wow with out knowing the lens is plexi glass I would've thought that you were a master glass blower 
Maybe you can make a tricked out trailer with the left over tubes
Maybe you can make a tricked out trailer with the left over tubes
The Galtbacken 18
- Thread starter Galtbacken
- Start date
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looks great! maybe your leftovers could be some kind of stretch?
...even your leftovers look great...
Glad you're back!
Glad you're back!
dragsterIII: Nah, I'm just a pexi glass abuser... :lol:
Maybe they'll just go in the trash.
Thanks for the kind words though!
herr_rudolf: Thank you very much! Couldn't stay away for very long, this bike building thing has become somewhat of a release valve for me. A good way to keep my mind off other things and blow off some steam...
Gdcast: Thanks! I saw that trick once on Biker Build Off on the Discovery channel and tried it the first time on the Mustang build.
Here are the latest progress photos:
Rearlight.
My initial plan was to make the holder for the rear reflector out of cloth and polyester and build it into the fender, but I really didn't feel like messing with sticky resin right now so I made it out of steel instead.
Next is to weld some cable guides to the frame. More to come...
dragsterIII said:Maybe you can make a tricked out trailer with the left over tubes
stretch said:maybe your leftovers could be some kind of stretch?
Maybe they'll just go in the trash.
Thanks for the kind words though!
herr_rudolf: Thank you very much! Couldn't stay away for very long, this bike building thing has become somewhat of a release valve for me. A good way to keep my mind off other things and blow off some steam...
Gdcast: Thanks! I saw that trick once on Biker Build Off on the Discovery channel and tried it the first time on the Mustang build.
Here are the latest progress photos:
Rearlight.
My initial plan was to make the holder for the rear reflector out of cloth and polyester and build it into the fender, but I really didn't feel like messing with sticky resin right now so I made it out of steel instead.
Next is to weld some cable guides to the frame. More to come...
uber cool! this bike just drips with awesomeness already , what else do you have planned for it :?:
, what else do you have planned for it :?:
Thanks!
Not much left to do on it now, before paint. I welded on some cable guides to the frame today before I had to leave for work (pics coming soon), and I've got to "tweak" the rear right side reflector holder to get some more chain clearance. The chain almost touches it when it's in the highest gear. Then I'll shape the edges of the fenders and after that what's left to do is to prep it for paint and shoot some purdy colours!
Not much left to do on it now, before paint. I welded on some cable guides to the frame today before I had to leave for work (pics coming soon), and I've got to "tweak" the rear right side reflector holder to get some more chain clearance. The chain almost touches it when it's in the highest gear. Then I'll shape the edges of the fenders and after that what's left to do is to prep it for paint and shoot some purdy colours!
stunned silence.....words cannot express how blown away I am by this build. Thank you so much for posting. Thank you for sharing your excitement, it is contagious! It has inspired me to get moving on my design. Look forward to seeing more of this bike and perhaps seeing it in action??
deorman said:
And you know we can't have that, so here are some updates!
Rusty: Thanks for the kind words! Great drawing your friend has done, he's (she's?) really talented!
Jake: Thank you! Glad you like it, and I'm glad to hear your inspired to get your build going! Best of luck and have fun with it, I'll be keeping an eye out!
Here are some new photos:
Had to move the reflector holder out a little to get some more clearance for the chain.
Made and welded on cable guides.
Had to grind off a bit of the front shifter...
...to make it fit under the chainguard.
Cleaned up the wheels and cut off some of the disc on the rear wheel.
Mock up with the right tires.
Took it for a test ride and it rides really nice and it's comfortable, great relief!
Next was to make the reflectors.
More updates soon!
wow totally awesome just a question if you would sell it what would the price be? :wink:
just a question if you would sell it what would the price be? :wink:
Thanks! I've sold all my previous builds except for the J.B.40, which was a gift to my brother. But because I feel like I'm still learning to build bikes I haven't charged anything for the workhours so far, only for parts and material. But that's about to change...at least eventually it is. I've got commissions for five bikes and I'll raise the price for every new bike until prices are reasonable with workhours and all. Unless I'll sell to a close friend. :wink: Anyway, if I was to sell this bike when it's all done I'd probably charge around $1500 for it (and thereby skipping some of the first steps in the above mentioned price ladder :lol: ).
I've changed my mind a bit about bondo on this build. At first I didn't plan on using any bondo on the frame and fork, but when I've been looking at it and thought some more about it I think it'll look better with the welds smoothed over. So I'll give up a bit of the race feel for a more old style braced look.
I've cleaned all the small parts off with a wire wheel, and I'll give the frame and fork the same treatment as soon as time allows. After that it's time for bondo...sigh. I'll post some photos soon, I hope!
