frame question
- Thread starter MikeT
- Start date
It depends, what do you mean by aggresive hardtail? How much do you weigh? Are you decently skilled with welding or brazing? What thicknesses have you had experience with? What diameters will you use?
Most freeride type hardtails will use .9mm (.035") thick tubing. Thats average. some use 1.2mm (.047") I haven't seen many with .8mm(.031")
What is most important is what you do with the tubing. You can make a good strong bike with any of those thicknesses. Or you could make a peice of junk. It all depends. More info on what you'll be doing?
Most freeride type hardtails will use .9mm (.035") thick tubing. Thats average. some use 1.2mm (.047") I haven't seen many with .8mm(.031")
What is most important is what you do with the tubing. You can make a good strong bike with any of those thicknesses. Or you could make a peice of junk. It all depends. More info on what you'll be doing?
planning for not more than 7lbs hardtail... .243 style, something that can do everything. Diameters for chainstays will be 3/4 x 1, down tube 1.5x1.5, top tube/seatstays also around 3/4x1
so 1.2mm is not too thick? should i try to find .9 ?
gona be using a mig welder, first timer, but planning to get some practice obviously before doing the frame
-Mike T.
so 1.2mm is not too thick? should i try to find .9 ?
gona be using a mig welder, first timer, but planning to get some practice obviously before doing the frame
-Mike T.
I would not recommend an MIG welder for welding a bike frame. I would strongly recommend you learn to weld with TIG and to get some serious practice before attempting to build a bike that you will be dropping off of large objects with. Any of those thicknesses could be welded safely with a TIG. MIG would be seriously sketchy, no one uses MIG and for good reason.
.9mm would probably be best if you want sub 7lb, But don't expect your first frame to be as light as you might expect.
TIG gives you much more control over the weld area and is much better for welding thinner metals.
.9mm would probably be best if you want sub 7lb, But don't expect your first frame to be as light as you might expect.
TIG gives you much more control over the weld area and is much better for welding thinner metals.
I dont have a tig welder available readily... the mig welder is at my friends house, thats why its a lot more convenient. I don't really care if the welds are not pretty, just gota be strong. I thought mig would be just as strong as tig?
if its that bad... then I guess i'll try to get access to a tig welder?? but i thought mig would be just as strong, just not pretty
-Mike T
if its that bad... then I guess i'll try to get access to a tig welder?? but i thought mig would be just as strong, just not pretty
-Mike T
It's hard to get good penetration with a mig welder, since the wire is the electrode (or is it an anode?) it fills the weld pool with filler metal faster than you can melt the parent material for strong welds. Or something like that.
Frames haven't been mig welded for many many years, and when they were welded that way a 2-foot drop was "big".
But, if you still decide to trust your life to a mig welded frame- use a really good jig. I'm talking a jig to securely hold the head tube, dropouts, bottom bracket and all tubes precisely in place. Jigs are spendy, and you'd probably spend more time making one then you would on the frame itself. If you don't use one the frame will be all crooked- I'm talking it will ride sideways, the tubes won't be parallel ( the -stays) and the angles will be all wrong.
I'm not trying to talk you out of building your own frame.... I'm just saying it's a large task (that I leave to professionals).
Either way- Good luck!
But, if you still decide to trust your life to a mig welded frame- use a really good jig. I'm talking a jig to securely hold the head tube, dropouts, bottom bracket and all tubes precisely in place. Jigs are spendy, and you'd probably spend more time making one then you would on the frame itself. If you don't use one the frame will be all crooked- I'm talking it will ride sideways, the tubes won't be parallel ( the -stays) and the angles will be all wrong.
I'm not trying to talk you out of building your own frame.... I'm just saying it's a large task (that I leave to professionals).
Either way- Good luck!