ORBO Le Klunker de Acatène

[BartRidesEternal]

We do have till the end of March before this winter build off ends, IIRC @Captain Awesome ? So hopefully that will give you enough time BRE. I've never seen the brazing process so I'm anxious to view that!

Thank Oddjob, Even the ending of March is pretty soon for me. I have about 2 hours per week that I can work on the bike at the moment.

This was my class course a while back.
I was heating up the steel tubes with Gas+Oxygen. And dipping with the brass stick at the right temperature. The liquefied brass follows the heat, that is so fun to watch!
Before brazing you need to 'descale' (is,that the right word in American English?) the steel tubes, then thoroughly clean and degrease, then put flux everywhere. Then its time to burn.

I love the art of brazing (I don't do fillet brazing). But it requires a lot of work: Seamless mitering, clean working and fluxing. Plus, the materials need to have the same temperature when dipping brass!
And with a welding machine you can fill gaps + tack tubes before fully securing. So welding is a bit friendlier lets say.

Paul Brodie has great videos on brazing. He uses gas flux, so no need for the white sticky flux that I use.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Before brazing you need to 'descale' (is,that the right word in American English?) the steel tubes, then thoroughly clean and degrease

Yes. Removing the mill scale which is always present unless you pay for fully burnished stock. Even then it still needs cleaning

 

[BartRidesEternal]

I brazed a few bits today, even made, a little test mockup.

That gray steel frame with red fork looks pretty cool I noticed.

Note: Rear wheel is a dirty mockup. I did not have time to grab a 26" wheel. This rear wheel without tire is about the same size as a 26" wheel with tire.

I made marks where a bridge can be brazed on.

Eyelets brazed on.
Temporary screw.

Next to braze:
Rear shaft extra eyelet.
One or two bridges.
Strengthening points if necessary.

One final time brazing and then I can start cleaning up the frame and think about paint/clearcoat.

Seat tube seems more upright than I initially anticipated, but the long top tube makes up for it.
Very excited about the result!

 

[Wildcat]

A camelback straightbar looptail frame! Mass produced would be a good business venture. With the straight downtube looks like a 40's frame also. You could pass it off as a prewar custom frame.

You'll get about 3/4" or so more height up front when the cups and bearings go in, so the seat tube angle will be slightly more laid back.

 

[BartRidesEternal]

Good morning guys,

I have a Question:

So my bike gets the blue anodized AmXc rims (pictures below). And I currently have a opportunity to buy Panaracer Fire XC in:

• Blue
• Red
• Yellow
• Black (can't go wrong)

1. What colour tire will I buy with the blue anodized rims? Or could a coloured tire be 'too much'?
   I like retro bling, but I'm trying to grasp when its too much. I am not experienced in anodized styling.
2. What colour frame would fit the bike? I am thinking to leave the SHAFT silver grey or a striking colour.
3. Graphics/Chevrons..... (this is less important at the moment, but fun nonetheless).

Some of my thoughts:
I did not plan on using the red fork (picture below) but now that I saw that in combination with the blue anodised rims, I kinda love it. Looks retro-racy somehow.
I don't know if Panaracer Fire XC in red or blue would look better with that.
[edit] Looking at some pictures with blue anodized rims..... Maybe coloured tires are too much.... I do have some vintage new black tires lying around (same as the last picture of this post). Maybe I can mockup that first.

Below some pictures, first my wheel and then some inspirational pictures with blue rims or the panaracers.

Yes I am using @twojs.bike awesome build with the Fire XC's as inspiration! I love the red frame with tire walls!

Black tires, blue frame. Neat!

Random AmXc wheel. Not mine. Same rim.

Black frame, blue rims in the back right.

Thanks for any input. I can't promise to follow that, but its greatly appreciated!

 

[OddJob]

Good morning BRE (technically afternoon for you now!) from the home of the klunker / mountain bike, the western United States.

When I think of the booming years of the mtb in the late '80s - mid '90s, these paint jobs come to mind:

The Bontrager look with panels on the top and down tube separating two different colors for front and back, with the fork tied to the front color...

The Trek two tone frame, similar concept without the panels...

And the ultimate Klein fade. Which is really just two colors, one sprayed from the top (or back) of the tubes and one from the bottom (or front) of the tubes...

To me, these are three of the classic paint jobs from that era.

The colored tires (technically, just the sidewalls of the tires) came in later. Some alternative (softer, more grippy) tire compounds were used by a couple of companies, Onza with their white Porcupine tires, and Ritchey with their red Z-max; where the actual tire tread part was colored.

With your blue rims, I'd just stick with black, or my favorite vintage looking tire; the skinwall or gum walled tire. What really makes my Klunker Kat build stand out, besides the 27.5 x 2.35 size, is the skinwall look. To me it immediately says 'retro' or 'vintage'.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Bart, I wish I could give your post TWO hearts, one for the Basset Star Cruiser, and another for that gorgeous S&S Newport. What's that doing hiding behind those schwinns?

Great strandie research.
I think blue tires on blue rims would be too much... black walls ate stronger too

 

[Ulu]

Yellow + Blue
Not subtle, but people will see you coming.

 

[Pondo]

I agree with OJ, tanwalls would look great

For paint I think it would look good to keep the red fork and fade red to black on the frame

Or red to blue

An elaborate fade like this would be awesome

Or just go hog wild

Lots of cool options. Great build, keep having fun with it!

