Building a bike from scratch (welding content)

When my dad was alive, we talked about designing and building a bike. I always wanted to come up with a fat bike design in steel entirely of my own that he would then weld, together with his welding colleague. (My dad was only an amateur welder, albeit a fairly accomplished one.)

Now that I don’t have someone who welds, I wonder how I would go about getting a frame of my own design actually built. Could any good welder take plans that have been properly drafted, and turn them into a bike? Is it analogous to any experienced builder taking drawings and turning them into a building? Or would it have to be a particular sort of welder?

I know there are frame building courses around, together with custom frame builders, but I don’t think that is the route I want to go down. Well, maybe the course route, but definitely not just going to a custom builder and having him do it.

Any thoughts? Anyone have any frame building experience? Any welders on here?

What’s the difference between taking your drawings to a welder and them making the bike and taking it to a custom frame builder and have them make it?

(Other than the fact that the guy not used to welding bikes is more likely to make a mistake.)

I guess I wouldn’t want a custom frame builder to take any ‘ownership’ for the frame. The custom builders I see online all seem to put their own brand (name) on the final product, whereas I would like to end up with something that I might have worked on with my father had he been alive. That is, even if there was some trial and error, it would be mine and his.

Does that make sense? Maybe it’s just a pipe dream…

I have made my own frame, I need more practice at the welding but certainly not something that can’t be learnt with time and a bit of a chunk of investment. I absolutely loved making mine and will try a few more welding techniques before making my next bike… Custom frame builder should be able to help you out as should a good welder with relevant knowledge and experience. Feel free to drop me an email if you want to talk further

I would have thought brazing wass much more straight forward and more within the grasp of an amateur builder…..and looks prettier.

A friend of mine recently built his own cyclocross frame at The Bicycle Academy[/url] in Dorset. He really enjoyed the course and seems very happy with the bike.

Go to a frame builder that doesn’t want to “brand” the product?

Not sure if brazing would be easier – prettier maybe maybe not but I didn’t fancy the gas bottles of stuff that can go bag 🙂 (although yes granted my argon is at very high pressure… I really really enjoy the learning process of TIG welding and found it very therapeutic.