BO15 Dumpster Diamond (Formerly "First Ever Build Off with a Postwar Hawthorne")

MattiThundrrr · Aug 30, 2020

On a tip from Horsefarmer, I stood my MTBpedals on their end in a small bucket, and gravity fed them a dose of 3 in 1 oil. Let it soak in good. It works for stiff bearings, I dunno about crunchy though

Bike from the Dead · Aug 31, 2020

MattiThundrrr said:
On a tip from Horsefarmer, I stood my MTBpedals on their end in a small bucket, and gravity fed them a dose of 3 in 1 oil. Let it soak in good. It works for stiff bearings, I dunno about crunchy though

I'll give that a try later, but right now, I'm just going to use some other pedals.

Bike from the Dead · Aug 31, 2020

Progress as of yesterday:

Took apart the original Western Flyer pedals that came with the Hawthorne when I bought it, and decided to soak them in vinegar and water just long enough to remove the rust inside the bearing cups.

My plan is that once I get rid of the rust, I'll squeeze as much grease as possible into the crevices where I can see the bearings. Once that's done, I'll replace the worn out blocks and reassemble and attach these pedals to the bike.

The big deal of yesterday's progress was reassembling the wheel hubs and coaster brake, something I have never done before. It wasn't super easy, but now that I know how to do it, I know I can do it better next time. I slapped on a random set of pedals I had laying around, installed the chain, and took Dumpster Diamond on her maiden voyage. I had to readjust a number of nuts and bolts in the process, but she pedals smooth, stops reasonably well, and with the handlebars upside-down, corners HORRIBLY!!!! I need a nice open parking lot just to turn this bike around!

So, with that in mind, I decided to flip the handlebars to see how much of a difference that makes. Turns out, Dumpster Diamond can really turn when my knees don't sit between the handlebars. The more I rode it this way, the more I liked it. While it doesn't look quite as cool, it is way more functional.

I should have the decals for the chain guard and number plates ready today, so Dumpster Diamond will actually look complete. In the meantime, I'll be tinkering with the pedals I want to use, and a few other handlebars to see what looks best. I'll also try to make a custom wood tank today as well. Lastly, If weather permits, I'll try getting my finished pictures shot today, or at least mocked up.