BLACKBIRD (Skylark Convertible)

[OddJob]

Sounds like our 'paint booths' are very similar. Do you have a 'paint stump' as well for small parts painting?

Rained all day here till 7 pm. Then got a glimpse of sun before it set. Fall is coming to the north land. Low temps overnight in the high 40's; that's Fahrenheit for our real 'southern' gentlemen.

Hemisphere that is...

 

[kingfish254]

That flows naturally with the tank. Sweet work!

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Got the first coat of primer on the switch pod today. It will still need a little more massaging but it's very close. I also started sanding on the tank.

The line down the middle is just a Sharpie guide to get it centered on the tank.

 

[KJV]

Now: the top bar is covered, as well.

 

[handyandy1100]

Looking good.

I heard on the radio driving home from work yesterday that the mullet is coming back. Guess more people have been following this build than we thought.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[OddJob]

Looking good.

I heard on the radio driving home from work yesterday that the mullet is coming back. Guess more people have been following this build than we thought.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Hahahaha! Good one!

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Mullets, or reverse mullets are a recent fad in mountain biking, but that's all about tire sizing; 29er up front, 27.5 out back, or 27.5 and 26. It's about getting the roll over ability of the big, with the flickability of the small. I guess party out front, business in the back!

 

[sandman]

I'm still trying to figure out the man bun thing ?

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Now: the top bar is covered, as well.

Yeah, that was part of the thinking. However I was a little on the fence about it only because I really liked the tight fit around the tank. I got very lucky on it but now it will be hidden.

 

[toro1978]

I'm still trying to figure out the man bun thing ?

I had to google that one. After I saw what it is it got me thinking: So, they want long hair, but at the same time don't want the long hair? So...

 

[KJV]

I'm still trying to figure out the man bun thing ?

Well,
It's Not:
Cinnamon & spice.

 

[Brian macumber]

Are you going to glass in the switch pod in or have it to where you can still get the tank off?

 

[The Renaissance Man]

The pod will be seperate from the tank. It will actually have to be put on the frame before the top bearing cup goes in so that it fits snug to the head tube. Then the tank will go on.

 

[OddJob]

Mullets, or reverse mullets are a recent fad in mountain biking, but that's all about tire sizing; 29er up front, 27.5 out back, or 27.5 and 26. It's about getting the roll over ability of the big, with the flickability of the small. I guess party out front, business in the back!

Keep that in mind Mr Thundrrr for next year when you see my build come to fruition. And yeah, this one's not over, and I'm already planning for next year...

 

[The Renaissance Man]

While getting a TRM LED light kit ready to ship out to a forum member, I decided today would be the perfect time to drill out the holes for the LED lamps.
I've done several of these and have discovered a couple of things that help get the job done easily. After the build off crunch is over I need to create another instruction sheet with these tips.

________________________________________________________

Drilling a 3/4" hole is first. There is a center mark in each light location on the tank. A step drill is the absolute best way to drill the holes. They can be purchased from Harbor Freight for fairly cheap and you'll wonder how you ever got by without one if you don't use them already!

I have found that just pushing through without checking along the way can result in the hole being off center. Because the fiberglass is hand layed it can vary in thickness especially down inside the small headlight cavity. If the glass is thicker on one side it can cause the drill to travel to the thinner side that has less resistance. I drill each step on the bit and check to see if it needs to be pushed one way or another as I go.

Once the holes are drilled it's time to prepare the holes for the rubber grommets. It will work to just push them in at this point but they will hold better if the inside rim is relieved to accept the back lip of the grommet. The best way that I found to do this is with a rotary tool. You can also do it with an inexpensive small grinding rock and a drill. The fiberglass is very easy to grind away so go slowly. I try to match the thickness of the tank opening to the thickness of the slot in the rubber. It's pretty forgiving so it doesn't have to be perfect all the way around.

Check the thicness of the rim and slot.

Finally the grommet is pushed into place.

It's now ready for the LED light which is pushed into the grommet. DONE!

I forgot to put the chrome bezel on it for the photo but you get the idea.

 

[OddJob]

Somehow, while watching your step by step on this very succinct and successful tutorial; my mind went to this SNL skit from the '70s.....I need more coffee on this early Thursday morning....

 

[The Renaissance Man]

The switch pod still needed something to give it a more harmonious art deco vibe so I mixed up some fiberglass goop and did this.

After some filing, sanding, body filler, more sanding and finally a coat of primer, I got this.

That's more what I had envisioned!

I can move on now. Tic toc tic toc

 

[Chad T]

Pod looks great with the Deco-ration. Great how to on the lights.

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

Mullets, or reverse mullets are a recent fad in mountain biking, but that's all about tire sizing; 29er up front, 27.5 out back, or 27.5 and 26. It's about getting the roll over ability of the big, with the flickability of the small. I guess party out front, business in the back!

I've been riding a sixty-niner (26 back, 29 front) for years. It works well.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I'm in the build process for a 26 front, 20 rear. I got it to a mock up phase yesterday. Look for it in my intro thread. Eventually.