Built my own singlespeed frame with Carl Strong... (road content)

[indigosky]

I spent last week with Carl and (his assistant) Nic Schmidt at his shop in Bozeman. He and I agreed to a week's "class" where he taught me the steps involved in framebuilding. We went step by step through the process, and by Friday I had built my own frame (with much help from Carl and Nic). It was an incredible experience, and I was on information overload every day. I built a road singlespeed with Paul dropouts. It's currently on it's way to Spectrum for powdercoat!

Both Carl and Nic are true professionals and the week was everything and more than I expected. Carl, I know you'll read this, so here is my public THANK YOU! for a great week.

More pics to come....

Hit F5 to refresh if the pics aren't showing up...

[jh_on_the_cape]

fantastic!
i have always wanted to that at hot tubes. supposedly the man behind the mastery of steel bicycles at many a new england frame builder (according to chris bull).
http://www.hottubes.com/hottubesframesfbc.htm

[Greenfix]

Very nice Indigosky.

[YuriB]

That is pretty sweet

[indigosky]

fantastic!
i have always wanted to that at hot tubes. supposedly the man behind the mastery of steel bicycles at many a new england frame builder (according to chris bull).
http://www.hottubes.com/hottubesframesfbc.htm

I thought long and hard about Hottubes because it is about 4 hours from me. I've heard it is more watching Toby work than hands on, so I investigated some other routes. Don't get me wrong, Toby is supposed to be a good framebuilder, I just wanted to ~do~ as much as I could.

It took me a full two days of practicing tig welding before I was ready to start on my frame.

[loonyOne]

I've wanted to build a frame for quite some time now, but am at the dead-headed stage of things where I really don't know in which direction to head. I am wanting to fillet braze the frame as the equipment is easier for me to obtain. I haven't fillet brazed since high school, and don't remember that much about it, but it seems to fit my 'purist' attitudes and aesthetic tastes for frames with the big, fat 'welds'. I really am glad you had the chance to do what you did. I have to declare a definite level of jealousy though. Congrats!!

[flipnidaho]

even though the frame I built has a der. hanger, it will be built as a SS... It's a great feeling to build your own frame... Makes one appreciate the price people charge (especially the custom one at a time builders) for custom frames...

Adventures in Ashland...