Bike builders that have machine tools/shops

What most of the people that have posted on this thread do or did is a fading art, in the buy it now online world younger people don't have the patients. I have tried to pass what I've learned to my son, I've always told him if you're good with tools and machinery he would have a job, now days with all the automation I wonder.
 
Once I got a lathe I had a need to cut solid bar stock and all I had at the time was a 14" abrasive chopsaw. It's a good old saw, I've owned it since the 80's, but it was looking like cutting bar stock was gonna kill it for sure and we couldn't have that! Being more financially viable at the time I popped $7-800 on a Taiwan made 7x12 horizontal bandsaw.

The only regret, and I'm not sure it's a viable one, is I bought one with a cooling system. Initially I used a water based coolant that was designed specifically for a saw, but that stuff dries up and forms a crust of chips that are just about like rocks. It also ate the paint! So I switched to whatever spare oil I had available and now it's an oily mess instead of a crusty one.

I don't even try to clean it ...

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indian22 said:
Tom nice bandsaw. Does it have a saw band brake & band welding station built in? If so inside cuts are certainly a snap!

Rick C.
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I wouldn't own a bandsaw without a blade welder Rick, and Grob makes the best. DoAll does not even compete in blade welding. Perfectly square/ flush joints are requisite.
But for time saved making a good weld, it must be a Grob.
If all bandsaws had good welders. Suppliers would not be in the business of selling premade blades. My saw does not have the grinder accessory. From a certain time(late 80's) it was not offered for the aforementioned reason.
Tom from Rubicon
 
FOG said:
Once I got a lathe I had a need to cut solid bar stock and all I had at the time was a 14" abrasive chopsaw. It's a good old saw, I've owned it since the 80's, but it was looking like cutting bar stock was gonna kill it for sure and we couldn't have that! Being more financially viable at the time I popped $7-800 on a Taiwan made 7x12 horizontal bandsaw.

The only regret, and I'm not sure it's a viable one, is I bought one with a cooling system. Initially I used a water based coolant that was designed specifically for a saw, but that stuff dries up and forms a crust of chips that are just about like rocks. It also ate the paint! So I switched to whatever spare oil I had available and now it's an oily mess instead of a crusty one.

I don't even try to clean it ...

View attachment 100965
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Castrol has a water soluble I have been using lately. Fairly rust resistant, and aids free cutting in all applications including sawing but not reaming for reasons I do not know. No time for analysis, as time is money.
Tom from Rubicon
 
indian22 said:
My kinda' house Tony I'd sure rather have the Bridgeport than a swiming pool....

Rick C.
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I have been thinking about your response this week. At the time I worked in a large shop running cncs. I have never been involved with setting up a real shop except once a new cnc was bought. Been thinking about what I’d rather have, however it has no place here. I can’t buy a house here even with my gf, maybe get some equity in a townhouse and flip it to something bigger later on. Space here costs real money; it is better to have machines that pay for themselves and the space they cost monthly. My ultimate home fab shop would have cncs which would make money for me lights out. Also with the ability to 3d in any material I could get make custom parts also from any process like casting or composites. Cncs also tend to be more rigid than manuals. It’s quite the increase in cost and space but be the right way to go for me. Have to wait a long time for it; not so much for farming it out from my couch. Right this minute rather have a big yard with my couch outside for me to farm parts out from :D

With that said, I could do a **** of a lot with any homeshop sized lathe.
 
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Tony, I see your point of view machining wise. I have for many years subscribed to Cutting Tool Engineering.
https://www.ctemag.com/
The dream of most machine shop owners is a lights out shop. No more operators to pay and be nice to. Just have set-up tech's on call when a part run is complete. Robots are making their way onto the shop floor at a quickening pace to that end.
Tom from Rubicon
 
I was dumb enough to think I could make a reasonable dollar with manual machines, and while I did earn a buck along the way we're probably talking somewhere near minimum wage levels! But the aftermath is way cool. I don't do that no more and I still got the machines.

