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It's a good question.

I have a few reasons for using steel on this bike for the forks, and they're understandably personal to me.

Sustainability and permanence

I want to avoid using materials that are lifespan-limited and non-recyclable. That is, on this project. I have other bikes with carbon forks, and they're great. But this is something I'm making which I hope will last for a long while. I have a frame from 50-60 ish years ago and I'm happy to ride it regularly, but in 2073 will someone be happy riding a carbon fork from today? I figure not.

Structural characteristics

Steel is adequately stiff, light and strong. There's an argument for reducing weight by using carbon on a bike which is overbuilt elsewhere, and is ridden in a very physical way, e.g. mountain or gravel. But on a bike primarily for use on the road, I don't feel it's warranted. Also, the bike industry hype around "stiffer is better" is just marketing fluff.

Aesthetics

I think a steel fork looks good combined with a skinny steel frame. It's just my preference, and I also like the look of steel&carbon together but when I thought about the aesthetic for this bike, it just feels right to me for it to be steel-forked.

Novelty

Apparently -- according to the instructor -- we can make this a flat mount disc fitment. This is pretty unusual and in my eyes that makes it kinda cool.

Learning

I'm doing this project to learn how to braze bike stuff. So, making a fork allows me to experience brazing a lugged fork crown. I'd probably not attempt this on my own as the fork is a critical point for failure, and the integrity of a fork relies on good fabrication (e.g. as I understand it, if you mess up a lugged crown it can look fine but in reality have very limited penetration of filler into the joint and thus be unsafe to use). That said, I do not in any way expect to be a framebuilder after one course - but if I can get some tutoring in multiple ways of joining tubes together (fillet brazing, lug brazing) so much the better and more interesting for me.

That's come out real nice.

I find it crazy what shops will throw out as "scrap". I get it, time is money and money is scarce. Reusing components mix-and-match is a luxury for those of us with time to invest in making it work. But it's still frustrating, so good on you for making something nice instead of sending to landfill.

I’ll write up a little blurb about Hot Tubes and their importance to the US bicycle culture as a whole, it goes way beyond the frames

Did you do this and I missed it? If not, and you can find the time, it sounds like an interesting story.

Thanks all for the kind words. By the way @cheekysnaker yes it'll have a 1,1/8" steerer tube.

Today I purchased:

Cane Creek 40 EC 34 silver
Deda RS01 seatpost silver
Praxis Works M24 bottom bracket

Building will commence on 9th February. Unless I get injured (crosscheck build) or something gets damaged by couriers (rychtarski build) or some of my intended details are borderline impossible to actually make (armour build) :)

There should be a steady influx of parts to whet the appetite over the next few weeks...

Yes!

They sure did!

Heh, I think I've worked my way through/around most of those perils in the previous projects...

High praise indeed, thank you.

I forgot to mention, this will have king iris bottle cages thanks to @swedeee

Colour is shown based on @BassoBry 's excellent Bridgestone. I could also be temped to go for the BlueGrey as seen on my old Rychtarski.

Here's a BikeCAD outline.

I've already reviewed this with the instructor and the tubes, dropouts and sundries have been ordered. So if you spot anything untoward, do please be constructive when you point it out :)

Time for another of these threads.

I've had a few. First was the crosscheck. Then the Rychtarski road. Then the Armour sparklehorse gravel bike.

I feel like I've learned a bit about geometry and my preferences for riding, components and so on. But as an engineer there has always been a desire to build something myself. Currently studying for a PhD, I loosely planned to look into the Bicycle Academy once I finish my thesis, but now the research is in a Covid-related extension period and the Academy is on hiatus.

Then a local builder said he wanted to start framebuilding classes and needed some test students to get started with. I volunteered right away.

The plan

All steel road/audax-esque bike.
700x38 with guards.
Geometry fitted to me, of course (based on the current position on my Armour gravel bike, which is currently set up for road use - this has been confirmed through bikefit).
1*11 mechanical Sram Rival with flatmount TRP Spyres (because I have this kit already, and more importantly because I find the hoods to be very comfortable).
Provision for internal dynamo wiring.
Columbus Life/Zona mix, with skinny seatstays and top tube.
EC34 headset, straight steel steerer, steel straight-leg forks in a lugged crown.
Through-axles front and rear.

To be continued.

Aw yeah! That is looking good

I would be interested to see this if you're willing to share, but no pressure.

Both classy bikes, and would fit me, but I have no need. GLWS.

new bike

Tell us more...

Superb. Also excited to see how you build it.

That rad would go behind a sofa

As far as I understand the rad needs an air gap otherwise you won't get as much/any convection. Similar logic for putting new rads beneath windows; gives a large temperature gradient adjacent to the rad and thus more convection so the room is better heated.

I would put as much radiator into every room as you can fit/afford. If you have too much rad then you can run them cooler - possibly more energy efficient, and more comfortable if you're right next to the radiator. Conversely if you have too little rad then you'll run them hot, possibly be uncomfortable when right next to them, and still have cold spots in the room.

@TGR @tomatoe @Detritus @Haggis

Sorry for the slow reply. Thanks for all your input - lots to think about.
I'm planning on joining a gym and following a lifting plan for 2023.

Sorry to hear all this! Hope the recovery is quick and that you both manage to move forward on good paths.

Bumping an old thread - I'm after one of these if anyone has one going spare!

I'd like to start doing some training with weight in 2023. Any tips on where to get started? Would be good to do stuff from home if possible, although practically this means bodyweight exercises as I have no space for kit in the flat. Should I join a gym? Should I get a personal trainer?

Interesting, and not unreasonable I think.

Inspection reports from structural engineers do exist though. Edit: comes under (2) in your list I guess.

Just wondering, why would people not get a structural survey before a house purchase?

No worries! Glad to hear it.

This is really nice. Good work.