making stuff!!

[z-weiser]

Hello

i know quite a few of you have made racks and frames for panniers!

how easy/hard would it be to make something like this



out of tubular or square section steel to mount on the rear rack?

and where can one obtain the raw materials for such an enterprise?

Z

[sproggy]

You wouldn't want to make that out of square tube (not as you've drawn it, anyway) because it's quite hard to bend, but you could make it out of round tube. As for hard or easy this is impossible to say because it depends upon your skills and available tools but if you have a means of bending tube and a way to weld it together then (assuming the skill to use these facilities) it's not hugely complex.

As for materials this will depend upon local suppliers - check out http://www.yell.co.uk or paper Yellow Pages and look in "Steel Stockholders". Alternatively you could try a local steel fabricator who might be willing to let you go through their scraps bin for the materials you need.

[z-weiser]

skills you say?

outside of a courtroom or kitchen i have very few!

but i am wanting to learn about the black magic known as welding!!

i fancy something to make over the winter months - was wanting to get hold of some steel tubing and bend it into shape then figure out how to weld it together then get it powder coated and mount a backrest and fix it to the bike and hey presto!

yes i know that such items can be bought but if i can make it cheap enough then i think i will - and learn something new while i'm at it!

Z

[mick]

making anything from steel without the proper tools can be hard if you cannot weld you would have to learn first decide what to weld with stick ,tig or mig i recomend tig its the hardest to do but the best form of welding its clean neat and strong .Then you have to teach yourself how to bend steel tube this is when it gets expensive welders pipe benders thats why most people dont do it .Find a local fabrication shop give them the drawing let them make it for you get it powder coated fit it or find somebody who already has the tools on the site get them to make it for you.Save your money and time try and find somebody to help you there are plenty of owners with good fabrication skills on the site

[z-weiser]

i am beginning to think that this is a very sensible option!

i have been researching welding and think that i will need much much practice before undertaking this task!

bugger!

ah well!

thanks again for all the tips!

[Xander]

I say go for it at worst you have wasted some money and have learned what not to do.. bending can be hard but not impossible..at best you have a rack... have fun and enjoy

[stageonesimmo]

I taught myself to MIG weld the hard way - restoring a series 3 land-rover from the ground up - when I'd finished I reckon only about 1/3 of the chassis was the original steel - the rest was fabricated by your's truely!

It's not that hard to do, but you need someone around to show you the way at first - if you've never done it, how else do you know you're doing it right? Plus its an expensive hobby - well the start-up cost is anyway....

Unless you intend to use the kit on a regular basis, I'd get someone else to do it for you......

[StumpyFingers]

i am beginning to think that this is a very sensible option!

i have been researching welding and think that i will need much much practice before undertaking this task!

bugger!

ah well!

thanks again for all the tips!

I am, a qualified Welder and did it for many years and I still have trouble with certain jobs as I now no longer work in a factory welding shop.

[sproggy]

......Plus its an expensive hobby - well the start-up cost is anyway....

Unless you intend to use the kit on a regular basis, I'd get someone else to do it for you......

Most hire shops (for example see http://www.hss.co.uk/cl/1014406/Welding.html) will rent you a MiG or TiG welder by the day/weekend, along with supplies on a sale or return basis. This can be a far more economical way to evaluate your own potential skills than going out and buying a decent welder and then finding you can't use it........ And while it'll still probably end up more expensive and certainly more hassle than buying a rack from a shop you can't put a price on satisfaction of a job well done, or on knowing that your bike is wearing something unique that you made yourself. I've made plenty of things that made no sense to anyone else but gave me a huge amount of satisfaction.

MiG welding is probably the easiest option - I taught myself to do that in the process of building a car (chassis, body frames etc) - but as has been mentioned TiG is ultimately a superior form of welding, albeit a more difficult one to master.

[Wee Bro]

If you can get someone to show you how to weld, you can buy a cheap MIG/drill/angle grinder from B&Q and get started with that. The steel will be very cheap (my indestructable pannier rack cost £5.50) but the satisfaction will be priceless!!
Just do it.