Volo.

[bikewhorder]

Sneak peak at the head tube. I still have lots of trimming to do.

 

[OddJob]

Wow! That's substantial. And lots of surface area there for adhesion between wood and aluminum.
Are you finding that your laminated / steamed / shaped frame pieces are holding their form pretty well? I was curious how long you had to keep them in the jig / mold to dry out and let the cells assume their new configuration.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Beautiful.

 

[bikewhorder]

Wow! That's substantial. And lots of surface area there for adhesion between wood and aluminum.
Are you finding that your laminated / steamed / shaped frame pieces are holding their form pretty well? I was curious how long you had to keep them in the jig / mold to dry out and let the cells assume their new configuration.

I just leave them on the forms for 24 hours. I'm using west system and there's no need to let them cure any longer than that. Between being steam bent and all the layers they have been bent into submission and don't really spring back much at all. I still have top and bottom layers to add too. I still have so much to do it feels a bit hopeless right now.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Recruit some help, I'm sure you're not the only person working in that shop! No foul for having someone help with gluing or welding.

I know you will ultimately finish it the way you want it later on, but I want to see this creation cross the finish line as a rider!

 

[bikewhorder]

I took this week off to work on it but I think distracting my "on the clock" colleagues might be pushing my luck. But yes, I decided a week ago that this welding thing was going to have to left to a professional and I've hired a friend to it. I'm dropping off the parts tomorrow.

 

[bikewhorder]

It never ceases to amaze me what cool shapes you can make when you just cut up sheets of metal and bend it around a little bit and put it back together.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Are the welds going to be hidden on the laminated side?

 

[kingfish254]

It never ceases to amaze me what cool shapes you can make when you just cut up sheets of metal and bend it around a little bit and put it back together. View attachment 102575

Sexy

 

[bikewhorder]

Are the welds going to be hidden on the laminated side?

I don't think so, I was planning to grind them all nice and smooth but I'll see what my welder thinks.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

This is awesome!
I hope you get it done.

 

[bikewhorder]

Still going... Here's a video I just made of me steam bending the wood for the fork in case you were wondering what that looked like. This is a relatively easy bend, some of them looked much more chaotic than this. The fork is being made up from four parts with 5 layers each so I have to do this 20 times. Its going to be a long night.

 

[bikewhorder]

I also managed to get all of the aluminum parts welded up. I know they look kind of chunky right now but most that aluminum is going to be buried in the wood.

 

[OddJob]

What is the thickness of a single ply like that one, 1/4" ?

 

[bikewhorder]

What is the thickness of a single ply like that one, 1/4" ?

It tapers from 1/2 to 1/4. The steam heats up the lignin in the wood and you can feel the wood stretch as you roll it over the form. When it cools it stays more or less in it's new shape.

 

[bikewhorder]

I really hoped to have this thing glued after the long weekend but I failed. I had to clean up my bench area and I'm out of paid time off so I'm back to work. Its not looking good at this point.

 

[sandman]

Get a hold of Mastro Geppetto ( Pinocchio ) I heard he can work
miracles with wood ?
What ever happens , I hope we can see the finished product when
time allows ?

 

[Brian macumber]

That sucks

 

[kingfish254]

I'm sure you'll find a way to squeak in the work here and there this week and weekend

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Anything to report here? (fingers crossed)