The Stainless Report: XCr - 03

This installment of "The Stainless Report" chronicles an early morning framebuilding session by myself (Tyler) and Jamie. These are the tubes, chainstay sub-assembly and the build sheet:


The first tube that we cut off was the headtube on the lathe:
Then we cut the front end:


Then the rear end, seat stays pictured:

Once all of the tubes have been mitered the fit-up is checked:


Then the tubes are washed in "The Clean Express"... Choo-choo, all aboard.... The Clean Express is a water and detergent based environmentally friendly cleaner that works fantastically. So steamy...

Once the tubes are dry they are set up in the jig, purged with argon and tacked together.

The tacks themselves are just enough metal to hold the tubes together.

The completed tacked frame:

After the frame is tacked it is given its serial number. In this case the frame is given a name. She shall be named "BELLA" in honor of her Italian lineage (that is also the word Mauro kept saying during his tour of the factory).
Now Bella is all tacked together, ready to be welded...
Viva Bella!