>>1278988you can get a tubeset from nova cycles for $100. but you should practice on thin .040 to .060 mild steel tubing because it's cheaper. download the paterek manual for free from his website.
you can notch your tubes with a set of half round files and some tube clamping blocks. make lots of practice welds like in pic related.
if a tig welding setup is too expensive, look into fillet brazing or lugged brazing with oxy/acetylene. a good gas brazing setup will get you pretty far. don't mig weld bicycles, it doesn't work right and it looks like shit.
if you have $3000 to spare, take a frame building class at UBI ashland. it's fucking amazing.
