Brown Sugar Stick A Fork In It! It's Done 7-11-11

[American Vintage Bicycle Supply]

Re: Brown Sugar NON PROGRESS REPORT 5-24

Keep up the good work! You need to finish strong now that your a Coaster KBC member! :wink:

P.s. Don't forget to change that signature

 

[Gold Street Customs]

Re: Brown Sugar NON PROGRESS REPORT 5-24

So many builds,so little time, I just caught this one, I like the talking bikes, and mine always say " fix me" "no fix me"anyways keep up the good work.

 

[motopsyco]

Re: Brown Sugar NON PROGRESS REPORT 5-24

Thanks to all for the encouragement,
This post should be titled "How to ruin a really nice seat!"

Earlier this year I picked up a set of grips from Smoopy's at a swap meet ( I really got to get to more of them ), and then last week I received this nice Felt 1903 seat from ryder1 for a great deal.
Only problem is it is too nice looking...

So I decided to ruin it and the grips :shock:

Now it has a much nicer old & stained appearance

The springs and frame are still too shiny, I'm trying to decide between scuffing them up with steel wool or just shooting them with a coat of Testor's Dullcote and calling it good.

 

[motopsyco]

Re: Brown Sugar PROGRESS REPORT 5-28

My favorite Friday night t.v. show has now finished up forever, So I told my wife that I needed a break from life and was headed out to my shop for a little escape from reality. After an over full week of CAD, spreadsheets, and estimating, it is so refreshing to get the chance to do a little manual labor, cutting, hacking, and creating without a dadgum computer anywhere in sight. Then today after my daughter's grad party I decided to take a few pics to share.
I got the front brake connected and working!. I've left the cable and housing a little long because I may go to even taller handlebars.

A front view

At one time the ultimate hot rod was an old Ford, with a Chrysler Hemi engine, a two speed Chevy Powerglide transmission, and a Jaguar IRS. I like to take that same mix & match approach with bikes. So far on this Western Flyer I have parts from, Kent, Montgomery Ward, Roadmaster, Schwinn, Huffy, Elgin, and Felt. Frankenbikes Rule!
a side view

Now I really gotta figure out that steering stop. Have a couple of ideas but do not know if they will work or not.
I'll let you know... if I succeed that is :wink:

 

[American Vintage Bicycle Supply]

Re: Brown Sugar PROGRESS REPORT 5-28

Wow I like it! Love that seat!!!

 

[herr_rudolf]

Re: Brown Sugar PROGRESS REPORT 5-28

Awesome!
That seat looks WAY better now! Bike is comming allong great.
8)

 

[Rockit!]

Re: Brown Sugar PROGRESS REPORT 5-28

I love the chainguard....it looks like it came off a bad 70's station wagon!!

 

[JoKeR63]

Re: Brown Sugar PROGRESS REPORT 5-28

I love the chainguard....it looks like it came off a bad 70's station wagon!!

+1, I hope you're keepin' the wood grain. 8)

The Family Truckster lives!

 

[X-RAY]

Re: Brown Sugar PROGRESS REPORT 5-28

yeah, made me think of clark grizwald too. great movie. another vote for the woodgrain.

 

[motopsyco]

Re: Brown Sugar PROGRESS REPORT 5-28

yeah, made me think of clark grizwald too. great movie. another vote for the woodgrain.

Well I wasn't planning to keep it but you guys have given me a really good bad idea :mrgreen:
It may show up on this one or it may come on a later build.

So far I've dreamed up 4 or 5 more different bikes since I started on this one.....Help!!!

 

[Spokeshave]

Re: Brown Sugar PROGRESS REPORT 5-28

Looking good. Old school hot rod

 

[motopsyco]

Re: Brown Sugar PROGRESS REPORT 5-28

Looking good. Old school hot rod

Thanks! that is the idea after all.

Now wood grain fans don't get too excited looking at this post, because I actually ordered this big stick of balsa to be the core of a fiberglass tank, and most likely it will be, but you never know.
First a little Cardboard Aided Design work

How to make a long skinny block of wood into a short fat block of wood

Some day's it just feels like the weight of the whole world is pressing down on me...

Now I need to fit the mounting hardware before the final shaping and sanding can begin.

