Has anyone built a frame themselves? Im wanting to rebuild one out of real structural steel tubing instead of rigid conduit and I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas or tips.
I read that people making frames are using 4130 chromoly, and im wanting to go about the same size as the rigid conduit thinner.
the specs on rigid conduit
1/2 rigid
ID: .634
OD:.855
wall thickness: .110
so im thinking ill get some 4130 chromoly .875 OD, .058 Wall which will be half the thickness
I read people are building downhill bikes iwth .49 wall chromoly but im kinda scared to go too thin on my first chromoly frame, as i dont know how the metal will behave. ..
I do know that the galvanized rigid conduit is such a pain in the... to preclean and reclean and ventilate my shop space and it turns the shielded area around my welds a funny purple color if i get too close to it and that zinc coating turns fluffy and white and contaminates my welds and they end up looking junky.
I just have been using rigid because its really thick and and i got about 50ft of it for free. I wanted to open up my top tube so it would straddle my motor so i wouldnt have to worry about frame clearance issues and now i am opening my mind to doing real structural welding on my bike so i can go real fast w/o anything breaking.
I taught myself to tig weld for this so i really hope someone can give me some good tips and not just naysay. Im going to do it anyway i just what to see whats out there as far as information
So what do you think?
.49 wall or .58 or thicker?
I read that people making frames are using 4130 chromoly, and im wanting to go about the same size as the rigid conduit thinner.
the specs on rigid conduit
1/2 rigid
ID: .634
OD:.855
wall thickness: .110
so im thinking ill get some 4130 chromoly .875 OD, .058 Wall which will be half the thickness
I read people are building downhill bikes iwth .49 wall chromoly but im kinda scared to go too thin on my first chromoly frame, as i dont know how the metal will behave. ..
I do know that the galvanized rigid conduit is such a pain in the... to preclean and reclean and ventilate my shop space and it turns the shielded area around my welds a funny purple color if i get too close to it and that zinc coating turns fluffy and white and contaminates my welds and they end up looking junky.
I just have been using rigid because its really thick and and i got about 50ft of it for free. I wanted to open up my top tube so it would straddle my motor so i wouldnt have to worry about frame clearance issues and now i am opening my mind to doing real structural welding on my bike so i can go real fast w/o anything breaking.
I taught myself to tig weld for this so i really hope someone can give me some good tips and not just naysay. Im going to do it anyway i just what to see whats out there as far as information
So what do you think?
.49 wall or .58 or thicker?
