Doug Fattic also conducts framebuilding courses, several per year I believe. It seems that Doug may have been spending as much or more of his time the last couple of years teaching framebuilding as he spends building frames for customers. There are probably other good framebuilding courses besides Doug's and UBI's.
I think it is certainly possible to teach oneself framebuilding as Mike Mullett and others have related. But I think my experience would probably go more like the one Pat Moffat related. I'd probably fry several sets of lugs and tubes in the first attempts and generally make a mess of things, then give it up until such time as I could get some proper instruction. But some people have more talent than others, or more determination, or circumstances that either allow or maybe drive them to teach themsleves some skill.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA
> From: Charles Nighbor <cnighbor1@comcast.net>
\r?\n> Subject: [CR] Building a bicycle frame- Prehaps go to United Bicycle Institute Frame Building Courses
\r?\n> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
\r?\n> Date: Monday, April 13, 2009, 10:42 AM
\r?\n> If one is interested in building a frame consider taking
\r?\n> frame building
\r?\n> classes. Here is one source.
\r?\n> United Bicycle Institute
\r?\n> "Frame Building Courses''
\r?\n> http://www.bikeschool.com/
\r?\n>
\r?\n> ''Prerequisites:
\r?\n> None - this is an entry level class.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> What You Will Learn:
\r?\n> Fulfill a dream by designing and building your own frame at
\r?\n> one of our
\r?\n> unique frame building classes. Unlike any other mechanic
\r?\n> school, we are
\r?\n> uniquely qualified to offer several frame building and
\r?\n> welding classes
\r?\n> for enthusiasts who wish to build their own frame or for
\r?\n> those who wish
\r?\n> to become a professional frame builder. Though our frame
\r?\n> building
\r?\n> classes are intensive, no prior frame building, welding, or
\r?\n> brazing
\r?\n> experience is required.
\r?\n> We offer three different two-week frame building courses:
\r?\n> Brazed
\r?\n> Chromoly, TIG Welded Chromoly, and TIG Welded Titanium. In
\r?\n> all three
\r?\n> frame building classes, students will build a high-quality
\r?\n> frame they
\r?\n> take with them after class. Students may build a mountain
\r?\n> bike, road
\r?\n> bike, hybrid bike, cyclocross bike, track bike, or trials
\r?\n> bike.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> In all frame building classes we cover these topics:
\r?\n>
\r?\n> a.. Frame Geometry
\r?\n> b.. Frame Fit
\r?\n> c.. Frame Design
\r?\n> d.. Tubing Selection
\r?\n> e.. Shop Safety
\r?\n> f.. Tool Selection & Use
\r?\n> a.. Brazing or Welding
\r?\n> b.. Equipment Setup
\r?\n> c.. Jig Setup & Use
\r?\n> d.. Tube Mitering
\r?\n> e.. Tube Prep
\r?\n> f.. Finish Work
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n> All materials and supplies necessary to build a
\r?\n> high-quality custom
\r?\n> frame are included in the tuition price. The choice of
\r?\n> tubing used will
\r?\n> vary somewhat depending on several factors; primarily the
\r?\n> design
\r?\n> determined by the student. In all cases the tubing will be
\r?\n> high quality,
\r?\n> either chromoly or titanium, depending on the course
\r?\n> selected.
\r?\n> Each frame will be built with a full compliment of
\r?\n> braze-ons and
\r?\n> dropouts. If buliding a lugged frame in our brazing class,
\r?\n> students will
\r?\n> use high quality investment cast chromoly lugs. ''
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Charles Nighbor
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Walnut Creek, CA
\r?\n>
\r?\n> USA