Johnathan,
Imagine doing that for over 30 years for at least 6 days a week. Imagine still enjoying and even reveling in the finger breaking, elbow acheing, back-bent-over-and-sore hand labor that goes into a traditional "old sc hool" hand filed and cutout lugged steel frames. It's no wonder framebui lding has gone almost entirely to investment cast parts and simple const ruction processes. Traditional framebuilding with pre IC era materials i s very labor intensive and requires a number of metalworking skills. The results of this labor fortunately are not possible to mimmick with cast parts and the rewards of doing the whole job from scratch are quite sat isfying once one masters the process. The bike is still a bike, but from the standpoint of the craftsman it can be a very rewarding endevor.
Did you get to drink some Imron while you were there, or did you just st ick to brazing your fingers together? Painting can be a whole other kett le of fish.
Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA
Saying you gotta love your work doesn't cut it; to be a framebuilder you
have to be CRAZY!
List, I just finally got the time to respond to this email. Last week was a h ard
week. See my blog below for particulars and a link to my yahoo picture site.
During the week as my hands got more tired and cut up, as my back and fe et
hurt worse and worse I kept thinking it is no wonder Ernesto and Falerio and the
other Italians never aspired to die at the bench making frames. It's not
glamorous, it's hard, dirty, low paying work. You'd have to do it for th e love
of creating something with your hands to stick with it. I had a great we ek and
I'd like to do it again, but it was no working vacation. It was just wor k. By
my estimation I spent 72 hours in 5 days in Doug Fattic's shop. I'd
encourage anyone interested in building their own frame to give it a go . You'll be
rewarded.
Jonathan Greene Oviedo FL
Subj: Framebuilding Report at Doug Fattic's Class Date: 4/19/2006
5:37:27 P.M. Eastern Standard Time From: _LouDeeter_ (mailto:LouDeeter) To:
_classicrendezvous@bikelist.org_ (mailto:classicrendezvous@bikelist.org)
_http://wallstframeco.blogspot.com/_ (http://wallstframeco.blogspot.com/ )
Listmember Jonathan Greene is posting his experiences at the framebuildi ng
class at Doug Fattic's place up north somewhere. I'm not sure whether h e will
post tonight, but it is interesting to read his initial reports. Link is
above. You can email Jonathan at _jon3084@aol.com_ (mailto:jon3084@aol .com) .
Lou Deeter, Orlando FL, but traveling in our Nation's capital tonight.