Can't afford right now. No time, no money. As a PhD student-worker in the life sciences, I make less than a living wage and work 60+ hours a week, with no expectation of paid time off. I was very lucky, and got a lot of favors from a lot of friends in order to get that Herse, but that was my big flex. There's not so much left in the tank, and a lot going on behind the scenes. I have to think smaller.
For now, I learn by doing. This is faster and cheaper than remaking the frame, or attempting to communicate exactly what I want a framebuilder to do, then waiting for a queue, then being upset when it's wrong because I'm a bad communicator (or I want something the framebuilder just *won't do*). Besides, I can use the machine shop here at my institution to make things easier.
I am happy to report that none of the frame failures I've had are anyplace I have brazed anything to anything else. And making the fork was encouraging and confidence-building. I am lucky enough to have Doug Fattic give me pointers on the forums now and again. I'm eternally grateful for his recommendations to switch to a better silver flux, and to flick the torch away when adding filler.
Maybe when I'm retired in 40 years, if any classes still exist (and if retirement is still a thing) I will go for it.
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Owner & co-founder, Cycles René Hubris. Unfortunately attaching questionable braze-ons to perfectly good frames since about 2015. With style.
Last edited by scarlson; 11-16-21 at 07:54 PM.