I think you can understand my level of desire when you realize that I chose to work on bicycles instead of this.
A Lengthy Insanity
- Thread starter Ulu
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:
Getting jiggy with it! 
It occurs to me now, that I was building a jig, but it has turned into a fixture.
A fixture is something you bring the work to. It supports everything off the floor.
A jig is something you bring to the work, which is otherwise supported or self-supporting. When a jig becomes big enough to require hoisting, it becomes a "fly fixture". You fly it in and put it on the work.
I started out doing trusses and walls, but my second pro job in engineering was designing jigs and fixtures and programming the tube benders.
1979 it was...
A fixture is something you bring the work to. It supports everything off the floor.
A jig is something you bring to the work, which is otherwise supported or self-supporting. When a jig becomes big enough to require hoisting, it becomes a "fly fixture". You fly it in and put it on the work.
I started out doing trusses and walls, but my second pro job in engineering was designing jigs and fixtures and programming the tube benders.
1979 it was...
Jig or fixture... it feels like painting: the prep is more work than the painting, but done right, it makes it go smoothly and turn out well. You look set up for success!
It is always so. The finishing goes like a flash if the surface is fine.
So far I have spent 75% of the time on design, and 25% on buying & stripping bikes, and buying tools, and parts. Zero on building. A few hours playing with the fixture and riding the bikes.
Whether I can build a straight (curvy) frame remains to be seen.
So far I have spent 75% of the time on design, and 25% on buying & stripping bikes, and buying tools, and parts. Zero on building. A few hours playing with the fixture and riding the bikes.
Whether I can build a straight (curvy) frame remains to be seen.
I cleaned off the 9 UGLY decals and the silver goose looks much nicer now, But looking at this Mongoose frame, you can see several tiny dingleberries in the paint.
Weld spatter that didn’t get chipped before painting. Clearly it wasn’t sanded. They sprayed it with hot trichloroethylene and applied thick plastic paint to conceal (ineffectively) the lack of love they applied.
Never would you see such a thing on any bike made in 1970 or before US bike companies all went Asian.
I could be cutting up a 1930’s Rollfast instead of this Giant-made Chinese ‘goose. If the guy drops his price I may do both.
That 20” Huffy has some interesting pressed tubing. I wish the headstock was bigger. I think this was achieved by putting the tube in a mold cavity and applying hydraulic pressure from the inside, But I have never seen this process done myself.
I may have the ability to develop those kinds of hydraulic pressures.
Weld spatter that didn’t get chipped before painting. Clearly it wasn’t sanded. They sprayed it with hot trichloroethylene and applied thick plastic paint to conceal (ineffectively) the lack of love they applied.
Never would you see such a thing on any bike made in 1970 or before US bike companies all went Asian.
I could be cutting up a 1930’s Rollfast instead of this Giant-made Chinese ‘goose. If the guy drops his price I may do both.
That 20” Huffy has some interesting pressed tubing. I wish the headstock was bigger. I think this was achieved by putting the tube in a mold cavity and applying hydraulic pressure from the inside, But I have never seen this process done myself.
I may have the ability to develop those kinds of hydraulic pressures.
Well I picked up my new alloy crank arms and 42t chain ring that I ordered today.
I think this will make a good front sprocket for the Manhattan bike, but I think it will be geared a little bit too tall for the Mongoose.
While I was at the bike shop I also picked up a new 20 inch front tire. It’s actually almost a fat bike tire, it’s so chubby, but it’s not a knobby. That will be the front tire for the project bike.
I put the seat down all the way on the Mongoose, put my little wife on it, and gave her a push down the driveway. She made it one time around the cul-de-sac before she gave it back to me.
The silver goose is twice as heavy as Judy’s Nishiki.
I think this will make a good front sprocket for the Manhattan bike, but I think it will be geared a little bit too tall for the Mongoose.
While I was at the bike shop I also picked up a new 20 inch front tire. It’s actually almost a fat bike tire, it’s so chubby, but it’s not a knobby. That will be the front tire for the project bike.
I put the seat down all the way on the Mongoose, put my little wife on it, and gave her a push down the driveway. She made it one time around the cul-de-sac before she gave it back to me.
The silver goose is twice as heavy as Judy’s Nishiki.
Judy is small, but she’s not afraid. When I met Judy in ‘89 she was getting her black belt at the American Academy of Martial Arts.
She has been with me for 33 years now.
I’ve taken her up in sport planes, and a hot air balloon, and up and down the West Coast on a motorcycle.
