Category Archives: Metal Fabrication
Metal workshop projects
Modern Technology
Jan Heine at Bicycle Quarterly writes excellent bicycle reviews. A lot of his tests are randonneur-style bicycles. These are lightweight steel bikes with fenders, and often, integrated lighting systems. They’re designed to be ridden from anyway between 200km and 1600km … Continue reading →
When vintage is not vintage
Normally when you see ‘vintage’ instructional videos from the WW2 generation, it’s corny stuff — naive nuclear fallout instructions, or hysteric precautions against gonorhea, and things like that. I just watched this video on turning tapers with an engine lathe … Continue reading →
Machining things
I’ve been busy in the workshop, just not posting anything. I’ve been trying to get the mitering fixtures setup and there are always bumps along the road. Recently I’ve been busy machining a dummy headtube block for my Sputnik main … Continue reading →
Ready to use my frame jig again
I finished the stand today. The bolts I bought were too long (but not threaded), but I also had bought 2m of M8 all-thread, so I use that for a temporary de jure, permanent de facto solution. The stand seems … Continue reading →
Got my torch back
Lincoln repaired my broken PTA-17 torch for $107. I had them replace the head with a PTA-17F, which has a flexible neck. I welded the attachment point for my jig onto another steel plate and drilled holes for bolts. … Continue reading →
Magnesium MVB Condensed
Did another headtube badge sample tonight. A mild steel “S” in my favorite font, Magnesium MVB Condensed(*). Took me about 20 minutes of sawing and I only broke one blade. There are a two defects from haste, but I can … Continue reading →
Snap your fingers; snap your neck
I was making good progress on the tower of my jig stand today when the head of my Lincoln PTA-17 TIG torch snapped off. The flexible copper hose that links the supply line to the torch fatigue-failed. I … Continue reading →
Great new tool: a Jeweler Saw
A few days ago I bought a saw and some fine metal blades from a professional jewelry manufacturing equipment shop over in Tiong Bahru. The catalog is really interesting to read — so many specialized tools. My purchase was cheap: … Continue reading →
Feet Finished
Spent four hours at the shop tonight, and finished the foot of the jig stand. I welded a 1/2″ plate to connect the two feet and braced it with some rectangular tubing. Then I tapped M8 holes for the four … Continue reading →
Welding my feet
I welded about 95% of the caster feet rails for my jig stand this afternoon. Those four plates are piloted to take an M8 tap for bolting in the casters. The casters are mounted close to the edge of … Continue reading →
Whoa… THAT’s a steadyrest
A huge collection of photos from a 1960s(?)-era British naval machine shop.
Cutting Steel
My Sputnik bicycle frame jig is huge and weighs a lot. I need to build a rolling stand to hold it. I ordered some mild steel plate and rectangular tubing to build it. I have no excuse to not … Continue reading →
Welding Station
Today I tried out the steel slab welding table I made last week. I filled it with a grid of 5cm X 5cm size M8 threaded holes so that it is easy to firmly clamp down my material. It … Continue reading →