Proof of Concept

It really doesn’t seem like much progress is happening in the Kiotee Garage but there is; just not big huge things.  Small steps at a time is the motto around this place.  So I scored some 4130 tube for the frame and have decided to go with a Montana version of the classic SonicWeld frame.

Well to move that idea ahead I had to have a fork I could use as place keeper when I start to build the front end.  To that end I made some new links for the girder along with flanged oil lite bushings and some hefty ½ Grade 8 bolts and nuts to hold it all together.

I also needed to engineer a solution for fitting some headset bearings and a handle bar clamp which in turn will determine what size head tube I will have to source.  Having never attempted anything like this with girder forks it has been interesting solving problems and looking forward to solving other problems as the build continues.

This fork has a 1 1/8 hole in the bottom cross tree for a steer tube.  The stem I got with the fork has been necked down to 1 inch to take a standard tapered roller bearing and race.  The top cross tree is 1 3/16 with a shim collar for the top spring clamp.  The only clamp I had is for a 1 1/8 stem so I cut and slotted a bit of chromalloy tube for a shim.  Put it all together and it looks like it will work.

Well it will work well enough so I can use the fork and some bars to build the front end of the frame.  I’m sure there will be changes down the road; especially when I can get more experience with the lathe.  Little steps!

Having been away from the blog for only several weeks I now find I can't upload photos.  So it seems that until I can find an answer I won't be sharing any photos of the snail pace of Kiotee Garage.  Well I guess this is what comes of expecting something of nothing when it's free.

Actually I was able to figure out how to load photos now.  Very round and about and I'm sure it isn't the way they want you to do it.