ChopChapI-Forks

There are two kinds of forks, tops, and those unworthy of topping, a.k.a. the other kind. It's kind of a waste to use a top in the bottom, being as tops are the rarer breed. If you're lucky the frame you've chosen has a top-fork already in it, and you don't even have to undo the headset. If you're not lucky, you've gotta find a top fork in the big pile of forks, one with both neck dimensions (length and thickness) to fit. Of course you've gotta find a nut (well, two of 'em actually) for that fork, and bearings, and races, all of proper size... This is a bad place to attempt "close enough," being as we're just getting started.

"Le Frame et Forquex", notebooks

Ok, so you've got your frame with a suitable top fork by now, and you've got a spare fork kicking around. For sturdiness' sake, we're gonna attach the top fork to the bottom fork in 3, count 'em, three places. This design exhibits redundancy, enabling one of the 3 points of contact to fail and have the bike still remain shockingly rideable. Go figure.

It is, at this time, we must get out the pipe.

Our pipe cost like $20 I think, back when it was 10 or 12 feet long. Something like that anyway, give or take, but don't ask them to cut it short, cuz they want like $2 a cut, so score the whole length and you'll be building crazy bikes for years. We snuck it out the back door of the hardware store rather than walk it through the front.

Steel. Water pipe. 1/2 inch ID (pinky tip fits).
The secret. There can be no imagery. No sound unencrypted. Readers only.

Some choppers use more pipe, some use less. Tallbikes seem to generally need a lot more, but then its worth it. In deciding where to cut the really big pipe, it helps to have a shorter skinnier flimsier other, aka the crappy pipe. The crappy pipe, if not sufficiently crappy, will be made into footpegs. Bamboo excels in crappiness, even sucking for footpegs. Dowelling, barstock, old hacksaw blades....

DBB casualty #f5019
Pinky Tipfitz

So now we go for a measurement. Insert the crappy pipe in one fork, the other.... put it kinda together. The top fork should be installed in the frame now, but only use one top nut for the time being. Don't lose the other one. Use a pen and make marks all over. Sometimes it's easier to turn the bike over, sometimes that's the worst.

Mark the red dots, measure between the greens.
Now, you only get one chance.
CUT the pipe.
DRILL the bottom fork blades.

"Le Pipe Crappy", notebooks

It should look kinda like this after crappy pipe installation.

If it doesn't quite look like this remember you can bend the actual pipe somewhat when you put finally put it in. "Somewhat" is at your discretion.

Mark 2 dots on the bottom forks blades for drill holes, and measure (with the crappy pipe in) the maximum length of good pipe you'll wanna cut.

Remeber, your fat water pipe might to fit as high up into the top fork or as far down in the bottom one as you think. Test with a small length of appropriate girth, avoid assumptions at all cost.

Got it? Sure? Measure again... ok? CUT.

Where will the bottom fork be held by the top fork's dropouts? Mark these dots, making sure the bottom forks shoulders aren't twisted in the clutches of the top fork. The two ready to become one? DRILL. The drill press assures a straighter bore, which is kinda important, but a vise and steady aim certainly will do well enough.

Remember that it's not important if the pipe will have to bend in order to get the holes aligned. Getting bent is fun, allowed and encouraged.