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The garage frame building journey

sikocycles

Turbo Monkey
Feb 14, 2002
1,530
772
CT
Not sure if this is the right place but it is shop talk.
Always wanted to build a frame so after a real shitty 2020 I promised myself 2021 I will build a frame or 2.
So I am building a 8020 jig while I practice tig welding. Hope to have it complete sometime in February.
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sikocycles

Turbo Monkey
Feb 14, 2002
1,530
772
CT
Headtube plate.jpgPointer.jpg


A little progress. Finished the slot for the bolt to adjust head tube angle and added a pointer that will reference the degrees that will be machined and laser etched in the back plate.
 

mtg

Green with Envy
Sep 21, 2009
1,862
1,604
Denver, CO
This is cool. Tips from designing and making multiple iterations of frame weld fixtures: make it stout, give more weld access than you think you need.
 

sikocycles

Turbo Monkey
Feb 14, 2002
1,530
772
CT
It will be stout.
160x80 spine. 80x80 upright
1” thick jig plate for the headtube, BB and axle plates. Will pivot at the BB center to X0 and Y0 never changes. Will have built in purge.
Will have the BB,Headtube and axle 4” on center.
Should be more? Or 4” enough?
 

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,777
4,699
Champery, Switzerland
This is cool. Tips from designing and making multiple iterations of frame weld fixtures: make it stout, give more weld access than you think you need.
What do you think of the Cobra design? I stopped my original direction and got some 8020 recently. I think that one looks pretty nice?
 

mtg

Green with Envy
Sep 21, 2009
1,862
1,604
Denver, CO
What do you think of the Cobra design? I stopped my original direction and got some 8020 recently. I think that one looks pretty nice?
Just looked it up, the thought process makes sense, but having done something similar in the past on my first frame fixture, I found that using indexed dimensions that actually are the frame geo dimensions saves a ton of time. The Cobra design looks like a giant pain to get the BB in the correct position.
 

sikocycles

Turbo Monkey
Feb 14, 2002
1,530
772
CT
Cobra’s frame jig looks great and thought about it but was out of my price range so I’m making mine.
I rather see the frame geo in the jig so I know what it will look like lore or less. Mine is a copy of 44 bikes with some mods.
 

sikocycles

Turbo Monkey
Feb 14, 2002
1,530
772
CT
So head tube is finished except for the stand offs. Waiting on a head tube before making and deciding on how much stand off.
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sikocycles

Turbo Monkey
Feb 14, 2002
1,530
772
CT
Kind of with the guidance of a machinist at work. He is helping me with a lot of the set up and lay out. Trying to learn.
 

sikocycles

Turbo Monkey
Feb 14, 2002
1,530
772
CT
Fitted it last night and perfect. Just need to laser the degree numbers and logo.
rear end next week along with stand offs.I have a headtube and BBs coming in. It’s getting heavy I will weld up a stand for it
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sikocycles

Turbo Monkey
Feb 14, 2002
1,530
772
CT
Show it. We don’t judge. It’s all good.
I did over do mine a little bit but been wanting do make one for years so there has been a lot of obsessing going on.
 

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,777
4,699
Champery, Switzerland
Show it. We don’t judge. It’s all good.
I did over do mine a little bit but been wanting do make one for years so there has been a lot of obsessing going on.
I‘m just playing around. I’m fine if you judge me!
I think Oscar from Simple’s jig looks to be real nice!
I got a manual mill recently (in trade for moto parts) so I want to try and make some parts like your jig.
My goal is to modify my seat angle on my DH frame to be steeper for a dropper post so I was making a jig just for this application. It’s evolving slowly and I’m planning on getting stuck into it after I build another snowboard or two.

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boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,838
6,145
Yakistan
Oscar has owned Arctos for years now and has spent alot of time refining the jigs so he can sell them. They're pretty nice but also cost real money.
 

CrabJoe StretchPants

Reincarnated Crab Walking Head Spinning Bruce Dick
Nov 30, 2003
14,163
2,484
Groton, MA
Badass!

I would try to find a cheap mobile lift table to mount the jig right to. Can adjust the height to be ergonomic for wherever you're welding, and rolled around for storage, etc.

Keep up the awesome work man!
 

sikocycles

Turbo Monkey
Feb 14, 2002
1,530
772
CT
Seat tube cone done.
next week I will complete the head tube cones and start with the BB spacers. Will tig practice this weekend.
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