Menacing Air Force Bomber or Comfy Airstream Trailer
- Thread starter Tater
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:
Very cool bike, like it as it is, and would paint on it as little as possible.
I vote for the P-51 look, with a little olive drab paint here an there, and one or two small markings... brown leather seat for sure.
Maybe the headlight facing to the back, simulating the prop cover...
But by all means, please don´t over do it, bike is great this way and part of that is because it´s clean and simple.
Congrats man! :wink:
I vote for the P-51 look, with a little olive drab paint here an there, and one or two small markings... brown leather seat for sure.
Maybe the headlight facing to the back, simulating the prop cover...
But by all means, please don´t over do it, bike is great this way and part of that is because it´s clean and simple.
Congrats man! :wink:
Tater
E I E I O
Lugisland said:
The rivets are solid 3/32D x 5/16L brazier rivets that I got online from jay-cee sales and rivets. They sell them in boxes of a hundred or a thousand. I bought a box of a thousand because they are inexpensive and I wasn’t sure how many hundreds I was going to use. This is the link to the rivets: http://www.rivetsonline.com/index.p...e=A093B0312A&dispatch[products.search]=Submit
Here’s a not so quick explanation of how I installed them: I stripped the frame and got the finish to where I wanted it.
I then laid out the path of the rivets using the edge of masking tape and marked the exact placement of each rivet using a pencil compass.
Next, predrilled all the holes with a 1/16 bit then finished them with a 3/32 bit. At this point, the frame will need the burrs knocked back with very fine sandpaper. Do not use any polishing compound until all the rivets have been set.
Now It’s time to set the rivets using epoxy adhesive. I used the five-minute type that comes in a dual syringe dispenser. It took just over one kit to set the rivets on my frame. A can of acetone and several clean rags will also be needed to clean the excess epoxy that squeezes from under the rivet heads.
Mix a nickel sized patch of epoxy and apply a small dab using the point of a nail to about ten to fifteen holes then place a rivet in each hole and smack them down with a hard rubber faced hammer. Immediately soak a rag with acetone and wipe the excess epoxy off of the frame taking care get all of the excess removed from around the heads now as it is far more tedious to do it later. Note that the rivets used on the head tube need to be clipped short and seat tube rivets will need to be clipped practically at the head so they don't interfere with the seat post.I clipped them using a very small pair of diagonal wire cutters.
Keep setting rivets in easy to manage quantities and when they're all set, give the frame a good rubdown with rubbing compound and you’re done.
I took me about four hours to strip and finish sand the frame and about another four to layout and set the rivets.
Good luck and be sure to post some pics of your work.
Thanks. Yes, each rivet needed a hole drilled. It really didn't take all that much time. I've spent more time prepping frames for paint than I spent on this one.cman said:
Beautiful bike! I like it just the way it is. If you want to add something, maybe some airbrushed WW2 style "nose art" and some "kill stickers", like silhouettes of mountain bikes, track bikes, Stingrays, etc.
BTW, great explanation on the rivet process. Thanks!
BTW, great explanation on the rivet process. Thanks!
Tater
E I E I O
DesignIt said:
Thanks. The kill sticker idea is hilarious. I now have this image in my head of a some Ignatius Reilly type of character on a silver cruiser taking down a couple guys on track bikes. Thanks for the laugh.
You know, I am still amazed at how fast you got all this done. you should brag about that. :mrgreen:
I haven't even started putting parts together on mine. I just look at my parts and disappoint myself at how slow i'm working on it.
I haven't even started putting parts together on mine. I just look at my parts and disappoint myself at how slow i'm working on it.
Tater
E I E I O
rydr1 said:
LOL, I’ll let you do the braggin’. Meh, what’s the hurry? –Taking your time lets you mull over the possibilities.
loudboys said:Completely cool. And I'd have to say if you were to name it anything, it should be an XF-85 Goblin.
That little jet is awesome.
Note to self, mount small jet engine on rear rack.
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2009
- Messages
- 1,465
- Reaction score
- 1
Wow Tater, I just took a look at your Photobucket album and all I can say is WOW! It certainly has a lot more character than a factory job, and yet it is so very tastefully done! I too think it is more fighter than bomber. I bet it rides real sweet, doesn’t it?
Felt by Vovka Che it better!)))
http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=16855&p=216903#p216903
http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=16855&p=216903#p216903
Tater
E I E I O
Fireproof said:
Thanks for the props. I really do appreciate a complement coming from a builder like you. I still don’t know if I’m going to do anything else to it. Sitting in the garage amongst my other cruisers, it looks as done as it ought to be. It does indeed ride nice. It’s like riding on a cloud.
Tibor said:
Tibor, Thanks so much. I just took a look at the builds in your signature and have to say those are a couple of awesome bikes. Very nice work!
siberian said:
Siberian, that Russian chopper is freaking cool. I’ll have get my hands on a Felt chopper frame and build a lanky girlfriend for my bike. Then, about nine months later, I’ll build them little aluminum trike.
HRJ, thanks for the thoughts. It’s appreciated. I surfed on over and had a look at your Salt Shaker build. For sure, there’s very nice work on that one. You are indeed talented.HotRodJen said:
jiminyshiznit said:
Thanks Jiminy. I stare at it a lot. All those shinny little rivets make it mesmerizing and hypnotizing. :shock:
You’re probably right about it being too much bike for Ignatius Reilly. He’d be more at home on a hand-me-down or something from a Good Will store.
To kool for skool :mrgreen: :mrgreen: Great job :wink:
