Fairlady

[Galtbacken]

Thanks buddy!

Got some more done:

Stuff I use to shape plexiglass. I clamp a piece of 2 mm plexiglass between the MDF-boards and make sure the holes in them align, then I apply heat with the torch and press something with an appropriate shape into the softened plexi.

The "something" used to press with! This time the back end of a can opener had the shape I was after. Last time it was a Vic Firth 5A drumstick. Only the finest tools will do... :wink:

Here's the result. I made a whole bunch of them to make sure I got two that were alike. I also figured I'll probably want some for future builds.

This is what it looks like in place.

Decided to sand the fins down a little.

Here's the difference it made. Might not seem like much, but it pleases my eyes more. I'll just round off the tips a little.

Thought that I'd do some welding today, but once I'd cut and grinded this bracket for the rear fender I found out that I'd run out of wire for my welder. All that were left were just enough to get it tacked in place. I'll buy more tomorrow.

So instead I went on and made a template for the skirtguard.

I might change the back curve on the fiberglass guards so that they don't have a too heavy look.

Next will be to make the skirtguards from fiberglass. You probably guessed it! Some more sanding will also be on my evening schedule. I've made a battery holder on the back of the reflector, and I've soldered the LED-circuits for the lights but I've forgot to take photos. I'll show those in my next update! I promise!!! :lol:

This is the man in the woods signing out for today!

 

[FOUND OBJECTS]

Looking Great!

 

[Half Link]

I just grabbed a cold drink and some popcorn so I can set back and enjoy yet another Galtbacken
bike build movie. In this episode... Galt was not challenged enough so he went to a place WITH
NO POWER!!! I can't even fill up my bike tire with out electricity. :shock: :lol:

You are Simply Amazing my friend! HL

 

[mikek]

I just grabbed a cold drink and some popcorn so I can set back and enjoy yet another Galtbacken
bike build movie. In this episode... Galt was not challenged enough so he went to a place WITH
NO POWER!!! I can't even fill up my bike tire with out electricity. :shock: :lol:

You are Simply Amazing my friend! HL

Agreed! When he starts making his own bearings and tires I am getting a new hobby!

 

[deorman]

I don't know about tires and bearings, but it won't be a surprise to me :| if he ends up turning out his own rims and/or hubs by the time he's geezin! :wink:

 

[Galtbacken]

Thank you all so much!

Your hobby is safe mikek, I have no plans on making bearings or tires! :lol: But as deorman wrote, it's not impossible that I might someday try and make a rim and a hub if I feel a need for it.
I've been cheating, there's electricity in the garage where I'm welding the frame...but next year I'll learn how to weld using nothing else than two twigs from a pine tree and sheer will power! :lol:

Some progress:

Started making fork trusses. Welded in a piece of threaded rod at the end of the tubes.

Filed smooth.

Bent the tubes.

Didn't like the look of them on the bike, so I cut the tubes closer to the bend and welded in new threaded rods.

The end pieces.

Must have taken measurements with my eyes closed! This is how much they're off!! :lol:

Problem solved!

Made the little attachment piece for the trusses from fiberglass. I'd originally thought that I'd make it from steel, but making it from fiberglass allowed me to spend more time at the cabin! I also want to get a good feel for what I can make from fiberglass and how it works. For future builds... :wink:

LED-circuits and battery holder for the lights. There's fiberglass dust on everything i touch!! :lol:

Rearlights. Or a caricature of an owl.

Making skirtguards. All the stuff on the cardboard are to keep it from warping, it was raining that day.

Rough shape. I've cut them down further and changed the back curve on them since this photo.

Welded on a bracket for the chainguard.

At the front I used the one already on the bike from the start.

With the skirtguard. Still not the final shape, changed the curve again after this photo.

Now I'm off to the garage to get some more work done on the trusses!

 

[theVULTURE]

your glass-work is top notch!!! 8)

I really dig the little 9volt battery holder you made. It's the little details in your builds that totally set you apart from the rest.

all that fiberglass = less weight! the lucky lady that will ride this bike, will be able to carry it up a flight of stairs with no problem :wink:

 

[FOUND OBJECTS]

That's coming out great! Will you try a fiberglass frame in the future? Wouldn't know how strong it would be...I'm guessing it would be a diplay kind of thing if you did.

 

[user 135]

Your fabrication is amazing. Definately some Mad Skillz.

So many cool details.

 

[mikek]

Galtbacken: All kidding aside... You have amazing fabrication skills and it is a great pleasure to read your posts. Others have said it already, but thank you for taking the time to document your builds. Keep up the good work, brother!

 

[g-ratter]

Galtbacken,
Does it look like you need to rework the curve on the wheel skirt. From the picture it looks to me it has a bit of a flat spot in the middle???

 

[sensor]

your work is always amazing(although i was wondering why you made the truss plate out of glass until i actually read the post)!

 

[Hooch]

some people take bikes to a complete different level and you my friend are one of those people!

