Mr & Mrs

[Galtbacken]

Hey there people!

Here's the double build that I've mentioned in the Whippet thread. I've successfully managed to not start this build when I'd have plenty of time to finish the bikes so now I'd better get this build going full throttle, so to speak. It's going to be one bike for a gentleman and one bike for a lady.
Due to the tight schedule I won't get into minute detail of every step of the build, but I'll try to post photos of the progress as much as I can.

Here are the donor bikes:

Today I started on the forks. Didn't make the dropouts myself this time, I had two identical forks and cut the dropouts off of them.

I continue on the forks tomorrow, hope to get them pretty much done by then!

 

[Fireproof]

I'll be watchin'! 8)

 

[FatBoy]

I'll be watchin'! 8)

Me 2

 

[Galtbacken]

Glad to have you both along for the ride!

Forks!

There will be trusses on them, I'll make those after I've made the frames. I've got sketches of the bikes but I haven't scanned them yet, so I thought that I'd show the bikes come together before I post the sketches this time. :mrgreen:

Won't be able to do any bike building tomorrow, got rehearsals during the day and a gig in the evening. Hope to fire up the welder again on monday!

Take care everybody!

 

[CapnUNITarian]

Very cool! Wish I could add welding to my vast area of interests , but I really enjoy watching a craftsman at work 8)
From the looks of those fine forks, maybe should be:
'one bike for a gentleman, and one for the 'little' lady'? :wink:

 

[Galtbacken]

Thanks! The lady is normal size, the gentleman is a tall fellow.

One dilemma with having a vast area of interests is to make time for everything. A friend of mine started to play golf a few years ago and encouraged me to pick that up too, "it's so much fun, I think you'd really enjoy it!" so i replied "that's what I'm afraid of, 'cause I got so many things I enjoy doing, I don't see how I could find the time for another one". :lol:

Anyway, if the welding interest stays with you I'm sure you could find a simple welder that doesn't cost a fortune (like mine), or borrow one and give it a try..."it's so much fun, I think you'd really enjoy it!!" :mrgreen: I'm no expert in any way, but it's like a lot of other things, you learn along the way.

 

[CapnUNITarian]

Thanks! The lady is normal size, the gentleman is a tall fellow.

One dilemma with having a vast area of interests is to make time for everything. A friend of mine started to play golf a few years ago and encouraged me to pick that up too, "it's so much fun, I think you'd really enjoy it!" so i replied "that's what I'm afraid of, 'cause I got so many things I enjoy doing, I don't see how I could find the time for another one". :lol:

Anyway, if the welding interest stays with you I'm sure you could find a simple welder that doesn't cost a fortune (like mine), or borrow one and give it a try..."it's so much fun, I think you'd really enjoy it!!" :mrgreen: I'm no expert in any way, but it's like a lot of other things, you learn along the way.

Thanks G Yep, time management has always been a problem for me, and you sound just like me-- being afraid to try golf, coz you might like it-- just like me :roll: I worked in a steel mill for 33 years and learned how to weld-- a bit. Doubt that I'll add a welder to my collection-- there's a cool motorcycle shop nearby I can probably get any welding done I might want-- "Steel City Choppers" and they've built some mighty fine looking choppers 8)

Thanks again for the advice. Looking forward to seeing this pair progress

 

[Galtbacken]

CapnUNITarian: I think you might very well know much more about welding than I do then! I feel like I'm in the initial learning stages when it comes to welding and working with metal. I googled Steel City Choppers and found a video on youtube, they sure build mighty fine looking choppers!!

Here's what I've done since the last update:

Cut the frames. Here are the parts I'll be using from the donor bikes.

Started with Mrs. Needed to make the down tube longer.

Fixed the rear triangle and the fork/head tube in my super high tech wooden jig and started to weld the frame together.

Kept on cutting and heating and bending and mitering and welding until the frame was pretty much done!

Tomorrow I'll start on Mr...

 

[CapnUNITarian]

8) Good looking weld there!

I rarely got a good continuous bead like that. I was a bearing repairman, and we were only allowed to weld certain things-- no lifting devices :roll: -- and all our welding was on big, heavy duty bearing chocks, etc. If I was to try and weld a bike frame now........ :mrgreen: -- I'd be burning holes in it instead of welding it together.



You just keep on cutting, heating, bending, mitering, and welding! Looks like you're doing great! 8) 8)

 

[Galtbacken]

Thanks, some of them turn out nice! That was one of the easier welds. :mrgreen: Both tubes was the same thickness and it was just a matter of going around them in a straight line. The trickiest parts to weld, for me at least, are those where the tubes that are to be welded together are not the same thickness (the bigger difference the trickier), and are to be joined in a tight angle where it's hard to reach or see what you're doing. Oh my... :roll:

Here's the progress since my last update:

Made the frame for the Mr yesterday.

Both bikes on wheels! Haven't put on new tires on Mrs, need to polish the wheels first.

Next up is to finish the forks!

