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Hey There!

I've been getting too little sleep and am sometimes relying on excess enthusiasm to keep moving. :)

Work continues to be big, but things are also moving along in the shop. I'm cutting out early to interview some painters for Carbon 1 (whoops, went on a showing instead). It's just about ready for them, with the joint filets looking pretty sharp. The Cane Creek IS-8 arrived. I did a test install of the fork. One thing about an integrated headset, it's easy to install. I got the version with a tall carbon spacer and it looks much like the Record with it's tall carbon spacer. I trimmed the steerer correctly the first time. Cool! Now the fork is safely packed away in its protective bubble wrap until the bike gets built up.

Speaking of trimming steerers, the Park tool for cutting threadless steerers is a great way to get a square cut on any tube. It's much easier than trying to free-hand the hacksaw through the tube. That means a lot for building stems.

Joe is waiting for dimensions from me to build a trunnion for my jig. The problem is, I thought it just went into the clamp of the Park stand. Wrong. It replaces the clamp. My clamp attaches with what is essentially a big conical nylon bearing that fits into a female fitting on the stand. At the center of the cone is a threaded shaft. This is used to pull the bearing into it's fitting, and to lock it from spinning. So, Joe needs some dimensions - but I don't know where to begin. It's probably time to give him a call.

Joe got me my new lower head lug, so I've finished fitting the downtube on my new sloping top-tube bike. Essentially, the seat tube will be my usual length, but the stem/handlebars will be located higher. If you've looked at the pictures below (of my current bike), this will make sense. So, pinning and brazing soon.

Meanwhile, it doesn't make sense for me to have two bikes underway at once, so I'm going to concentrate on sanding down Carbon 1 and getting it off to the painter. But to be honest, I'm more excited about the steel frame. I really want to see how much my craft has progressed since the last one.

Tonight is math-night at school with the twins, then early to bed. Tomorrow I have to figure out my painter. Friday night should finish prep on Carbon 1, and the its on to frame 010106.

Cheers,