Ti Monster Frame*Completed Pics*Headed for DucStock

[Moto Motivo]

  Great looking frame and very cool seat.  What did you do with the VIN #?

[Destructobot]

Wow, absolutely amazing piece of fabrication.  This is leagues beyond the ham fisted stuff on the bike build tv shows.  I've always lusted after a nice Indy Fab Ti hardtail mountain bike.

[Howie]

ummm...WOW!

[CromoMann]

  Just finished the Ti frame for my S4RS:

Is there a nomination process for 'Hero Member' status?

That is f'n gorgeous - can't wait for the final presentation.

[AJ]

... What did you do with the VIN #?

I was wondering that too...

[Punx Clever]

Custom made frame would mean a custom made bike, and would probably qualify for a brand spankin new vin as it is technically, at this point, a new bike.  Much like building a kit car or chopper.

[pitbull]

wow.......I'm currently rebuilding my cromo and just finished stripping and cutting tabs on the frame and then getting it powdercoated. Your Ti frame just looks so much more beautiful...........I am seriously jealous.


That tail is damn sexy too.


awesome work!

[AJ]

Custom made frame would mean a custom made bike, and would probably qualify for a brand spankin new vin as it is technically, at this point, a new bike.  Much like building a kit car or chopper.

Makes sense, thanks Punx!

[avizpls]

....but is it straight? 

[Duc Buz]

That tail section is icing on the cake.  Beautiful, man.  If you have to paint it leave some showing in the paint design.

[Oldfisti]

ummm...WOW!

^^^  What howie said!

[Travman]

Beautiful.   

ArcFab (Doug Cook) used to make Ti frames for Supersports. His complete bikes were extremely light. Your welds look even better than his.

[ducpainter]

Beautiful.   

ArcFab (Doug Cook) used to make Ti frames for Supersports. His complete bikes were extremely light. Your welds look even better than his.

Dougs frames were about 9 ish pounds with bearing races.

Ever see either in person?

This is obviously quality work ,but pictures can lie...just sayin'.

I was wondering if the frame has been blasted or glass beaded, or if it was welded in a chamber?

[TAftonomos]

No doubt those welds were shielded REALLY well

[Randy@StradaFab]

   OK, I'll try to answer some of the questions:

    Is it rigid enough: I think so. The main tubes from the head to the engine mounts are 1.25" and the wall is .005" thicker than the stock frame. Ti is stronger than steel but a little more flexible so you can't just substitute Ti for steel and get the same stiffness. I also had all of the gussets cut with a water jet from 1/8" plate.

   VIN#: In the state of Kansas I just have to have it inspected by the Highway Patrol and they will issue a new VIN#. If I want to sell the frames I need to issue a MSO. There is no federal regulation on frames, it is up to each state. Some states require that the MSO come from a bonded company. In Kansas all you need is a bill of sale to get a VIN# for a frame. I have found a company that will sell you VIN#'s for frames. It's $1,400 for the first VIN and $200 for each one after that.

DucPainter:The frame was not welded in a chamber. I used a gas lens in the torch and 10 seconds post purge with UHP Argon. I only welded 3/4 to 1" at a time to stay within the coverage of the gas lens. I also injected argon inside the tube in the places that I could. If you look close in the picture below you can see where I screwed a fitting into the jig to purge the inside of the head tube. That head tube is machined from a piece of Ti pipe, not a thin piece of tube with an aluminum insert.

IMO,pictures usually make welds look worse than they actually are,especially on shiny metal.

The frame was not beadblasted.I buffed the weld area off with a Scotchbrite wheel and then sanded with some 320 paper and then a Scotcbrite pad. A thin coat of WD-40 makes it look nice.