mine always do. Keep up the good work.

 

[deven_science]

The chain stays are in.

 

[Kevin B]

The origin area of the chain stays reminds me of Neptune's trident. This is a fascinating design. The elevated bottom bracket is a genius way to get crank/pedal clearance and still keep the frame low.