I've sold all my previous builds except for the J.B.40, which was a gift to my brother. But because I feel like I'm still learning to build bikes I haven't charged anything for the workhours so far, only for parts and material. But that's about to change...at least eventually it is. I've got commissions for five bikes and I'll raise the price for every new bike until prices are reasonable with workhours and all. Unless I'll sell to a close friend. :wink: Anyway, if I was to sell this bike when it's all done I'd probably charge around $1500 for it (and thereby skipping some of the first steps in the above mentioned price ladder :lol: ).I've changed my mind a bit about bondo on this build. At first I didn't plan on using any bondo on the frame and fork, but when I've been looking at it and thought some more about it I think it'll look better with the welds smoothed over. So I'll give up a bit of the race feel for a more old style braced look.
I've cleaned all the small parts off with a wire wheel, and I'll give the frame and fork the same treatment as soon as time allows. After that it's time for bondo...sigh. I'll post some photos soon, I hope!
Thanks Tommy!
Yes I've got the colours picked out and in my possession! There's a photo of the paints I'll use on the second page of this thread. I've also done some sketches of the striping that'll go on. I'll scan them and post them in the next build update.
Yes I've got the colours picked out and in my possession!
There's a photo of the paints I'll use on the second page of this thread. I've also done some sketches of the striping that'll go on. I'll scan them and post them in the next build update.
Progress is slow on this build for the moment, lots of other things that take up much of my time. Working, studying, finishing the exterior of the workshop...
Anyway, here's what I've managed to do on the bike since the last update:
Surface rust removed (sorry guys!! :wink: ) on some of the parts.
Forgot this one in the first photo...
Rounded off the edges of the fenders.
Cleaned them and primed them...
...and painted them copper!
There'll be black on them too.
Here are the striping designs:
Sideplates.
Rearlight box.
The number 18 will be in this one too,
Chainguard.
The Galtbacken logo will be placed in the middle of this.
These will have copper around them and ivory inside. Stripes will be gold with black outlines. Number 18 and the logo on the chainguard will be blue with black outline and a gold core.
Hope to have some more spare time to work on the bike soon...
Anyway, here's what I've managed to do on the bike since the last update:
Surface rust removed (sorry guys!! :wink: ) on some of the parts.
Forgot this one in the first photo...
Rounded off the edges of the fenders.
Cleaned them and primed them...
...and painted them copper!
There'll be black on them too.
Here are the striping designs:
Sideplates.
Rearlight box.
The number 18 will be in this one too,
Chainguard.
The Galtbacken logo will be placed in the middle of this.
These will have copper around them and ivory inside. Stripes will be gold with black outlines. Number 18 and the logo on the chainguard will be blue with black outline and a gold core.
Hope to have some more spare time to work on the bike soon...
You really are an amazing artist Galt and I think that is your foremost quality. You see I'm a designer and fabricator first, that is my foremost quality. I could never just start drawing out paint striping details like you have. That is a gift not a skill. I to am an artist but my medium is steel and rubber. I must say that most if not all of my ideas are stolen from what I see everyday from true artists. I don't mean necessarily that I plagiarize ideas from other builders, I just take shapes and concepts and apply them to my artwork.
Your attention to detail is quite simply amazing. I know exactly what kind of time it takes to build all the little parts you've included on this bike. If you start adding up your hours and think of what professional billing rates are for custom work, your paying other people to take your bikes from you. Trust me I know. One of the two bikes I'm building is for a client and quite frankly at $3800 I'm still only just breaking even after its all said and done.
Granted a lot of the parts I had to buy to build this bike were brand new and totaled almost $2000 but I'm building the frame, the fork, the handlebars, the seat, the tank, the fender, the leather "oil bag", all the tabs and brackets for mounting the lights, routing the cables, wiring the bike, assembly of the wheels, painting the parts, final assembly, dismantling and final packing and shipping. Its laborious and tedious work and the hours do seem to just fade into oblivion.
Lets not forget all the materials that are always forgotten like cutoff wheels and sanding flapper disc's, or welding wire and oxy/ace gas for the torch. Or the electric bill for my shop for the three + weeks I worked on this project alone. Whenever I contract a job, I try to give the client a projected due date, but I also let them know it might take this much longer depending on unforeseen delays and problems. Which there always are! If I add up all the delay time, which is lost revenue by the way, I might as well pay him to take his bike from me.
I guess what I'm saying is, make stuff and sell it for what you have into it, or maybe a little more. Enough to get you started on the next build is always a good idea. If your doing this to get rich, go ahead and kill yourself now, it will be less painful.
