BO15 Lean Mean Green Machine

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Your Rat-ina job on the tank is a winner! Tell us about how you achieved it. Process, step by step.
If you scuff up that PVC pipe tail light, it will take paint pretty well too. Here's my favorite PVC Rat-ina job of all time...

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That's white PVC with shiny steel hardware underneath! He used it to hold the battery to power his lights. Classic Rat build by @g-ratter in BO #10. And yes, he did win an OddJob Award for that amazing rat-ification.
 
Your Rat-ina job on the tank is a winner! Tell us about how you achieved it. Process, step by step.
If you scuff up that PVC pipe tail light, it will take paint pretty well too. Here's my favorite PVC Rat-ina job of all time...

View attachment 121909

That's white PVC with shiny steel hardware underneath! He used it to hold the battery to power his lights. Classic Rat build by @g-ratter in BO #10. And yes, he did win an OddJob Award for that amazing rat-ification.
Thanks OddJob!
I just got lucky?
First I used some Bondo glazing putty to smooth over the wood grain.
After sanding that I used Rust-Oleum multi color texture spray paint for a base coat. But the can malfunctioned and spattered and sputtered the paint. I tried swapping out the nozzle from another can of Rust-Oleum and it still sputtered. The odd part was the regular spray paint worked fine with either nozzle.
Before the texture paint was dry sprayed some rusty colors on the tank and let it dry overnight. Rust-Oleum satin Brown and Warm Carmel.
Next afternoon I applied the Rust-Oleum satin Smokey Beige. But before spraying, I remembered mustard being used last year on a bike to simulate pealed paint. As I was about to go back to the house I saw the glass of buttermilk I had brought out to the shed with me. So I dipped my finger in the buttermilk and dabbled it on the tank in a few spots. Then sprayed the Smokey Beige paint. I did one side at a time so the buttermilk wouldn't run before it got painted. LOL
After it was dry enough to handle I wiped off the buttermilk. Then I lightly hit it with some of the Brown and some Rust-Oleum camo dark brown (I forget the actual color name). Also used some 0000 steel wool after both sides and top were done to rub off some of the beige along the bumpier ridges of the texture paint.
The area where the headers go was masked around and sprayed with Rust-Oleum Matte Black and dusted with some of the Warm Carmel.
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Not sure on saddle, it might stay if I can get rid of the DelSol name on the back. As for the black headlight, I was thinking about painting it green if I used it, but I guess it could stay black. Save a little work. :)

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
I solved that problem on a Viscount seat by spraying carburetor cleaner on a rag and wiping it off.
 
Thanks OddJob!
I just got lucky?
First I used some Bondo glazing putty to smooth over the wood grain.
After sanding that I used Rust-Oleum multi color texture spray paint for a base coat. But the can malfunctioned and spattered and sputtered the paint. I tried swapping out the nozzle from another can of Rust-Oleum and it still sputtered. The odd part was the regular spray paint worked fine with either nozzle.
Before the texture paint was dry sprayed some rusty colors on the tank and let it dry overnight. Rust-Oleum satin Brown and Warm Carmel.
Next afternoon I applied the Rust-Oleum satin Smokey Beige. But before spraying, I remembered mustard being used last year on a bike to simulate pealed paint. As I was about to go back to the house I saw the glass of buttermilk I had brought out to the shed with me. So I dipped my finger in the buttermilk and dabbled it on the tank in a few spots. Then sprayed the Smokey Beige paint. I did one side at a time so the buttermilk wouldn't run before it got painted. LOL
After it was dry enough to handle I wiped off the buttermilk. Then I lightly hit it with some of the Brown and some Rust-Oleum camo dark brown (I forget the actual color name). Also used some 0000 steel wool after both sides and top were done to rub off some of the beige along the bumpier ridges of the texture paint.
The area where the headers go was masked around and sprayed with Rust-Oleum Matte Black and dusted with some of the Warm Carmel.
ac6daac7220d50b7dbe62bc70a1a7f31.jpg


Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Thanks Andy! Great explanation and photo to show paint cans. And, the mustard guy was me last year.
"Imitation is the greatest form of flattery"
 
Got a question on weathering chemistry I guess. I know about using vinegar and salt and hydrogen peroxide to rapidly rust iron or steel, but what about aging copper? Don't want to turn it green, just take off the shiny new look and make it brown like pennies, but still recognizable as copper.

