A day of dents, dissapointments, and do overs...

Ok, I eluded in the Smith race report that I've been awash in frantic shop time to remedy some unfortunate issues...so let's rewind a couple of days and start from the beginning.

A local racer was kinda down in the dumps because he had broken his aluminum frame, and was bikeless until the replacement could arrive.  Positioned to miss the Findley time trial and a couple weeks of good single track, I gave him my bike to use for the interim. 

While he was enjoying my ride, I built him a set of new wheels for his build...a sweeet set of Phil hubs, DT spokes and a set of Crest tubeless rims;

He stopped back in last week to pick up his warrantied frame.  I had prepped the frame for the build by facing and tapping the headset and bb, installing the headset and bb/crank, and installed the fork.  With new wheels in his hands and a frame ready to build up, I asked how he liked my SS with a bit more aggressive geometry than he is used to.  He advised that he had a great time on the bike, but had crashed once or twice.  It wasn't until I eagerly put the bike up on the rack so I could get my first ride in a month that I saw the down tube...

Three total dents, one with a sharp crease.  My pouty lip came out, knowing that the frame could not be reliable until repaired.  My riding is done for a long bit.

Back on track in the shop, I was preparing to paint Chad's Ti frame.  Now, any of you who have followed the blog for any length of time know that our two pups love to hang out with me in the shop.  They are devoted, almost to a fault, as they are always at my feet.  Working at the weld table, they are under it.  Working at the mill, they are laying aside getting chips all over them.  You get the idea.  So, as I was getting the Ti frame off the rack and taking a step back...you guessed it, the dogs were right behind me.  Somewhere in the midst of falling backwards with frame in hand, I knew there was no stopping the eventual thud that was to come.  As my arse hit the floor, the frame hit the edge of the steel weld table.  Copious expletives followed.

This frame has had a long path of bad kharma associated with it; two attempts at custom masked annodizing with a new contractor that took months and ended with me blasting the finish off, difficulties in getting the computer/plotter to create the intricate masks for paint, anticipated deadlines come and gone due to my medical issues, etc...  After brooding for the rest of the day and lamenting that sometimes being an adult with small business responsibilities sucks, I determined that the only course of action was to get rid of the bad kharma and start over.  So a new frame with a fresh cosmic slate began.

Machined headtube, machine and welded seat tube, all tubes mitered up...

In the fixture...front tri is fused in the fixture and rear end fitted up...

With the front triangle set, running the filler pass...

To keep distortion down on the seat tube, I ran single pass welding on the rear end, keeping the heat imput down by moving fast and fluidly...

Machining up the fiddly bits like the brake bridge...

A nice tight fit...

With the frame all welded up, it's time to cut and face it's pieces parts...bottom bracket, head tube and seat tube...

Just need to add the cable guides yet...pretty light for such a large frame...

I should finish fabrication today and begin paint on Friday.  It'll get to Chad in time for the Hotter than Hell hundred, but just.  Chad gets the award for most patient individual of all time...I don't deserve to work with such good folks.

cheers,

rody