Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mike Jenkins on October 29, 2013 at 11:08am

Doug Fattic in Niles, MI is close and is a very effective teacher.  He is sensitive to how individuals learn and works closely with each student to develop the specific skills needed to build a bicycle. If you want to build a lugged bicycle, I think Doug teaches brazing and lug thinning technique very well.  Mitering in Doug's shop is done with a clever fixture on a vertical mill.  Because Doug has developed a unique frame fixture, he proceeds from fitting to fixture with no drawings.  Another thing to note is Doug leaves the shop open after hours so his students can work all night if they like.

Doug also has a three day class where you get a chance to get an overview of the process and try some practice joints.

Koichi Yamaguchi in Rifle, CO has a frame building class with which I am familiar.  The only machine tool in Yamaguchi's shop is a drill press.  All his students cut their miters by hand with a file.  This is useful technique to know if you don't plan a big investment in machines.  Koichi also has a one day class in stem building giving useful practice in filet brazing.  Compared to Doug, Koichi is much more hands off, but he still watches and corrects when necessary.  Frames are built from hand drawings.  Koichi explains the process, but he produces the drawings.  Koichi closes the shop at lunch and after 5 PM, but he sometimes goes back to the shop at night and works on students' bikes to move the process along.

Last summer I was fortunate enough to visit UBI's school in Portland, OR.  All the students in that class were working from pencil drawings they had done themselves.  The gentleman giving the tour said there is a lot of emphasis on the design phase.  I was impressed with the cleanliness and orderliness of the UBI shop, reminding me of high school shop class.  The class had about a dozen people in it compared to the three students at Doug's and Koichi's class. Observing the student's frames, I would say that some of them had gone further afield than would have happened in the smaller schools.

Dave Bohm of Bohemian Bicycles in Tucson offers a frame building class as does Mike Flannigan of Alternative Needs Transportation. Mike just moved his shop recently, but I think he is still in the Boston area.  Mike has a deal where for $30k you spend six weeks in his shop and leave with all the tooling and machines you need to start up your own business.

Oops, I almost forgot.  Carl Schlemowitz, aka The Metal Guru, also teaches framebuiding and painting at his shop in New Paltz, NY.  Carl's shop is interesting in that it was a fairly high volume shop at one time. There are machine tools permanently set up for each operation. His paint area is pretty impressive with a large paint kitchen and spray booth.  I guess he cuts his own stencils and masks right there, too.

So.  Lots of choices.  One recommendation I would make is that you develop some torch skills before you go so that you can spend more time learning about the construction process and less on correcting bad joints. Most classes are filled until spring so you have time to get to your local CC.

Good  luck.

Mike

Permalink Reply by Christopher Wallace on October 31, 2013 at 5:28am

Doug Fattic is a good man to learn from. He has all the tooling, equipment, and teaching skills to make you successful. I teach an advanced lug making course in Oak Park. We can make Hetchins style to advanced litho art lugs by hand. Call me if you would like to learn more or see examples of the class work. Christopher 773 490 0683

Permalink Reply by Jason B. on November 11, 2013 at 4:43pm

Hello and thank you Mike and Christopher for sharing your thoughts and opinions, it is much appreciated. I just found your messages in my lousy spam folder so I do apologize for not responding sooner. It is very interesting how large the scope of this skill can be given all of the materials which can be put to use.

I have used torch heat for much more delicate work than this, on a much smaller scale, jewelry to be specific, working in gold, silver, platinum, precious and semi-precious stones. I stopped doing that work several years back as it was doing bad things to my eyes. My vision was worsening and I did not like that much. 

Carbon, aluminum, steel, various composites and alloys.... I mean wow, what options and so much to learn... Probably better to specialize and evolve I imagine.

Have a good week gents!

Jason