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Got a question on weathering chemistry I guess. I know about using vinegar and salt and hydrogen peroxide to rapidly rust iron or steel, but what about aging copper? Don't want to turn it green, just take off the shiny new look and make it brown like pennies, but still recognizable as copper.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
I used ammonia in the past, it gets a bit green with black. Put some on the the product with a cloth and had a small open container with ammonia next to it for overnight.
 
Finally, a hot sunny day. Mounted the tank to see how it looks. Been practicing with the texture and green on the frame. Gonna look pretty good. Took the front fork off and dismantled it for painting. Working on an other idea for a headlight mount today too. More on that later...
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Inspiration

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No buttermilk this time. I happened to remember my wife left a couple of ketchup packets in my car (I tell her I don't want any open containers of ketchup in my car, but she doesn't listen) so I grabbed those to use with my painting today.
Got the green on and even a bit of the beige (old dirty white when done) on the bottoms of the fork legs. Now to let everything dry awhile...
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Got the front fork back together and installed this afternoon. Found a different gooseneck that was factory painted so I repainted it with a base of Rust-Oleum texture and brown, some ketchup and a final top coat of the same Dark Steel I used on the headers. I cut off the extra length of the adjuster bolt on the springer and cranked her down more. It's about to the point the springer front end is just for looks. Trying to get maximum rake.

Also worked some more on the headlight mount. TapTalk said I have reached my limit on photo uploads for the month. First time that happened.
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Another build-off and once again, I drew a blank on a name. Basically, I wanted a green bike. My second bike was dark green, probably a rattle can paint job. It was bought for me by my parents from the father of the lady who lived behind us. He built bikes out of old parts. He recycled before it was cool. LOL
Anyway, I wanted another green bike. and like the original, this green bike will not only be painted green, but will also be mostly built of used parts.
That being said, another part of the build is I want a bit of a rusty look to the bike. The big challenge here is I will be using an aluminum frame! :headbang:
Wanting to build something with a bit of old hot rod look to it. Like old hot rods that incorporated parts from different cars but without the deep pockets for finishing the bodywork and a new paint job. Maybe early rat rod.

The frame is from a DelSol Tradewinds cruiser. I paid $40 bucks for it just to get the wheels and Nexus 3 speed for another project.
A Schwinn knock-off springer front fork I bought years ago and haven't found the right bike to use it on
While the parts picture shows blue rims, I am using rusty chrome ones from my Monark Thunderbird (where the DelSol wheels went). The rear was a bit mangled and has taken a lot of tweaking to get it fairly straight again. Tires are a black wall 26x1.75 in the front and a recently converted from white wall 26x2.125 black wall for the rear.
Who knows what other parts will wind up on this bike.
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Today I started with the wheels. Getting everything trued up as best I can. Going through the bearings and greasing what still needed greasing. Then rooting through the tire stash to find the right ones to use. Like I said, the rear tire got hit with a couple of coats of Krylon satin black. Flat black would have been better, but satin and gloss were al I had on hand.


.... I have a Taiwan Schwinn springer with real coastal rust on it if you feel like paying for shipping you can have it
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Got the headlight mount figured out tonight and started on the tail light. Need to hunt up my little triangle file to square up the holes for the carriage bolts. Also need to come up with a mount for the tailpipes.
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This looks like something from Death Race 2000

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That front end shape with the pipes reminds me of a P40 Warhawk, I really like it!

For the pipes you could file/hack a bracket from the carrier, around the tail light to the pipes.
Or mount two P-clips on the rear rack's arms.
Do they get tailfins? :thumbsup:
 
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