Bicycle Frame

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How much would it cost to weld a bmx bicycle frame using the tig process?I am looking into titanium, or combining two materials but dont know which two metals i should use.thanks, Mike
Reply:To buy the equipment to do yourself or farm it out?
Reply:To buy the tubing and do it myself.
Reply:So you are set up to do the tig welding and are wondering on price of and wich material too use?
Reply:yes i am set up on the tig welding, just wondering what type of material would be the most durable and lightest. i was thinking titanium forks and handlebars and mixing two different metals for the frame but i dont know if that is a good idea, and i dont know where to get the tubing. thanks
Reply:Check youtube. There are vids on both Ti and Al bicycle frames. I can see Ti being way more costly and ctitical as far as material and welding as far as avoiding contamination when welding over the cost of Al. I have no idea where to source tubing. As far as durability and weight I would have to say Ti. Zap and BC would be 2 of the people here who could shed more expert advice on this. There are tons of others here with expert knowledge these 2 just popped into my head. I wish you the best of luck in your venture .
Reply:I need to see some pics of your skills before I even comment. Inside and out of some backpurged welds. Your asking a very steep question there bud. You could be spot on the money as a welder, but I would like to see it first.I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:Here are a couple places for parts.http://www.cycle-frames.com/bicycle-frame-tubing/http://www.framebuilding.com/
Reply:If you can find the parts it would be a cool project.  I tried to teach a guy tig welding with a bike as his project.  He learned to weld, but ran into roadblocks with crank mounts and other machined parts.  He ended up becoming an engineer, so at least it inspired him.  It was in days before the internet, so maybe parts are more available nowadays.
Reply:Thanks for all of the replies!   I'm trying to post a picture of my last tig weld, I stick weld at a shipyard and occasionally tig.Last edited by Mataylor900; 11-24-2013 at 07:30 PM.
Reply:I would keep it smile and just use 4130 until you've made a couple frames.Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:my last tig about two weeks ago. like i said i am usually stick welding.
Reply:You may find out there's more to framebuilding than assembling parts- it may be an idea to start with a steel (chrome moly) frame to learn the ropes, then move on to more exotic materials.
Reply:Search for user ZANK.   Talented guy who welds custom bike frames for a living.  Iirc, numerous threads on Ti and SS frames.TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:I'd go for 4130, lugs and silver solder. It might not be the lightest material, but most likely the simplest and most forgiving method. A welded joint puts alot of stress right at the weld as the frame gets used, a brazed joint with lugs spreads the load over maybe an inch around it thanks to the lug - and the more you spread the load, the less likely failure becomes.
Reply:Lug ?Bubble gumTooth pixDuct tapeBlack glueGBMF hammerScrew gun --bad battery (see above)
Reply:Here's a forum for you.http://forums.mtbr.com/frame-buildin...ng-601866.htmlBubble gumTooth pixDuct tapeBlack glueGBMF hammerScrew gun --bad battery (see above)
Reply:Burpee, Lugs are sleeves that go over the tubes then brazed or silver soldered. The beauty of lugs are the angles are built in and no coping cuts.
Reply:I have been riding bmx bikes for close to 20 years. Used to race, then moved to street/dirt/ramps/parks. My serious competing days are over, but I still ride often and hard. Take this from a serious bmx rider. CHROMOLY. Unless you are building a race bike, use 4130. There are so many special tubing styles now that it is very possible to make a light frame out of 4130. Companies have made titanium frames, but they WILL break soon if used like a bmx is intended to.  As others have said, there is a lot more to it than welding. You will need jigs, good high quality tubing notcher, preferably a mill and lathe. Ask S&M (so cal) all the equipment they have. I'm not trying to change your mind, just open up reality a little.  On the other hand, if this is just for your own use and for fun, then go for it. Ti, alum, duplex, whatever... . its up to you to have fun and make something you want. HOpe that helps, DougLincoln Idealarc Tig 300/300, Lincoln ranger 8, Lincoln LN-25, Miller Sidekick (keeps rockin!), Oxy/Acy torch, Miller XMT-304 with a Miller 60 series wire feeder and high freq. box, Profax positioner 8" chuck, Aaronson 3500# positioner 15" chuck
Reply:There is nothing funnier looking than a grown man riding a BMX bike.Big F**king HammerJumper cables & 2 marine batteriesJaws of life
Reply:Originally Posted by rschreckThere is nothing funnier looking than a grown man riding a BMX bike.
Reply:Originally Posted by weldermikeHeck yeah bro! Theres usually a split open head involved, followed by some Oh My Gods, and some laughter!
