First front triangle in the fixture.....

I have spent a lot of time this past week in the workshop. Mostly I have been focusing a lot of my efforts on building up this frame. Figuring stuff out and finding the best way to do the job with the tools I have available. It has been a lot of fun - the hours have been just flying by. I have been trying to be methodical and develop procedures and routines to streamline future builds.

It is a relatively simple design - at least in theory. I have been wanting a bike to ride around town - specifically something I can easily haul the BOB trailer with to get groceries, run errands, pick up the CSA and haul the compost to the garden. It is 700x35 approx 58cm frame with cantilever brakes a 8 speed internal rear hub. I am also building up a lugged fork for it. There are a few aspects of this design - that I hope to use in designing and building the extra long wheel base town haulers / beast of burden bikes that I have in mind.... but that design is still on the drawing board.... so more on that later.

Well folks - here it is.....

Here is the drawing and specs...

As you can see - it is still missing the chain and seat stays - those are next.

I have most of the parts / tools I need to weld it up. I am still waiting on heat sinks for the head and seat tube, and I still need to spend some time at the local hardware store getting all the parts and pieces to plumb up the Argon purge lines for the jig and the plugs and heat sinks for welding it up after I have it tacked and out of the jig.

It may be a while before I get back to all that though - as I have some contracting work lined up this week and need to switch back to that life for a while.

It is raining here in Santa Barbara - first rain of any significance since January of February - 3 inches so far and no sign of it letting up! Hooray!