I have a friend in CO that builds custom bikes for a living, all his survival depends on how many bikes he sells each week. I'd say he works 50-70 hrs a week, has no other life than bikes and probably makes $40,000 a year when its all said and done. His bread and butter is mail order parts but what got him on the map so to speak was his custom work and that is his big ticket items. If he sells 5 a year at $4000- $5000 each he's made his nut. But that rarely happens. Its usually feast of famine with him. And when big expensive projects aren't selling he has to work that much harder to sell volume to make up the difference.
This really is just an expensive hobby for me. I enjoy working with my hands and building what I want to build. If I can sell it to someone and not take a total loss, than great! Otherwise I just add it to my collection of fine Kustom Krap. LOL
Later Travis
Your attention to detail is quite simply amazing. I know exactly what kind of time it takes to build all the little parts you've included on this bike. If you start adding up your hours and think of what professional billing rates are for custom work, your paying other people to take your bikes from you. Trust me I know. One of the two bikes I'm building is for a client and quite frankly at $3800 I'm still only just breaking even after its all said and done.
Granted a lot of the parts I had to buy to build this bike were brand new and totaled almost $2000 but I'm building the frame, the fork, the handlebars, the seat, the tank, the fender, the leather "oil bag", all the tabs and brackets for mounting the lights, routing the cables, wiring the bike, assembly of the wheels, painting the parts, final assembly, dismantling and final packing and shipping. Its laborious and tedious work and the hours do seem to just fade into oblivion.
Lets not forget all the materials that are always forgotten like cutoff wheels and sanding flapper disc's, or welding wire and oxy/ace gas for the torch. Or the electric bill for my shop for the three + weeks I worked on this project alone. Whenever I contract a job, I try to give the client a projected due date, but I also let them know it might take this much longer depending on unforeseen delays and problems. Which there always are! If I add up all the delay time, which is lost revenue by the way, I might as well pay him to take his bike from me.
I guess what I'm saying is, make stuff and sell it for what you have into it, or maybe a little more. Enough to get you started on the next build is always a good idea. If your doing this to get rich, go ahead and kill yourself now, it will be less painful.
I have a friend in CO that builds custom bikes for a living, all his survival depends on how many bikes he sells each week. I'd say he works 50-70 hrs a week, has no other life than bikes and probably makes $40,000 a year when its all said and done. His bread and butter is mail order parts but what got him on the map so to speak was his custom work and that is his big ticket items. If he sells 5 a year at $4000- $5000 each he's made his nut. But that rarely happens. Its usually feast of famine with him. And when big expensive projects aren't selling he has to work that much harder to sell volume to make up the difference.
This really is just an expensive hobby for me. I enjoy working with my hands and building what I want to build. If I can sell it to someone and not take a total loss, than great! Otherwise I just add it to my collection of fine Kustom Krap. LOL
Later Travis
IronSpadeCycles: Thank you! Never said I was planning to make this my living or that I'm trying to get rich doing it. Why would I? Never made any choices in my life with the intention of making lots of money. There are so many other things that I value higher than that. I've built these bikes because I've enjoyed doing it, and I've charged for the materials so that it's not cost me a lot either. But when I start to feel more sure that what I build is of good enough quality, why shouldn't I charge what people are willing to pay? And so far, people have been willing to pay alot more than what I've asked for. That's why I'll gradually raise the prices of my bikes until I reach the level of what is reasonable for both those who wants to buy my bikes and for me. I'm not talking about charging professional billing rates, but to get something for the workhours that goes into a bike and not only cover the cost of materials. Then it'll not only be an inexpensive hobby, but one that actually gives a little extra besides being a whole lot of fun.
Gdcast: Thanks! I'm pleased with how those designs came out on paper, I hope they'll look good on the bike as well. The picture in my head looks ok... :lol:
Never said I was planning to make this my living or that I'm trying to get rich doing it. Why would I? Never made any choices in my life with the intention of making lots of money. There are so many other things that I value higher than that. I've built these bikes because I've enjoyed doing it, and I've charged for the materials so that it's not cost me a lot either. But when I start to feel more sure that what I build is of good enough quality, why shouldn't I charge what people are willing to pay? And so far, people have been willing to pay alot more than what I've asked for. That's why I'll gradually raise the prices of my bikes until I reach the level of what is reasonable for both those who wants to buy my bikes and for me. I'm not talking about charging professional billing rates, but to get something for the workhours that goes into a bike and not only cover the cost of materials. Then it'll not only be an inexpensive hobby, but one that actually gives a little extra besides being a whole lot of fun. Gdcast: Thanks!
I'm pleased with how those designs came out on paper, I hope they'll look good on the bike as well. The picture in my head looks ok... :lol:
