Rick;
Well, you asked all the basic questions and checked al the boxes that most potential framebuilders seem to ask. As for each;
I bought my frame finishing tools nearly forty years ago and they were expensive in 1975 dollars. I'd invite the other builders here to chime in on this one.
One alternative is to find a builder or shop nearby that will face and ream the BB an HT for you. I'd suggest you buy a set of dropout alignment tools, pretty cheap.
My fork blade bender is a piece of MIC6 tooling plate cut to the profile I want, it's flat faced, not radiused to match the blade.
Alignment, I have a blanchard ground cast iron plate and basic inspection tools. I built many frames without them, they are a nice thing to have but you can make a very straight frame with
nothing more than a good critical eye.
Brazing is the real learned "mechanical" skill for building steel brazed frames. It takes practice. As always suggested, get some scrap tubes, some wire and flux and tune your skills. Cut up the finished joint to inspect for fill and voids etc.
I know of no shortcuts here. You'll just learn when the materials are working correctly and when they're not. Silver brazing is relatively easy and not as likely to overheat tubes as bronze/brass brazing.
Addictive? To the extent that you'll never be completely satisfied with any frame you build. You may end up convincing yourself that just one more to get it really right then you'll quit.
Sure.
Originally Posted by
ricklp
I do love the colour, the stainless accents, and the decals. Your name works. The seat stay work is gorgeous.
I like building things, but what stops me from doing this so far are a few things:
The machining tools. The fork race tool. The head tube tools. The bottom bracket tools. They seem to me to be the most expensive pieces that I do not have. Anyone know a less arm and a leg source for these?
The details. What does the fork leg bending jig look like inside? How was the brake bridge assembled? What does the back of the jig look like? How are things attached? How to you check for alignment? Do you have the giant granite table and massive clamps and dial indicators? What is missing?
Then the brazing, I have used standard lead solder on electronics and, god forbid, in the dark ages, plumbing. I have used bronze/brass to stick things together and fill in holes. I even mig and stick weld adequately. I have used flux for plumbing, but flux core and flux coated for most of the other. I have never used silver. It worries me. This has the scary part of plumbing, how are you sure there is enough filler material? Too much and it globs all over too little and the water goes all over. I suspect too little here and it could be even messier. Also, are there cheats available to help you know if you are getting it hotter than you need to?
Is this process like wheel building, in that it looks really tough until you actually do it, and then its kind of addicting?
Thanks,
Rick