material source for homeade frame?

Hi, group,
Where might I find a ready source of metal tubing so as to make
recumbents for my family members? What other materials (such as for
the seat) will I need, and where can it be found? I'm assuming that,
once the frame is built, the seat installed, etc., one might use gears
procurred from a used upright bike.
Also, will the type of metal required for such a frame project require
the expertise of a "heliarc" welder?

If the family members are kids just use EMT from the hardware store.
It's easy to bend and plenty strong enough - and no heavier thas the
material used in discount swtore bikes. Use muratic acid (also from
the hardware store) to remove the zinc coating before welding or
brazing.

For an adult recumbent salvage what you can from normal bikes - like
the chain and seat stays, forks, rims etc. Assuming you are in the US
there are several sources of DOM 4130N or aluminum tubing. Wicks
Aircraft, Aircraft Spruce, Shapiro Supply and Dillsburg Steel all can
be found with a Google search. Shapiro also sells Titanium.

For bike specific items like bottom brackets, dropouts etc. do another
google for frame builders supply. Here is one such source:

http://www.henryjames.com/

The seat will probably be up to you to fabricate but you might get
lucky and find one that would work on eBay. I've seen a few there.

Mild steel and 4130N tube can be brazed, gas welded, MIG or TIG welded.
Some heat treated bicycle tube can only be brazed without loosing its
strength. Aluminum tube will require TIG or MIG welding and probably a
post weld heat treat as well. Post weld heat treat for MIG or TIG
welded 4130N is kind of a controversial subject. A post weld
normalizing can't hurt - IMHO Gas welded 4130N is good to go after
cooling in still air. Use mild steel rod for 4130N welding - not -
4130 rod. I use ER70S2 for MIG TIG and Gas. Others like slightly
different alloys.

For shifters, brakes, and such just use what one would normally use on
a standard bike.
===================
Leon McAtee

I've seen numerous examples of bolted together bent frames. No welding
needed!


wrote in message
ups.com...
If the family members are kids just use EMT from the hardware store.
It's easy to bend and plenty strong enough - and no heavier thas the
material used in discount swtore bikes. Use muratic acid (also from
the hardware store) to remove the zinc coating before welding or
brazing.

For an adult recumbent salvage what you can from normal bikes - like
the chain and seat stays, forks, rims etc. Assuming you are in the US
there are several sources of DOM 4130N or aluminum tubing. Wicks
Aircraft, Aircraft Spruce, Shapiro Supply and Dillsburg Steel all can
be found with a Google search. Shapiro also sells Titanium.

For bike specific items like bottom brackets, dropouts etc. do another
google for frame builders supply. Here is one such source:

http://www.henryjames.com/

The seat will probably be up to you to fabricate but you might get
lucky and find one that would work on eBay. I've seen a few there.

Mild steel and 4130N tube can be brazed, gas welded, MIG or TIG welded.
Some heat treated bicycle tube can only be brazed without loosing its
strength. Aluminum tube will require TIG or MIG welding and probably a
post weld heat treat as well. Post weld heat treat for MIG or TIG
welded 4130N is kind of a controversial subject. A post weld
normalizing can't hurt - IMHO Gas welded 4130N is good to go after
cooling in still air. Use mild steel rod for 4130N welding - not -
4130 rod. I use ER70S2 for MIG TIG and Gas. Others like slightly
different alloys.

For shifters, brakes, and such just use what one would normally use on
a standard bike.
===================
Leon McAtee

If you want first class material at your door in a day go he

http://www.aircraft-spruce.com/

Lorraine McNeil wrote:
I've seen numerous examples of bolted together bent frames. No welding
needed!


wrote in message
ups.com...

If the family members are kids just use EMT from the hardware store.
It's easy to bend and plenty strong enough - and no heavier thas the
material used in discount swtore bikes. Use muratic acid (also from
the hardware store) to remove the zinc coating before welding or
brazing.

For an adult recumbent salvage what you can from normal bikes - like
the chain and seat stays, forks, rims etc. Assuming you are in the US
there are several sources of DOM 4130N or aluminum tubing. Wicks
Aircraft, Aircraft Spruce, Shapiro Supply and Dillsburg Steel all can
be found with a Google search. Shapiro also sells Titanium.

For bike specific items like bottom brackets, dropouts etc. do another
google for frame builders supply. Here is one such source:

http://www.henryjames.com/

The seat will probably be up to you to fabricate but you might get
lucky and find one that would work on eBay. I've seen a few there.

Mild steel and 4130N tube can be brazed, gas welded, MIG or TIG welded.
Some heat treated bicycle tube can only be brazed without loosing its
strength. Aluminum tube will require TIG or MIG welding and probably a
post weld heat treat as well. Post weld heat treat for MIG or TIG
welded 4130N is kind of a controversial subject. A post weld
normalizing can't hurt - IMHO Gas welded 4130N is good to go after
cooling in still air. Use mild steel rod for 4130N welding - not -
4130 rod. I use ER70S2 for MIG TIG and Gas. Others like slightly
different alloys.

For shifters, brakes, and such just use what one would normally use on
a standard bike.
===================
Leon McAtee






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Reply to

"asprigoftrig" wrote in
oups.com:

Hi, group,
Where might I find a ready source of metal tubing so as to make
recumbents for my family members? What other materials (such as for
the seat) will I need, and where can it be found? I'm assuming that,
once the frame is built, the seat installed, etc., one might use gears
procurred from a used upright bike.
Also, will the type of metal required for such a frame project require
the expertise of a "heliarc" welder?


What type of frame? I used a length of 1.5 square 1/16 inch for my LWB
lowracer, and tandem tadpole trike, but EMT conduit for my SWB bents.

Brad

Another option for steel that I forgot about since I live in a town
that gets it's "foreign aid" in big brown trucks marked
UPS...............

Your local steel dealer. They might not have 4130N but ask for some
thin wall ERW tube in an alloy like 1026, 1030, or 1040 to ASTM
standards. It's mild steel and has a seem where it was welded together
- just like EMT - but the strength is only slightly less than 4130N and
is easier to weld. Plenty of light airplanes have been made from this
material and lasted for 50+ years so it's a proven material. It's not
a heat treatable material so you have to design the structure
accordingly but you'll probably only gain about 15% in weight over a
comprable 4130N structure. On an 6 to 8 pound LWB frame that isn't a
whole lot.
=================
Leon McAtee