# Hello from Hamilton



## Rauce (Mar 2, 2022)

Hi! Found this place while looking up various options for new lathes.

I live in Hamilton and got into metalworking through cycling. I’ve always liked doing things myself and 6 or 7 years ago while working at a bike shop I decided I should just build my own frames. Machine tools aren’t required for that but they are handy so with the help of a machinist friend I got into machining as well. 

After getting laid off at my old office job 3 years ago I decided to convert my metalworking hobby into a career and now I’m nearing the end of my Millwright apprenticeship. 

Here is a picture of my current machines at home from just over a year ago. The Excello is fully reassembled and running now. The lathe is a Churchill Cub MkIII 13x24.


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## Canadium (Mar 2, 2022)

Welcome from East Hamilton! Love that Excello!


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## Rauce (Mar 2, 2022)

Canadium said:


> Welcome from East Hamilton! Love that Excello!


Thanks! I’m in the west end. This machine came from a machine shop just off Woodward Ave. Unfortunately it was in worse shape than I initially thought when I looked at it but I can live with it and I didn’t pay that much. 

I had the motor rewound 240v, cleaned it up, shimmed the gibs and had to replace all three leadscrews and two of the leadscrew nuts. Luckily the head and spindle were mostly fine.


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## YYCHM (Mar 2, 2022)

Welcome from Calgary.


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## Chip Maker (Mar 2, 2022)

Welcome from Peterborough Ont.!


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## Susquatch (Mar 2, 2022)

Hey, welcome from Ontario farm country south of Chatham. 

Lots of really cool members in your neck of the woods!


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## Six O Two (Mar 2, 2022)

Welcome from the interior of BC. I also have an excello, and also mostly got into it for framebuilding. Looks like you're a bit ahead of me though, I'm only on frame #2 at the moment... I keep on getting distracted by other projects....


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## CalgaryPT (Mar 2, 2022)

Rauce said:


> Hi! Found this place while looking up various options for new lathes.
> 
> I live in Hamilton and got into metalworking through cycling. I’ve always liked doing things myself and 6 or 7 years ago while working at a bike shop I decided I should just build my own frames. Machine tools aren’t required for that but they are handy so with the help of a machinist friend I got into machining as well.
> 
> ...


Nice. I always wanted to find a way to turn my hobby into a revenue stream. Good for you. I once built a couple recumbent bike frames for a friend. It was lots of fun. Welcome.


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## whydontu (Mar 2, 2022)

Welcome from Vancouver


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## deleted_user (Mar 2, 2022)

welcome from Toronto.


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## Rauce (Mar 2, 2022)

Six O Two said:


> Welcome from the interior of BC. I also have an excello, and also mostly got into it for framebuilding. Looks like you're a bit ahead of me though, I'm only on frame #2 at the moment... I keep on getting distracted by other projects....


I’m on #15 I think right now, some years I’ve done 1 or even none, and some years as many 4 or 5 depending on how busy I am otherwise.

Here’s the latest. I made this frame for myself, Tig welded 7005 aluminum tubing.


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## deleted_user (Mar 2, 2022)

Maybe I should just bring my frame components to you rather than look for a better welder. I want to get my merkel replica done while young enough to ride it still...


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## Six O Two (Mar 2, 2022)

Rauce said:


> I’m on #15 I think right now, some years I’ve done 1 or even none, and some years as many 4 or 5 depending on how busy I am otherwise.
> 
> Here’s the latest. I made this frame for myself, Tig welded 7005 aluminum tubing.
> 
> View attachment 21541



Very cool! That bike looks great. I've had it in my mind that if I want to build some full suspension mtb bikes, I might want to start practicing aluminum tig welding. I noticed Senko in the top picture but didn't put 2 & 2 together. Pretty sure I've seen your posts on v-salon and on IG.


