So... I am working on what I guess is a second bicycle frame now. The first one was a product of Mike Flanigan (of ANT) teaching me how to braze. The one I am working on now is more independent, but still not entirely. I have access to a shop, and the guy managing the shop helps me out if I have any questions or get stuck (in turn, I help out around the shop - which helps me learn a great deal in itself).

My personal feeling, is that I cannot call a frame "my first frame" until I've made it from start to finish unsupervised. For example, if someone is watching me braze and vocally guiding me through the process, then I did not make that frame; at best we made the frame jointly. Ditto if I did not cut, notch or slot tubes entirely on my own. I would even go so far as to say that if I can do each task unsupervised but then need someone to check my work after every step, the result does not count as "my" frame either.

It will probably be a while before I am comfortable claiming full credit for a frame. I am learning, but I'm slow and I have the luxury of having local support. How do you guys feel about this? Do you think of your Frame #001 as the one you made under supervision, or entirely by yourself? And as far as this forum, at what stage is it acceptable to post in-progress pictures of one's work?