Sore subject maybe

[Higgy]

"and nobody is out there breathing enough welding smoke and grinding dust." is my way of saying the young haven't paid their dues yet, like some of us.

 

[fredintoon]

Hi Higgy,
I know what you mean but it's not what you said and some of the kiddies are naive enough to take you literally.
Newbies should definitely create welding smoke and grinding dust but no way should they suck it into their lungs, eh?

 

[member3480]

I did my share of welding smoke and paint fumes and now I suffer for it every day. I started welding with gas at 28 moved up to mig around 40 and tig three years ago. At 60 the doctor said NO MORE and you are stage 4 again.
I don't think it made my skills any better???? it just showed me how stupid I was all those years welding without protection and painting without a mask.
Its a tough thing to do and sit down with your family and say its over and you sit and wait.
So I would not pat yourself on the back because you were a tough guy and didn't use the proper protection. I WAS STUPID and so would you be.
That shit kills ...... wear the protection same job in the end.

 

[BobbedSled]

I had to buy tube benders and what not, make frame jig, raw metal then buy every part new except the engine. I am in 7K in by build just parts not including all the time building and I did 2 frames before I liked it. I have to strip the powdercoat and have it actually painted. I can't count the things I had to do 2 -3 times or parts I bought and did not like or did not fit. f I factor time I am close to 20K.

If I had to duplicate the bike I cold do it for 1/4 the cost and time now that I know what I am doing and how it goes together and what parts to use. Custom frame from straight tubing leavs lots of open variables.

 

[Higgy]

I had to buy tube benders and what not, make frame jig, raw metal then buy every part new except the engine. I am in 7K in by build just parts not including all the time building and I did 2 frames before I liked it. I have to strip the powdercoat and have it actually painted. I can't count the things I had to do 2 -3 times or parts I bought and did not like or did not fit. f I factor time I am close to 20K.

If I had to duplicate the bike I cold do it for 1/4 the cost and time now that I know what I am doing and how it goes together and what parts to use. Custom frame from straight tubing leavs lots of open variables.

Chalk it up to a learning experience. Now you can make a bike and sell it to validate all of your hard work.

 

[BobbedSled]

Ohh ya totally, learning was absoilutly great. Infact I don't even want a bike I just wanted to build one for the experience and to say "I built one", it is a bucket list item. I felt I could design and build a better bike that the discovery tv builders who dont build diddly, the assembled.

The learnings and experinece is well well well worth the cost. Highly recomend people try a full scratch build with an original design. Absolutly amazing experience.

 

[Higgy]

I think building bikes is a truly male way of artistic expression.