Build your own frame

Anyone on here had any experience building their own frame? I've been doing some research on little fish, bikeCAD, framebuilders forums etc and ceeway do a kit for about £100, but a track / fixie frame would obviously have less parts. I've got a bit of experience with brazing and really want to build my own up, but wanted to see if anyone had ventured down this mysterious dark-arts pathway. Considering the waiting time and cost of having a bespoke one made, its worth a go, even if its just for the experience.

speak to badrider. he's built a very very nice pink track bike that you can see in the "names and faces to bikes" thread.

badrider has done his on a Dave Yates course. I am doing the same as you and running up some designs. The problem is you really need to have space and tools. Luckaly my dad was a mechanic and has an oxy acytaline gas welding set up but there is still loads to set up. The biggest issue seems to be the jig. Badrider is building his own jig at the moment. As far as ecanomics go it is not worth while, time tools space all add up but by all means reasurch more and do it for fun. Like I said I am playing with the idea, but for me it is finding the time is as big an issue as anything else.

yeah the whole time thing is a tricky one. Tools and equipment are always a good investment- I've got tools I bought from when I was at school. See what you mean about that initial outlay though. How much is it to go on a frame building course?- I worked at brian rourkes in stoke for a bit so would have been a good time to get some hands-on, but only had the idea recently..

Also check this (long) thread on fgg forum about a guy building his first frame. He has also machined all the jigs etc and is learning (and documenting) loads as he goes along. Makes me want to own a lathe, mill, torch etc and have a huge workshop with a fridge full of beer!

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12100

I think its about a grand, but you get show how to do everything by a good builder which is worth alot. Tourch are close to £200 plus bottle hire and gas = (from memory) 30 - 40 a year per bottle hire plus 80 quid for the gas per bottle. These number may be way out but I think that was what my dad talked about he was paying. This was some time ago and big bottles. May be more may be less. If I ever get round to it I will be borrowing the kit from my dad and should beable to get a bottle of O2 on the sly.

the dave yates course looks alright- and you get a frame out if it too. nice. £699 + materials. Looked at the fixedgeargallery thread. looks rather informative- how cool is that rocket on the headtube?

Whats the current deal with Oxy-Acetylene, Is it currently legal to store this in a residential premisis? Its the missue of Oxy-Acet thats hazzardous, not its storage.
Anyone know what the law states.

this is exactally what im looking to do also

not got bikeCAD yet but plan on soon

http://www.timpaterek.com/

I've seen this for download somewhere like emule.

http://www.daveyatescycles.co.uk/courses.htm
Dave Yates is running 5 day course where you get to take home your own frame, designed by you. It looks great, but sure aint cheap £699 + accomodation...

yamaguchi does a 2 week course in the states for $2000 if I remember correctly.. Dave Yates looks good as well, but slightly more expensive compared to a 2 week, full time course!

And just to complete the set, UBI does a decent framebuilding course in Ashland, OR, USA
http://www.bikeschool.com/

One of the big pluses with UBI is that their also a big parts distributor and you can buy tools/supplies at a really heavy discount if you do their courses.

Their frameshop is pretty decent (did their mechanics course a long time ago and was rather envious of all the folks in there).

I think I might do the yamaguchi course next year after my next pay raise..

i'm definitely thinking about it now.

Have you considered approaching a local builder and asking them to teach you/rent workshop space & tools. I'm sure most would at least consider it.

IMHO the Dave Yates course isn't expensive for what you get (£700 for 5 days, if you think of the workshop hire and expertees your buying into), but I havn't the money to do it ATM. I'll be getting a bag of cheap lugs and some cheap tube from Ceeway and having a good play before I start building my first frame. A friend of mine built a large tubular subframe for a kit car, thay was all jigged up on a 4' square sheet of 18mm thick ply, came out very straight so I reckon you could do the same for a bike, that is my plan anyway.

Also worth looking at Oxy Propane for brazing, saves the hire of an acetylene bottle, you just need oxygen and propane can be bought from B&Q (gas barbeques and patio heaters use it).

I think the Dave yates course is a good deal, so long as you get to learn a lot, and not get hand-held too much along the way. Materials are extra though, but a normal frame is about £150 of tubes/lugs and braze-ons. Then you'd have to get it painted. But, getting a frame you made for under a grand would be great I'm sure. Just gotta design one that looks anywhere near as classy as moyer and the like :s
Anyone here consider doing the course next year? I'm up for it (once i have some money) there are 4 places left in june/july, that's it!!

hm.. anyone got a copy of the paterek manual or videos I could have a look at? Failing that, anyone want to go halves?

BillB IMHO the Dave Yates course isn't expensive for what you get (£700 for 5 days, if you think of the workshop hire and expertees your buying into), but I havn't the money to do it ATM. I'll be getting a bag of cheap lugs and some cheap tube from Ceeway and having a good play before I start building my first frame. A friend of mine built a large tubular subframe for a kit car, thay was all jigged up on a 4' square sheet of 18mm thick ply, came out very straight so I reckon you could do the same for a bike, that is my plan anyway.

Also worth looking at Oxy Propane for brazing, saves the hire of an acetylene bottle, you just need oxygen and propane can be bought from B&Q (gas barbeques and patio heaters use it).

I have a some oaccess to gas tourches but no gas at the moment, I was thinking of going along a oxy propane set up as well to save on the hire of one bottle. What prices have you been offered on oxygen and how much for the hire of the bottle?

perhaps you can enter a UK version of this http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech/2007/shows/nahmbs07/?id=/photos/2007/tech/shows/nahmbs07/nahmbs073/gallery-nahmbs073

My local college does a welding/brazing course which I did a few years ago. It was about £80 for ten evenings. You were encouraged to bring along your own project work. Just bring along your own materials and use thier tools.

I did a welding course last year as well (Walthamstow college). Worth it but you only just get enough time to get to grips with the equipment and only did one day of brazing. Walthamstow was the only place I could find that did a course in welding. There is also a college in Neasdon (college of north west London) that does welding courses but they are full on C&G and hence two evening a week and go more advace then you need to braze a frame up and are expensive and long. Good courses but living in s.e London and working in central more treaking across the city twice a week was not what I fancied. Could not find anything local. The Gary at Walthamstow is well good though and top bloke worth doing the course just to play with tools:)

I found one in stratford (newham college or something) and I'm waiting for a reply about it..

what's your local college xroads?

hey unextas if you find any more about that course i would be very interested i live in stratford and can do some searching if you need me to