Built A Frame Today

etard · Dec 2, 2011

I woke up and decided I wanted to build a frame I had scrounged a few weeks ago. I learned most of the techniques from Thud who taught me how to hack up these cheap walmart frames and build a solid ebike out of them. He also taught me how to braze with a oxy-acetylene torch. It came together in a few hours with the help of some files, 3 1/2" grinder, clamps, and the torch. I still need to figure out the rear dropouts and weld on motor and battery mounts. Here are some pics so far:

This is how you test a good weld right? :lol:

I found the handlebars fit over the chainstays perfect and used them to extend the rear

I don't know what I'm gonna do about the old chainstays, I'm leaving them floating there for now until I decide what exactly I'm gonna do with this frame.

AussieJester · Dec 2, 2011

Lookin good bruv, needz yourself a MiG makes it sooo much easier

and of course :lol: ... i couldn't resist a jab at the "legendary"soul patch"

:lol: -->

:lol:

KiM

etard · Dec 2, 2011

The soul patch assures symmetry, and points the girls in the right direction. :lol: :mrgreen:

I had a mig welder that took a shit earlier this year and have to say it would have been quicker but the torch really makes it more zen. By that I mean it makes the actually joining of all the prep work a treat. I've learned that 90% of any hands in project is prep work and 10% is actually putting it together. Brazing makes that 10% feel like play and I enjoy the process much more than welding. You dig? This frame started out as practice but after I started seeing it come together I realIzed it was actually coming together straight and I could use this design for another bike. So I think I am going to keep the theme female and build a bike for the GF. This bike will be a semi low powered ( 2 kw) setup with a Castle HV80 controller to a turnigy 80-85 motor. I'm gonna use a slipper clutch first stage and 219 chain final right side drive. I'll prolly only put 15 ah at 12s lipo of course for battery. My goal is 50-60 lbs.

Any suggestions on how to "daisy" this thing up would be appreciated, I'm kinda at a loss on how to make this bike look less butch.

Philistine · Dec 3, 2011

Any suggestions on how to "daisy" this thing up would be appreciated, I'm kinda at a loss on how to make this bike look less butch.

One of the new G Series Crystallite hubmotors, or a Sparrow?

Failing that, my advice is spokey dokeys and streamers on the handlebars....

I just bought a Dora the Explorer bike for my 2 year old daughter for Christmas, and I must say that purple and pink are just made for each other....

dogman dan · Dec 3, 2011

I'd just attach the old chainstays for extra lateral stiffness, then maybe some gussets on the front tubes for similar reason. I'm assuming this is headed to the track at some point. Like the head tube conversion to 1-1/8.

Man, I'm about to head for HF for a cheapo wire feed and an auto darken hat. But still sick, no energy, income cut in half. ARRRGGGH.

Be nice to go to Thud's garage sale in a few years. :mrgreen:

Long as your lady likes the soul patch as a sander,keep it.

TylerDurden · Dec 3, 2011

Brazing FTW. :mrgreen:

(my welding sux!)

Thud · Dec 3, 2011

Nicely done Bro.
I know you love the satifaction of re-purposing these poor wrongfully maligned wally world bike shaped objects & +1 for the kin ship with brazing & gas welding in general.

Now all you need is some paint to match the secondary color of your white & whatever pom-pom streamers, a packadge of My Little pony stickers, a big white basket in front, a chrome bell, & some purple on black splash painted handle bars....

frame choping is very good for the soul.....Just ask amberwolf.

AussieJester · Dec 3, 2011

etard said:
The soul patch assures symmetry, and points the girls in the right direction. :lol:

Tiz what itz all about... etard... i shit you not i got my head SHAVED tonight... haha i got
more hair on my face than the top of ma head dude...DAMN! I will post pics in da mornin'::sigh::
itz been a loong 48 hours and the weekend still aint over ..

KiM

p.s Soul patch FTW :mrgreen:

etard · Dec 3, 2011

Lets see them pics AJ! In the mean time, I've got some pics of my own to share. I added a cross brace on the chainstays and bent the original seat stays up into what is going to be a rack. I'm planning on making a nice wood rack and probably go wood on everything, even the motor mount and battery case. It's gonna be a woody!

etard · Dec 4, 2011

Finished the rack, might need to support it better, it's fairly stout though, not that you could sit on it, but it would be a lot cooler if you could!

Only thing left to do is figure out how I wanna do the rear dropouts. Since it's a cargo hauler now, I'm thinking about a hub motor, which I already have... in the front. Or I could go ahead and order a MAC or 9C. Hmmm, never thought I would be contemplating buying a hub motor, but for the GF, I think it's the safest option.

AussieJester · Dec 4, 2011

etard said:
Lets see them pics AJ!

Least its summer :-| :mrgreen:

Do you think a 'soul patch flaver saver' would
suit me ETaRD? HAHAA

Frames coming along nice mate, but the whole frock idea maaaate seeeriously...
what are we to do with this boi ThuD?! :mrgreen:

KiM

dogman dan · Dec 4, 2011

Perfect for one of Methods wife kits then. Like the way the rack turned out.

etard · Dec 4, 2011

dogman said:
Perfect for one of Methods wife kits then. Like the way the rack turned out.

