█★█ starsNbars █★█ 38 Hawthorne Twin Bar 5 Bar ☠ - Red White and RUST - Tied for 7th Place

[OneHorsePower]

Broke down the girvin fork legs and studied the geometry. The top pivot axle is 4mm farther forward than the bottom pivot axle. I will have to account for this in my design. If I put both axle on the fork center line, the fork is no longer parallel with the headtube.
Here is a reference pics of the parts along with a basic mock of the raw fork. I plan to cut the edges away from the leftover superstrut and use it to make a curved trailing edge that matches the curve of the frame.
Of to the hardware store again to see what I can work up for the pivot axle sleeves.
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Just trowing this idea .... maybe you could just make holes in the original fork legs and look "as good/or more" while saving you some time ? Nice bike so far!

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Just trowing this idea .... maybe you could just make holes in the original fork legs and look "as good/or more" while saving you some time ? Nice bike so far!

I agree that altering the original fork legs in some way, whether it's drilling or adding something to them, would be easier and quicker. Plus, you could use those brake bosses as mounting points for something interesting. Either way, keep on rollin'!

 

[MplsCoaster]

How about stars and jewels on thick sammich panels to match your chain ring, and maybe a curved outline to the panels to pick up some of the other shapes of the bike frame...
just my $.20 (and probably all it's worth LOL)

 

[kingfish254]

Just trowing this idea .... maybe you could just make holes in the original fork legs and look "as good/or more" while saving you some time ? Nice bike so far!

I agree that altering the original fork legs in some way, whether it's drilling or adding something to them, would be easier and quicker. Plus, you could use those brake bosses as mounting points for something interesting. Either way, keep on rollin'!

How about stars and jewels on thick sammich panels to match your chain ring, and maybe a curved outline to the panels to pick up some of the other shapes of the bike frame...
just my $.20 (and probably all it's worth LOL)

You guys must have been reading my mind that I wasn't pleased with the Superstrut. After noodling on it more last night, I just wasn't feeling it at all. It got to the point that I felt like I was forcing myself into having to make fork legs of some sort with the Girvin. Maybe you guys picked upon that too.

So, what next. Who knows. I like the Girvin on it's own, but I'm not tying myself to it yet. Gonna sit back and look it all over and see what feels right.

 

[fordsnake]

KF, there's no rush or pressure to finish it... we're only 3 weeks into the build, you have another 2 and half months to go. Tear a page from jodphoto's mantra "the bike will tell you what it wants to be."

 

[kingfish254]

KF, there's no rush or pressure to finish it... we're only 3 weeks into the build, you have another 2 and half months to go. Tear a page from jodphoto's mantra "the bike will tell you what it wants to be."

I hear ya Carlton. It hasn't really been a rush thing. I think it was more of a stubborn idea in my head.
Gotta pop a cold one, sit back, and think like jodphoto and my buddy Jake the Bike Whisperer.

 

[Wildcat]

On th

Not sure if I'll use it or not, but I do have this jeweled AMF star ring. If I do, I may try to swap the green jewels with blue ones. I also have a plane star ring I could use.
The trick with stars and stripes stuff is finding a balance of it. I don't want this to become a 1976 Bicentennial cartoon. I just want accents hear and there.

View attachment 2625

Where would you get replacement jewels for that? It may be feasible to tint the green ones blue.

 

[kingfish254]

Have you been looking at old Gaskill builds again?
His last build off bike used Unistrut to make a gender bender with no frame modifictions.

Actually I came across the Superstrut after roaming the aisles of Home Depot and Lowes. Now that you mention it though, I do remember Gaskill's café racer build with something similar used as the backbone of his build. I think it was Jolene in BO6 or 7.

 

[laidbackcool]

Have you been looking at old Gaskill builds again?
His last build off bike used Unistrut to make a gender bender with no frame modifictions.

Actually I came across the Superstrut after roaming the aisles of Home Depot and Lowes. Now that you mention it though, I do remember Gaskill's café racer build with something similar used as the backbone of his build. I think it was Jolene in BO6 or 7.

When you mentioned the name of the build you're referring to, I had to look it up. It's the first time I've laid eyes on it...amazing execution and an awesome build!

 

[kingfish254]

You should check out Gaskill's other creations as well. You will not be disappointed.

 

[kingfish254]

Where would you get replacement jewels for that? It may be feasible to tint the green ones blue.

The hunt for the chainring jewels is on the back burner. Still not sure if I like the lower gearing of the smaller chainring. I may swap it for my larger standard star chainring.

 

[kingfish254]

Someone suggested drilling the girvin fork tubes, but I have never planned on doing that. I agree that if done incorrectly, it would weaken the integrity of the fork.

 

[kingfish254]

Came up with a possible direction on the girvin forks. I cut open the bicentennial thermos so that I have the metal to play with. I'm thinking that I might paint the forks either blue or red and skin the middle section of the fork legs with the starsNbars thermos keeping the blue and white sections as well. If I do this it would be wrapped tight with cutouts for the brake bosses. I would also need to put something over the "Thermos" logo.

 

[kingfish254]

I think we might all be better off if you drilled those holes now......

I KNOW that we ALL would be much better off if you just worried about your own build.

 

[kingfish254]

You said you liked feedback.

Not so much from antagonistic curmudgeons !

 

[kingfish254]

You gotta take the bad with the good.
Make them each hold a different adult beverage. Then people like me that don't share your enthusiasm for doodads can at least share a drink.

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Whatever makes you happy dude.

 

[kingfish254]

I used smileys!

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Then I guess you must be happy.

 

[Daddyar]

I like the look of the strut (we call it unistrut at work) but it looks too rigid for the curves of the frame. Is there an industrial hardware store close by? Way better selection , quality, and pricing than HD or Lowes .

 

[kingfish254]

I like the look of the strut (we call it unistrut at work) but it looks too rigid for the curves of the frame. Is there an industrial hardware store close by? Way better selection , quality, and pricing than HD or Lowes .

Thanks man. I decided to scrap the unistrut idea. I think I am still going to use the girvin though.

 

[Bicycle808]

... I would also need to put something over the "Thermos" logo.

Why? I say, just go with it. Thermoses are cool.

BTW, I'm glad you got over your "builder's block" on this one. I suspect that you still have some sort of "fork block", but you can keep playing with ideas for the fork whilst you sort the rest of the build. I'm sure you'll find a way to pull the fork thing off perfectly... you got some time to play with here....