Bare Metal Build Off

[jackdaw]

Wildcat, that bike is looking great. Good luck with your surgery, hope your back up and at 'em double quick.

[Wildcat]

I'm already walking around without crutches. Measured where I'm going to cut the fender and found a better pair of pedals. Mounted an old style frame pump I got for 5 bucks from Niagara. The weather is great for riding, I'll have to wait a few days before I risk a ride though.

[ozzmonaut]

So how many people are still in this? I'm hoping to be done on time, but I work in a grocery store and Thanksgiving is crazy for us. I'm having trouble finding time to go to the salvage yard for things I'm looking for. Mine's coming along though. This picture is pretty lame with all the junk in the background. The tank is unfinished as of now and just thrown in for the pic. The taillight is attached but non-functional. It might just be a reflector for now.I'm still trying to figure out a chainguard. I might just take a 60's guard and hack the rear mount and weld it on going down with a frame clamp like a prewar style and sand the paint off and go that way just to stay cheap.

[ozzmonaut]

Does anyone think this lantern would look better?

[Wildcat]

I think they both look good, just depends on the look you are going for.

I've had to slow down, but did get my old tag on my 1953 Cleveland, Ohio built bike!

[Charles]

We're building some nice raw cycles gentlemen

[Wildcat]

I can't get much work done, but I did come up with a name, the Cuyahoga Crusader. Cuyahoga is the county Cleveland is in, and where I was born. I hope to get this bike finished in a week or so.

[Charles]

I can't get much work done, but I did come up with a name, the Cuyahoga Crusader. Cuyahoga is the county Cleveland is in, and where I was born. I hope to get this bike finished in a week or so.

Metal pedals? Do I see all metal pedals? That's too cool

[jackdaw]

Ha! These are some KILLER bikes! I am real close with mine, another few days dinkin' around with the fiddly shtuff.

Ozz, I work in the meat room in a grocery store and boy howdy!! Turkey all the live long day!!! I had 20 50lb cases of frozen turkeys on a U-boat, I didn't know they would take a thousand pounds! It's pretty fun but the schedule is really really really bad. I never work the same shifts week to week.

[ozzmonaut]

Ha! These are some KILLER bikes! I am real close with mine, another few days dinkin' around with the fiddly shtuff.

Ozz, I work in the meat room in a grocery store and boy howdy!! Turkey all the live long day!!! I had 20 50lb cases of frozen turkeys on a U-boat, I didn't know they would take a thousand pounds! It's pretty fun but the schedule is really really really bad. I never work the same shifts week to week.

I was in the meat market but my company did away with butchers in favor of a centralized packing program so now I'm a grocery dept. manager. My shifts change a lot too. We call u-boats floats here. Not sure why, but we load em down too. And here's mine with a little more progress. Taillight is on , tank is in but not attached yet. Fenders are spaced and mounted. More details are up at my build thread.http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=48214

[Wildcat]

I can't get much work done, but I did come up with a name, the Cuyahoga Crusader. Cuyahoga is the county Cleveland is in, and where I was born. I hope to get this bike finished in a week or so.

Metal pedals? Do I see all metal pedals? That's too cool

Yep, metal, I had those on there in the first place, but they are BMX style, I didn't think they would fit in with the look. I have a pair of black pedals I'll try.

[ozzmonaut]

I'm really digging these builds. So far this is the second build challenge I have participated in, and I kind of crapped out and took too long on the first one. I'm really trying to keep this one up to date with progress shots. Could anyone involved post the link to their individual build thread if they have one? I'm not seeing many progress shots and I'd really love to see what everyone has going on. Unless we're waiting until the end to show... in which case I've totally screwed up. Anyway, mine's no trophy winner, but so far she rides smooth and everyone here who has seen it is really into the style. I live in a small town and a bare-metal bike is considered trash by everyone besides people I know. I'd love to add half-moon bars to mine but it's getting too late into the build. Maybe later on. I can't believe the progress I've made today and I hope everyone has been as fortunate as me in their build. I've been working on it on and off today, but I'm still looking for a new mandolin and have had to travel trying to catch a deal before thanksgiving. Maybe I'll have better luck on black friday.

[ozzmonaut]

Wildcat, I love that you're starting with such a classic frame. The straightbars always look so good stripped. I would have gone with the same style in my 48 hornet, if it weren't for the fact that I've really been itching to utilize the frame I'm using. First off, my hornet frame already has a tank and I really wanted to hone my chops at fabricating a toolbox tank from scratch. It might not be perfect but it is better than nothing. The front end on yours sets it apart. I'm hoping to fab some truss rods before the deadline, but work will likely prevent it. I've been cutting, grinding, and sanding in my kitchen though and staying up at night, so who knows. Now come on guys, let's get some detailed shots for the rest of the congregation to look at and admire.

[jackdaw]

Hey ozz, my build thread is here:

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=47113

Here are a couple of pictures to maybe lure folks over




I've been having fun with this build and it's been great seeing others bikes. They are all so different, so cool.
Have fun and Happy Thanksgiving!

[Wildcat]

I've got 2 10lb turkeys and a ham that go in the oven in a couple hours, so I had time to tinker around a little. I found my black pedals, they are in new condition, and tried them on. I might get some metal pieces to replace the reflectors. I found my brass sprocket cover I made from the bottom of a planter. The wife still doesn't know there's a big hole in the bottom. I used it on my build off bike, the Silver Flyer, but it got all bent up when the chain came off and grabbed the edge. The star sprocket looked better without it, but I think this will make the spiral sprocket look better and match the welds on the frame. I'll go over it with the wire brush and wax it down like the frame. 2 weeks and no rust yet on the frame. I also tried the fender, it'll need some more trimming and get something else added.