Friday, June 16, 2006

PACKING

Quiet week really just fettling frames for the painters and packing for the customers.
Had some powder coating done and he did a pretty good job. The powder coating I have seen in the past has been too industrial. If I could get it like an Orbit frame I had in this week I would be well impressed.
It was a nice cobalt blue metalic with decals lacquered over. Very nice. The good thing about powder coating is the toughness. Although I have seen frames in the past rot underneath the powder where a deep scratch has appeared.
I may be setting up my own boothe soon anyway and get back to stove enamelling on site. Save a lot of time sending it out. My painter does a good job but the time it adds is just too long.
I used the tig welder on some small jobs and it works well. Next step will be a nice alloy road frame.
I also have another small frame to make with 650c wheels. The only way to go when the small people want to get in an aero position.
I have another single speed coming through and a 631 road Tandem for a change, with700 x 28c I havn't built one for 700c for ages, they have usually been 26" wheel tourers.
Still time for the weekend.
bye for now.
Lee.

Friday, June 09, 2006

HOT

A hot week in the workshop.
Finished the main build of a 631 tandem frame and forks this week, another lugless custom built direct latt. It takes a rohloff rear hub. It's at the shot blasters now when it comes back I'll just give it a light fettle to tidy some of the brass, then off to the painters.
Couple of forks in for disc mount brackets, a lot of people are heading the disc way. Not just the mountain bikers, tourers and commuters aswell.
I have found a new local powder coater. He has a couple of frames to do, one black one white we'll see how they come back. The price wasn't cheep so I am hoping for a better finish than the usual industrial jobs.
I have some more lugged traditional style frames to build. Track frames using 631 again, they seem to be quite popular still.
I also have an unusual loader frame to build. The front wheel is a 20" the rear is 700c, the top tube is low down and a carrier is brazed on top of it. I already built a few with L.A.Cycles over the past few years.
I am looking forward to building an aluminiun frame with the new tig welder.This machine is a lot better than the last one I had and should do a great job.



Here's a pic of a frame using stainless lugs. I built this a couple of weeks a go.

Bye for now there will be more next week.
Lee.

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Just testing

Hi there Just testing the blogg.
Not sure what I am doing just yet.