What tubing.

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This seems like a simple question but something I am needing a little help with. What kind of tubing are you all using to make bikes made from scratch.

looking for tubing Material
Diameter and wall thickness.
 
I haven't built a bike from scratch b4 but I have done frame mods and such and there always a couple factors but the first one is what do you want to spend what do you have available and what are you willing to use.....

Alot of guys use electrical conduit if you can find non galvanized its better if you can afford it there are places that sell chromohle which is light weight and perfect for bikes
 
Hey! I posted a thread in the "How to" section about this. It's named "Cheap frame material". You could check it out for more information. In case you have no time, from what I've been told, sing electrical conduit seems to do the job. Be warned, it is not that hard, because it's main purpose is to house electrical wires under no stress, so you cannot expect it to stand the stresses of the road. On the other hand, it's very cheap and dead easy to handle, meaning it's the perfect material to unleash your creativity and create an mad looking bike. I suggest that you don't use it to built any serious mountain bike, as it is highly likely to break in the first rock.

Better check out the thread I told you about yourself, maybe you find what you're looking for there.
 
welding galvanized conduit is much easier when you gring of the zinc plating first, better for you lungs too.
 
herku1004 said:
Hey! I posted a thread in the "How to" section about this. It's named "Cheap frame material". You could check it out for more information. In case you have no time, from what I've been told, sing electrical conduit seems to do the job. Be warned, it is not that hard, because it's main purpose is to house electrical wires under no stress, so you cannot expect it to stand the stresses of the road. On the other hand, it's very cheap and dead easy to handle, meaning it's the perfect material to unleash your creativity and create an mad looking bike. I suggest that you don't use it to built any serious mountain bike, as it is highly likely to break in the first rock.

Better check out the thread I told you about yourself, maybe you find what you're looking for there.

:!: :!: :!: :!: :!: DON"T USE METAL CONDUIT :!: :!: :!: :!: :!:

Do you want to build a bicycle or a hunk of junk?
Why would I or yourself want to build a bicycle, "that can't handle the stresses of the road"? As herku1004 says.
I'm sorry but I build bicycles to ride. I want my bicycles to handle every day stress of being ridden.
:!: Do it right and do it right the first time. :!:
That's the American way, Toby Kieth! :lol:
deven_science and Sensor have it right, 16 gauge steel and what ever O.D. you like.
Look at some of Deven_science's and Sensors Bicycles they have built.
They are strong sturdy and aren't made out of metal conduit. I have seen both their Bicycles in person and ridden with them. They know what they are doing.

This guy telling you to build and weld using conduit is like telling someone to wear a dust mask made out of Asbestos. :oops:
You can kill someone with that type of bad info. I can see your conduit built bicycle going down the road and the head tube comes off cause the material is to thin and the weld sucks cause there is plating still in the metal.
Plus welding conduit is bad for your health, it's deadly.
You will never be able to totally grind off the plating on conduit. The conduit is so thin that the plating penetrates all the way threw.

Right now I have been using 1.5" steel tubing, it is .065 wall.
I use a lot of 1" tubing with an .040 wall..
Steel tubing runs around 2$ a foot
A 20ft stick should cost you 40$ and that is enough to build a Bicycle
You can get on ebay even an order it and it will be delivered to your house.
You can go to your local metal Fab Shop and ask to go threw their extra material in stock.
Tell them what you are trying to do and a lot of time they will give you a discount just cause they too have a passion for building things out of nothing.

I have seen your builds Migs and the tools you use. Park tools aren't cheap and the Lieutenant Bicycle is one of my all time favorites.
You don't mess around, quality 100%
Do yourself a favor and do things right, stay away from the conduit :wink:
Blue 8)
 
correct. pot metal used to pour/extrude conduit is extremely porous and the zinc (and god knows what else is in it) coating fully permiates the material. unless............ you have a vaccum chamber and the gear of course, which in that case i suggest welding ti. :mrgreen:




i'm not a metal casting specialist, but i've done enough destruct and non-destruct testing and material analysis during my tenure as a welding supervisor and d1.1 structural welding instructor to tell you that i wouldn't trust my health and well being to a bike built from conduit. i've already got a grill of fake teeth from a face meets metal pipe episode and i don't intend on doing that again.
 
Agree with the others here, stay away from the conduit. 16 guage or 1.6mm wall metric is a good light but strong size. If you are using a basic stick electrode welder and just starting out, maybe even go a bit thicker to avoid burn through...

The 24/27 chopper I built a while back was actually made from left over farm fencing pipe with the Gal coating sanded off near the welds, a bit heavier than it needed to be, but very strong/solid bike.

Luke.
 
i agree,and disagree. If money allows it buy steel .065. Agreed
BUT, if times be tight go with 1" conduit. I built a recumbent bike from conduit. It held up to me riding our trails, which arent smooth. I sold it, and its still being used, and in 1 piece. The guy who owns the website,Recycled recumbents, uses conduit on every build, and has been doing it for years.
Im gonna build a burrito, and cant afford to buy 065, but conduit is cheap. Brace and gussett, and it will last. Knowing how to weld well helps alot,too.
Grinding doesnt get rid of the galvanizing, so I weld outside with a breeze behind me..Getting paint to stick is a real problem,too.If ur gonna build a bike to ride hard daily, get 065. I own way too many bikes to worry that I'd ride it daily. JMHO. .
 
wow, no more input on this thread? everyone must be thrashing on their Buildoff bikes. My shed is .... near done, I didn't run electric to it,yet. Extension cord is handling the fan and lighs. I need to put PEX in the ground and pull some 10 ga wire for a 220 box for the heat.. Im real ready to start my Dyno clone. Lets get some more opinions on this one,huh?
 

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