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## Aarknoid (Mar 2, 2022)

Greetings from a Burlington neighbour


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## deleted_user (Mar 2, 2022)

Six O Two said:


> Very cool! That bike looks great. I've had it in my mind that if I want to build some full suspension mtb bikes, I might want to start practicing aluminum tig welding. I noticed Senko in the top picture but didn't put 2 & 2 together. Pretty sure I've seen your posts on v-salon and on IG.


you have to pay close attention, because this forum has some really interesting and skilled people lurking here. Rauce is the second person here I noticed has bike building skills I'd like to learn from


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## Susquatch (Mar 2, 2022)

TorontoBuilder said:


> you have to pay close attention, because this forum has some really interesting and skilled people lurking here. Rauce is the second person here I noticed has bike building skills I'd like to learn from



Yes, we are all machinists. But beyond that we have a depth and breadth of skills, expertise, and experience that you just don't see in other hobby groups. I continue to be amazed and impressed.


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## 6.5 Fan (Mar 2, 2022)

Welcome from SK.


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## trlvn (Mar 2, 2022)

Welcome from Oakville.


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## Rauce (Mar 2, 2022)

TorontoBuilder said:


> Maybe I should just bring my frame components to you rather than look for a better welder. I want to get my merkel replica done while young enough to ride it still...


Get in touch, a nice replica would be a cool project. I do more old school construction as well.


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## deleted_user (Mar 2, 2022)

Rauce said:


> Get in touch, a nice replica would be a cool project. I do more old school construction as well.
> 
> View attachment 21562


I will, because while I have many skills, welding is not something I excel at. I was going to braze the frame and use period looking lugs... because brazing is the welding technique I am best at...

I'm doing a build thread on the bike, but so far I'm not out of the design stages... I got sidelined with a shop move and machine acquisitions.









						Flying Merkel Ebike and Sidecar with Experimental Motor Design
					

David_R8 commented on something I had posted on another thread so I thought maybe others may be interested in this long term project I am working on.  So far I am mostly in the design phase and have a few issues to work out and materials to source before I get going in earnest.  Preamble (skip...




					canadianhobbymetalworkers.com
				




I have a pretty good idea of the original geometry, and the front and rear spring suspensions... but I stopped designing while I ponder to what extent I wish to vary from the original and what type of split rear I want to design to change belts... I'm having the motor drive on the left and the crank drive on the right, both using gates carbon fiber belts








I'm relocating original cranks.... but retaining the rear suspension pivot point.. so I get better pedal configuration. I've designed a 3 phase motor that looks like original gas motor, and I've run the cranks thru the motor spindle....


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## YotaBota (Mar 2, 2022)

Welcome from Vancouver Island.
I had to lookup your lathe, http://www.lathes.co.uk/churchill-cub/, nice machine, Did you get 3 & 4 jaw chucks with it. I ask because the write up mentions a non-standard camlock.


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## Rauce (Mar 3, 2022)

YotaBota said:


> Welcome from Vancouver Island.
> I had to lookup your lathe, http://www.lathes.co.uk/churchill-cub/, nice machine, Did you get 3 & 4 jaw chucks with it. I ask because the write up mentions a non-standard camlock.


I got the original 8” 4-jaw with it but the main body of that chuck is cracked. 

It came with a newer 3-jaw with a backplate for it and then I made backplates for plain backed 6” 4-jaw and a 5C collet chucks. 

It’s the same short taper design as a D1 camlock but just bolted on. The problem with simply adapting plain back chucks like I have done is that you have to seperate the chucks and backplates in order to change them out. That and worn ways are my two biggest gripes with the machine.


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## Mcgyver (Mar 3, 2022)

welcome, another XLO ower here...great machines!


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## Rauce (Mar 3, 2022)

Mcgyver said:


> welcome, another XLO ower here...great machines!


Yes I really do like it compared to the typical Bridgeport clone that we have at work and that I’ve used at school. I just wish the damn Y axis ways weren’t so worn. I only get about 1/2 travel with the gibs adjusted for minimal play. It boggles my mind that whoever had it managed to wear right through the Chrome. 

Btw, I’m pretty sure that I purchased some of my first micrometers from you about 4 or 5 years ago. Popped over on my lunch break when I worked in North York.


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## Mcgyver (Mar 3, 2022)

haha, hope they are still serving you well!  Too bad about the wear.....live with it, or recondition?   I finally put a central oiler on mine....there ought to be a law.


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## Rauce (Mar 3, 2022)

Mcgyver said:


> haha, hope they are still serving you well!  Too bad about the wear.....live with it, or recondition?   I finally put a central oiler on mine....there ought to be a law.


The funny thing is mine had a central oiler, but I guess it couldn’t counteract the 20-30lbs of bronze chips I pulled out of the knee. 

