Gravel Road Racer ready for Paint

Couple off pics of the frame I just finished up and I plan on putting some primer on it this afternoon.  My blogging has been a little slow here lately because I took a little part-time job at the '870 Bistro' here in town to pic up a few extra bucks.  Turns out that with all my little bright ideas and projects there comes a bill.  "What?  You mean you're gonna charge me for all that stuff?"  Yep, everything cost money.  I've got some new MEECH cycling kits on the way, and the Texas Handmade Bike Show is coming up in October, and then I'm planning on getting a new compressor and a few more painting supplies in order to up the ante in my painting adventures, and oh yeah, i still don't have a garage full of carbon tubes yet like I planned.  I was just spending more than I was making and so about 3 days a week I'm waiting some tables and working around the kitchen.  I've spent a little time in the kitchen before, I even had a little bakery type/catering kitchen for a while but I rented it out and went back to school.  I was eating all the profits there too.  My dad used to tell me, "Pee Wee, you can't rub 2 quarters together."  I guess he was right again.  I really didn't have any time for a job but I had to rearrange some things and make it happen, and hopefully it will free me up in some other ways so that I can keep pushing forward on the frame building.  I'm only putting in about 15-20 hrs. a week and making a little pocket cash, which is something that I forgot how good it felt.  Maybe I can squeeze a piece of lasagna out of 'em once in a while.  I'll be back to finish this up later.  Need to take Dizzy Dog for a walk.  He's FSA.

All cleaned up and ready for some primer.

Got Moto?

Using a little MCIS on this one, MEECH Custom Integration System.  I like the way companies do that.  "Uh yeah, this year's frame has the CVDSE integrated into the rear triangle."  What is that? "Its a special Carbon Vibration Dampening System Extravaganza."  And so what does that entail? "Well, we put an extra layer of laminate 2 inches above the dropouts and then we removed a piece of laminate from about 5 inches above the dropout, and then we put a sticker on the seatstay that says CVDSE and added $750 to the price."  Sounds good to me, I'll buy it.  Amusing myself at the expense of the 'big guns' in the bike business.  

I leave the seatpost a little long unless the customer tells me their exact saddle height, that way a random buyer can take the seatpost to a local machinist and have it turned down to the correct height on a lathe.  If you need to add meat to it then perhaps you can have a small spacer made or I may just have to make you a fresh seatpost.  Either way I'll get you dialed in.  My friend Bob Davis makes these little beauties for me in his shop.  This guy has some very interesting bicycles, motorcycles, and stories as well.  Its fun to visit him about once a week.  I'm going over there this afternoon to have this post turned down a bit.  See the markings on the post?  This guy also plays the bagpipes.  I asked him to play "Rocket Queen" by GNR but he doesn't quite have that one figured out yet.  Catch you later aligator.