The most frightened I ever saw her was riding in my jalopy. We probably only got it up to 55, but she’d never been in anything like that in her life.
Her feet don’t reach the toe board, and She freaked out and when she realized she actually had to hang onto the car, to not to slide right underneath the panel.
On the second ride I stuffed a big tool bag down there for her to place her feet against and she was much more comfortable.
She has been with me for 33 years now.
I’ve taken her up in sport planes, and a hot air balloon, and up and down the West Coast on a motorcycle.
The most frightened I ever saw her was riding in my jalopy. We probably only got it up to 55, but she’d never been in anything like that in her life.
Her feet don’t reach the toe board, and She freaked out and when she realized she actually had to hang onto the car, to not to slide right underneath the panel.
On the second ride I stuffed a big tool bag down there for her to place her feet against and she was much more comfortable.
The tire that I bought is a Subrosa, Probably made by Kenda, but it doesn’t say. At least it wasn’t one of those bloody folded things. This is not the sort of tread pattern that I wanted but I think it will provide plenty of functional traction.
Anyhow here it is mounted onto the 20” Huffy wheel. Biggs and Littles, as they say.
Anyhow here it is mounted onto the 20” Huffy wheel. Biggs and Littles, as they say.
Last edited:
I was looking for a skinnier 1.75” front tire but I think this combination will provide an extreme enough differential!
On the Schwinn Tornado I used to run a combination of 20 x 1.75 up front and 26 x 2.125 in back.
Now I have 20 x 2.125 Subrosa and 26 X 4.00 Chao Yang
Worlds first Italian-Chinese tire! I heard those guys had something going on LOL
On the Schwinn Tornado I used to run a combination of 20 x 1.75 up front and 26 x 2.125 in back.
Now I have 20 x 2.125 Subrosa and 26 X 4.00 Chao Yang
Worlds first Italian-Chinese tire! I heard those guys had something going on LOL
I haven’t been able to work on the RBBO too much, but my daughter now has a brand new garbage disposal and her electric range plug is properly grounded.
She lost the center tap connection on her 240 And without the 120 V from that wire her range computer would not turn on.
We did go out for a 3 mile bike ride today, which is the farthest I have taken the Mongoose.
After riding the Mongoose, and riding my Manhattan bike with the Sturmey, I am concerned that a Sturmey hub might be a little over taxed. Also maybe three gears is not enough.
I got my work area cleaned up today and moved the tacking fixture back front and center, so I should get back to work on that for real tomorrow.
She lost the center tap connection on her 240 And without the 120 V from that wire her range computer would not turn on.
We did go out for a 3 mile bike ride today, which is the farthest I have taken the Mongoose.
After riding the Mongoose, and riding my Manhattan bike with the Sturmey, I am concerned that a Sturmey hub might be a little over taxed. Also maybe three gears is not enough.
I got my work area cleaned up today and moved the tacking fixture back front and center, so I should get back to work on that for real tomorrow.
This is going to be a fun build to follow!
You can also get those wide bottom brackets cheaply by finding old OCC Stinkray choppers and chopping them up.
I suppose I might’ve started there to begin with but I’m not familiar with those bikes at all.
I decided that my fixture should be much more compact and I shortened it up today by over 2 feet & it is about a foot taller.
I will be able to sit on a chair and do all the bottom tack welds.
To reach the ones on the very top might have to stand on a stool.
Again, this is all just clamps and magnets and pre-welded assemblies. I did actually cut five pieces of metal.
It is not all there yet but it’s starting to look like something that might work.
I will be able to sit on a chair and do all the bottom tack welds.
To reach the ones on the very top might have to stand on a stool.
Again, this is all just clamps and magnets and pre-welded assemblies. I did actually cut five pieces of metal.
It is not all there yet but it’s starting to look like something that might work.
I was thinking to mod a skirted blank “HD” fender, but it is all wrong.
I thought many times about using fiberglass but this is just not in the cards.
This is intended to be a structural member so that I can eliminate the seat post.
I had envisioned a pressed steel fender with embellishments and hidden reinforcements inside the fender and under the seat, the seat pan actually being a structural reinforcement to the fender itself.
If I have to build the rear fender 100% from scratch this means a wood buck. I came up with a strategy that will get me out of making most of the lips to reinforce the edge. It means a multi-piece design.
The best laid plans of mice and men . . .
Meanwhile I am still not happy enough with my jig to start welding it up so I continue with the modifications. .
I thought many times about using fiberglass but this is just not in the cards.
This is intended to be a structural member so that I can eliminate the seat post.