I’ve thought about taking a stab at reconditioning the knee, might do it at some point. Fixing the fine feed/power feed on the quill is the lower hanging fruit though. 

I’m certain the one mic I bought from you was a starrett 0-1 tube mic, can’t remember what the other one was.


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## LenVW (Mar 3, 2022)

Hey Rauce,
Had any experience with SPECIALIZED HARDROCK ?
I have been riding mine for 16 years with only seasonal maintenance.
Just trying to keep an eye out for what will go as it ages.
I really want to keep it for another 10-15 years.


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## Rauce (Mar 3, 2022)

LenVW said:


> Hey Rauce,
> Had any experience with SPECIALIZED HARDROCK ?
> I have been riding mine for 16 years with only seasonal maintenance.
> Just trying to keep an eye out for what will go as it ages.
> I really want to keep it for another 10-15 years.



Like any machine, regular maintenance like cleaning and lubrication goes a long way. Tires, brake pads, chain, cassette (rear sprockets) and chainrings (front sprockets) are all wear items to keep an eye on. 30 years for a well taken care of bike shouldn’t be an issue.


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## LenVW (Mar 3, 2022)

Thanks,
East Side Cycle in Kitchener has done seasonal maintenance & replaced the chain, sprockets and misc derailer components.
I was more concerned about the structural integrity of the frame and areas that might exhibit deflection due to stress and which welds tend to fail after 1000s of kilometres.


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## Rauce (Mar 3, 2022)

LenVW said:


> Thanks,
> East Side Cycle in Kitchener has done seasonal maintenance & replaced the chain, sprockets and misc derailer components.
> I was more concerned about the structural integrity of the frame and areas that might exhibit deflection due to stress and which welds tend to fail after 1000s of kilometres.



Major manufacturers fatigue test frames and components to ISO standards (ISO 4210 for example). I used to work at a bike company and we had a QA department who performed those tests in house as well at the factory and by a third party lab. 

It’s hard to predict how long something will last in use though because there are so many variables but I would say if there was a major flaw in your frame you probably would have seen it by now. 

Fatigue cracks on welded metal frames are almost always in the heat affected zones. The joints in the bottom bracket area, headtube to down tube joint, and at the seattube area see most of the stress. 

The nice thing about metal frames vs. conposites is that fatigue cracks usually take some time to propagate before any kind of failure.


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## Canadium (Mar 3, 2022)

Rauce said:


> Thanks! I’m in the west end. This machine came from a machine shop just off Woodward Ave. Unfortunately it was in worse shape than I initially thought when I looked at it but I can live with it and I didn’t pay that much.
> 
> I had the motor rewound 240v, cleaned it up, shimmed the gibs and had to replace all three leadscrews and two of the leadscrew nuts. Luckily the head and spindle were mostly fine.



This is probably the exact same machine that I had an eye for when it came up. I decided to pass on it because I didn't know how I would get it home and into my garage. Very curious as to how you got it home and unloaded?


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## Susquatch (Mar 3, 2022)

Rauce said:


> Major manufacturers fatigue test frames and components to ISO standards (ISO 4210 for example). I used to work at a bike company and we had a QA department who performed those tests in house as well at the factory and by a third party lab.
> 
> It’s hard to predict how long something will last in use though because there are so many variables but I would say if there was a major flaw in your frame you probably would have seen it by now.
> 
> ...



The problem is that Len wears size 28 XXXXXXWide shoes.

Fatigue failure is prolly the least of the issues. I'd be more worried about the initial load of taking his feet off the ground...... 

Devil made me say it!


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## Rauce (Mar 3, 2022)

Canadium said:


> This is probably the exact same machine that I had an eye for when it came up. I decided to pass on it because I didn't know how I would get it home and into my garage. Very curious as to how you got it home and unloaded?


I rented a u haul truck and trailer, the seller had a crane so no issue there. At home I slid it to the back of trailer and used a borrowed engine hoist to pull off the head/ram, then the table, then the rest. Didn’t have the height or capacity with the hoist to do it all in one shot. 

Borrowed a pallet jack to move base/knee into the garage and a moving dolly to roll the other bits in.


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## Gearhead88 (Mar 4, 2022)

You found the right group . Welcome !


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