Reply:Originally Posted by Mataylor900How much would it cost to weld a bmx bicycle frame using the tig process?Mike
Reply:Originally Posted by Fifelaker Burpee, Lugs are sleeves that go over the tubes then brazed or silver soldered. The beauty of lugs are the angles are built in and no coping cuts.
Reply:Originally Posted by BrazinI apprenticed for a few months at Squarebuilt.com and built a bike, so I'm not just making sh1t up. you do still need to cope the tubes even if using lugs, but the OP wants to build a BMX and I don't think those use any of the angles that lugs come in (usually 73 head angle). I went with a fillet brazed frame and fork because my TIG wasn't up to par for the .6mm wall tubes, actually two years of full time TIG later I'm still not sure. Nice woven weld there Mataylor, but that's enough filler right there for three bikes. If you want to build a road bike, go with lugs and silver or fillet brazed. If you want a bmx order some 4130 from Nova and try one out, it's only 100-200 for the bits to build a frame, (+ $4000 for a nice Anvil jig to make it straight enough to ride nice). I've made a homebuilt tandem out of two MTB's and aligned it with a laser level and a slab of stone countertop material. It rides OK, but the jig-built one is perfect. Check out Paragon Machine Works for the really trick bits.I have been a professional production frame builder (among other things) for over 7 years, and worked on many thousands of frames (either machining tubing, welding, brazing, finishing, powdercoating, etc.).  If you were to make from standard .035" 4130 tubing, it could cost anywhere from ~$80-120 for tubing (roughly).  That's not counting machining for BB shells, headtubes, and dropouts.  Those parts would add anywhere from around $40-300, depending on options (steel).  I wouldn't build a Ti frame as your first foray.  I'd build steel frames for awhile first.  As far as a jig, you could conceivably make a honeycomb core wood plate, then use that to build the rest of your jig from.  That's if you were wanting to work on the cheap.  You could then use some kind of alignment "stick" on each side of the frame after welding to get some idea of rough alignment.  It's well within the realm of what you can do, based on your welding picture, and a good mental exercise.Miller Dynasty 200 DXMiller CP-300 with 30A feederHypertherm Powermax 900Oxy-fuel w/Harris torchesScotchman Glide-in bandsawMonarch 10EE latheEmi-Mec Autoturn latheDeckel FP2NC milling machinePro-Tools 105 Bender
Reply:I'd just stick with buying bikes from walmart.
Reply:Walmart doesn't carry bicycles - just bicycle shaped objects (not the same).Okay, that's pretty callous of me, but all those department store bikes are of such poor quality that I just can't bring myself to consider them an actual bicycle.  Many of them are downright dangerous.Last edited by pbungum; 12-08-2013 at 07:20 PM.Miller Dynasty 200 DXMiller CP-300 with 30A feederHypertherm Powermax 900Oxy-fuel w/Harris torchesScotchman Glide-in bandsawMonarch 10EE latheEmi-Mec Autoturn latheDeckel FP2NC milling machinePro-Tools 105 Bender
Reply:I also ride bmx and while my welding skills may not compare at all to guys on this forum I do know a bit about bmx. As others have said 4130 chro-moly would be the best way to go, although (like others have already said) there is much more to frame building than just sticking tubes together. Set up is very important and geometry plays a huge role, especially when talking bmx bikes. You have to look at your bb height specs, what kind of bb fitting are you looking to make (Spanish, euro, mid), got to keep in mind the top tube height and angle, the headset angle, chainstays, seat post, 1 degree higher and you got a less responsive bike but more stability shorter chainstay you have a more responsive bike for 360s. The abuse bmx bikes take is incredible Especially now a days with all the "big riders" guys doing 360s off of 16 stair sets and what not, the last thing any rider wants is for something to malfunction while hopping over something at full speed, lots of road rash and lots of Vicodin. Speaking of which I took a pretty bad fall today keep those brain buckets up and ride on Last edited by aav1996; 12-08-2013 at 09:26 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by FifelakerBut that comes after "Hold my beer and watch this"
Reply:something like ?SqWave 200Millermatic 190Airco 200 ACHypertherm PM45Boice-Crane Band SawVictor O/A
Reply:Haha yeah something like that. Thats an impressive wallride
Reply:Here's some home made bikes:bikeforums.net-Show-us-your-buildsSqWave 200Millermatic 190Airco 200 ACHypertherm PM45Boice-Crane Band SawVictor O/A
Reply:Sweet!lloyd.plywoodHF 90amp flux wire welderHobart 125 Mig/FluxHF 80amp inverter stick/tigSmith oxygen acetylene torch