Semper Fi-cycle

[PabloAntonio]

I brought The Longboard to my buddy's company picnic just to post it at his beer booth as a conversation starter, and I was commissioned to build another wood-detailed bike by his co-worker's husband. He gave me artistic license to create whatever I thought would be awesome, and offered me a wood planer in trade. I'm in.

I know his wife and daughters, and they gave me some intel on his history, and it turns out he's a Former Marine and very proud of it. So there you have it. I have a theme, I have a frame, and I have some awesome ideas.

Theme will obviously be very USMC-centric. Here are some of my thoughts so far:

- USMC colors are crimson and gold. I'll achieve the crimson with the frame and some of the metal parts. I'll achieve the gold with some nicely-stained wood with pretty lamination. More on the lamination as the build progresses.

- Wrap the exposed portion of the handlebar stem with leather, thus creating a leather neck, a nod to one of the nicknames for Marines.

- Fashion a headlight out of a mason jar, creating a "Jarheadlight."

- Add some 550 cord details where appropriate (ropework is sort of another hobby of mine).

- Apply Eagle Globe and Anchor details where appropriate. Maybe rivet something to the saddle, or work it in as a headbadge. Perhaps inlay the USMC seal into the tank pieces.

- I'm considering naming some of the battle streamers of the USMC, and if I can find out which unit he was with, be even more specific to the unit. We'll see how that shakes out as things progress.

Okay, that's all I got for now. Waiting on that frame, and this build can officially get underway. Hoorah, Devil Dogs!

 

[Craiggo]

He will surely be proud and surprised with this bike. I will keep my eye on this build. :shock: 8) 8)

 

[JimK]

Paul,
Sounds like another very cool build. Just a thought off the top of my head as a "detail" get a couple of 45 cal shells, and epoxy the rubber valve caps into them. The look cool as valve stem caps. I made some like that for my motorcycle over 5 years ago and they are still hanging in there. They can also be used as bolt covers on some bolts, maybe to cover the bolts holding the tank together.???

JimK

 

[PabloAntonio]

Paul,
Sounds like another very cool build. Just a thought off the top of my head as a "detail" get a couple of 45 cal shells, and epoxy the rubber valve caps into them. The look cool as valve stem caps. I made some like that for my motorcycle over 5 years ago and they are still hanging in there. They can also be used as bolt covers on some bolts, maybe to cover the bolts holding the tank together.???

JimK

You and I might be sharing a brain, Jim. I'm thinking about the same stuff. I read somewhere else in the forum that .40 casings will actually friction fit onto a valve stem cover.

 

[gowjobs]

Lettered somewhere on the bike (across back of seat?): "Improvise, adapt, overcome."

 

[JimK]

JimK[/quote]
You and I might be sharing a brain, Jim. I'm thinking about the same stuff. I read somewhere else in the forum that .40 casings will actually friction fit onto a valve stem cover.[/quote]

That could be. I have no idea, but I do know that the 45. cal looks cool. Whatever you do I am sure will look good. A word of caution though, it will be very easy to go over the top on a build like this. Step back once in a while and take note to avoid that trap. Unless he is an over the top sort of person.

JimK

 

[PabloAntonio]

Hey all! Just wanted to check in and say that this project is not dead in the water. I'd gotten a 80's Murray Monterey that I could butcher for this project, but a new member to RRB wanted that bike exactly the way it was. Nostalgia, I suspect, got the best of him, and he's offered up some money in exchange for the bike that I have. I'm no one to get in the way of nostalgia, so the Semper Fi-cycle is on hold until I find another bike to take apart and put back together.

In the meantime, I've been poking around on these here interwebz and got some ideas on how to accomplish the Jarhead light, but I think I can improve on the execution of this idea. I'm thinking I'll have to sacrifice a reflector dish from a flashlight. Off to the local swap meet I go next weekend.

In other news, I got my hands on a mean woodworking machine that'll make this build go much more smoothly than my last build. Incidentally, this build thread will also incorporate the learning process with using this machine. Hopefully I won't be learning how to type with fewer than 10 fingers in the process. :shock:

 

[josh_from_ga]

The Eagle, Globe, and Anchor headbadge is a great idea!

 

[Chips_Mahoy]

This gives me an ideer..... My uncle is a former Marine, Vietnam Veteran, and still has his childhood J.C. Higgins. I wonder if he would let me do a USMC themed bike with his JCH? IF not I could use one of my others and give to him as a gift. He's a big part of the reason why I made the military a career. Ic ould be a nice way to say "thanks".