Strong Frames

[Boedie]

Hi Carl, I really enjoyed reading your post/thread. What do you contribute to the fact that most of your clients/customers are not local? How do you get to that point as a builder living in small town America? Do you have to build for someone bigger like Ibis to get the noteraity? Most "successful" artists/craftspeople get their big break somehow. What do you consider your big break or has it just been perserverance over the years?

I also read that sometimes you take on a builder for a seminar. I have been thinking about contacting you for something like this this before I read this. I will send you an e-mail to discuss this. Thanks for what you do.

Chris B.
Whitefish, MT

[Carl S]

Hi Carl, I really enjoyed reading your post/thread. What do you contribute to the fact that most of your clients/customers are not local? How do you get to that point as a builder living in small town America? Do you have to build for someone bigger like Ibis to get the noteraity? Most "successful" artists/craftspeople get their big break somehow. What do you consider your big break or has it just been perserverance over the years?

Chris B.
Whitefish, MT

Hi Chris, living in Bozeman I had no choice but to go after a national market. It just so happened that the web came along at the perfect time. When I started I built for locals and racers but at that time I was still learning, had a job and didn't need that much work. By the time I really wanted to get things rolling I started advertising in the back of VeloNews and shortly after that I set up a website. Along with some magazine reviews that was about all I needed to keep enough work on the Bench.

When Ibis came along I was already building 200 plus units a year of my brand and Ibis led to more contract work. I think the association with Ibis really helped cement my reputation and brought along a bunch of press. When I took the work with Ibis one of my main goals was to associate with an established brand, little did I know what it would turn into. I feel lucky that I live in a town that forced me to look outside my direct geographic market.

[edoz]

I have a friend who owned one of the Ibis' you built. He always mentioned that it was a Strong built Ibis, to him that was cooler than the fact that it was an Ibis.

[Carl S]

I have a friend who owned one of the Ibis' you built. He always mentioned that it was a Strong built Ibis, to him that was cooler than the fact that it was an Ibis.

Thanks Eric, that's nice to hear.

[sevencyclist]

Hi Carl,

I see that you don't have model names other than the Carl's Personal Blend assigned to the bikes currently. Did you have model names for mountainbikes, roadbikes and crossbikes in the past? I vaguely remember some poetic names for troops but not sure if that was yours. Thanks.

[Carl S]

Hi Carl,

I see that you don't have model names other than the Carl's Personal Blend assigned to the bikes currently. Did you have model names for mountainbikes, roadbikes and crossbikes in the past? I vaguely remember some poetic names for troops but not sure if that was yours. Thanks.

A while back when I was still trying to conquer the world I had three production frames that we named. The road frame was called the Hyalite, which is a really cool canyon here in town that is one of my favorite road rides. The MTB was called the Pipestone which is a off road vehicle area that has a ton of trails. Motos are legal in Pipestone so the trails are buff, fast and there are lots of berms and jumps. Pipestone is also ridable year round. Finally we had a cross frame called the Overlander named after the black soldiers that road from Missoula to St Louis in the 1890's. I've attached a cool picture of the Overlander Soldiers in front of the Mamoth featuer in Yellowstone Park which is about and hour and half from Bozeman.

[sevencyclist]

That is a great piece of history. Great photos. Thank you very much.

I remember reading about it in your catalogue quite a few years ago and it certainly made an impression on me. I imagine the spirit of the Overlander lives on in your Personal Blend.

Rex

[Carl S]

That is a great piece of history. Great photos. Thank you very much.

I remember reading about it in your catalogue quite a few years ago and it certainly made an impression on me. I imagine the spirit of the Overlander lives on in your Personal Blend.

Rex

Yes is does, thanks!

[Lionel]

Hey Carl, saw your blog post. Cool for you to move the studio at your house.

Are you seeing some orders for your carbon bikes?

[Carl S]

Hey Carl, saw your blog post. Cool for you to move the studio at your house.

Are you seeing some orders for your carbon bikes?

Thanks Lionel!

I've sold a few and am happy with that. I never expected to sell a bunch and as long as I have a couple in the queue I'll be happy. I also want to make one for Loretta but she has this old Columbus Genius frame I built her about 10 years ago and she doesn't want to change bikes. I can't believe I'm actually having to try to talk her into a new bike :)

[Lionel]

Carl, get her to post the reason she does not want a new bike. We can help in the convincing

[Carl S]

Carl, get her to post the reason she does not want a new bike. We can help in the convincing

Thanks for the offer Lionel. She loves her current steel dirt road bike and there is nothing I can do about it. She loves it. I guess I should be happy she likes it so much and quit trying to get her on a new bike. I just like to build her bikes...

[drewgh2o]

Well, Carl, if you're ever going to get to 11 pages it looks like I'm going to have to (start) asking some stupid questions. I asked this in ol' Archibald's Smoked Out but I'm gonna ask it again. Which direction is considered correct to weld around a tube, clockwise or counterclockwise? THe DT/ST/BB shot on your blog right now shows the ST/DT being welded in two directions. Is this common practice or is it one of your weld sequences to keep the frame straight? I saw your comment in the FNL thread about comfort being more critical than direction is the reason I ask. How important is it to weld a joint in the same direction all the way around, athletics aside. Thank you!

[Carl S]

Well, Carl, if you're ever going to get to 11 pages it looks like I'm going to have to (start) asking some stupid questions. I asked this in ol' Archibald's Smoked Out but I'm gonna ask it again. Which direction is considered correct to weld around a tube, clockwise or counterclockwise? THe DT/ST/BB shot on your blog right now shows the ST/DT being welded in two directions. Is this common practice or is it one of your weld sequences to keep the frame straight? I saw your comment in the FNL thread about comfort being more critical than direction is the reason I ask. How important is it to weld a joint in the same direction all the way around, athletics aside. Thank you!

Thanks Drew, my SO has kind of dropped off the board. To answer your question I think the most important thing in welding is comfort. If you have comfort you have control. I prefer to go around one direction because with unpainted titanium or aluminum it's obvious when you change direction and I prefer not to. No real reason, just a weird preference. As for clockwise vs counter clock wise that depends on which hand the welder uses to weld. I recommend that you alway point the tungsten toward the tube that is not mitered and that will determine which direction you weld based on which hand you weld with. Ultimately it probably doesn't matter because there are a lot of great welders that don't follow that rule. On the BB joint you are referring to I actually welded around it in one directing except the over the top of the DT/ST which I came at from both side mainly because of access. Thanks for the question.

[drewgh2o]

As for clockwise vs counter clock wise that depends on which hand the welder uses to weld.

I thought everybody held the torch in their right hand.

[Archibald]

I thought everybody held the torch in their right hand.

Not me. I weld clockwise and go in a single direction unless something is forcing my hand....so to speak.

[drewgh2o]

Then you need these:

[Archibald]

Then you need these:

I don't have a problem with calipers, it's the scissors & mics that drive me bat shit.

[drewgh2o]

I'd like to find a tape measure that reads from right to left for the band saw station.

[edoz]

I thought everybody held the torch in their right hand.

One of the best things I ever learned as a welder was how to switch hands.