I think you are right, the mesh part of the rack is from a "borrowed" shopping cart if you didn't notice. I'll have to check on the Methods kit, still in debate though. I guess I didn't really need to extend the wheelbase for this one, but it was an exercise in framebuilding and now I know what works. I really like being able to use the seat stays as part of the rack, didn't think it would turn out as nice as it did. Who needs a pipe bender when you have fire? :twisted:

AJ,
Methinks you need some real hardcore mutton chops:

Seriously though, if you had gotten a chance to ride Farfles hub bike you might change your tune. That thing was quick! But it did take like 10 KW to get it there, whereas a Thud 2-speed with a Turnigy 80-100 will do the same at 6 KW or less.

auraslip · Dec 4, 2011

Very cool. It seems if I had spent all the time looking for that perfect frame on craigslist or ebay, I could have learned to braze and built my own.

joe tomten · Dec 5, 2011

Etard & Thud,

This frame chopping is fantastic stuff. What do you use as metal for lengthening the existing bikes with? Just stuff you already have sitting around?

Hyena · Dec 5, 2011

What did you use for the head tube ? a straight length of pipe with the right ID or something from another bike ?

etard said:
Any suggestions on how to "daisy" this thing up would be appreciated, I'm kinda at a loss on how to make this bike look less butch.

Grinhill · Dec 5, 2011

Love your work, etard!

+1 for frame chopping and welding being one of the funnest things to do on a weekend. :mrgreen:

A stick welder and hacksaw are my weapons of choice, and kerbside cleanups the best source for tubing. So the kid's BMX frame is a little small for you, then s-t-r-e-t-c-h it:

etard · Dec 5, 2011

joe tomten said:
Etard & Thud,

This frame chopping is fantastic stuff. What do you use as metal for lengthening the existing bikes with? Just stuff you already have sitting around?

Joe,
You can see the fork was used as the seatstay and the handlebars actually slipped perfectly over the chainstay to lengthen that. So far, the only extra metal added is the end of the rack and the grate on the rack. Oh and the headtube. I could probxbly even use the old dropouts if I wanted to, but I might try to come up with something sturdier like a clamping setup.

Hyena,
Thats a good idea, buy the tires first and then color
match the frame!

Nice Grin! I have a bmx here as well, I'm not sure which direction I wanna go though. You gotta get an angle grinder, it makes life much easier!

Grinhill · Dec 5, 2011

OK, I do have an angle grinder which gets used plenty, especially for cutting complex shapes, but for straight cutting tubes I was surprised to find the hacksaw quicker and neater!

amberwolf · Dec 5, 2011

etard said:
You gotta get an angle grinder, it makes life much easier!

The best thing about power tools is they let you make big mistakes really really fast. :lol:

I like the way your build is turning out so far. I gotta get a brazing setup one of these days. I already have a head for a propane or MAPP bottle, but I don't yet have a bottle I can use (I'm not sure if it's hot enough for brazing anyway). I have a BBQ grill propane bottle about 3/4 full, but as yet no way to hook that to the head/nozzle I've got.

joe tomten · Dec 6, 2011

Oxy-acetylene will change your life.

etard · Dec 6, 2011

Joe, please elaborate...

I think I figured out a clamping dropout that I am happy with.... for the moment. The thin metal piece on the bottom might need to be doubled up or replaced with something a bit more stout, but I am not planning on putting more than 4-5 kw through this frame, so it may be enough. I grabbed the solid steel pieces from the maintenance shop at work, tapped some 3/8"-16 holes into it and chucked them into the 4 jaw chuck to get the rounded part to insert into the frame tubing. I will add a strengthening gusset on top to support and stiffen things up. I may also add another to the bottom to make the rear flow a little better than this.

daveyjones97 · Dec 7, 2011

hi guys in a noob here hope you dont flame me for butting in on this thread, im new to forums in general and not up on forum etiquette. just wanted to say i built a hybrid (pedal power only) mtbmx 24in wheel bike using a mig a few months back and used a magna bike in the mix too! cheap frames have ameteur friendly thick walls and softish untreated steel. oxy acetylene is good as you can heat and bend things, cut intricate shapes, weld and heat treat but i personally have never used it. i used mig cos thats what i had. my frame came about after i couldnt choose between bmx's mtbs or cruisers for trials, dirt jump and tight trails so i thought id snot together one i reckoned to be right. so far so good. stick with it and measure everything twice and watch for distortion if you do use a high temp welding process. its very satisfying and even if it is rubbish at least it'l be ugly! going on personal experience there.... i have pics if anyone wants to see, but i realise pedal only is not relevant here.

joe tomten · Dec 7, 2011

I was mostly commenting to Amberwolf's comment about wanting to get a brazing setup.

Before I got my oxy-acyet. rig ; the whole notion of doing any thing with metal just seemed fantastical - beyond my dreams.

But now with a torch and a cut off torch and a rosebud - I can bend, & weld, & cut and create things that i could only have dreamed of before. Mostly i mess around with old farm equipment.

Rarely a week goes by that there isn't some rusted intransigent nut that needs to come off of some machine or implement - that a quick heating to red hot doesn't take care of.

I'll never be really good at fabricating everything and all my tools, but the window of fabrication is opened just enough to see inside. Before my torch it was closed.

etard · Dec 7, 2011

Post up them pics bro! A lot of us are bicyclist first and ebikers second so pedal only bikes are more than welcome, at least on my thread! As to distortion, I have just eyeballed everything ( working construction has honed this skill) so i hope everything works out to be fairly straight. I need to get my MIG welder returned so that I can use that too, but for now, brazing FTW!

I hear ya Joe! Before I started gathering metal working tools, the whole fabrication process seemed like an alien skill and process, but now I am getting more comfortable with it and my horizon has expanded beyond what I thought possible. :mrgreen:

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