Why why why ? (Translation for Wieso, Weshalb, Warum)
Back in the days i dreamed about my own BMX bike. Sketches of the weirdest frame geometries covered my school books all over. As a BMX rider and collector i never forgot the dream to ride my own bike. Unfortunately i never get famous and no one offered me my own "signature frame".
Getting 50 i recovered the idea to build my own frame. So i threw my wish into the air to participate a WIG/TIG welding workshop/training. I wanted to get to know the tooling and how to handle it. Later i wanted to decide, if and when, how to proceed.
I participated the workshop and I couldn't stop thinking about it :-) Our welding trainer told me, no welding experience is the best prerequisite to learn WIG/TIG welding. That helped me to make my final decision, because i never welded before. I started to buy equipment and prepared a small workspace. Till that time i only had tools/equipment for electronic repairs ;-)
I bought a DC welding machine, my first tube notcher, iron saws, files, clamps, welding table, chromoly tubes, ...
But in the beginning i needed a frame jig, not too expensive and not too complex. I bought some aluminum profiles with connectors and hinges and built my frame jig. I'm still using it with slightly modifications.
I started my first frame after i found my first chromoly welds acceptable. Some experience required to find welding values and method (pulse, spot, or continous weld)
But the best preparations cannot prevent from: burning through tube, burning holes on edges, handle different thickness of material, cutting tubes the wrong way, more faults i don't want to talk about ... ;-)
I made a lot of experience on my first frame "the maexx [mˈæks]" and took those to build my rider "the maester [mˈæstɚ]". Yeahh this works much better the second time. Good welds, great look, nice feeling and the built went much quicker than the first frame. I currently finished the third frame "the spaece [spˈe͡ɪs]" which is only made for show and shine. Its an homage to the VDC Freestyler but using new tech equipment and different geometry. It is obviously not a copy and not built to be a copy of anything. Its a one of a kind and maybe will stay as what it is.
Yes, i'm still riding my maester on ramps and pools but i will cruise "the spaece" on ride outs. New ideas are rising in my head - let's see.
Some of you must have asked yourself what the "ae" is all about. I borrowed it from my last name which is written as "ä" in german but international as "ae".