Schwindecisive

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I was worried that I wouldn't be able to make any serious progress on Schwindecisive before the end of the Build Off, but I just crossed a major milestone yesterday that's going to help a ton: Dad and I got the sandblaster working again! Turns out all we had to do was unscrew the nozzle and clean out this "blasting media gummy worm" that was stuck inside. It was kind of dumb that neither Dad nor I thought to just examine the nozzle months ago when we last had this issue, but oh well, it's fixed now.
BftD_Schwindecisive_sandblaster_works.jpg


I plan to take the bike apart, drill and tap the fork for a fender bolt, and begin sandblasting, wire-brushing, and clear coating parts starting this week.
 
Wear a respirator. OSHA has finally caught up with silica hazards to our lungs.
So much of what we've done over the years has been bad for us, but stands
to reason (now that I've studied the topic) that silica particles stay in our lungs
and can wreak havoc as time goes on. Same goes for cutting metal with a disc.
I do love that sand blaster you've got there. Doing some serious blasting with
that model. :thumbsup:
 
Wear a respirator. OSHA has finally caught up with silica hazards to our lungs.
So much of what we've done over the years has been bad for us, but stands
to reason (now that I've studied the topic) that silica particles stay in our lungs
and can wreak havoc as time goes on. Same goes for cutting metal with a disc.
I do love that sand blaster you've got there. Doing some serious blasting with
that model. :thumbsup:
I don't have a respirator, but I do plan to wear some goggles and N95 masks while I work. I've gotten pretty comfortable wearing a mask these past few years, so using one to keep from breathing in whatever dust this machine generates is no problem for me. I usually wear one when sanding wood and painting, too.

The blasting cabinet is great, but the air compressor that blasts the media..... not so much. It takes roughly 15-30 minutes to build up decent air pressure, and 2 minutes or less to use it all up. It's going to be a long, slow process to sandblast all my parts, and that's before I hit everything with a wire wheel and a stain clear coat.

Still, I'd rather have access to a poorly-working sandblaster that I can use myself and get the results I want, rather than have no sandblaster and be forced to pay someone else to do the work for me, and not be satisfied with the results.

Wear a respirator. OSHA has finally caught up with silica hazards to our lungs.
So much of what we've done over the years has been bad for us, but stands
to reason (now that I've studied the topic) that silica particles stay in our lungs
and can wreak havoc as time goes on. Same goes for cutting metal with a disc.
I do love that sand blaster you've got there. Doing some serious blasting with
that model. :thumbsup:
Actually, I might need some advice/recommendations on masks/respirators. Turns out that a regular N95 mask may not be suitable for sandblasting, wire-brushing, or painting. It seems to be fine for sanding wood, but apparently that's it. I've briefly researched different masks for using the blasting cabinet, sanding wood and other bike parts, and spray painting parts, but from what I can tell, there isn't a single mask or respirator you can use for everything. It seems I need either different masks or at least different respirator filters for each job.

Could you help me figure out what I need to work on my bikes while protecting my lungs, preferably without breaking the bank? I've only periodically done sandblasting, wire-brushing, sanding and painting over the last 6 years, (as in about week or two's worth of work over the span of an entire year,) but I may not have been using the right gear when I did.
 
Thanks for the walk through a portion of your impressive stash. Tons of excellent options there.
Glad you got the sandblaster working again.


Im Out Blast Off GIF by Gabby
 
Thanks for the walk through a portion of your impressive stash. Tons of excellent options there.
Glad you got the sandblaster working again.


Im Out Blast Off GIF by Gabby
Thanks! That's but a mere fraction of all the parts I have stashed for this bike! I plan to pick up even more materials tomorrow on my way to get this bike sandblasted!
 
Thanks! That's but a mere fraction of all the parts I have stashed for this bike! I plan to pick up even more materials tomorrow on my way to get this bike sandblasted!

How will you ever decide which combination for the single voting poll gallery pic :D :D :D ?
 
Nope

Single pic single iteration

🤷‍♂️

😂
Now where was the rule that specified that? I read your rules every time you posted them, and not once did I see anything about not having 2 versions of the same bike in one photo. I even went back and reread the rules just now to check. There was nothing in the rules about having more than one interchangeable design for the same bike. It'll be the same bike in the same photo, just with a few different parts on it. I mean heck, didn't Smokey Yunick say that if it wasn't in the rulebook, it wasn't against the rules? ;)
 
Now where was the rule that specified that? I read your rules every time you posted them, and not once did I see anything about not having 2 versions of the same bike in one photo. I even went back and reread the rules just now to check. There was nothing in the rules about having more than one interchangeable design for the same bike. It'll be the same bike in the same photo, just with a few different parts on it. I mean heck, didn't Smokey Yunick say that if it wasn't in the rulebook, it wasn't against the rules? ;)
https://ratrodbikes.com/threads/finished-build-thread-posting.119890/
 
Okay, I get what you're saying, but the whole idea with a bike called Schwindecisive is that there isn't one final iteration of this bike. The whole idea is that I can change this bike every week if I want. Heck, the whole idea behind just the name was that I can never make up my mind on how to build this Schwinn! What's the point of building/painting/fixing multiple parts for this one bike if I don't get to show off more than one combination of parts? That's literally the whole point of this bike, and you're telling me that I can't even show it that way? Honest question: has anyone else tried to do what I'm doing with this bike before, and been told "no, you can't do that?"

