Foresta Frames

[Craig Ryan]

I shot some photos of my shop today. It needed cleaning, so I spent some time sorting it all out, then got my camera. It's amazing how fast it gets cluttered while I'm working, but it cleans up fast also.

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It's 12' x 16.5' on the outside, but I have both a front and back porch. I soak flux out back and sit in the sun out front. It's really nice to be able to go into a small dedicated space which is just as you left it at all times.

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I don't have water plumbed, so I run a hose out to the back when I need to soak flux. Or I go into the house with a bucket and get some hot water if it's a smaller part. Susan doesn't like it when I use the bath tub!

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The welcome mat is custom cut from the NHS track where I teach. They were resurfacing, so Julie (who ran all 4 years) and I took home some of the old one.

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My compressor and drill press are my biggest pieces of equipment. The drill press I got from Susan's father. I was really, really, fortunate to receive it and some other nice tools when he closed down his home workshop.

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I used two of these oil filled heaters this winter to keep it above freezing at all times. A small shop warms up fast though.

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My table is 2' x 3' hand flaked cast iron. I keep it covered whenever possible. If I had a larger shop I'd have a larger table.

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My paint booth is Paasche built, 4' wide x 5' long. It's small, don't ever do one smaller. The built in light is pretty weak, so I've mounted a light vertically on the wall behind me as I paint.

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I have an old receiver hooked to XM and an ipod. I like to jump around, but every afternoon Mojo Nixon does a killer show on Outlaw Country.

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I use pegboard behind my bench for storage of tools. They're out in the open, but I just don't have the room to put everything into a box. the wall space fills up quickly in a small room. I don't know where I'll put my Andy Hampsten autographed poster when I get it framed.

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Under the paint booth I store paint, my vacuum, and bike parts in bins.

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Under my bench, and about everywhere I try to separate needs and keep small supplies covered. I keep my tubes in big plastic bins.

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I made a tank for rust treatment, and keep it along side my booth. It's not for flux removal. As a last step all my frames get a good soaking inside and out to remove all traces of rust, and help prevent future rust. Lots of work in various states hangs around this area. I only have room for so many hooks, and they fill up fast. I don't build many wheels, but when you get some going they take up space.

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I have an attic and it's huge. Not only do we have most of Julie's stuff up there while she's in the Peace Corps, but I keep a lot of odd supplies I don't need often up there. It's carpeted and has nice lighting. The doorway insulation is in place in the photo.

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This air cleaner is top notch, but when it's on you can't hear a thing. Acts like white noise, amazing. It's nice to use when it's cold out and I'm grinding or making dust. I was fortunate and got it from Susan's father. He was closing down his basement wood shop and it needed a home. It's found a nice one!

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I've got a nice chair, and I need to sit more often. I worked out at Deer Creek music center for several seasons and got this for cheap when they were redecorating.

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I keep a crane close by wherever I am. Thanks for looking, I hope you enjoyed seeing my shop!

[zetroc]

Craig, your shop rules. It blows me away. That's exactly what I'd like in a workspace (well, maybe a bit bigger.)

steve

[Craig Ryan]

I've gotten out riding regularly this season, which is very early for me. You may wonder how this relates to framebuilding and my Smoked Out, but it's part of what makes me what I am, and I want folks to know what makes me tick. A buddy and I had a good talk while out riding sweep in our twice a week group ride. Sometimes you're riding so hard there's no talk, other times you can talk all you wish and be waiting on people in our rides. We were talking riding goals, and I told him I have three goals. I've met one goal by being out riding in March. A second goal is to get where I can spend more hours on the bike and do rides like RAIN (ride across Indiana). Both of the above goals relate to my personal fitness and my battle with age,rhumatoid arthritis, and lazyosis. The last riding goal is closer to my heart and the essence of my identity. I want to take a more active role in leadership on our group rides. I've spent my time slugging it out at (or near) the front, but I've grown tired of mixing wheels with young musclemen with no smarts. I don't mean to be crass, but we get guys who come out and don't know where to put their wheels in a group. It was exactly what my buddy was thinking! We are both going to step up and organize a solid “B” group for our ride. It'll be about riding fast, but right.

What is so special about this? I am a career art teacher to teenagers, and working with people is what I do best. I've been building frames pretty steadily over the last few years, and cherish my time alone in the shop; it speaks to the artist in me in a good way. But, I am not a loner by nature, just when I need to be. In my career teaching I have been surrounded by high school kids, and while challenging, it has been very rewarding. Working with people to help them solve problems is what I'm all about. After a career spaning decades I can retire in a few years and take a breather from the crowded classroom and devote more of my time to building frames. For the moment I enjoy the balance in my life. The frames don't come out as quickly with a full time career going, but I realize the pace being forced on my building is better in the long run. So this is what makes me tick. How little we all really know about each other.
Below is a photo of me riding my first frame to work. Seems like a dream now.
Craig

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[cuda2k]

All very good goals you have for yourself. As a semi-part-time leader in my own club, I will completely agree on how important it is for experienced riders to step up and set the squirrelly riders on a more steady path. I got lucky when I started riding with my club, the regular leader on the ride I was routinely going with was a very steady wheel and I learned by following his wheel, and example. I've since been told I'm a very steady wheel to follow myself, and give credit where credit is due.

