Not Such A Catastrophic Newby Learning Experience (TM), News at 11

[David Tollefson]

I have one gathering dust - I'd sell it for a fair price if I knew what that was.
- Garro.

I'm interested! though I imagine the OP has first dibs... Wanna lob me an asking price? I have no idea what they go for new.

[triathloner]

Steve- I would be interested if the OP isn't. I'd rather you name a price though, don't want to cheat you, I can always turn it down if I feel too high. Thanks. Al.

[veryredbike]

Pm'ed also, I guess we'll see how it shakes out!

Useful info: I called Bringhelli up before the offer and was told that you could buy the rod and cones for 80 new, and that it'd cost 12 to ship to California... so even if someone else snatches this up, they're pretty reasonably priced new.

[steve garro]

Pm'ed also, I guess we'll see how it shakes out!

Useful info: I called Bringhelli up before the offer and was told that you could buy the rod and cones for 80 new, and that it'd cost 12 to ship to California... so even if someone else snatches this up, they're pretty reasonably priced new.

VRB has 1st dibs.
Maybe I'll clean out my tooling......I have some very eclectic tools, and I sure do want a cold saw...
- Garro.

[David Tollefson]

VRB has 1st dibs.
Maybe I'll clean out my tooling......I have some very eclectic tools, and I sure do want a cold saw...
- Garro.

Woohoo! Coconino garage sale!

[David Tollefson]

Pm'ed also, I guess we'll see how it shakes out!

Useful info: I called Bringhelli up before the offer and was told that you could buy the rod and cones for 80 new, and that it'd cost 12 to ship to California... so even if someone else snatches this up, they're pretty reasonably priced new.

Hey, thanks for that footwork. Good info.

[veryredbike]

No worries!

[nspace]

Newbie question here; do not mean to hi-jack. Gearing up for my first frame, of course I have no alignment table. I do have an custom table of with an engineered top, about 1" thick. I had it made a couple years ago but it wouldn't fit into my basement so I cut it down to a smaller 4x5 size to do my frame drawing on. What is best way to measure its flatness? When I put flat objects on it, it kind of "sucks to the surface" because its quite flat and smooth, but no idea if its accurate enough for my first frame even if its not 100$ perfect. If this isn't advisable I'll investigate other methods. Thanks!

[ToddFarr]

Veryred...(insert your name here)

Dude, for your first frame don't sweat the mm's of alignment, focus on the process. In reality, that .75mm you were trying to correct will be unnoticed when rolling down the road with a smile on your face. Tire irregularities, pressure, physical disproportion, hell even a stiff breeze will add up to more than the sum of your small imperfections as you begin your learning process. Let the guys who get paid to do this worry about perfect alignment, focus on immersing yourself in learning the process and refining it than what some piece of equipment says about your effort.

Newbie question here; do not mean to hi-jack. Gearing up for my first frame, of course I have no alignment table. I do have an custom table of with an engineered top, about 1" thick. I had it made a couple years ago but it wouldn't fit into my basement so I cut it down to a smaller 4x5 size to do my frame drawing on. What is best way to measure its flatness? When I put flat objects on it, it kind of "sucks to the surface" because its quite flat and smooth, but no idea if its accurate enough for my first frame even if its not 100$ perfect. If this isn't advisable I'll investigate other methods. Thanks!

Like Rody said, don't sweat the frame being perfectly straight on your first builds. I built my first frame with no jig, using a piece of MDF and shims to hold all the pieces flat, and I still smile every time I take it for a ride around the neighborhood. I bet your table is just fine. To be 100% sure, without expensive measuring equipment, is to have it Blanchard ground.

[theflashunc]

The good news is you certainly don't need to do push-ups if you're giving it the beans to do that.

"What'd you do today darling?"

"Oh the usual, torqued steel with my unchecked masculinity to the point it looked like a Bavarian pretzel stick."

[nspace]

Like Rody said, don't sweat the frame being perfectly straight on your first builds. I built my first frame with no jig, using a piece of MDF and shims to hold all the pieces flat, and I still smile every time I take it for a ride around the neighborhood. I bet your table is just fine. To be 100% sure, without expensive measuring equipment, is to have it Blanchard ground.

Thanks Todd. That makes sense. Close enough is good enough for me at this point. This is all new. If I can manage to end up with a couple of half decent brazes (structural, not pretty) and passable mitres I will consider it a success for frame #1, and aim to improve things on the next. Perfect alignment isn't on my radar for my first go, but at this point I have little concept as to how much a not-perfectly flat table will affect my results. In any case, I don't have the funds for anything more than I already have (not after buying silver wire and basic tools), so I'll just have to make due and learn from my mistakes. Your answer made me feel better in some way, haha.

[prolix21]

any particular reason you'd braze the front triangle in sections rather than pinning it and doing it all as a single assembly?

[afwalker]

I'm guessing that lots of us read the Paterick manual and that's the way he did it. I did my first bike making the hockey stick:)
A nice thing about pinning is you don't look til it's all set and aren't tempted to make "corrections".
Any pins should work, but Cycledesigns make a nice kit, Our Famous “Pin Kit� « Cycle Design
cheers
andy walker

[veryredbike]

any particular reason you'd braze the front triangle in sections rather than pinning it and doing it all as a single assembly?

I'm guessing that lots of us read the Paterick manual and that's the way he did it.

Ding! Yep.

On the first two I did head tube/downtube and seattube/bottom bracket, then put them together in another step. I'd seen it recommended in a few places and it let me take some breaths, see how stuff went, and get things lined up.

This time I wanted to try Paterick's advice to basically assemble a U in two steps and then settle the top tube into it. Basically varying my approach and seeing what I come up with. Next time I think I'll go back to the first way.

Also, I have those pins. I love the little tin they come in now!

[steve garro]

I'm guessing that lots of us read the Paterick manual and that's the way he did it. I did my first bike making the hockey stick:)
A nice thing about pinning is you don't look til it's all set and aren't tempted to make "corrections".
Any pins should work, but Cycledesigns make a nice kit, Our Famous “Pin Kit� « Cycle Design
cheers
andy walker

Two things: the Paterek method of stepping on the frame or whatever and twisting it may have held up most of the time with old, softer, thicker tubes, but it's just a "how to" for destroying modern light tubing.

The other is what you need for pinning is all at your local ACE hardware - 3/3nd drill bits, and finish nails.

- Garro.

[EnginCycles]

Two things: the Paterek method of stepping on the frame or whatever and twisting it may have held up most of the time with old, softer, thicker tubes, but it's just a "how to" for destroying modern light tubing.

The other is what you need for pinning is all at your local ACE hardware - 3/3nd drill bits, and finish nails.

- Garro.

and a hammer to give the nail a slight taper.

[Rody]

Personally, I've found the Paterek manual to be perfectly suited for modern frame fabrication...it props up the leg of my layout table at just the right height

[e-RICHIE]

Personally, I've found the Paterek manual to be perfectly suited for modern frame fabrication...it props up the leg of my layout table at just the right height

Thanks for going where I was restraining myself from going atmo.

[savine]

I bought the Paterek Manuel years ago before I came upon this site and have read a lot if it but understood none! Wasted to much money now it's taking up to much space in the bookshelf.

[steve garro]

I bought the Paterek Manuel years ago before I came upon this site and have read a lot if it but understood none! Wasted to much money now it's taking up to much space in the bookshelf.

One good thing is the blueprints for tools & things in the back, to be fair.

Rody: dude........that's funny!
Thanks!

- Garro.