 

[SCHWINNRAY69]

Re: Brown Sugar PROGRESS REPORT 5-29

Great idea for the tank Really liking this build, keep up the good work :wink:

 

[motopsyco]

Re: Brown Sugar PROGRESS REPORT 5-29

No actual progress today but I did get over to Ebay for a set of taller ape hangers and a rear mounted kickstand.

 

[motopsyco]

Re: Brown Sugar PROGRESS REPORT 5-29

Got those taller apes in place.

Reach for the sky Mister! :roll:

Just in case you are afraid that this might turn into a mail order parts rod. This is my new seat post.

It's the front wheel spindle from an old Murray lawnmower.
You will see the rest of the pics tomorrow, I need to get some rest tonight

 

[motopsyco]

Re: Brown Sugar MURRAY (mower) PARTS TOO 6-7

Believe it or not the original seat post on this bike was so loose that no amount of clamping would keep it tight so I just rode it around with the seat in the lowest position all the time. Looked okay but not really the best thing for pedaling ease. Since joining this forum I have discovered the joy of lay back or "lucky 7" seat posts that allow me to stretch my legs but still look kewl.

Of course this hunk of metal is tool small for the seat post tube or to fit the clamp in the seat so I cut some pieces off of the original post and made some sleeves for it. Some slitting & hammering to get the sleeve on expanded it enough that it is now a very snug fit, in fact I actually had to polish it with emery cloth to get it to slide all the way in without tapping it.

Here it is with both sleeves in place and a little VHT satin black sprayed on. The sleeves are not painted because they'll be coated with anti-seize before the final installation.

Here's a shot of how it looks with the seat on it.

Now I gotta finish up my wheels, mount my new tires, finish the tank, and take the poor fitting & ugly "universal"(yeah right) rear stand and turn it into something I won't be ashamed to have on my bicycle. Then I can take it all back apart and start painting! :shock:

 

[motopsyco]

Re: Brown Sugar MURRAY (mower) PARTS TOO 6-8-11

Here was my dilemma with the wheels. The front wheel was a weather beaten old flat black mountain bike wheel, which would have been just perfect had the rear wheel not been so shiny and new looking.

So I washed them both good with a scotch brite pad and painted them a nice satin black. Then just for good measure I wrapped them in a set of brown Duro brick pattern tires

Since the bike is now top heavy and won't stand up on the sidestand any more I bought one of the universal rear stands that seem to be sold at every low rider shop on the internet. Does anyone here have any experience with one of these? If so how did it turn out?
Here it is in the locked position

and the unlocked position.... Which way is up?

This will need a lot of cutting and filing to fit right and even then it may still be a little ugly, but in this case I'll take the functionality.

 

[American Vintage Bicycle Supply]

Re: Brown Sugar Progress (& a question) 6-9-11

Nice nice...your on the right track

 

[motopsyco]

Re: Brown Sugar Progress (& a question) 6-9-11

Earlier I had posted a few shots of the beginning of the tank for this bike. Originally the plan was to make a plug to make a mold for a hollow fiberglass tank but this tank is so easy and inexpensive to make that I decided not to worry with the mold, should I decide to ever build another tank like this I'll just do it the same way. I used to build model airplanes and one of my favorite tricks for a durability and strength without a lot of weight was to coat the exposed wood parts with fiberglass resin without using the cloth. But I'm getting ahead of myself here first I have finish carving it to shape.
First since the balsa is not the best wood for putting screws into I added some oak plugs cut from a 5/8" dowel for strength.

Next I drew plenty of guidelines to help with symmetry.

Then I started in on it with a four in hand rasp. While I own a large 48" belt sander I feel a job like this should be done by hand with a rasp & sandpaper for the best control. Here I'm making the first cut.

A little while later,

Shaping the back end

Now its time to add the resin

Always wear gloves, and don't spill this stuff on yourself.

After it cures a day or two I'll sand it and get it ready. Since the planned paint job is a textured finish in a flat color I don't have to take the pains to get it mirror smooth like I normally would. That's one of the great things about building a Ratrod! 8)

 

[American Vintage Bicycle Supply]

Re: Brown Sugar TANK CONSTRUCTION UPDATE 6-12

Sweet...Will this bike make it to the show?