Also, great tour of your shop. You're well organized, which I'm sure is a must in a fairly small space. Thanks for sharing. :)

[dbh]

Craig, is your avator a shot of the Durango and Silverton Railroad by any chance?

[Craig Ryan]

Yes dbh, I shot that a couple of summers ago. It's narrow gauge, and pretty cool. I knew the train crossed under the highway right there, so I set up and waited for it. I rode it once when I was very young and remember getting coal dust in my eyes. I like trains, and while I don't know as much about them as trucks, I always watch them. My brother and I took a backpacking trip once. We started in Neenah, Wisconsin by hopping in a freight car. Rode three different trains to make our way to Everett, Washington. Backpacked all down the coast, then got on another freight train in Barstow, California. That one ride on the Santa Fe took us all the way to the heart of Iowa. We jumped off in a little town for lack of water. Yes, I like trains!
Craig

[dbh]

Nice to see another rail buff gear head. I hope to get out to New Mexico this year and ride on the Combres and Toltec. Those old Denver and Rio Grande Western narrow gauge lines are stunning. I know you named your 359 model after Peterbuilts, but I'm curious if there's any railroad influences in your framebuilding or painting?

[Craig Ryan]

Great to hear about anyone who's into trains, trucks, or anything with wheels. Trains are one of those things that always make me stop and stare. A few things make me do that: birds, trucks, trains, clouds, trees, and women. Dazza's the man who knows his trains! I can't really say I have any direct railroad influences in my frame building or art. And with trucks, the name and words bring images to my mind. I think when you make something, the primary inspiration comes from the sum of your life's experiences. Kind of the way dreams are just bits and pieces thrown together in a montage. Everything is itself, an assemblage of abstract thoughts somehow brought together in unity.

[Craig Ryan]

Sometimes painting goes along great. And sometimes it's going along great until you suddenly realize you have to strip it and start over. I guess framebuilding is similar, but when painting goes bad it's usually pretty quick. I was in the middle of this one and realized I was suddenly going to be spending a lot more time on it than anticipated. What happened? I was between clearcoats when I realized I didn't like an edge. First you try to fix it, and maybe you'll be lucky. No such luck. Oh well! Thanks for listening to me vent. It'll make the next few hours of work on this thing easier for me. ;-)

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[Craig Ryan]

Quite a weekend so far! Susan and I have been together for quite a few years, so we tied the knot. David and Julie came through, Julie fresh out of Namibia on a Peace Corps break. Kind of a surprise for them since nobody knew we were planning it except our mothers and ALL of my students. Afterward we picked up a friend, had Jimmy Johns and went to see the New Pornographers w/Nikko Case at the Vogue in Indie. It was a really nice time for all!

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[jerk]

Quite a weekend so far! Susan and I have been together for quite a few years, so we tied the knot. David and Julie came through, Julie fresh out of Namibia on a Peace Corps break. Kind of a surprise for them since nobody knew we were planning it except our mothers and ALL of my students. Afterward we picked up a friend, had Jimmy Johns and went to see the New Pornographers w/Nikko Case at the Vogue in Indie. It was a really nice time for all!

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congratulations craig! if i ever marry nikko case i'll come and see you at jimmy johns.

[davids]

Mazel Tov! I think you win Best Weekend.

[zetroc]

Congratulations Craig! Now for a Foresta tandem.

[Jonathan]

Hey that's Awesome. Congrats!

[Craig Ryan]

Funny you say that. Early on, like frame #1 I wanted to build a tandem really bad. 30 frames later and I know that day is still down the road!
Thanks everyone, it was quite a weekend. Feels strange to wear a ring after so long without one. Susan is one sweet girl.

Congratulations Craig! Now for a Foresta tandem.

[edoz]

Congratulations Craig! Now for a Foresta tandem.

Uh, he might want to stay married.
Congrats, Craig. I wish you two many decades of happiness.

[zetroc]

Uh, he might want to stay married.

Good point. Craig, skip the tandem.

In all seriousness, have your plans changed now that you've tied the knot?

[Craig Ryan]

No changes in these plans Steve. Susan has been part of my plan for a long time. We are perfect for each other, but we both think if we'd have met 30 years ago we never would have gotten along.

[Eric Estlund]

Congratulations to you both!

[Craig Ryan]

We all have our habits and ways of doing things. I realized the other day while building up a bike I was using this same little chain tool I bought in the '70's... and prefer it. When I'm working on a chain, anything except 11 speed, I always use this little Cyclo tool. I have a nice new fangled Park tool, as seen in the photo, and I even got it out to use it because I felt like I should. Well after nearly mangling a guide pin I ditched it and went back to my little Cyclo. It just works better.

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