The Chopper Shop is a fully equipped welding and metal fabrication studio. The shop has a welding room multiple with oxy-acetylene rigs and a ventilation system. Our work room holds a wealth of metal working tools, and is lined with work benches for machining and sheet metal fabrication.
In Chopper Shop, students learn to design and build their own high quality chopper and low-rider bicycles. Students progress from learning the fundamentals of welding and metal fabrication to building custom bikes using complex techniques needed to build show quality bikes. After mastering the skills involved in bike building and design, students are allowed to create projects on commission. Students at this level work with clients to create proposals, contracts, and budgets while continuing to improve their technical and creative skills. These advanced students are mentors for beginning participants and establish a youth driven environment for the class.
July 30, 2010
Workshop Houston is on summer break! We will see you when we get back!
Bike Shop Summer Break: August 1st - 26th
After School Programs Break: August 1st - 30th
And….look out for our new Bike Shop Hours in the fall!
July 9, 2010
We are looking for volunteers in the following areas: bike shop upkeep and maintenance, funding research, volunteer recruitment, clothing design and projects, interior and exterior decorating, computer expertise, building maintenance, board recruitment, and mentoring. If you have any of the following skills, please contact Reginald @713-807-7911 or email reginald@workshophouston.org
May 26, 2010
Want to know when things are going on at Workshop Houston this summer? Click here for Summer Program hours.
May 24, 2010
Pedro finished this awesome chopper the week before the Art Car Parade, but I haven’t had a chance to post the pictures until now. This chopper has the distinction of being the first bike to feature a from scratch custom fork, made with our new Tube Notcher from JD2. We are all really proud of Pedro and are excited to see what he will come up with next.
May 17, 2010
Workshop Houston represented at the 2010 Art Car Parade with a wide variety of custom bikes and our newly completed Hot Rod Go-Kart. We all had a great time riding in the parade and are looking forward to doing it again next year. Thanks to everyone who helped out and especially to Baron Coker and everyone at MFR.Fluid and Air for sponsoring the Hot Rod Go-Kart and to the great people at JD2 for donating the tools we used to build everything. Check out our Facebook page for even more great pictures (become our fan while you’re there)!
February 25, 2010
Fresh off completing their low-riders for the Los Magificos Custom Car Show in the fall, 8th grade students Clarence and Mike decided to embark on a collaborative project for May’s Art Car Parade: a hot-rod inspired go-kart.
The project is giving them the opportunity to push the skills they have acquired in Chopper Shop over the last two years and make decisions as a team. “Working on the go-kart is a lot more welding, working with angles, and geometry than my bikes,” according to Mike,”It is definitely helping my skills.” Clarence added, “I am getting better at grinding.”
The two have also enjoyed their first experience working together. In a recent Chopper Shop, Clarence was prepping part of the frame for welding, while Mike fabricated a piece of the new top. Working independently, both were on task and checking in with each other. “I like working with Mike,” Clarence said as the two flipped the go-kart on its side so he could begin grinding away the old paint.
After looking at many different possible themes on the internet, they decided to go with a hot-rod inspired look because it was unique. “We didn’t see many things like it,” Mike said, “It’s going to look awesome.”
Keep an eye out for these two speedsters and their creation at the Art Car Parade on May 8th!
December 15, 2009
Workshop Houston’s holiday Break runs from Sunday, December 20th through Sunday, January 3rd. We will reopen with regular our regular schedule Monday, January 4th, 2010! Happy New Year and see you in the next decade!
December 14, 2009
We want to extend a huge thank you to Kim and everyone at JD2 for generously donating a Tubing Bender, Die Set, and Tubing Notcher to Chopper Shop. These tools are going to allow our students to push the quality and creativity of their Chopper Projects. We are really excited and will post some pics of our new equipment in use as soon as we get it!
