Frame: Steel vs. Aluminum?

These are the two machines I use for all of my fabrication projects, be they made of steel, stainless or aluminum - it's a simple matter of swapping out the wire & gas for the project at hand;

110 MIG:
220 MIG:

The 220 does have a spool gun whereas the 110 does not but it's still a pretty good, affordable lil machine for the DIYer - the 220 is obv better, but costly.

While I've access to a TIG, it's too tedious & persnickity for my taste (read skill) & generally, I reserve it for the thin sheet metals (like 16ga fuel tanks). Both ARC & gasless MIG machines are perfectly valid methods of welding and seem to be good choices for the DIYer on a budget... but given their limitations they may not be the best long term investment and TBH I'm just as happy not having to clean slag lol

Gas MIG is almost as versatile as a TIG yet still far less expensive *shrug* Point being, MIG welding aluminum is far easier than many think - a little practice, prep & heat awareness is really all it takes. Honestly? If you've the skill to ARC weld thin wall steel tubing, MIG welding aluminum will be child's play :D
 
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xenodius said:
I came here to say just that, BE-tech. That's exactly why I will never own an aluminum bike. Had one for 3 years, and after riding a few times a week, it developed cracks at several points along the frame. Had to abandon it after that. My next roadie was steel... a ~40 year old steel Schwinn. =) Just get steel and don't worry about your frame =)

Also, referring to BBB's post as a newcomer to motorized bikes, it was really good to go through the first assembly really simply. Helped me understand a lot about these motors, and I have lots of ideas about the "perfect" build now, but it's all money and what I have is great for what I need right now. =) I have HD hubs, street tires, front disc brakes... but that's all I changed. Cheers!
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Hey Xen,
Question - Does your 40 y/o schwinn happen to have those tiny tubes? I'm looking at a classic that has tiny tubes and it worries me although it's a steel frame. Any input?

Here's it
IMG_20120706_142136 (1024x768).jpg
 
youknouno said:
Hey Xen,
Question - Does your 40 y/o schwinn happen to have those tiny tubes? I'm looking at a classic that has tiny tubes and it worries me although it's a steel frame. Any input?

Here's it
View attachment 49616
Click to expand...

Well, it's not a cruiser-style. It's a road bike. So yes, it has tiny tubes-- on wheels and frame-- and like I said, it's still great. The frame tubes seem even smaller than the tubes on that cruiser... of course, thickness is important too. =)
 
POPS said:
I remember somewhere in the way back machine,
there was sort of a preflight check list to make a HT
more solid per say.

Skid all the screws in the kit for good ones, The plug and
wire, The acorn nuts on the head and torque the nuts,
The carb seal etc. etc.

Anyone remember.

POP'S
Click to expand...

This one? Al.Fisherman's Pre-Flight Checklist

gl youknouno, that's a nice looking bike. An HT will hold up fine, as long as the welds aren't rusted through, heh heh.
 
youknouno said:
BBB-
Whats a good wall thickness? My only way of gauging such a thing is checking the seat tube.
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would that be for a plain steel frame cromolly or aluminum, titanium or carbon fiber?? as each will be different as the strength of materials is different
 
i honestly wouldnt know. i bought my bike at walmart cause it was cheap, had it two years with no issues so far. an older steel frame would probably have thicker walls than the department store bikes.
 
A lot of people here like the felts. if i had a choice between a felt and a columbia, i would take the columbia. easy way to tell if your frame is aluminum: get a magnet. aluminum wont attract a magnet. my frame attracts a magnet. my engine doesnt.
 
Thanks BBB -
The Felt's aluminum.(^) I ended up with the both. Pretty sure the ol' school is a steel frame. Why'd you choose Colombia? I like em both for different reasons.
 
It is clear, what I'm prefering.
The most expensive frame need not to be the best. High strength materials are often brittle. Chromium and manganese or vanadin are expensive elements and not used very often. High strength is often bought with carbon. Then the steel is not weldable.
The producers think of the cyclists, not to us, people who build engines in their frames.

My bicycle frames are designed for use with engines from factory. 1.05% chrome, 0.7% manganese, 0,25% molybdenum. SAE No. 4130, in Europe known as 25CrMo4. No WalMart quality. And probably durable beyond one's own death.

This material is weldable. But they didn't. The frames are brazed with silver solder.
Cheap is often the enemy of good.

IMHO - Multipaul
 
youknouno said:
Thanks BBB -
The Felt's aluminum.(^) I ended up with the both. Pretty sure the ol' school is a steel frame. Why'd you choose Colombia? I like em both for different reasons.
Click to expand...

For one, I would never motorize an aluminum frame. There are members here who have done it and have not had any problems, but I'm 6 ft 2 and weigh 280 lbs, and I'm not taking the risk. Also, the Columbia is old steel, probably american, and far more likely to hold up to the stresses of motorization than an aluminum frame.
 
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