ISO Thoughts of Custom Steel Builder Around Today And In The Early 1990s - Page 5

DarkStar · #61 08-09-2019, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

every now and then, you can twist a legend's arm into building you something

Yes!

Ozz · #62 08-09-2019, 11:19 AM

Doug Curtiss has been around for awhile....although I think he does TIG for all his stuff...

https://curtlo.com/

CSBArizona · #63 08-09-2019, 11:20 AM

There is also Andy Gilmour in Tucson. He seems to fly under the radar a bit, but he’s a truly excellent frame builder that has been building since at least the 80s, and perhaps the 70s.

He built me a lugged frameset out of the new Columbus SL Niobium about six years ago, and it still knocks me out how fantastic it is.

pncguy · #64 08-09-2019, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter B

Darrell McCulloch/Llewellyn/aka Dazza

I am surprised this took so long!

82Picchio · #65 08-09-2019, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lanternrouge

I recognize the Gangl name. I'll have to check out the options later, even though this project is probably at least a year out of not more. I remember Gary's email in the early 1990s was lapdog@crl.com. I don't know why I remember that. I went to UBI in 1990 (I think).

Gangl is retired.

Lanternrouge · #66 08-09-2019, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pncguy

I am surprised this took so long!

I don't think I knew how long he'd been building and I know I definitely did not know enough to know about him when I was in high school.

Lanternrouge · #67 08-09-2019, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ozz

Doug Curtiss has been around for awhile....although I think he does TIG for all his stuff...

https://curtlo.com/

Based on his gallery, it looks like he does fillet brazing.

Ozz · #68 08-09-2019, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lanternrouge

Based on his gallery, it looks like he does fillet brazing.

You're right.....given his pricing I guess I figured TIG....starting at $1500 for a custom road frame? Must still be 1995 in Winthrop....

john903 · #69 08-09-2019, 05:30 PM

Yup +1 for Curtlo. Mine is 10 years old this year Doug does great work, fillet braze only as far as I know.

Hot Tubes? I have a late 90's cross frame waiting in the wings (still) it looks fantastic it is my up coming winter project this year. Does Toby still build bikes or only paint?

Lanternrouge · #70 08-10-2019, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john903

Hot Tubes? I have a late 90's cross frame waiting in the wings (still) it looks fantastic it is my up coming winter project this year. Does Toby still build bikes or only paint?

Looks like Hot Tubes is just painting now.

For anyone following, I have come up with a bunch more names. Also, there is some really neat information on Classic Rendezvous. If nothing else, this project is taking me down a rabbit hole about what great builders are there today who've been making bikes for a really long time and use the construction method I want.

I think it would be really cool to have a museum/library of great custom bikes.

pbarry · #71 08-10-2019, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 82Picchio

Gangl is retired.

When did he stop building? He has a minimal online presence but he had a big retrospective booth at NAHBS in Denver. Incredible work.

semdoug · #72 08-10-2019, 02:10 PM

If anyone is interested in a Dekerf I posted one in the barn finds section.

CSKeller · #73 08-10-2019, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Fattic

I’m still building and painting frames although almost all my time is spent teaching others in classes how to make and paint frames. I was a high school teacher before I went into building full time. I went to England in 1975 to learn those crafts. My friend Jeff Bock in Iowa started building and painting in 1976. Now that he has retired from high school teaching he is a full time builder. Another colleague and friend Rich Gangl in Golden Colorado has been building and painting since the 80’s. He drove with me to UBI in 1992 to learn how to build titanium frames from Gary Helfrich. He has the broadest skill set of any builder that I know being able to tig ti and aluminum as well as doing lugged steel. He is a painter too. His workshop is amazing.

Thanks for the info about Rich Gängl! I didn't know you went to school with him.

I am fortunate to own two frames from Rich, a custom titanium and a custom lugged steel (TSX) frame. I have some photos/write ups in the Custom Builder gallery.

Rich refinished and repainted the steel TSX just last year for me. I bought it used. Rich's work is amazing!

If he did retire, it is pretty recently. Although, I think he will always make time for repair/repaints/mods of his frames. I know he was building pilates machines part time and is very interested in precision, long distance target shooting.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

weaponsgrade · #74 08-10-2019, 08:20 PM

If I was looking for a lugged steel frameset, the names at the top of my list would be Kirk and Bishop. I have a Kirk so I'm biased, but what I like about these cats is that I think they do a great job at combining traditional construction with modern tech including new steels, big tires, and even discs if you want. I love the aesthetics of a lugged bike, but I also want something that doesn't feel like a tank.

Clean39T · #75 08-10-2019, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weaponsgrade

If I was looking for a lugged steel frameset, the names at the top of my list would be Kirk and Bishop. I have a Kirk so I'm biased, but what I like about these cats is that I think they do a great job at combining traditional construction with modern tech including new steels, big tires, and even discs if you want. I love the aesthetics of a lugged bike, but I also want something that doesn't feel like a tank.

It's not bias - you're just right