 

[Captain Awesome]

Tan walls for sure!

I could see that frame being some type of a slate gray or some iteration and then whatever color you decide to go with use that as your further accents

 

[Pondo]

Tan walls for sure!

I could see that frame being some type of a slate gray or some iteration and then whatever color you decide to go with use that as your further accents

That's interesting too. Grey frame or even bare metal. Maybe gray tires with tanwalls

 

[Captain Awesome]

That's interesting too. Grey frame or even bare metal. Maybe gray tires with tanwalls
View attachment 288864

I also really love this matte cream color that federal has been using on some of their BMX frames

I could definitely see some blue anodized popping in contrast to that finish. Plus, it would also work very well with chrome, polished aluminum or burnished aluminum.

 

[OddJob]

"WTS" . (What They Said)

 

[BartRidesEternal]

Good morning BRE (technically afternoon for you now!) from the home of the klunker / mountain bike, the western United States.

o me, these are three of the classic paint jobs from that era.

I love those paintjobs, I saw those a lot in the mountainbike museum in Arnhem last december. Even though I wholeheartedly agree on the level of awesomeness, I'm not feeling it on this build.

The colored tires (technically, just the sidewalls of the tires) came in later. Some alternative (softer, more grippy) tire compounds were used by a couple of companies, Onza with their white Porcupine tires, and Ritchey with their red Z-max; where the actual tire tread part was colored.

With your blue rims, I'd just stick with black, or my favorite vintage looking tire; the skinwall or gum walled tire. What really makes my Klunker Kat build stand out, besides the 27.5 x 2.35 size, is the skinwall look. To me it immediately says 'retro' or 'vintage'.

Tan walls do look great, I will consider that in combination with what @Captain Awesome said in post #72 (matte cream).

I agree with OJ, tanwalls would look great
View attachment 288856
View attachment 288858

For paint I think it would look good to keep the red fork and fade red to black on the frame
View attachment 288859
View attachment 288860

Or red to blue
View attachment 288861

An elaborate fade like this would be awesome
View attachment 288862

Or just go hog wild
View attachment 288863

Lots of cool options. Great build, keep having fun with it!

Thanks! I instantly downloaded the first two klunkers, they look great! I had to look up what a chrome job would cost nearby but its a bit over the budget

Bart, I wish I could give your post TWO hearst, one for the Basset Star Cruiser, and another for that gorgeous S&S Newport. What's that doing hiding behind those schwinns? View attachment 288850
Great strandie research.
I think blue tires on blue rims would be too much... black walls ate stronger too

Yeah I saved those strandies a while ago, I love the orange with golden rims.
That picture you posted... the metallic frame with looptail and its scratches just looks ultimate-vintage. @OddJob was right about the tan walls. Awesome machine

Yellow + Blue
Not subtle, but people will see you coming.

RAL 1028 is nice, a 'little' subtle
The colours name is 'melon yellow'.... hmm

That's interesting too. Grey frame or even bare metal. Maybe gray tires with tanwalls
View attachment 288864

Yeah I had this thought: Bare metal (clear coated) frame with 'coloured' chevrons and a similar coloured fork. Blue anodized bling.
The 'coloured' bit in my previous sentence could be: Cream, Gold (like the post I'm replying to). Or even (matte) red.

I also really love this matte cream color that federal has been using on some of their BMX frames

View attachment 288867

I could definitely see some blue anodized popping in contrast to that finish. Plus, it would also work very well with chrome, polished aluminum or burnished aluminum.

Wow I like like this!

 

[ChaOs]

I agree with OJ, tanwalls would look great
View attachment 288856
View attachment 288858

For paint I think it would look good to keep the red fork and fade red to black on the frame
View attachment 288859
View attachment 288860

Or red to blue
View attachment 288861

An elaborate fade like this would be awesome
View attachment 288862

Or just go hog wild
View attachment 288863

Lots of cool options. Great build, keep having fun with it!

Mhhh that sour it's a purple haze frame, right?

 

[BartRidesEternal]

Thanks for all the great ideas! I now have a 'general direction' in regards to paint and colouring.

I think about painting the frame, fork and shaft myself.

I'll try the black tires I have in a mockup first. Then see what colour comes to me.

Coming friday is going to be a warm day, but I won't be finished with my frame by then.

Currently I am working on ze forks:

I bought a new CrMoly 1 1/8" threadless fork tube.
>The crown part of the tube is 30mm.
>The Manitou crown is 28.6mm and no space for reaming...
>The Manitou fork has 28.6mm holes fork the legs and I have 28mm fork legs...

Why does everything has to be custom?

Fork legs: 0.25mm shim plate. Placed with a little two-component glue. Check!

Crown-Fork tube:

Why? So I can still utilize standardized bearings and now I won't have to ream the aluminum fork crown.

I will press a CrMoly tube in there to make up for the lost material.

Safety thirst!

 

[Pondo]

Mhhh that sour it's a purple haze frame, right?

This one? I'm not sure, I just liked the color scheme. Cool frame though for sure.

 

[ChaOs]

This one? I'm not sure, I just liked the color scheme. Cool frame though for sure.
View attachment 288927

I would love to have one of their bikes, they are one of the few companies that build their steelframes here in Germany.

https://sour.bike/