getting miggy with it

Wow, another weak Will Smith play on words.  I'll stop, I promise.  After googling the net to try to find information on simple frame jigs, I came across a design that uses a combination of rectangular and square steel tubes.  Having some leftover 1x2 and 2x2 tubing in the rafters, I decided to give things a go.  Here is the end result.

This is the "finished, now I have to shove it in the corner" phase.  I was able to try out the mig welder I had lying in the corner of the shop.  Actually did a decent job for only being a little 110 volt version.  No gas, so I had to use flux-cored wire.  I see why people use these mig machines, and it went quite quickly.  More time to set up the tubing than to actually weld it.  I still need to work on my technique.  It now has me interested in setting it up with gas, and using it on thinner wall tubing... would for sure make tack-welding a million times simpler.

You can see the weld spatter, with is common when you weld without gas.  Might price things out at the welding shop just to get an idea.  Would need the bottle, a regulator, and the connecting hose...

I also was able to snag this from Germany.  Its a mito frame, an evo model, and the seller was able to speak in englitsche, and able to ship to me for a reasonable amount.  I plan on setting up the jig to work with the rs125 frame I got lent to me by Steven, and the mito frame pictured.  Then I'll build up the mito using the 610 engine. 

Staying with the 2-wheeled theme, I got my hands on a kona alu frame and project 2 fork... both for under 100 bucks.  The frame also came with xt front and rear derailleurs, a nice seat and seatpost, and a set of bars.  The steel barracuda mtb bike I had was nice, but at 16", too small for me.  I decided to swap over the parts from the barracuda to make a simple town/commuter/pit bike.  Leaving it as a 7-speed.  I needed a new bottom bracket and chain, both of which required special tools to install.  As well, I need a special steerer tube adapter to work with the stem.  Should be a nice fun light bike.  Shocked at how cheap bicycle parts are... a nice swich from mo'sicles!  That's Kate's giant in the background.