Dornbox Bicycles

[Dornbox]

Is this the frame that Wade had at the Cycle Design booth?

Edoz! No the one that was at NAHBS is still at paint... actually so is this one. This frame is welded with custom head tube rings though, no lugs.

[Dornbox]

Congrats all around man! Best to you, B, F, and the to-be-named.

Exciting stuff - see you in Maine. Keep us posted on the party.

Oh there's a name!

[Dornbox]

Radio silence has been broken! I fired up the welder for the first time in the new shop. Still plenty of work to do but it sure felt great. These are the wheels I built for a bike that I'm building that will be based on James Dean's Becket Spider "Little Bastard". I really like these H Plus Son rims!


Fully polished H Plus Son by DORNBOX, on Flickr


White Industries M-16 Hubs by DORNBOX, on Flickr


Fully polished H Plus Son by DORNBOX, on Flickr

[Dornbox]

Next up on the list a bi-laminated 29er leaning heavily on a Dodge Hemi!


photo by DORNBOX, on Flickr


photo by DORNBOX, on Flickr

Departing the shop later today:


IMG_0943 by DORNBOX, on Flickr

[Dornbox]

Philly Bound:


IMG_1145 by DORNBOX, on Flickr


stainless steel lugged down tube by DORNBOX, on Flickr


IMG_1151 by DORNBOX, on Flickr

[Dornbox]

Chris!

I hear you've been cranking out some fillet frames lately, is it true?

[Dornbox]

Chris!

I hear you've been cranking out some fillet frames lately, is it true?

Absolutely! In my quest to build light yet strong 29ers I've really fallen in love with the bi laminated head tube, which could be done in a combination of TIG and soldering, that I've been using Fillet Pro to construct. The first one I built, I filleted the head tube and then I welded the rest of the triangle but lately I've decided to just keep going with the gas torch. I've got a couple thin tube set CX bikes in the works too that will be all fillet joints. I also really love my new aircraft torch handle that my buddy Wade sent me! Thanks Wade!

Thanks for asking Chris!

Best,
Chris


IMG_1325 by DORNBOX, on Flickr

[Dornbox]

Working on a new welding technique ala Don Ferris (Anvil Bikes and Fixtures). This sample is .0035 (.89mm) wall 4130 tubing welded to roughly a piece of True Temper OX Plat tubing that has roughly the same thickness wall (.8mm) using weldmold's 880T .0045 rod. A couple blems but in all not too bad for a first run. A few more practice samples and I may try using this technique in my production. Thanks for the advice Don!


http://www.flickr.com/photos/dornboxbikes/6093746371/

[DCT]

nice work chris. thanks for sharing.

[Dornbox]

nice work chris. thanks for sharing.

Thanks Darren!

I prefer to keep learning or experimenting if you will to try to better my process. Occasionally, I stagnate just focusing on producing bikes and feel that my quaity is not where I would like it to be. When that happens, I try to spend a portion of every day testing, practicing, and improving a process in my shop until I feel tangible progress has been made.

Yesterday's practicing was about new techniques, today was about blending my old technique with the new. In the pics below I went back to my old style of handpulsing and using less heat/amps but sticking with the larger diameter 880T Rod. l used the .0045 filler rod with my welder set at 35 amps but only used about 30% of the pedal, once my puddle was estabished. I think it says a lot about the bead when you have full penatraion, no distortion from heat, and good coloring. In yesterdays sample I just felt like I was putting a little too much heat into the work. I think I'll still work on that technique as others that I've mentioned, such as Don Ferris, do so well with it. TIG welding really is a blend of art and scince and each person/welder needs to find his own way of expressing himsef.


Handpulsing with 880T and 4130G_2937 by DORNBOX, on Flickr


Handpulsing with 880T and 4130MG_2939 by DORNBOX, on Flickr


Handpulsing with 880T and 4130 by DORNBOX, on Flickr

[Dornbox]

So it's been a crazy winter here at DORNBOX Bikes and while things have been quiet for me on VS they've been anything but that here at the shop. Late last summer I spent a week with Bryan Myers at Fresh Frames and really caught the painting bug. Shortly after my return I started working with my good friend and mentor Toby Stanton at Hot Tubes so I could really nail down the craft. As NAHBS approached I was completely engulfed in painting and was on the hunt, trying to set up a small yet top notch painting facility back at the bird house. So much so that I forgot to register for the sweetest bike show and it was in my home state in a city where I have friends and family.... Oooops! Now the hunt is nearly over and somewhere in the middle I've acquired and built a ton new fixtures etc. and a few machines for the building side of my shop and I've been flat out trying to balance the reorganizing and wiring my shop to support all the new goodness with actually working in it. Not easily done. Soon the shop will be back to full speed though and I'll be breezing through my queue with full porn to share on a FNL with some sort of regularity and the occasional posting. Thanks for listening and Ride Often! -Chris

[e-RICHIE]

...and I've been flat out trying to balance the reorganizing and wiring my shop to support all the new goodness with actually working in it. Not easily done.

^ This atmo.

Put your hands on the wifi router and say Amen.

[Dornbox]

^ This atmo.

Put your hands on the wifi router and say Amen.

Amen!

[the bottle ride]

Chris- your stuff looks great: MBR stamp of approval.
I see a bunch of 29ers in your photo stream these days- is that what people are asking you for these days?

[Dornbox]

Chris- your stuff looks great: MBR stamp of approval.
I see a bunch of 29ers in your photo stream these days- is that what people are asking you for these days?

Sorry for the late reply, I've been crazy busy in the shop and not on the Salon as much as I should be. Yeah, 29ers have been crazy for the last year but I have a run of road bikes now that I'm really looking forward to. One is going to have a 35mm seat mast with an 46mm headtube for the CK inset. It should look really sweet. Thanks for the Q! I still need to get down there for your ride.... -Chris

[Dornbox]

The latest whip to go in the stable:


Daddy Dornbox's New Whip by DORNBOX, on Flickr

[John Winston]

Chris,

Please refrain from killing it. Your finished product is offensive as evident on FNL.

Keep it coming!

[Dornbox]

It's been way too long since I last posted to my SO thread so here's a little porn.


_DSC1016 by DORNBOX, on Flickr


_DSC1008 by DORNBOX, on Flickr


_DSC0932 by DORNBOX, on Flickr


dornbox1 (1 of 1) by DORNBOX, on Flickr


_DSC0794 by DORNBOX, on Flickr

Thanks for checkin it out!!!!!

Best-Chris

[dvancleve]

Hey Chris, still out there building? Any cool recent stuff to share?

Doug