The first build is a steel single speed cruiser frame that will be painted up in a classic midnight metallic blue, cream and silver pinstripes. A ti unicrown fork, ti bar/stem combo, ti seat post, and a host of White Industries polished silver components will round out the build.
We're gonna fast forward a bit in the build process; the frame is completed in fabrication and just blasted to get ready for paint. So often, it is the paint or the lines of the bike that draw the eye of those walking by. For those that do this for a living, it is the bare naked state that tells the most about the level of craftsmanship. Particularly, in the blasted state where there is no color, reflection, or variations in surface textures to trick the eye, can you see how well you've done. So, enjoy the following pics in their stark state of truth...
We'll start at the head tube junction. Looking at the joint critically, I want to insure that in the acute angle of the lower down tube that I've kept control of my heat input, added enough filler, and have not undercut the wall of either piece, leaving a smooth transition through the valley. This frame was all welded with .035' filler, not pulsed, varying the speed of my filler based on the requirements of the joint as I moved along...
You can see the little bobble I made with my torch hand as I rotated my way around the top tube underside. The torch moved out of the valley and up onto the tube a tiny bit, allowing my filler to solidify a bit higher than the rest of the bead, as I was still pushing it in at a rate necessary for the valley. Structurally sound, will never be seen under paint, but I noticed it and will strive to improve next go around :)
Next up is the intersection of the cruiser cross tube and down tube, a critical joint as the tube terminates just above the butting in the down tube. When working so close to the thinner section, good heat regulation is very important. As the tubes are of common size, the outside aspects of the joint begin to flatten out, increasing the propensity of the edges to peel back under heat. My rate of torch movement speeds up here to insure that I keep good penetration on both surfaces, feeding my rod in more quickly as well to keep an even puddle within the bead...
Details like brass and silver brazing are more easily seen once blasted as well. You can tell by the shape of the fillet how evenly heated the pieces were, how well the material was placed and drawn around the joint, and how smooth the final shape is before the paint adds it's magical smoothing touch...
Finally, a shot of the frame ready for the first layer of primer...
I'll try to get some paint pics up for y'all in the next few days, thanks for stopping by.
cheers,
rody
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