I'm not saying I don't get it, but I feel like this defeats the whole point of this bike. You're literally telling me to make a final decision on a bike that's all about not making a final decision. This whole bike was meant to be a fun exercise in letting my creativity run wild and free, and it feels like I'm being told that I'm not allowed to do that even when I'm still following the same rules as everyone else.
 
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I don't have a respirator, but I do plan to wear some goggles and N95 masks while I work. I've gotten pretty comfortable wearing a mask these past few years, so using one to keep from breathing in whatever dust this machine generates is no problem for me. I usually wear one when sanding wood and painting, too.

The blasting cabinet is great, but the air compressor that blasts the media..... not so much. It takes roughly 15-30 minutes to build up decent air pressure, and 2 minutes or less to use it all up. It's going to be a long, slow process to sandblast all my parts, and that's before I hit everything with a wire wheel and a stain clear coat.

Still, I'd rather have access to a poorly-working sandblaster that I can use myself and get the results I want, rather than have no sandblaster and be forced to pay someone else to do the work for me, and not be satisfied with the results.


Actually, I might need some advice/recommendations on masks/respirators. Turns out that a regular N95 mask may not be suitable for sandblasting, wire-brushing, or painting. It seems to be fine for sanding wood, but apparently that's it. I've briefly researched different masks for using the blasting cabinet, sanding wood and other bike parts, and spray painting parts, but from what I can tell, there isn't a single mask or respirator you can use for everything. It seems I need either different masks or at least different respirator filters for each job.

Could you help me figure out what I need to work on my bikes while protecting my lungs, preferably without breaking the bank? I've only periodically done sandblasting, wire-brushing, sanding and painting over the last 6 years, (as in about week or two's worth of work over the span of an entire year,) but I may not have been using the right gear when I did.
It basically comes down to exposure. The N95 is my go-to for most of the small projects and construction inspection work. Good fit and swapping them out as needed. Again, limited exposure, small jobs. A full face mask helps protect your eyes too, which I like. Think of it like your toolbox with many specialized tools for various applications. You need different types of respirators and/or filters depending on the different jobs you do. Ultimately money well spent to protect our lungs and bodies. It's definitely a broad topic.
 
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It basically comes down to exposure. The N95 is my go-to for most of the small projects and construction inspection work. Good fit and swapping them out as needed. Again, limited exposure, small jobs. A full face mask helps protect your eyes too, which I like. Think of it like your toolbox with many specialized tools for various applications. You need different types of respirators depending on the different jobs you do. Ultimately money well spent to protect our lungs and bodies. It's a broad topic but worth the time to do a little research.
All good points. I actually did some more research after my last comment on the topic, and I found that Home Depot has a respirator with P100 filters that should be safe to use for everything from stripping lead paint to spray painting on my bikes. Best of all, it's affordable at $25. I might pick it up tomorrow and see if it's as good as I hope.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-P100...spirator-Mask-Size-Medium-6297PA1-A/202078789

I'll also be wearing a pair of goggles over my glasses to help keep dust and other debris out as well, so I should be fully (or at least better) protected against dust and fumes while working on my bikes.
 
All good points. I actually did some more research after my last comment on the topic, and I found that Home Depot has a respirator with P100 filters that should be safe to use for everything from stripping lead paint to spray painting on my bikes. Best of all, it's affordable at $25. I might pick it up tomorrow and see if it's as good as I hope.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-P100...spirator-Mask-Size-Medium-6297PA1-A/202078789

I'll also be wearing a pair of goggles over my glasses to help keep dust and other debris out as well, so I should be fully (or at least better) protected against dust and fumes while working on my bikes.
I work with lead aspetios PCB and all other hazardous waste everyday it's what we use. You good there. It Will not stop mercury.
 
All good points. I actually did some more research after my last comment on the topic, and I found that Home Depot has a respirator with P100 filters that should be safe to use for everything from stripping lead paint to spray painting on my bikes. Best of all, it's affordable at $25. I might pick it up tomorrow and see if it's as good as I hope.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-P100...spirator-Mask-Size-Medium-6297PA1-A/202078789

I'll also be wearing a pair of goggles over my glasses to help keep dust and other debris out as well, so I should be fully (or at least better) protected against dust and fumes while working on my bikes.
That's the one, the P100. I couldn't remember the model. Kept thinking P51 for some reason.
D-Day still on my mind and I'm tired too. And yes, the mucous membranes of our eyes can be
an entry point for bad stuff like mold, bacteria, pathogens.
 
I work with lead aspetios PCB and all other hazardous waste everyday it's what we use. You good there. It Will not stop mercury.
Oh dang! For a job like that, you'd NEED proper protection! I got nothing but respect for folks who do that kind of work, because that's risky business right there. I'm kind of afraid to ask when you'd have to worry about mercury. That's not a health hazard I hear of often.
 

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