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Finally got this thing working. It's a Minn Kota 35 lbs thrust trolling motor on a 2001 Walden Odyssey. The original controller is a resistance switching 5-speed. I wanted something that allowed a fine throttle control throughout its range (and is more efficient), so I replaced the stock...

I intended to start this earlier, but decided to wait for the BO so more people could see the electric stuff. I am not an electrician, but hopefully, it will be a help. Anyway, this has been leaning here for months waiting (those trees out the window have leaves now!). It's a 1995 Giant Innova...

Making a pack for my BiL's birthday. I'll make him as the king, my sister the queen, and their 4 kids as each Jack. It's been a really fun project. Here's some of the cards: Card back based on Zakim Bridge. Caravaggio's Medusa as a joker.

Anyone ever use drum brakes? I'm going to be converting an old hybrid to electric. Whether I can wait for the BO or not is to be determined (I'm trying to content myself with parts gathering and diagramming the electrical), but I'm thinking cantilever or V-brakes are going to be a little weak at...

Just replaced the gas struts on my hatch. They still work pretty well, but one of them was rattling. Anyway, I didn't try sitting on them, but they seem like the pair might work as suspension at the back of a banana seat. I don't have any banana seat bikes to try it out with, but curious if it's...

I thought I'd do a quick post about the Retro Rocket's shifters as, though I doubt this is likely to be imitated, there may be some helpful things for anyone contemplating a suicide shifter from grip shifters for the first time. This is Retro Rocket: The challenge here was fitting everything...

This thing changed ideas a few times, but I finally decided to leave it as a loaner anyone could ride and try to use as much stuff lying around as possible. Build thread filled with expired links: http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/firebolt.108719/ As it started: Rims were...

This won't be a very interesting build, basically a freshening and modernizing of a '61 Columbia Firebolt for nephew #2 to ride on family runs until he can fit on a bigger bike. Will be converting to 6-speed derailleur with disc brake using a flip flop hub (no dishing, so I should be able to...

I recently dug the original Troxel saddle for my 1912 Iver out of the box it was in from moving and found that it has deteriorated further since I put it in. I also have a spare chassis to a Brooks B67 that I converted to a B68, and it got me thinking that maybe I should try remaking the old...

Nothing fancy or flashy, but of all my bikes, my custom 1993 Innova hybrid is my favorite and the one I'd keep if I had to go down to one bike. Relatively light chromoly frame, smooth, relatively fast, comfortable, versatile, and seems to pedal with less effort than my other bikes. The only sort...

Decided to start a thread for pinstriping techniques. I'm just an amateur who's only done a couple things with simple double-lines using masking tapes, but I'll start. The best product I worked with was Finesse Pinstriping Masking Tape, which comes in varying thicknesses, spacing, and number of...

Everything that's kind of interesting. USAAF

Anyone ever mess around with one of these things? The steering is backwards for something that's not a forklift, but I'm wondering what kind of quality this thing is and I imagine I can probably find a used one for real cheap. Boring story leading to an idea: One of my sisters found a thing...

After the cantankerous old guy next door died, a couple (emptied) radio cabinets found their way to the curb and since I'm a big fan of Art Deco and Mid Century style, I took the better one with the intent to do something with it someday. I decided to make it into a coffee table of sorts. Legs...

Too much divided attention to get the aesthetics of the rear fairing together this season, so I decided to go in stages to at least get this bike rolling (where it would be more likely for me to work on it further as unusable projects are easily forgotten with me). Besides that, I still have to...

The steering tube on the threaded fork of my 1912 Iver Johnson broke in the center. It had been repaired before—likely a long time ago as it was "fixed" with two spot brazings of brass—and broke at those spots. I wonder if it had been on a taller frame bike and someone took the weird decision to...

New England weather constrained me to only one completed bike, but I can't say it was a surprise. There's an old Nike missile site near here, but it's closed off and it looks like there's nothing interesting left to take a picture next to, anyway. Now there's another snow storm going, so it...

So, I noticed people putting in two bikes and I realized that I didn't have Retro Rocket finished and haven't touched it since October. If this is too finished, feel free to remove this or disqualify it or whatever, but I also thought I'd add it in so it would get more eyes on it, and there may...

Since a car crash interrupted this last time around (ended up with a nicer replacement, but I'm also paying for it), I'll use this opportunity to finish this build finally. This is how it stands now. I'm going to change the rear fairing because I think it's too clunky with the fake exhaust slung...

Spaceliner with the conversion tank and these great Builtpoor! bars from sensor. The sketch is the rough idea, which I'm sure will change as the real thing goes together, but it will have a hard case fairing behind the saddle big enough to hold my laptop. I may be biting off more than I can chew...