More To Do On A Sunday

What to do? Get busy that's what. I started moving the shop indoors today, along with the welding table, drill press, metal slicer, big ass argon tank and other whatnots. All the while waiting for some sign from Gil for a short ride around the metro. Since I'm not the type to let time pass by unused I finished sealing some welds on the jig, going back and forth on the CAD to sync my measurements. Having the stainless option is cheaper than staying with the prescribed specs although one downside to it was the varying thickness of the metal and thus the varying amperage I've to use with the TIG. Always my practice to start off with an sample bit of the actual metal before finalizing the welds, recent problems with burn-through prompted me to do so.

Also been busy with customizing my own designs for the tools I need. Since necessity is the mother of invention, and for the lack thereof of available tools, I'm stoked on making my own tools. Already on my 4th revision for the bender that started floor mounted (but then I thought I'd have to go through all that trouble of drilling it to the ground), then vertical (but then again there's the issue of having to exert some effort to activate the hydraulic jack, tho this is the better option), and finally the automated hydraulic bender which I am currently redesigning as per available resources. The notcher is done and in waiting. I'll just have it cut and weld it myself. The air hammer was surprisingly easy. The plans I got were so simple I finished it in less than 2 hours. The lathe? Hmm.. the lathe. Well yes I do need one. Still scouting. Pretty sure something's gonna pop up at the right time somewhere.


The Covell vids came last week and they were extremely helpful. My main concern in building it the right way as opposed to the quick way is its usability. I have to make sure it will not fail during service because it's not my name that's at stake here, but the customer's neck. I've even been to a couple of shops (not that many and even fewer who do it the right way) who use stick welding to make frames! Forget the part that stick welds are dirty looking, but they're also brittle! Not really the best option if you're joining for example - the neck - where most of the frame stress is concentrated.. and some don't even bother to use a jig fer cryin' out loud. "Mata-mata lang yan" or plain eye alignments. Yeah, typical Filipino mediocrity. Goodness me, can you spell "death wish"? I know two cases where the frame they had made elsewhere split right down the middle of the weld, fortunately for one of the guy he was near his home and was in really slow cruise, but the other one.. well.

==============================

On the other side of things there's a show called BIKES tomorrow 10PM at IBC13 (didn't know they were still up) that's been quite the buzz over at the forums. Heard that by October 6 they'll already be at Viva Prime Channel. Will check it out.