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  1. RustySprockets

    3 piece crank disassembly

    The best way to loosen a freewheel is to clamp the remover tool in a sturdy vise, then use the wheel itself to wrest the the cluster from its death grip. (see video @ 1:40)
  2. RustySprockets

    Sweet Marie

    I think modern 650Bs might actually fit those rims. ISO 584, no?
  3. RustySprockets

    SPEEDBALL TUCKER

    They're a great way to earn one's spurs.
  4. RustySprockets

    Cruiser saddle hardware sourcing

    If you intend to modify something, why not simply pick up a cheap Schwinn cruiser saddle from the box store? You could probably snag one for around $20, and it doesn't look like it would be too difficult to adapt. Not universal...but I bet it's close.
  5. RustySprockets

    New From Spokane WA

    This year's build-off starts Monday--no time like the present to jump in!
  6. RustySprockets

    Should I build a bike or buy?

    I like this guy's videos, too--especially for newcomers. His content is short and sweet. https://www.bikeride.com/guide/
  7. RustySprockets

    Faux wood rims

    Your new process does look pretty convincing.
  8. RustySprockets

    Can an axel mount be bent back into shape? (steel) (walmart bike)

    When you finally get a replacement cable and are ready to install it, here is a procedure that I have adopted. The limit screws and the cable tension influence each other, so I isolate them and make adjustments separately. I first set the limit screws with the cable unattached, moving it...
  9. RustySprockets

    Voting Booths are re-OPEN!

    For those who have not yet voted, please be careful when marking your selections. One of my intended choices was not acknowledged during this re-launch, probably though my own inattentiveness. Now, I am unable to go back and correct my failure...and one vote can make a difference.
  10. RustySprockets

    How do you guys bust rust this bad?

    An associate of mine once saved a valuable Miyata frame by gently heating with a propane torch, then plunging just the exposed portion of the stuck post in a bucket of ice-filled water. You may be reluctant to use heat, but that area will be covered by the seat clamp. Anyway...
  11. RustySprockets

    How do you guys bust rust this bad?

    Any chance you can introduce a smaller nut and wedge it inside the post where the neck narrows? I think there's a higher probability of damage to the seat post that way, but the frame would be saved.
  12. RustySprockets

    Can Shemano Altus brake lever be swapped out?

    I can't say for certain that replacement is a no-go, but in my experience, brake levers are some of the least interchangeable parts you can deal with. You'll probably end up scraping. And by the way, the Amazon link you posted is for the trigger shifter alone--there's no brake lever combined...
  13. RustySprockets

    Finished bike threads now open!

    Only seven days to go and not a single muscle bike in the finished bike thread?!
  14. RustySprockets

    How do you guys bust rust this bad?

    Good luck! Obviously this only works on a bike with an open BB shell, but I've been thinking about how to grip it from the top. For the bearing cups, most people I know drive them out with a 2lb hammer and soft metal punch--aluminum or brass. Things might go easier if you lay the frame on its...
  15. RustySprockets

    How do you guys bust rust this bad?

    You got it exactly! The all-thread need only be long enough to reach the BB shell, then you can add the nut/washer and draw it back up until it strikes the post. The jamb nuts at the very top of my diagram are for stabilizing the all-thread with a second wrench, in case it decides to start...
  16. RustySprockets

    How do you guys bust rust this bad?

    This is the tool as I envision it. It would have to be much longer to reach the BB shell, however. The nut & washer at the bottom needs to be small enough to pass through the seat tube, but not so small that it enters the seat post. The key to this working is to have another length of tubing...
  17. RustySprockets

    How do you guys bust rust this bad?

    I do...but it is much easier to try when one has access to the area below the seat post. I'll have to look for my diagrams, but the basic idea is to lift the post out of the seat tube (by its bottom) using some all-thread, several nuts & washers, and a length of spare tubing.
  18. RustySprockets

    How do you guys bust rust this bad?

    I mix my witch's brew 50/50 ATF & acetone. That makes for a thinner, more penetrating solution. Don't be stingy with it. The good news is, everything is STEEL--none of the corrosion, bad as it is, is galvanic (i.e. aluminum-on-steel). A question, though: Is the seat tube open where it...
  19. RustySprockets

    Message from Stop, Swap, & Save

    The organizers express their sincere gratitude and announce the date for next year's event.
  20. RustySprockets

    Furnace brazing bike tube experiment

    I was gonna suggest a bellows to boost that heat--the Shop-Vac exhaust is even better! Not so sure how those temps may affect temper of the steel, though.
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