okay, so a minor headache ensued last week after finding out that my main source of titanium tubing was closing up, and that the availability of pre-bent chain and seat stays was nada...ugh. So, what do you do? build your own damn fixture right? easier said than done! the issues of bending thin wall tubing to tight radius's is no small feat. The concoctions of sand filling or using ice to keep the tube from collapsing are nice, but not my style...why not make something that works great?
Enter my buddy and edwin 'saver of the day' john o'connor, who I consider to be a huge part of the whole edwin program. John and I spent quite a bit of time discussing and obsessing on this and all credit should go to john for the final design. This thing is unlike other benders, in that it pulls the tube through the mandrel instead of forcing it to 'sit' onto the mandrel...anyhow, it works great and means that the newer and final edwin design for stays is now attainable.
The problem with being in this business, aside from the lack of sustainable profits, is the cost of developing and making the things that not only bring about the product, but the path to finding what designs capture your image and stand out. Frankly the bullshit meter pings when I see all the same things coming round and round with regards to design, hell, with a good marketing team and some snazzy pics of some shaven leg unich and a great tag line, I could probably bring hi-tensile steel frames to market with 35'' wheels touting how much faster you can go on big wheels...hmmmm, a thought.
but, as usual, I go off on a tangent..
The bender will be a big part of things here, and I hope to find other builders in the same spot I was in last week who would like to have me make their tubes for them rather than buy one, of course they are for sale too....so don't be shy...
okay, time to work now...
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