Where to begin?
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 91
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Where to begin?
I know nothing about frame building, and I have never welded anything in my life. I really don't know a thing about any of it. I have built many bikes in my day, but I always pieced them together using existing parts. I never built a frame.
Is there an instructional DVD I can buy or something to get me started on the basics? Or is there a book I can read or something? Or some sort of guide?
I am not trying to do anything major here, but I wouldn't mind building my own chopper style bike from the ground up...
How do most people get started?
Is there an instructional DVD I can buy or something to get me started on the basics? Or is there a book I can read or something? Or some sort of guide?
I am not trying to do anything major here, but I wouldn't mind building my own chopper style bike from the ground up...
How do most people get started?
#2
Newbie, and proud of it
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 12
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Same boat here. I've heard good things about the UBI classes, but they run a bit more than a DVD or how-to book.
Another approach to the question: How did y'all (the framebuilders on the forum) get started?
Another approach to the question: How did y'all (the framebuilders on the forum) get started?
#3
Banned.
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Torrance, CA
Posts: 3,061
Bikes: Homebuilt steel
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2193 Post(s)
Liked 425 Times
in
337 Posts
Tons of information on the web for beginners including frameforum.net and the even more active usenet framebuilders group. Google "framebuilding" for a start.
Good luck.
Good luck.
#4
Spelling Snob
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Plano, Texas
Posts: 2,862
Bikes: Panasonic DX4000, Bianchi Pista
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
1 Post
Find a framebuilder and see if he'll teach you in small lessons for a fee.
__________________
The first rule of flats is You don't talk about flats!
The first rule of flats is You don't talk about flats!
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 718
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
the paterek manual is the book you're looking for. https://www.timpaterek.com/
I used the paterek manual + general evening welding classes to build a few frames.
I used the paterek manual + general evening welding classes to build a few frames.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 6,401
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
13 Posts
I used the Paterek manual in conjunction with Frameforum.net, as well as littlefishbicycles.com and various other tidbits scattered around the internet. Then I got to work ruining tubing and lugs in my garage until I figured it out.
My experience has been that framebuilding isn't the easiest thing in the world, but that it isn't rocket science either. There's a quote from a top custom framebuilder to the effect that "It's just glorified pipefitting". You can definitiely learn it without personalized instruction -- but the learning curve will be longer and you're almost certain to waste some time, money, and materials while doing it.
As for chopper style frames, etc., I think you might be buying even more problems. I'm not familiar with any sources of information for non-traditional framebuilding. I'm afraid Paterek, et al., might be an expensive dissapointment for you, as they deal with classic designs and brazing pretty much exclusively. TIG welding your custom design, or whatever, puts you into pretty rarefied air.
My experience has been that framebuilding isn't the easiest thing in the world, but that it isn't rocket science either. There's a quote from a top custom framebuilder to the effect that "It's just glorified pipefitting". You can definitiely learn it without personalized instruction -- but the learning curve will be longer and you're almost certain to waste some time, money, and materials while doing it.
As for chopper style frames, etc., I think you might be buying even more problems. I'm not familiar with any sources of information for non-traditional framebuilding. I'm afraid Paterek, et al., might be an expensive dissapointment for you, as they deal with classic designs and brazing pretty much exclusively. TIG welding your custom design, or whatever, puts you into pretty rarefied air.
#7
Banned
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,115
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
1 Post
Chopper bikes are easy, go to Atomiczombie.com. He has a book and there are lots of projects on the site. His book by the same name also had quite a few chopper projects and was published by Harpers so your library might have it or borrow it.
There is also: https://www.chopperbicycle.net/
You can find a lot of good sites via lowrider searches. Chopper bikes tended to spread out from the well developed LR scene also.
Best source for conventional info are the Paternek videos which can be rented online. Both are worth getting: one is on lugs, the other on brazing. One covers machine shop set-ups, the other less well equipt, etc... The only problem with renting is that if you have to rent multiple discs/set, it may not be all that cheap, and you might as well buy from Paternek. I got a Beta version of the DVD, so I can't tell you.
There is also: https://www.chopperbicycle.net/
You can find a lot of good sites via lowrider searches. Chopper bikes tended to spread out from the well developed LR scene also.
Best source for conventional info are the Paternek videos which can be rented online. Both are worth getting: one is on lugs, the other on brazing. One covers machine shop set-ups, the other less well equipt, etc... The only problem with renting is that if you have to rent multiple discs/set, it may not be all that cheap, and you might as well buy from Paternek. I got a Beta version of the DVD, so I can't tell you.