General Cycling Discussion - take a week long class, build your own custom frame

I found this website:

http://www.hottubes.com/build.html

basically you plunk down $1700 and for a week you learn how to build your own bike frame. at the end you have your own custom made, hand built frame by you. all materials are included in the cost.

has anyone done it? or know of anyone that has? any other classes like it? does hot tubes have a good reputation as far as frame quality? sounds like a good idea to me. but it has to be harder than taking a class to build a frame, right?

Check out the frame building classes at UBI in Oregon.
They are great teachers and have been teaching for years.

http://www.bikeschool.com/

I'm a newbie, can anyone tell me the advantages of doing this? I'm mean, for 17 hundred dollars and all I get is a frame, what is the point? Or is it just the neat factor of being able to say "I put it together".

I would think the hardest part would be making nice looking joints, and that can't be done with a weeks worth of training...even if you are Jesse James.

Originally posted by ehenz
I'm a newbie, can anyone tell me the advantages of doing this? I'm mean, for 17 hundred dollars and all I get is a frame, what is the point?

Well, I can't really see an advantage either, but i'm mechanically inclined.

For the $1700 they charge you could probably buy a framebuilding jig, a torch and enough tubing to braze 2 or 3 bicycles!

then just learn by the school of hard knocks. If you;ve never soldered before go to the hardware store and practice on copper plumbing bits.

peas,

Steve

Brazing is neither the same as welding nor soldering, and it would be worthwhile to learn it. I had an earlier thread asking where to learn brazing and someone responded that there are often night classes at vocational schools and community colleges.

I know the guy from hottubes, toby, he's a really nice guy, used to be heavily involved with Saturn. I'd love to do that course it sounds good. A decent custom frame is gonna cost you about that anyway, and I'm always interested in learning how to make stuff. Just don't have the cash, working on paying off the overdraft as it is

good luck whatever your decision

Originally posted by FOG
Brazing is neither the same as welding nor soldering, and it would be worthwhile to learn it. I had an earlier thread asking where to learn brazing and someone responded that there are often night classes at vocational schools and community colleges.

Well, i've done both brazing and soldering and it seems the same to me. Perhaps brazing rod doesn't flow as well as solder, but the skills are largely transferrable. I would say brazing is a bit harder, but not impossibly so.

Basically soldering and brazing are the same activity at different temperatures. I found this online:

"Brazing is the "joining of metals by fusion of nonferrous alloys that have melting points above 425 degrees C (800 degrees F) but lower than those of the metals being joined.... Brazing is distinguished from soldering by the melting point of the filler metal: solders melt below 450 degrees C (840 degrees F). "

here is a link to an online definition . (http://www.lucasmilhaupt.com/htmdocs/brazing_support/faqs.html#Whatisthedifferencebetweensolderingbrazingandwelding?)

take care,

Jester

Originally posted by ehenz
I'm a newbie, can anyone tell me the advantages of doing this? I'm mean, for 17 hundred dollars and all I get is a frame, what is the point? Or is it just the neat factor of being able to say "I put it together".

The frame is just a by-product of the experience...

I build(but I don't do the welding and the painting anymore) my own frames(the last one was done a few weeks ago). Where the frame is just a product of the fun I get..

Its just like cycling, being fit and loosing weight is just something that goes with the enjoyment you get from riding.

Personally, I didn't go to any classes specific to frame building.. So for 17hundred bucks, I could not relate.

I'm mechanically inclined and have a degree on it.. So frame building is something you may say in the scope of my field.

Everything has to be fun in order to appreciate it.

So if ever some of you will take the course.. ENJOY!!!


Originally posted by ehenz
I would think the hardest part would be making nice looking joints, and that can't be done with a weeks worth of training...even if you are Jesse James.
I agree, welding nice looking joints is a bit hard.. Especially because you need it to be strong because of the stress it takes.. And likewise, tubes do expand and get deformed if the temperature is too high.. So care is implied on the joints.

But I'm sure the instructors of the course will assist you in doing so..