Hey gang, I have to admit that this is my third stab at my first blog. I’m new to the blogosphere universe, and my first two attempts at a self intoduction looked and sounded creepily like an online personnal. After reading them, I didn’t want to go out with myself, so they got scrapped. My name is Josh Hadar, (married to Youn Hadar, accupunturist and fellow blogger) so I guess that would make me a MWM, 38, non smoker, metal sculpter, likes travel, dancing, restaurants and dry humping in public places. No republicans.
I have a great little metal shop on 432 Broome St. Its a converted single story 2 car garage smack dab in the middle of soho. I’ve never seen any other building like it, it almost doesn’t belong there. Inside is just a plain concrete floored, cinder block walled room. It’s perfect. I started building furniture when I learned how to weld about three years ago. Furniture morphed into bikes soon after. It was actually a funny story. I used to run a theater venue in midtown and also had a small lounge. The venue was sold and I left to pursue an art career in sculpting. My wife and I were walking home from Blue Ribbon on Thompson one night and passed a construction dumpster in the street. In it was tons of gooey, nasty trash and five or six bike frames that I thought would make a really cool table. So into the dumpster I went, wading through waist high trash to get to these bike frames. Just then, I hear my name being called. I turn around to see some of my former bartenders passing by. The general reaction was sympathy for their former boss who clearly had come upon tough times. I tried to explain but was never really able to fully convince them that I was a welder now and needed the steel. I think one of them tried to give me some money. Indeed a high point of my new career…
I’ve been at it, (building bikes) for about two years. I think I’m just about getting it in the sense that my own metal skills have evolved to the point that I can pretty much build it, if I can think it, at least roughly. My bikes to this point have a very handmade look. Elegant shapes but rough construction, and rougher finnishes. My skills are getting better, but its still not nearly where I want them to be. My goal is to be able to show and sell them as design art. I’ve been trying to incorporate different design ideas and materials into the last few bikes I’ve built. The bikes start as a sculpted frame, which is built by bending pipe around building columns, sign posts, trash cans, anything that will provide the desired radius. Then the pipes are cut and welded together to make the frame. I’ve since added, pedals, engines, electric engines, hand blown glass gas tanks, nickel finishes etc…
I figure that I will post photos in the order that they were made. The first bike that I designed, was the second one that I actually built, that is the one that is pictured. The very first bike was a monstrous contraption that I built from the sawed up bike frames that I found in the dumpster and welded together. It had a motor, but only because putting a motor on is actually easier than lining up pedals on a bicycle and getting them straight. It rode well and continues to ride to this day. She aint pretty, but she was a start.
I’ll blog more later, but meanwhile feel free to stop by 432 Broome Street between Crosby and Broadway. This photo was indeed taken on the Playa at Black Rock City two years ago… The bike is affectionately known as…get ready……Number 2! More photos to come…
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6 Responses to “Greetings from Broome St…”
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March 20th, 2007 at 10:15 am
Hey, your bike in the photo is really cool. Was it taken at burning man by any chance? It looks like the playa…
March 21st, 2007 at 1:33 pm
heya- i’m phil from MAKE magazine - could you drop me an email? i’d love to write up your shop (i’m based in nyc). i saw the photos on ny daily, they’re amazing.
March 21st, 2007 at 1:57 pm
Woops, I just read that second to last paragraph. You answered my question!
March 24th, 2007 at 10:29 pm
Josh, what a great first blog — beautiful
March 26th, 2007 at 9:57 am
My great grandfather from Turkey was a tinsmith in Jerusalem, and the founder of a little synagogue in Jerusalem still there called “Ahavath Chaim” translated as “Love of life” He wrote a Hebrew book by that name as well based on Kabalah which I am sorry to say I have never read. I am not sure how proud of me he is
but I am sure he would be impressed with your artwork. I on the other hand am biased, you could make cut out paper dolls and you would be genius. I have few words to describe this ingenuity except “I hope you have fun riding them all safely”
A trillion and one friendly hugs and kisses and fond wishes for success in all your endeavors, (I try to pray the Hebrew text daily for you, at least the Shema anyway)
Sarah Shabtai
September 22nd, 2007 at 6:58 am
Do you use mind elevation techniues to accomplish such creative heights?