I had envisioned a pressed steel fender with embellishments and hidden reinforcements inside the fender and under the seat, the seat pan actually being a structural reinforcement to the fender itself.
If I have to build the rear fender 100% from scratch this means a wood buck. I came up with a strategy that will get me out of making most of the lips to reinforce the edge. It means a multi-piece design.
The best laid plans of mice and men . . .
Meanwhile I am still not happy enough with my jig to start welding it up so I continue with the modifications. .
Today was spent trying to clean up my welding shed and my work area so I can get something done without tripping over myself.
I started putting together the centurion bike until I realized that I didn’t have any brakes that would work on it.
I bought this frame because it has extremely long tubes and they are chrome-molly steel. I’ve never seen a frame with a longer steering stem.
I don’t know if I can bend this tubing. This frame is very thin.
I started putting together the centurion bike until I realized that I didn’t have any brakes that would work on it.
I bought this frame because it has extremely long tubes and they are chrome-molly steel. I’ve never seen a frame with a longer steering stem.
I don’t know if I can bend this tubing. This frame is very thin.
I bought this blank trailer fender from Tractor supply company. It’s about four times as thick as your average fat bicycle fender and about twice as wide as I need.
This should be plenty of metal to create a rear fender. In fact I’m gonna throw lots of it away, which is good because it’s heavy.
The idea is that this fender will be both the seat pan and the seat post meaning that this bike will only have the fender to attach everything to that would normally come to the seat post.
Because it is so thick I am going to skeletonize it. The center section needs to be essentially a built-up tube, but the rest of the fender could be swiss-cheesed.
I want to start cutting this up but I promised myself no cutting and welding on the project bike until I fix my clutch. I should also do some work on my truck, so if I disappear for a few days I didn’t die in a bicycle crash.
This should be plenty of metal to create a rear fender. In fact I’m gonna throw lots of it away, which is good because it’s heavy.
The idea is that this fender will be both the seat pan and the seat post meaning that this bike will only have the fender to attach everything to that would normally come to the seat post.
Because it is so thick I am going to skeletonize it. The center section needs to be essentially a built-up tube, but the rest of the fender could be swiss-cheesed.
I want to start cutting this up but I promised myself no cutting and welding on the project bike until I fix my clutch. I should also do some work on my truck, so if I disappear for a few days I didn’t die in a bicycle crash.
I dropped my seat post down inside the frame on the mongooose, and it went down hard and wedged in. I could not pull it out with pliers or internal expanding pliers. I was yanking the bicycle off the ground.
I had to make a long rod that I could pull from my little slide hammer. Then Tappy-tap-tap
Only bummer was that I could not find a piece of threaded rod long enough and a coupling nut would not fit through the post. I took the 2 foot piece of 5/16 rod and threaded the ends. I put a small washer and a nut on the bottom.
As you can see I jammed it in place with an old screwdriver. Two smacks & she popped right up.
I found a bicycle shop in town that was sort of obscure but they sell fancy chrome plated Lowrider stuff and also I found a banana seat. It’s not a Schwinn.
It’s made by Lowrider of ShunFeng or somewhere close by. It looks faithful enough that I can use it. I would’ve made up the sissy bar by now but I spent hours fishing that stupid tube.
I really didn’t know how this fender was gonna work out but it appears to be pretty close to the size I need.
I’m wondering what’s going to happen when I cut it into pieces. This is a roll formed sheet and it may try to un-form itself. Well if it doesn’t work out I’ve only wasted $65.
I had to make a long rod that I could pull from my little slide hammer. Then Tappy-tap-tap
Only bummer was that I could not find a piece of threaded rod long enough and a coupling nut would not fit through the post. I took the 2 foot piece of 5/16 rod and threaded the ends. I put a small washer and a nut on the bottom.
As you can see I jammed it in place with an old screwdriver. Two smacks & she popped right up.
I found a bicycle shop in town that was sort of obscure but they sell fancy chrome plated Lowrider stuff and also I found a banana seat. It’s not a Schwinn.
It’s made by Lowrider of ShunFeng or somewhere close by. It looks faithful enough that I can use it. I would’ve made up the sissy bar by now but I spent hours fishing that stupid tube.
I really didn’t know how this fender was gonna work out but it appears to be pretty close to the size I need.
It is unlikely to un-form itself, the greatest problem may be trying to form it
You have gathered a nice collection of bikes to work from, I have quite lost track of which bits will appear in the final bike, which is great!
You have gathered a nice collection of bikes to work from, I have quite lost track of which bits will appear in the final bike, which is great!
