The Clash

[user 35233]

A very cool building superintendent let me pick a bike and some parts from a squad of rides left behind over eight years.

As I ride my designs daily I was always a little meticulous about losing the leg room where my other bike frame's top bar bends but I was curious as to whether the straight bar might better support my weight. Especially as my frames tend to rip at the weld or just above. So I chose this ole Sears/AMF joint to play with.

I've been collecting these parts in hope karma might drop something like this into my lap.

I painted the frame with Testors/Rustoleum metal flake then clear coated with Duplicolor. The fork shows the original frame color after WD40-ing what seemed like solidified grease over adhesive reside from the entire frame. I find that forks almost always get better factory paint than does the rest of the bicycle with a faint fade showing more metallic shine in the middle. Shame to paint it but I dig the detail at the top.

I bought the Hot Pink Tannus before I fell in love with this seat fabric so I have to rethink the lighter pink. Got some darker ones to try too. I drool over those cables which are a nice pinkish-purple now but with time they tend to lighten so my tire choice may be based on this.

These are the Vegas Pink Tannus just above

 

[user 35233]

The gold chronicles. I'm using a discontinued Duplicolor Metalcast color because it looked more orange than the updated offering. I was happy with it in some light, disappointed with it in others.

You can see It coats well but produces an ugly green hue at differing angles that just doesn't work with my color choices. If I weren't trying to match it to a nicer finish and tones of red then it could have contended for best OTC faux-gold [translucent] spray.

Different metals and finishes produced varied results as was the case with this neck. Unpolished aluminum at the head shone less green but lacks realism.

That fender was silver. Close, but I just can't see covering my cranks with this. Sanding it off before clear coating is a breeze so testing is care-free but sanding it off the crevices of my cogs would be time consuming. The arms would turn out yellow, the sprockets green and the pedals might need to be a store bought gold finish. I went for a second try with a thinner coat.

Still matching decently at a certain angle but too noticeable at others.

To reiterate this is a very good product if all your parts are uniformly polished and of the same metals, but now I've painted myself into a corner and must commit to learning how to electroplate.

 

[Ulu]

You get the same issues if plating over different metals. They often don’t match exactly.

 

[ingola]

The gold chronicles. I'm using a discontinued Duplicolor Metalcast color because it looked more orange than the updated offering. I was happy with it in some light, disappointed with it in others.
View attachment 223918
You can see It coats well but produces an ugly green hue at differing angles that just doesn't work with my color choices. If I weren't trying to match it to a nicer finish and tones of red then it could have contended for best OTC faux-gold [translucent] spray.
View attachment 223919Different metals and finishes produced varied results as was the case with this neck. Unpolished aluminum at the head shone less green but lacks realism.
View attachment 223914
That fender was silver. Close, but I just can't see covering my cranks with this. Sanding it off before clear coating is a breeze so testing is care-free but sanding it off the crevices of my cogs would be time consuming. The arms would turn out yellow, the sprockets green and the pedals might need to be a store bought gold finish. I went for a second try with a thinner coat.
View attachment 223920
Still matching decently at a certain angle but too noticeable at others.View attachment 223921View attachment 223922To reiterate this is a very good product if all your parts are uniformly polished and of the same metals, but now I've painted myself into a corner and must commit to learning how to electroplate.

Polish all metal to almost chrome finish and it will match if you notice your stem was dull metal cast is a clear coat. If dull underneath itll stay dull.

 

[user 35233]

Polish all metal to almost chrome finish and it will match if you notice your stem was dull metal cast is a clear coat. If dull underneath itll stay dull.

Yes, that fender is continually re-buffed between painting but while polishing dull parts to a shine does show better reflection the varied alloys in the frame's trim, brakes, fenders, etc produce different underlying hues.

 

[user 35233]

You get the same issues if plating over different metals. They often don’t match exactly.

It's an high ante crap shoot for sure. Research points toward a 14K solution matching my parts better than the darker 18 or 24k solutions. That and the fact it can be done with a common AC adaptor such as an old phone charger should save a bit. Otherwise I'm out of options.

 

[Ulu]

Usually the current draw is not very high** and if you want to do it outdoors to avoid breathing the fumes you can use batteries.

** The draw will all depend on how much metal you’ve got in the electrolyte solution, and more particularly, the exposed surface area. Of course this will vary with the balance in surface area between the cathode and anode as well.

 

[user 35233]

Usually the current draw is not very high** and if you want to do it outdoors to avoid breathing the fumes you can use batteries.

** The draw will all depend on how much metal you’ve got in the electrolyte solution, and more particularly, the exposed surface area. Of course this will vary with the balance in surface area between the cathode and anode as well.

Thank you! I may hit you up later for advice. Do you have any experiments I can see @Ulu & @ingola ?

 

[ingola]

I have no

Thank you! I may hit you up later for advice. Do you have any experiments I can see @Ulu & @ingola ?

I've used it but the best @OddJob has a muscle bike that's one of the best uses of it I've seen.

 

[ingola]

https://ratrodbikes.com/threads/rats-gass-great-year-all-pg-26.110959/page-26#post-1152020That's it excellent build.

 

[user 35233]

Gettin antsy waiting on May 1st with all these parts accumulating. Making unrequested video of myself comparing colors and calling it a How-To. A tip that would have saved me hours of frustration on my first few airless installs... How to wrap Tannus Tyres around a rim with your feet in 45 seconds.

Is stretching building? If so I'll remove 'em and document it

 

[user 35233]

Dear Diary:

Trying to stay busy without building. Since this frame came with stickers rather than painted logo and head badge I thought I'd do some research into American Machine and Foundry for significant detailing ideas. I didn't realize they made everything from pretzel benders to Harleys.

American Machine and Foundry originally incorporated in New Jersey but operated out of my home town of Brooklyn. (score 1 point for relational context). In the 60s they built launching silos for the Titan and Atlas ICBMs, and also developed the rail-car launching system for the solid-fueled Minuteman missile. AMF also sold Pakistan and Iran their first nuclear reactors under the Atoms for Peace program now understood as Eisenhower’s campaign to seduce NATO and push a shift from traditional weaponry to nuclear missiles. (rut-ro). Anywhoo, by the late 1970s the company lost an average of $8 million per year and that's where I swoop in... though at that point made in Olney, Illinois, (lose 1 point for relative context), finding it's way to Brooklyn 45 years later.

So my bike was made by the self proclaimed makers of weekends, war machines and machinations. A fitting juxtaposition for "The Clash" of colors and eras I was wrestling with from afar and originally sparking the title of my build. That coupled with my discovering the seatpost and front fork's axle holes are smaller than my Schwinn parts I was sensing the impending battle. But I did find an interesting connection between the Atlas ICBM and the band that comes to mind while trying to mash this 70s frame with 80s styling.

Coincidentally the Clash's debut album was made the very same month my frame was made in 1977, (I prefer their 79 stuff but I'll take the point), so I think I've got some ideas. Now to implement them. Can't wait for the rain to stop round here. Tools out!

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Trying to understand the point system here...
I think we are +1 at the moment?

 

[user 35233]

Trying to understand the point system here...
I think we are +1 at the moment?

I'm desperately attempting to grasp at any significant value since my frame is sooo boring.

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