If you like to tinker ... I got the tinker toys.

There's another new/used one coming my way too. It's a Taiwan made Central Machine/Harbor Freight 3 in 1 machine for sheet metal. 40" throat with slip rollers on top, a press brake in the middle, and a shear on the bottom. Supposed to be good up to 18ga. This is it in the 40" model.

https://shop.opticsplanet.com/grizz...MIjYjVnbG54gIVjh6tBh2fRA8XEAQYBSABEgInSPD_BwE

Right now we're in the "where do I put it?" and "how do I mount it?" phase.
 
FOG said:
I was dumb enough to think I could make a reasonable dollar with manual machines, and while I did earn a buck along the way we're probably talking somewhere near minimum wage levels! But the aftermath is way cool. I don't do that no more and I still got the machines.

If you like to tinker ... I got the tinker toys.

There's another new/used one coming my way too. It's a Taiwan made Central Machine/Harbor Freight 3 in 1 machine for sheet metal. 40" throat with slip rollers on top, a press brake in the middle, and a shear on the bottom. Supposed to be good up to 18ga. This is it in the 40" model.

https://shop.opticsplanet.com/grizz...MIjYjVnbG54gIVjh6tBh2fRA8XEAQYBSABEgInSPD_BwE

Right now we're in the "where do I put it?" and "how do I mount it?" phase.
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That's KOOL, think about using receiver hitch type mounting, slip it in pin it, then stash it when done. Just a thought..........Curt
 
FOG said:
I was dumb enough to think I could make a reasonable dollar with manual machines, and while I did earn a buck along the way we're probably talking somewhere near minimum wage levels! But the aftermath is way cool. I don't do that no more and I still got the machines.

If you like to tinker ... I got the tinker toys.

There's another new/used one coming my way too. It's a Taiwan made Central Machine/Harbor Freight 3 in 1 machine for sheet metal. 40" throat with slip rollers on top, a press brake in the middle, and a shear on the bottom. Supposed to be good up to 18ga. This is it in the 40" model.

https://shop.opticsplanet.com/grizz...MIjYjVnbG54gIVjh6tBh2fRA8XEAQYBSABEgInSPD_BwE

Right now we're in the "where do I put it?" and "how do I mount it?" phase.
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No offense FOG but my experience with those 3-in one tools has been very disappointing. I hope it works for you.
Tom
 
Not MB, but the Master Builders all fixture their frames. It ensures true geometry and accuracy. These 2 photos show laser cut steel with welded assemblies and bolted down assemblies. For a new to us John Deere product to support a corn picker head.
The Gerstner tool box is mine at work.
Tom
 

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Nice work shop Tony. My floor cannot compete. I dare not let my good wife see it. ;)
Mine needs a interior decorator or a larger garbage can.
In an effort to organize my MB building supplies and specialized tools which have over whelmed my bench space. I had a Craftsman roll around tool chest that carried my Gerstner tool chests for years at work but had defective drawer glides. Thinking replacement glide would be the same i.e.. not so good.
I went to Menards and got a hugely better built roll around. At the same time I ordered replacement glides for the 2006 Craftsman. The hardware guys got "P" factor when I ordered three sets $$$.
I only needed two but a bird in hand.
So for various excuses, weather being one, today was to be it. Knocking out the old glides and the replacements seeming to be much larger I had qualms as about a positive outcome.as the replacements were significantly larger in depth. Might have been Founders All Day IPA.
Both drawers locked in and perfectly fit their respective spaces. Solid Works be praised!
 

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Good work guys. I'm forever shuffling stuff around my small space. Going from 6,000 sq.ft. floor space. to a one car garage tests an Old guys patience and ingenuity, but I'm not daunted by these circumstances. I've done more with less and less with more...it's handled & I'm still having fun!

Rick C.
 
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