The Meridian begins

[rykoala]

I've done little things like all of the cutting I think I need from donor frames (there's more, I'm lazy) and so tonight I decided to weld part of the frame together. yes, its 2:30am here and I'm wiped but the two hours I spent in the shop tonight were productive!

I am not sure what I'm going to do with the front end yet (see my 26" front thread) so I put the rear end together. It is more difficult anyway.

First, I cut some scrap tubing and made it in the general shape of the rear frame section so that I could practice doing the welds. It went beautifully. It passed the "Beat it really hard with a hammer" test without breaking, and so I figured my welds were good enough.

My first weld on the real frame was NOT pretty but it held and so I picked the frame up off the alignment table (read: Garage floor, hopefully its even!) and went to the work bench and clamped down the frame and started welding all the sides together. The left side weld was a pain in the neck. I wasted 3 1/16" rods on that thing because I just wasn't happy with it. I'm still not! But its better than it started out. I welded the other side (only had to use two rods to fix the holes in it, those little buggers!) and ground it down. Then I did the front weld. It took me 3 passes before I was comfortable. I know that its an important weld and so 3 passes were just right for me. I know it is overkill, but more metal is stronger right? Heh. We hope.

Then came the cap. I cut a piece of 3/16"x1.5" bar stock to approxiamate length and welded 3 sides and then cut the 4th to size and welded it. I felt I did a good job, considering I've only joined 3 or 4 pieces of metal together before this. Plus, I managed to do some real beads instead of the boogers I usually do. I was happy with it.

Here are pictures of my escapades thus far.

http://rykoala.org/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=5

Next will be to figure out which fork I want to use in the front so I can finish the front end. I need to weld a tube to it and install the head tube, set its angle etc.

[n9viw]

Ry, what kind of welder are you using, and what's it set to? I mean, I know you're using a stick welder because you mentioned 1/16" rod, but more in terms of specifics: What make/model, what amperage are you running, AC or DC, etc. I'm still dealing with the 'sticking rod vs blown hole' method of stick welding, gotta practice more I guess.

[rykoala]

Ah, my favorite question. I *built* it ;) Its a 60 amp AC welder.

http://rykoala.org/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=4

[rykoala]

PS- I started having that problem too. The issue I learned (from reading) is heat control. First off, you have to strike the arc like you're striking a match, but don't lift it back up. You'll deposit a little stray metal doing it, but it'll get the arc going. Then its all about moving slow enough that you deposit metal for a bead, but fast enough that you don't blow a hole. I found that after a few hours practice on some 3/16"x1.5 bar stock that I was able to hold a bead. I also tried just randomly joining pieces of metal (T-joints, etc) and that helped. Lastly, try going top to bottom with the work flat. That makes holding a solid bead a LOT easier. At least, it did for me. I'm still learning though. I have a long way to go!

[SirJoey]

Man, you're moving right along on that thing, huh? Great job, keep it up. You're certainly starting out better than I did!

[n9viw]

Okay, now I remember that project, thanks.

The reason I ask is because I've been trying my hand at welding tubing, using some conduit I nabbed from the dumpster at work. I got past the galvanizing issue by grinding it off before welding, but I must still be moving too slowly or using too much heat; holes abound! I try making tacks and then connecting them, moving about the piece to keep the heat down. But it seems that when I try connecting tacks to each other with beads, I poke holes either when striking or lifting the arc. This happens more often with AC than with DC, but for some reason I stick the rod too much when using DC.

Thick metal, on the other hand, I seem to have a real knack for. I can drop a bead on 1/8" and thicker like I was born to it, and in some cases it's indistinguishable from wire feed results. It's the thin stuff that just kills me.

[mattc]

what rod are you running? ie 7018, 7014, 6010
different rods are for different materials and welding styles
I would advise a 7024 or 7014 if you can keep your welds flat, these are a slow freeze rod so they will run off of not kept flat but give a nice weld with out all the lumps and bumps, if you cant keep it flat I would say use a 6012 is is a medium penetration rod so it should be less likely to burn holes in your metal, and I find welding in DC is much easier to control the welds, also if you have access to a mig welder it would be much better for this kind of project

[rykoala]

FWIW, I'm using 6013 rod. The really thin stuff is hard for me too, but I've managed to lay a bead on some cromo I was messing with. Gotta work quickly and not stay in one spot at all.

[n9viw]

I've got 7014 and 6013 in 1/16", and 6011, 6013, and 7024 (or was it 7018? I forget) in other sizes... 3/32", 1/8", 5/32", like that. I've recently been playing more with the 1/16" rods, because I've had no good luck with the larger ones on thin tubing. I have a 20mm ammo can I keep all my rods in to keep them dry, but I should build a hotbox one of these days.

Speaking of technical stuff, I don't know if I still have them, but my dad gave me five tubes of Inconel rod, 1/8" I think. Inconel is like CrMo, used specifically in the race circuit! And they made arc ROD for it! Holy balls, you'd have to be a pro welder to do that stuff. Three of the tubes are still sealed, but they're all really old... don't know if any of the rods are any good. If I still have them, anyone want them?

[rykoala]

Well the Meridian is coming along. Spent some time in the shop today and attached the front main tube and the head tube and the fork. Its looking like a real bike! My welds on the head tube are far from perfect but they will hold. I checked, rechecked, and re-rechecked my head tube alignment before welding. It was spot on.

The rear main tube looks like it leans a little. Can somebody tell me the best way to correct that? I was thinking about depositing a weld on the opposite side to get it nice and hot and then quenching it with a wet rag. Ideas?

Next is the rear triangle. I might have time to do that this weekend.

Gallery Link:
http://rykoala.org/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=5

[SirJoey]

Wow Ry, you're really cruisin' on that thing! Better be getting your paint picked out, cuz before you know it, you'll be cruisin' on that thing! heh-heh

[rykoala]

Thanks :-) Being unemployed has its benefits... but my wife is as little less zealous about the time I've been spending in the garage so I have to cut it back a bit. I'll definitely get the rear triangle done this weekend though. I might even get started on it today, depending on how things go.

As for paint... well... I have some red, some black, some blue somewhere, even some yellow. I have no liquid assetts to speak of so I have a feeling that the Meridian is going to look like something that is black, blue, yellow, red.... maybe a snake? Dunno.

The only thing that concerns me is that I have no ball joints for the steering. But since I'm using a taller front end, I think I *might* get away using some of the 3/4" square tubing I bought as a control rod. We'll see how it looks when I get to that point in a week or two.

[rykoala]

I also remembered another detail from my build last night. When I set up the front main tube, I didn't have any idea how long it needed to be. I didn't feel like doing any math so I just made it really long. Then I set up the frame according to the instructions (14" in front, 19" in back) and put the fork/wheel/tire/head tube together and got out my angle finder. I found the angle, put it up to the frame and marked for the cut. It worked out perfect. I cut out the frame for the head tube and tried to fit it up. I had some pretty good sized gaps in spots so I just closed them with the welder.

When I was all done and it was propped up as shown here:

http://rykoala.org/gallery/albums/userpics/frontrightwithfork.jpg

The front was *exactly* 14", right where I started. I am pretty stoked that I got it right! :)

[SirJoey]

Man, that looks like it's coming out really good, Ry! No wonder you're stoked! I would be, too! :)

[rykoala]

I don't have any pictures tonight but today I did two things.

1) Cut the pilot steering from a parts bike. Also cut seat stays and dropouts from the same bike.
2) Ground the heck out of the seat stays.

I still have to heat up the frame to straighten it out. I might get to do that tonight.

But the biggest progress is this: I GOT A JOB!!! :D

[SirJoey]

ALRIGHT, WTG! Congrats on the job, that's the main thing, Ry!

Now, all you gotta do is find the time to finish your ride so you can use it to get to that new job! :D

[n9viw]

YAAAAAAYYYY!! Congratulations, Ry! I know indentured servitude sucks, but paying the bills is certainly a lot easier with it than without it. I'm working toward being gainfully UNemployed someday. :D

And great progress on that Meridian, it's really shaping up! Ought to make a good commuter. ;)

[rykoala]

Thanks guys. I am definitely stoked. Whats best is that my wife will now get health insurance, and she didn't before.

I suffered a set back in the Meridian last night after I posted. The rear main tube leans to the left (when viewed from the rear) and I was hoping that laying down a few beads on the right side would have been enough to straigten it, but alas it was not. I have some cutting and re-welding to do. I'm hoping to get by without taking the whole tube off, but we'll see. I'll report back tonight when I have worked on it some more. I *really* want to get the whole rear end done today!

[TheKid]

I made a few simple jigs for AZ designs. You' ll need four 2" lengths and two 5" lengths of 1" square tube, and seven scrap pieces of 1 1/2" square tube, 2 or 3 inches long. Lay 2 pieces of the 2' tubing parallel to each other, and clamp and weld 1 piece of the scrap tube between them, 2 1/2" from the ends. Make two of these. Do the same with the 5' lengths, but add one scrap piece in the middle, and the end pieces go 3 1/2" from the ends. One 2' jig gets clamped to the main and seat tubes, one to the main and front tubes, and the 5' jig gets clamped to the main and seat tubes. If you don't have enough clamps, clamp the jigs on, then tack weld them to the frame. After welding the frame and allowing sufficient time to cool, remove the jigs. If you tack welded them on, whack them with a hammer to remove them, the hit the tacks with a flap disk. These jigs will work for a number of AZ projects.

[rykoala]

What I ended up doing today was cutting the short side and the back and front with a cutoff disk, and then bending it straight and re-welding it. It worked pretty decent. Its straight now.

I built the rear end. I did not do a very good job. For one, seat stays reversed! Hopefully it won't matter a whole lot. Any tips on that? Here are direct links to the pictures.

Rolling Chassis:
http://rykoala.org/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=11

Its a rolling chassis now! But the rear end is out of line. I am hoping to bend it back into place with a piece of tubing and some leverage. Any tips on *that* part?

Alignment error:
http://rykoala.org/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=9



Part of me wants desperately to cut the rear triangle off and start over. I'm not at all happy with how it turned out. We'll see how/if it works.

I did have a chance to sit on the bike when I was taking pictures. Its *very* flexy, which I know means it'll be a nice cushy ride. I likey :)

[rykoala]

Well, last night I fixed the alignment problem by cutting and rewelding half of the seat stay that was off by a bit. The problem came when I went to finish the welds. I blew a hole in the seat stay that only got worse when I tried to weld it closed. I got impatient and made it worse. I am seriously considering building my own seat stays with some 3/4" square tubing and 1.5"x3/16" bar stock that I have. They won't be as pretty but will not be so easy to blow holes in! The biggest problem then would be welding the brake bosses onto the new seat stays. I may have a solution for that, though....

[TheKid]

I didn't see much of an alignment problem. You probably could have just bent the stays in place.

[rykoala]

I tried. Couldn't. Ugh.

[SirJoey]

Hey Ry, started the new job yet? If so, how do u like it?

[rykoala]

I did start it on Monday morning. I *love* it. Its a great job, and pays better with fantastic benefits too. I'm as happy as a barbecue at a clam bake :)

[SirJoey]

That's great news man, glad to hear it! :)

[rykoala]

I must have been *very* tired when I worked on the bike the other night. The hole was not as big as I recalled. I was able to close it up relatively easily and clean it up a lot. My welds are still butt ugly but they hold.

I tore apart an old office chair and the seat bottom has what I need for the main seat, and the foam from the back of the chair, doubled, will make a perfect seat padding. I just have to make the seat back (will use the seat bottom yellow foam for that) and then make it all fit together and get it mounted.

Once I get that done, its time for the pilots steering set up and also the remote steering, then the bottom bracket. Should be fun! I just have to wait to get some fund$ so I can afford more welding rod and a some decent material for the seat covers.

Its coming together! :-)

[rykoala]

I've got the seat all planned, and I made the bracket for the bottom seat. Next I have to cut down the seat from "office chair" size to "bike seat" size and make a back for it, and attach that too and mount it to the bike. I have to weld the brackets together (finally got some more welding rods) and what not. I'm not too worried about getting very far with the seat- just far enough that I can start on the pilots steering tube and handlebar arrangement.

Does anyone have any advice on how they drilled the holes for the bottom bracket clamp system? That has me scared to death, considering that the holes I made for the seat bracket didn't line up. I slotted one of them so that they could fit as its not very critical. This one is, though. I tried drilling a small hole with a small bit and then moving to a larger one, but the larger one drifted from the small hole. Am I taking too large of steps from one size to the other?


Thanks a lot! I hope to get at least the seat and the pilot steering set up this week, and next week the linkage and maybe bottom bracket. I want to have a riding bicycle by the end of the month if I can, although I have a lot of other things planned this month too!

[TheKid]

Possibly. Or the larger bit is dull. Assuming that your pieces are clamped together and are clamped firmly in a vice or to a table while you drill, put just enough pressure to get the bit started. If it still drifts, get a new bit or sharpen the one you're using. Step drills are perfect for drilling these holes. I usually start with a 1/16" bit, then use a 1/8"-1/2" step drill to finish. I generally use 3/8" bolts for the BB clamp, so I stop the step drill at 3/8". Here's a link:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91616