Take one set of tubes...

I'll just leave this here:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Reynolds-531-c-competition-road-bike-frame-tube-set-cycle-tubeset-/261129045046?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item3ccc810436

I found a thing on Ricky Feathers blog that he likes the No.1's so I'm gonna pop to BOC and see what's on the shelf, although places like that usually sell 5kg boxes minimum.

Sounds like he's moving over to 101 for most of his work: http://instagram.com/p/SN-ga9KqPI/

Cheers mike, I'll order some Sif Bronze No.1's - im imagining 1.6mm works well for lugs and 2.4mm for fillets...?

Did you order it yet? I know some people are using 2mm 101 for fillet work. 2.4mm should work OK, it's just going to lay down a broader fillet.

I actually had a go at laying down fillet with a torch the other day. It was connected to a gasfluxer, which was also a new experience for me. Turns the flame green.

Does anyone want to go in for some 2.4mm?

Did you order it yet? I know some people are using 2mm 101 for fillet work. 2.4mm should work OK, it's just going to lay down a broader fillet.

I actually had a go at laying down fillet with a torch the other day. It was connected to a gasfluxer, which was also a new experience for me. Turns the flame green.

I haven't ordered yet mate, I did pop into BOC to get an argon refill for my tig (f'ing £120!) and as per usual the guy behind the counter started spouting tripe about how their own brand rods are the same, their flux is the same blah blah blah.

Anyone know the price of the 101's, I'd be in for a multi buy if it's not crazy money...?

Thread bump. Anyone interested in buying some homemade maple tube blocks, like the ones Bohemian Bicycles make? Probably won't turn out as perfectly milled (I've got a bandsaw and sander which'll do a fair job no doubt)... Looking to recoup some costs of the maple blank so they'd be about £8 each with a leather hinge to stop the halves getting separated...

Cheers,
Ben

Yeah, I could be well up for some of those.

Thread bump. Anyone interested in buying some homemade maple tube blocks, like the ones Bohemian Bicycles make? Probably won't turn out as perfectly milled (I've got a bandsaw and sander which'll do a fair job no doubt)... Looking to recoup some costs of the maple blank so they'd be about £8 each with a leather hinge to stop the halves getting separated...

Cheers,
Ben

I'll buy a set

really interesting, subscribed

Me too, definitely interested.

I've just done a one day fillet brazing masterclass at the Bicycle Academy down in Frome, which was excellent.

I'm planning on doing a bit of a show and tell. Do you reckon in here, or as a new thread?

New thread! I wanna see some fillets!

^^Look forward to seeing the results of your efforts.

Just had a look at the bike academy website. I didnt realise that the brazing master there is Brian Curtis of Curtis bikes. I have always drooled over those frames. For £300 I think I am going to go down and do the fillet masterclass. Although I like to think my fillets are good and strong, I love the way he does them with no post-braze filing. What filler rod is being used? Is it flux coated? I am surprised to see no flux paste on the tubes. Cannot wait to see you results now!

I'll take some photos later so you can see!

I was taught by Andrew, who runs the Academy. He was taught by Brian, and brazes at an incredibly high standard too. I saw some of Brian's finished work up close and it was fabulous.

While I was down there Brian was teaching Sam, who's an apprentice they've taken on. They were remaking the frame for a kid's bike, and Sam absolutely nailed it.

http://instagram.com/thebicycleacademy

Kid's bike http://instagram.com/p/W4PTGjtwbl/

Close up of Sam's brazing. There's no filing at all here http://instagram.com/p/W4a51OtwXM/

The reason there's no flux is that they use gas fluxers, which incorporate the flux directly into the Acetylene, in effect you get a gas shroud of flux around the braze. We did have a play with paste flux at the end of the day, though.

The reason there's no flux is that they use gas fluxers, which incorporate the flux directly into the Acetylene, in effect you get a gas shroud of flux around the braze.

Intriguing! Well sent an email about class availability. Hopefully will find out tomorrow if I can go on the course.

So, after the various attempts at learning the arcane craft of frame-building, I finally accepted that I am a ham-fisted ne'er do well was never going to come to any good and settled on other ways of filling my free time.

All was well in my world, and frame-building dreams were but a distant memory, when last November Fixedwheelnut of this very Forum posted this:

http://www.lfgss.com/conversations/257895/#comment11945116

A little bit of related websurfing revealed that Geoff Roberts of THE Roberts dynasty had returned to frame-building and, intriguingly was leading courses at Enigma Cycles in Hailsham.

Later, a nice bottle of Chianti later, I sent off a hopeful e-mail to Enigma to see if they might be up for running the course in the first week of the New Year. Turns out they were up for it, and despite all of the evidence that I am incapable of getting my hands to work in tandem I found myself typing out my credit card details and booking a cheap hotel on the South Coast.

To be honest, when Monday morning came around, I wasn't even going to turn up. Me, build a frame, what was I thinking? The thought of a load of blokes who really did know what they were doing laughing at me in their workshop was terrifying. The only reason I went was that I had booked the time off work and told everyone what I was going to do, so in the end I had to at least give it a go.

Imagine my surprise therefore when on Thursday afternoon - a day and a half ahead of schedule - I loaded this into the back of my van:

Hard as it is to believe, I've built myself a proper frame, and I am delighted with it. Here's a few more shots:

Despite casting himself as the UK's grumpiest frame-builder, Geoff Roberts was great. If he can get someone as fundamentally hopeless as me to produce a frame, he can teach anyone to do it.

I should also 'big up' (?) everyone at Enigma Cycles, the whole team were great, and seemed reasonably happy to have a useless, loud Northern gob-shite around for the week. They also put a vast amount of love and attention to details into their Titanium frames, so if you are in the market for something exotic, you should definitely go and see them.

Anyway, looks like I've got another project. Shall keep this thread updated.

damn thats so nice! really interesting mix!

Bravo!

Carbon forks?

Yep, sadly.

I would have preferred steel, but the build sheet was designed for carbon forks so by the time we'd started cutting tubes it was too late to change.

Still, gives me an excuse to build another.

Carbon forks on steel frame can look really good though...
At some point I considered carbon forks for the Roberts actually, and some have blades that suit steel frames nicely... I'm sure you know that anyway but I though the "sadly" was a bit harsh...

I'm sure it will look pretty good once built, it just would have been nice to have built a whole bike.

Having said that, I should make it clear that Enigma, quite rightly, won't let beginners build forks, 'cos if they fail you are likely to get very hurt.

Bloody beautiful!

Dibs Talbot ;)

Good work!

Very jealous