 

[Fireproof]

You just keep on cutting, heating, bending, mitering, and welding! Looks like you're doing great! 8) 8)

+1 You do nice work! Lookin great so far! 8)

 

[Gdcast]

Very cool, nice looking frames you´ve built there Galt! A perfect match!
I have one request only though, please don´t start golfing till finishing the Whippet! :lol:

I´ve been experimenting the same time trouble you have, haven't touched my build since a couple of months and I really miss cutting, bending, welding, painting (not missing sanding though :lol: ).
Keep up the great work my friend! :lol:

 

[Galtbacken]

Thanks guys!!

I have one request only though, please don´t start golfing till finishing the Whippet! :lol:

Haha, you have my word!! :lol: Long time since you posted any progress pics of your build-off-bike...don't tell me you've picked up golf!!!??? :lol: Anyway, I look forward too seeing more of that build!

I've been terribly bad at keeping up with all the cool builds here lately, hope to have more time on my hands for that again soon.

On to some updates on Mr & Mrs:

Finished the forktrusses. After this photo was taken I've also added a small bracket for the front light on the trusses.

Finished the shells for the front lights. I'll make the reflectors from fiberglass.

Those are the same kind of front lights as I made for the J.B.40 and the Galtbacken 18 (but without visors), if you'd like to see more details of how the lights are made there are more photos and descriptions in the build threads for those two bikes.

I've finished the shells for the rear lights, but forgot to take a photo of them. I'll include that in my next update!

I'm off to a gig on saturday, so there probably won't be any building going on on my behalf until after the weekend. Stay tuned!

 

[FatBoy]

These are gonna look sweet!I wish I had half your talent 8)

 

[Gdcast]

Haha, you have my word!! :lol: Long time since you posted any progress pics of your build-off-bike...don't tell me you've picked up golf!!!??? :lol: Anyway, I look forward too seeing more of that build!

I know you are a man of your word, I´m happy

Many reasons why I dropped out the build-off (including volcanic activity), but golfing wont ever be one of them at least for as long as I can still surf :wink:
I will definitely finish that bike soon, I´m feeling the need, the need for a build!

Mr´s & Mrs´s are looking awesome! Loving everything on them, frame, forks, lamps... incredible as usual.
Good show on Saturday :!: :wink:

 

[Galtbacken]

Thanks for the kind words guys, it's good to hear you like them!

Volcanic activity...why would a minor thing like that prevent you from building a bike?! :mrgreen: On a serious note, I hope it didn't cause too much devastation.

The gig went well thanks, I had a great time! Done some more work on the bikes since I got home:

Rear lights in place.

The rear fenders are pretty much done, just need to drill a few holes in them.

I started on the chainguards today, hope to finish them tomorrow!

I'll start making the reflectors for the lights tomorrow as well, and get some more done on the front fenders. I'll need to finish building these bikes this week, so that I can start painting them next week.

Thank you for your interest in the build!

 

[SCHWINNRAY69]

Lookin' good :wink:

 

[jaysmo]

true definition of home made..... 8) you sir are a true artist...

 

[Gdcast]

true definition of home made..... 8) you sir are a true artist...

That´s something we just can´t get tired of saying

Volcano is in Chile, but with winds from the west, ashes fly all over here... is been quiet for the last 15 days now, but was there to mess up my RRBO build. I still have to clean and repaint all the wood in my balcony, but not before I finish the bike! :mrgreen:

So, you´re getting factory quality with fiberglass fenders, those look marvellous! Have you innovated your technique for making them? Foam, fabric and resin? Is that still the recipe?

Chain guards are magnificent, just magnificent, I hope I can emulate you for my next cruiser build, I´m thinking long, fifties, rocket tail like, fiberglass chain guard...

See? you´re still my best source of inspiration, don´t you dare to start golfing!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Galtbacken]

Thank you! I lift my hat, or in this case the welding mask, and give my appreciation to all of you! This forum is filled with creative and talented people who inspire and give ideas and advice. Glad to be a part of all this!

There's a volcano on Iceland, that caused delays and cancelled flights in all of northern europe quite recently. Sometimes nature speaks, and all we can do is listen.
Hey Gdcast, I really look forward to following your future builds, sounds really cool! 8) I made the fenders on the plug I made from mdf-board. The first time I used it was when I built the J.B.40. I think there might be a photo of it in that build thread. On the J.B.40 I made the fenders with only fiberglass, on the Galtbacken 18 I experimented a little and used stretch fabric from an old bedcover and for these bikes I've made the fender with a combination of fiberglass and stretch fabric. One layer of fiberglass (I cut strips about 15 mm wide and lay them on with a small overlap) and when that has cured I sand it down a little to make it smoother and clean of the sanding dust with aceton, then I cover the fiberglass with fabric and tie that with string to stretch it and hold it in place before applying polyester resin. When that's cured I sand it a little, then apply another coat of polyester...and when that has cured I sand it smooth. You too love sanding, I've heard. :lol:

On to the build:

Finished the chainguards!

Before I cut the holes in them.

Mr.

Mrs.

And while Mr was basking in the sun I took a snapshot of him.

I've made one of the front fenders and I'll start on the other tomorrow. I've also made the plugs for the front light reflectors.

I'll be back with more updates soon! Thanks again everybody!