Making it happen (part 1 of 876)

I remember a phone conversation with my friend Todd about this project and how excited I was about it. His first question (obviously) was: "how are you going to do things like... weld tubing together for the frame?"

I had an answer.

I said... "well, this is a long-term project and it'll probably take me years to get it done."

How's that? I should be a politician.
I have always wanted to learn to weld. I've looked into taking classes at the local community college, bought books on welding just to read for fun, and I probably have more head-knowledge than most people on the subject. The only thing was... I didn't have a welder. From my reading, I decided that I wanted to get an oxy-acetylene outfit. For one reason, it's relatively affordable, and for 2, I can weld, braze, heat/bend and cut with it. With a MIG or TIG setup, all you can do is... weld. TIG would be the ultimate, but it's too expensive, and actually learing to oxy-fuel weld is the same procedure. I'm just using fire instead of electricity. So after months of trolling Craigs list I find these!

Would you believe that the seller lives in my neighborhood? Would you believe that I got the 2 cylinders, regulators, hose, Victor torch and cutting head for $150? Dang.

Then, not a week later I get a call from my friend Fred. He works with a guy who had a small lathe he wanted to get rid of... $300! So, I tell him that I just bought a bunch of motorcycle parts and I didn't have the money. CRAP! So what did I do? I went and lamented to my wife about the ultimate deal that slipped through my fingers. She asked me if I wanted that to be my Christmas present? She's the best wife in the world! So, a couple days later, this is now in my basement:

It's small, and Chinese, but it works really well for the things I need. Basically it turns metal into shiny little chips that embed themselves into the bottom of your shoes. Then they get tracked all throughout the house. It's really great! Plus as a side note, it makes great spacers, plugs, and bushings.

So there we have it. I have welding equipment, a lathe, and a huge desire to use them. The lathe has gotten lots of use making a tach cable plug for the rocker cover on the engine, the spacers between the fork legs and triple clamps, and recently the fork caps... pics to follow soon.
The welding stuff has just been sitting pretty since I got it, but in a week or 2 I'll start my welding journey. I'm officially giving myself 6 months before I weld anything structural on the frame. I can't wait. It'll be fun.