Isen workshop: adventures in batch production (or not...)

We are sayng late Summer, we have ordered all the bits. PMW stuff is over the atlantic now, Reynolds, deda and columbus tubes are on way, at the moment the forks are the only things that haven't shipped, but should have well before we are finished.

I'm going to start a build thread for the first batch when we start so you'll have a good idea where we are with everything.

Yes, the mounts are available. I have sold out of them however, so I guess they aren't available at the moment...... but anyway they'll be back well before the frames are readyn ;)

I have the rest of the money for my F&F now. Have just emailed Verity to ask if I can pay the balance as money seems to burn a hole in my pocket. Would this be ok?

Verity will check with the powers who be, as discussed 'Matt is not allowed access to the bank account or he'll buy another track day ford puma/ performance volvo/ magical beans' but I would imagine so, we have finally sorted out a bank account.

Fuckn hell, now you have a business empire you are referring to yourself in the 3rd person like the Donald.

Have you not studied frame building social media? If you aren't a self agrandising, arrogant fart smeller, you aren't anyone.

much appreciated

So tig welding needs argon, and best practice is argon front and back. Front from the torch, back from a back purge in the heat sink. Building one frame at a time you dont think about how much argon you are using, but 30 odd is going to add up, so this week I'm trying to get a precise flow rate for optimal coverage, and working out how to seal the frames as well as possible. This isn't a isen frame, but is being built as if it was, if that makes sense.... You can see from how silvery the welds are there is plenty of argon to go around, so I'll turn it down a bit and do the other side.

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Cool.

Ooh welding!

I can haz job sir?

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Not if you live in, work in, or have ever been to Erith.

That welding looks incredibly clean almost no tarnishing what so ever.
Is this all because of the inert nature argon or the fact that the argon is cooling the weld quicker reducing oxidation.
It seems to be a shame to paint it
Can I ask about the tubing is 853 main triangle and columbus and deda rear stays? This option seems to me popular amongst framebuilders but may I ask why?

#southlondonbantz

Srs though, looks cool. Whatd does it do?

Yeah, mostly, I think. I am very much NOT a trained engineer, I just buy tooling and slowly get less bad at using it. This is worth a read for general tinting info, although it's specifically about stainless. @Scilly.Suffolk can probably give more info, as can @mdcc_tester as he is an insufferable know-it-all ;)

http://www.bssa.org.uk/topics.php?article=140

Argon is a better insulator than air so i doubt it is an instrinsic property of the gas that is cooling the weld better than the surrounding atmosphere. The argon flow might be cooler than the surrounding atmosphere as it is decompressed from the bottle...

My guess would be the non-reactivity of the Argon being the driver for the nice clean welds.

Ha! That's my surname: I'm the Duke of Erith.

Please, just a brief bow will do.

It's an exam piece so whatever it does, it's already doing it.

off topic but slightly related video - talking about frame manufacture in Taiwan for start up bike company (MTB perspective), thought others might like it as Isen might follow Cotic's footsteps in years to come (Turner's story here https://soundcloud.com/user-808908651/the-hookit-podcast-001)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfgTXFx4Ins

???

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Spent the last few days still dicking about with argon flow. Think I've found the sweet spot, sufficient coverage front and back, without using half a bottle per frame. Interestingly, I pissed around through the whole range of flow rate on both purge and torch just because, and even with the monster ck Pyrex cup, anything above 14l/m and the arc went all over the place, seems you can create turbulence for the arc with argon flow. How? I dont know, dont ask me..

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(Apols if you've already thought of this)

You could attach a solid cylinder to the bung to take up space so you have less space to fill with gas.

Also, are you using inflatable gas plugs to stop the gas escaping through the rest of the frame?

Good call, its basically what I've got in there, although there is a lot of grooves to allow the gas to move around, the heat sinks do a good job of gobbling heat, reducing space and limiting distortion. When all three are fitted the big holes are all covered, and then boss holes etc are just taped, therefore hopefully limiting wasted gas.

Spoke to ted today and he's suggested using thinner lines, as over 30 odd frames that should bring it down at bit (every frame having to prime them, all adds up). Pretty tedious as I've spent ages quick releasing this lot, but needs must I suppose....

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Matching kit

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He's so cross that they didnt supply bibs.

arc went all over the place, seems you can create turbulence for the arc with argon flow. How?

Plasmas are governed by fluid dynamics just like anything else.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIkNY5xjy5k

Can I ask about the tubing is 853 main triangle and columbus and deda rear stays? This option seems to me popular amongst framebuilders but may I ask why?

I'm interested in this, too. Is there some magic of strength / weight / comfort at work here?

Or all the tubing flavours just because...