this post was submitted on 20 Jul 2024
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bike wrench
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If you want it to be easily repairable (you mentioned this in another comment) I'd go with small diameter aluminum tube and a very very good radius bender if you can AC tig weld, or stainless steel (maybe 316?) if you can only do DC tig. The reason for this is because neither option "requires" paint, though the aluminum does benefit a little from paint. Paint makes everything harder to repair (assuming the repair involves a welding process) because you have to grind it off again if you break something or want to make a modification.
Also, I totally get wanting to make things. My hobby projects are normally zero percent about saving money and 100% about having fun. Most things I make in my shop would cost about 1/4 of the price if I just went to the store and bought them, especially factoring in time and consumables.
EDIT: I suppose this comment really gives away what region I live in lol
Does it? I can't quite recognize which part of your comment is particular to a specific region.
FYI for folks considering stainless steel welding, copious ventilation is required as the chromium component gives off some awful gases. To be clear, all welding processes give off bad gases, but stainless steel's gases sounds particularly unpleasant.
I'm not aware of a welding process that is safe for humans without at least a dust/fume extractor. That and a respirator with the appropriate filters for the application that fits under a welding hood is basically standard equipment even for hobby welding in my opinion. Also hex chrome is a particulate, not a gas, and tig welding uses solid rods (not flux core) and a much smaller heat affected zone so it's already better in that area AFAICT, but I'm not an expert in this area.
As far as particulates when welding go you should watch how careless people are when they grind their tungsten electrodes containing all kinds of dangerous additives with their respirator around their neck because "I'm not welding so I don't need it".
So yes, this is good advice. We should all think more about the things we do, even when working on home improvement projects and mundane stuff, that could end up damaging our lungs.
in my experience going to the store almost always costs more (but then again I only make simple single material stuff that dont require crazy equipment) To give this rack as an example, steel front racks are going for 100eur++ (check those surlys lol) and for what I want (which needs someone that mades custom racks) will easily go above 200eur.. (the plan is to make it with at least half)
for me its not just the fun.. the reasons are mainly ideological. (making, repurposing, reusing over consuming)
This gave me an idea. Have you considered buying a used higher quality rack and modifying it? Might save some time and get you what you want with less new material, and sort out some of the harder parts to fabricate because they'd be done already, possibly only requiring a little bending to align with your eyelets. Plus you'd be saving something from someone else's scrap pile.
Around me there are a few community run used bike part shops. They typically have lots of racks and other parts kindof organized into piles or boxes by type. I can usually find something close to what I need if it's not too specific.