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The garage frame building journey

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
What‘s your most amusing response?

Semi frame building related…. We started terracing again this week and making the foundation for my future frame building garage shop.
So you are going all in on the artisan frame builder thing?
I cannot wait for the epic marketing and SoMe BS that you will have to do to hype your brand. ;)
buckoW bikes, made in the Swiss Alps by an industry veteran with xx years of experience....patented tube-to-tube (TTT) aerospace steel construction....made for the most demanding terrain and the most demanding riders...exclusive limited production, own something you won't see twice in the lift line... :D
 

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,777
4,699
Champery, Switzerland
So you are going all in on the artisan frame builder thing?
I cannot wait for the epic marketing and SoMe BS that you will have to do to hype your brand. ;)
buckoW bikes, made in the Swiss Alps by an industry veteran with xx years of experience....patented tube-to-tube (TTT) aerospace steel construction....made for the most demanding terrain and the most demanding riders...exclusive limited production, own something you won't see twice in the lift line... :D
Haha, I’ll just use that right there. Thanks.

I don’t want to get into selling these but I do want more space for making shit.
 

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
Haha, I’ll just use that right there. Thanks.

I don’t want to get into selling these but I do want more space for making shit.
Maybe you should think about a RM special edition, you know, just for the 2-3 of us on here?
 

sikocycles

Turbo Monkey
Feb 14, 2002
1,530
772
CT



And a tool like this to mount it correctly.
 
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buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,777
4,699
Champery, Switzerland
Hello fellas,

Bike Park season is here and I‘ve been riding myself into the ground in Morgins and Champery on the steel bikes. This one, #3 is my current favorite for flat out DH but it has the most rear travel of all the builds, so it was the best candidate for a full DH build. It has been handling all the hucks I can muster and seems to be solid.

hey @sikocycles - how’s that gravel bike working out?

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sikocycles

Turbo Monkey
Feb 14, 2002
1,530
772
CT
Bought a Bridgeport. It is in the same town and was cheap. Getting it delivered this week.
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Has a lot of miles on it but will do what I need. I will go thru it and get it in better shape.
 

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,777
4,699
Champery, Switzerland
Awesome! Did you get any cool extras with it like a vice, collets or anything?

I was stalled out on this one for a while and made some progress yesterday. I need to go bend some down tubes and get some gas now.

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sikocycles

Turbo Monkey
Feb 14, 2002
1,530
772
CT
Yes got a vice and some collets. Will probably need a few more. Has some CT history so that makes it very cool.
 
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Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,232
20,013
Sleazattle
Spent some time in the Bridgeport plant after one of my customers bought out the company. Not sure where the knee mills are built now but that plant felt a lot like a museum. I miss working with machine tools.
 

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,777
4,699
Champery, Switzerland
I spent a little time in my friend’s shop bending some toobs.

I normally use a .9mm thick 35mm seat tube and a few days ago I bent some 35mm x 1.2mm 4130 for a DH frame. I thought that IF my frame were to crack then it would probably be at the BB/st or the lower pivot? Probably fine but I thought a more solid backbone with a bit more meat might be better for a DH frame and my fab/welding skill level. I think it will look real nice too with the bends rather than welds.

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I also bent some longer 38mm x .9mm down tubes to give me more room for piggybacks and bottom out. Currently, I am a little tight on the clearance, Clarence.

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And a pic of his frame jig.

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And his Ducati with Marzocchi fork.

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buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,777
4,699
Champery, Switzerland
Once I get my BPT running I will get a Toob bender. Need a lathe also.
What kind of lathe are you thinking about getting? I like the Schaublin 102 and I would really like a 102VM one day. A friend wants to lend me his SV120 but I would need a bigger shop for that. I turned some pivots for a new frame on mine yesterday. Lathes are so practical!

A friend just got a Myford 280 and another one (Marshy) got a Southbend.

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Working on the DH bike seat tube assembly yesterday. This vice with various length hole saw arbors makes the access a lot easier.

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Tracing the lower pivot to try and put that hole in the right spot. There must be a better way but I don’t have one yet.
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This should look a lot cleaner and be much stronger.

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sikocycles

Turbo Monkey
Feb 14, 2002
1,530
772
CT
My machinist buddy has a southbend. Once he retires (soon) it will be mine.
picking up the BPT tomorrow. They have a Nichols horizontal mill there also. I may try to get that also. Buy one get one free. Fingers crossed
 

sikocycles

Turbo Monkey
Feb 14, 2002
1,530
772
CT
My buddy is bring over his engine hoist so I can remove the knee. Rebuild the bottom and paint. They I will do the top. Will do it in sections.
Its going back to the Bridgeport Grey.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,232
20,013
Sleazattle
Only got the BPT. Started tearing it down to rebuild it and maybe paint. It is a 1966 and has some use on it but overall it’s in good shape.
the did use the wrong grease in it and not way oil so I’m cleaning it up.
Going to have the ways ground?
 

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,777
4,699
Champery, Switzerland
Not yet. Maybe someday
Hand scraping looks doable if I’m optimistic and over sell my skills to myself. The Biax electric scrapers come up for sale around these parts for pretty cheap. I just think I might not have the patience.

Here are two seat stay assemblies I am currently working on. The double curvy one is for a DH frame and the wall thickness is 1.2mm. The one for a dropper post is .9mm. I wonder if I will feel the difference? We will see. I like the idea of a bit more meat for the pivots and bb.


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sikocycles

Turbo Monkey
Feb 14, 2002
1,530
772
CT
That is so sick.
my buddy worked for Moore tool and has hand scrapers. He did it for them and will give it a go on my BPT. I am trying to get all this green paint off.
 

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,777
4,699
Champery, Switzerland
I got the top and down tubes mitered and welded in there yesterday. My welds look worse than ever but everything went smoothly.

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I moved the down tube bend further away from the bb. This one has a lot more room for long piggybacks at bottom out with 200mm of travel. The last few frames didn’t work with certain shocks or travel had to be limited to 170mm to clear the down tube.

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