 

[Galtbacken]

Thanks guys!

the VULTURE: Thanks! I figure it's sometimes the small details, those that doesn't really show, that can help the things you see to look better. I'll have to cut that battery holder off and reattach it a little bit higher up. Turnes out it touched the switch when I'd put that in. Oh well, could have been worse... 8)

FOUND OBJECTS: Thanks! My plan is to make a bike with sort of a metal/fiberglass-composite frame and fork. I'll use much smaller steel tubing and build a body around that with foam and fiberglass. I don't think that it'll be lighter than a regular bike, probably about the same weight, but it may allow me to make shapes that would make the bike too heavy if I made them from the usual sizes of tubes and then make the body from sheet metal. If a bike's too heavy it's less likely to be a rider, and I wouldn't want it to be for display only. More of that later, I have it all drawn out on paper.

mikek: Thanks! I'm glad you like what I do! To me, if I didn't show how I've done the different parts, it would feel like "look what I've done", but if I show everybody who may be interested how I've made those parts and what simple tools are required it feels to me more like "here's what I've done and so could you". I'm more comfortable with the later. Also to see how someone else has done something can trigger ideas of other ways of doing it!

g-ratter: Yep, you're right! I saw that and changed that curve a little. I've been sanding them down a little at a time, so that I don't take away too much right away and have to start over from scratch. I think they're better now, but I still might adjust them some more. Thanks for your input!

cman, sensor and Hooch: Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!!

Some more documentation! :wink:

Here's what the ends of the trusses looks like after I adjusted them to fit.

Head light bracket.

Trusses and head light in place.

Made brackets for the rear lights from sheet metal and pop riveted them to the shells. The other end of the bracket is attached to the frame with a screw. Pop rivet by the way, if I had named those they'd be called rock and roll rivets!! Pop...pff! :lol:

Here's the chainguard, skirtguard with a slightly more rounded curve, and rearlights. I'll try to remember to take a close up photo of the rearlight attachments. Hm...when I see this photo I think the skirtguards need just a little more sanding. Still not "there" yet.

Made these for joining the skirtguards and the fender. Rock and roll rivets in the skirtguards and M4 screws and acorn nuts through the fender.

It's getting close to painting time! I've already bought paint. Originally I was thinking some light turquoise and cream white, but I couldn't find the shade of turquoise I wanted so it'll be something like a champagne colour with a bit of sparkle to it and cream white. Stripes will be wine red to tie together with what I have in mind for the seat cover. I've also adapted the Galtbacken logo to match the theme. :wink:

Hope to get a lot done tomorrow! Thanks for reading!

 

[FOUND OBJECTS]

What color are you thinking of painting her?

 

[Galtbacken]

These are the colours:

Here's a photo of the little bracket I riveted to each rearlight.

Didn't go as planned today. :| I had aimed at getting the skirts in place and start taking the bike apart for some sanding before paint, but when I left the cabin I forgot to bring the chainguard and so I couldn't fit the skirts, or do much of anything else on the bike either, for that sake. But heck, there's a seatcover to be made!! So I went to my mother's workshop and started on that, about the same time the battery in my camera ran out, so there are no step by step photos of the seat cover. But I did as I've done on my previous bike builds, and there's a bunch of pics in those threads if you'd like to see the process.

Anyway, here's the seatcover so far. I'll stretch it further over the seat to fit tightly and probably rivet it around the edge. Doesn't really show too well in the photo, but the trim is wine red.

We'll see if I remember to bring the chainguard to the garage tomorrow...

 

[FOUND OBJECTS]

You always make great seats...can you give a link to your best step by step? I think I'll give it a try
Cool color match on the seat with the paint too!

 

[Galtbacken]

Thank you buddy! Colour matching the seat and the paint happened almost by accident. Originally I thought of making the seat white on the sides and wine red on the top, with black trim. I had forgotten that I had that nougat colour vinyl lying around, and it was pure luck that it matched the spraypaint so well!
I think this may be the best step by step I've posted on how I make the seats: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=10300&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=30
Hope you can get a few ideas from it, I most definitely think that you should go a head and give it a try, have fun with it!

Today's progress:

Riveted the attachment pieces I made the other day to the skirts.

Gave them a slight bend.

Drilled holes in the fender and the chainguard, and the right side is done! I'll just sand the skirt a little to make an even gap between it and the edge of the fender.

On the left side I welded on two brackets on the rearstays to hold the bottom part of the skirts in place.

Left side done!

I also drilled holes in the downtube and the rearstays to run the light cables through the frame. And by that, the fabrication of parts is finished! Some filler to smooth out the welds and some sanding and then, tomorrow, it's paint paint paint if the weather allows, fingers crossed!

 

[deorman]

Git-er-dun :|
:wink:

 

[FOUND OBJECTS]

Thanks for the seat link! I'll surley give it a go! Going to be waiting for painted pics :lol: Can't wait actually :lol: