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44 Bikes Frame Shop

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Slick111

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Feb 6, 2012
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248
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Everett Wa
Hey Randy dont know what your price range is but might have a line on a brand new Acer mill in Monroe guy bought it to build chopper parts but ended up in a divorce he offered it to me for 6 grand obo last fall I already have a Bridgeport series 1 myself.Dont know if he ever sold it but the Acer mill is an import from Taiwan not China and seems to be good quality
 
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fortyfour

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May 9, 2011
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Lyndeborough, NH
Let's get back on topic here. None of this chinese mill stuff...

Built a new trolley for holding frames while I weld. Close up of the welds in process:



Park Tool makes some nice work clamps. I adapted this bench mount PRS-4 type for my stand. Apparently the offset hole has a purpose and they're all like this. Personally, I think they were all made on a friday by the same cross-eyed hole driller:



And finished up:



So it was about 75 deg's this past friday up here in NH, with no humidity. Warm enough to warrant some open doors/windows. As planned, I opened the front door, a window and the two sets of doors leading out the back of the shop: Cross wind was great. Love when things work how you planned them.

Tables for the shop are on hold for a little bit as I had an unexpected repair: the line coming up our lane from our well broke with the spring thaw. Glad I didn't order steel when I thought I was going to. More soon though...
 
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M-technik-3

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Feb 16, 2008
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Never realized that you are in NH. Got to love the way NH allows you to mind your own business and they will stay out of your hair, versus down here in Communist state of Taxachusetts.
 
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Diptwa

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Apr 14, 2012
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Re: 44 Bikes Frame Shop :: 9.7.2011 Update

Ok, so I just joined this site tonight and the first thread I've looked at is this one. Your attention to detail is extremely impressive and I am ridiculously jealous of how your shed is coming together. When I saw those matched timber doors I just had to comment. I dream of one day having a shed like this where I design and make custom timber furniture.
 
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Iowa Mark

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Dec 3, 2011
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I have to say, it is always a pleasure to see someone with fantastic skills being blessed with a keen sense of design also. So many times, good engineering and art never find a home together. Thank you for reminding us that good enough is only part way there.
 
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fortyfour

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Lyndeborough, NH
Thanks for those comments "Iowa Mark" and "Diptwa".

Had some time this weekend to make a much needed upgrade: Sound. I need music, but I also want a nice setup. Ironically I'm more concerned with how it's attached to the wall than the components. On hand materials dictated some decisions naturally and the thought of "Let's just get this one done". I'll most likely do something that fits in the corner when funds allow more freedom:



I wrangled the two speakers off my sister in law who was glad to see them go and get reused (the other is across the room opposite this one), and we had a small receiver that still worked. I had just enough speaker wire to make the trip up and over to the other side of the shop. Getting up into the crawl space and walking across the joists was a trip...

Got the space to the right of the door finally sealed up and my chalk board mounted. Every shop needs a chalk board! This one was my grandmothers and my sister and I used to use it as kids. It was going to get tossed when my mom was doing some downsizing last spring and I happily took it off her hands:



I've got some nice antique hooks I'm going to paint and mount for some coat hooks above the extinguisher. Also dragged my two oak stumps for my anvil and a future sandbag I need to sew up for forming light metals (Gold, silver, copper and the like):



Overhead shop shot - can't wait to make some tables as i've commented before. Just good to be working down here now though - I can't complain!



And some working shots/welding/self portraits from this past week:









Going to be purchasing some primer for the walls before I get too "ahead" of myself. Till next time - hopefully I'll have some tables to show which I'm excited about.
 
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VWPORSCHEGT3

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Mar 22, 2012
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Gardnerville, NV
Ever consider building a BMX frame?.... now before i get flamed im 28, have three kids and yes im still racing.. if something along the lines of the 90's GT box series could be built in thin walled 4130 Cro-mo I'd be in heaven... wishful thinking! beautiful shop , I very much enjoyed your thread!!
 
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fortyfour

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@VWPORSCHEGT3: I'm not opposed to the idea. If it has 2 wheels I'll build it. Here's my own personal DJ albeit 26":



My roots / beginnings are in BMX.
 
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VWPORSCHEGT3

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Mar 22, 2012
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I like it! I stick to 20" i'm far too squirley on a 24"er. and cruiser class just isn't much fun... around here anyways. I'm sure your far too rich for my blood (im a cheap *** ill admit it:lol_hitti )so i need to find a good old box series with a 21" top tube and american BB. Been obsessed with those frames since highschool... and i have one but its only a 20.5 top tube and i don't know if a longer stem would really do the frame any justice.... anyways ill let you get back to your thread... :willy_nil
 
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Talus

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Apr 15, 2012
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114
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Southside CT
Just spent the past hour turning pages on this thread. What a great story. It's easy to see that you take great pride in your work and have quite a bit of ingenuity. Best of luck with your projects and please keep this thread updated. Definitely inspiring!
 
