Sam,
What are you waiting for, an engraved invitation? Like Bruce Gordon once said, "framebuilding is simple, it's somewhat akin to building shopping carts" or something to that effect. Why sit around wondering if you should be jelous or not, just do it! There's nothing to it, man.
You don't need anyone to "teach" you, heck everyone does it differently anyway. You might want to be in the front row next year at the Velo Rendezvous framebuilding segment of the symposium; could be the only chance you'll get for a few "cheap tricks". And don't give me any excuses; I've know guys who have built frames in the livingroom and kitchen of their apartments (no lie) so it can be done anywhere. I even have a friend (and former Masi employee) who lived in Jackson Hole, WY in a teepee he hand made himself; and did an incredible BB cutout using no electricity (a hand crank drill and some jewelers files) by candelight in the dead of winter. If you're determined, you can make a bike frame almost anywhere.
So here's your assignment, Sam. Build yourself a frame and document your experience step by step and report your experiences and progress to the list periodiocally. You can only use vintage lugs, tubes, and methods to construct the frame. Since you know how to paint, you will have to go all the way to the finish before you're off the hook. By the time you get done with that I suspect you won't be jelous; more likely envious.
Ready, steady, GO!
Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA
There is a possibility that framebuilding is more difficult with a foot
in your mouth.
>
> Maybe my post will sound like I am just jealous but is it really that hard to
> build a bike frame? Or could it be that it is too much work for what you
> earn doing it? I started out in the classic auto restoration business and
> believe me making some old rusty hunk of junk into a show vehicle is no easy
> task (though not as difficult as building a bike frame) Every shop I know of
> that had been around forever doing show quality work got out of it to do
> collision repair since that is where the money is. I have a feeling the bike
> industry is the same way. I may be wrong but my gut feeling is that many of
> us could be master frame builders but it doesn't pay enough to feed our
> families. Not only that who would teach us. Sam D.