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fatboy99

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Indiana
I had read in a thread on here to use oil based primer on OSB after I had primed and painted my walls with latex. Haven't had any issues in the 4 years since. I did have some of the chip's bubble up and a few came off the sheet's. I used the cheap primer and white paint from Lowes.
 
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fortyfour

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Lyndeborough, NH
@Fergus: 29er indeed. Work is play. Play is work. I worked hard to make it so.

@IowaMercMan: I generally don't have to worry about working on my tan (or rather sunburn) until after I get into the 70 amp range. I was in the 50 amp range that day.
 
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Re-Volv

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Mar 11, 2008
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fortyfour said:
@VWPORSCHEGT3: I'm not opposed to the idea. If it has 2 wheels I'll build it. Here's my own personal DJ albeit 26":



My roots / beginnings are in BMX.
Click to expand...

Not only a great looking bike, but also a great photo!

Anyone else notice the bike appears to stand on its own?
44 - Photoshop skills too?
 
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fortyfour

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Lyndeborough, NH
Photoshop skills yes. But not on this photo. Good eye Burton391. Must be the fact it's a "realtree" camo arrow I found in the woods on a ride...
 
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Originalspanksta

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Nov 20, 2007
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Philadelphia
you sure there's no photoshop going on on the lower leading edge of both tires? they look a little funny to me....especially the front, which appears to change shape...
 
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speedfreak87

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Nov 11, 2008
Messages
9
fortyfour said:
Today's work. It was shorts weather up here in 03082. Don't try that at home kids...





Click to expand...

BAH! TIG welding in shorts isn't so bad.. don't try to MIG in them though.. lol! never again will I make that mistake..

Bike looks great, and the shop is coming along nicely.
 
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fortyfour

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Lyndeborough, NH
Originalspanksta said:
you sure there's no photoshop going on on the lower leading edge of both tires? they look a little funny to me....especially the front, which appears to change shape...
Click to expand...

The lens on my camera does begin to "warp" some images as it is a "semi" wide angle. You may be picking up on a bit of distortion as I was up pretty close on the bike for this shot. The front leading edge of the tire does have a bit of shadow which does create a bit of distortion. But as "Supra90turbo" states...

@Speedfreak87: I don't normally have a problem until I exceed 70 amps. Then my 1/4 Irish skin reminds me quickly to wear pants and long sleeves. I made that mistake only once. And it really only takes one arc strike to realize it - it's that quick. I was around the 55 amp range here-no problem on the tanning.
 
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fortyfour

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Lyndeborough, NH
Being that I'm a visual oriented person, and I need to lay things out to fully envision things sometimes, I took some time to try different ideas, layouts and arrangements for the tables using saw horses and some scrap ply. Once I had a space created with attention to my perceived workflow, I have been living/working in the space as is. I felt pretty strong once this setup was in place and it hit that "just right feeling. Ghetto-Fabulout Shop Workflow Visualization 3000:



Paramount for me was position of jig to the alignment table. The alignment table is basically at the heart of the shop. Work flow kind of dictates this as the process is tack, check alignment, weld. Tack, check alignment, weld. This allows me to see how the material is moving under heat and how I can then plan my welds to "move" the tubes back into position if they are 'leaning' in one direction or the other. Heat control is a pretty cool thing.

I've decided that all major machinery that make chips will be on the north wall (where the Bridgeport is). This will also maximize the ability of NOT having to run lots heavy gauge wire across the other side of the room and offer up some cost savings. Also it will be nice for visitors to come in and not be greeted by having to walk through the chips. And if I don't have time to clean up at the end of the day, it's all on one side of the room.

I'll be building 3 tables: one 36x48 which will eventually serve as the base for a much larger alignment system (The one I have is temporary). A second which will be 24" x 48" that is on wheels and will serve more as a layout/tooling cart and work top. And the third will be a much larger 24" x 96" long table that will be more of a permanent fixture. The structures will be 1x1 steel square stock with 1/8" wall thickness. Legs are going to be 2x2. I'm excited to share how these will go together.

Steel arrives from a local supplier this friday. Can't wait. More as things come together.

Till then, recent work:









 
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moto367

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Sep 14, 2010
Messages
125
Location
Ohio
Again, very nice! What are you using as an alignment table? I'm eying a 3 x 36 x 36" plate with 1/2" tapped holes on 1" centers at work. It's been sitting there for a year and hasn't moved. Few passes on the Blanchard grinder and it would be a sweet surface plate.
 
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supra90turbo

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Sep 30, 2011
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595
Location
Central MA
I'm sure it is functional, I like that curved "brace", the one behind the seat, and the one at the dropouts. Personally I don't care if it's functional or not! I like the style.
 
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