The Rustacean

[BartRidesEternal]

First results are in! Very happy!!
Do need to finish and sand here and there. Do have some more ideas before the clear coat.
Headtube next! When I have time...

Covered.

 

[BartRidesEternal]

Some pictures the next morning. Also with the fork.

The fork is actually more grey and the colour I guessed for the front is "signal white". A grey-ish white.
I can touch the fork lightly with the paint if needed.

A thought is to press the headset bearing cups in and paint/patina them white/grey with the frame, since they are new at the moment.

After the front section, I will work on some final details regarding the faux patina.

Fenders for later, I feel like doing this step by step.

Feeling the old motorbike vibes!

Thanks for watching!

 

[LeMad Hatter]

Cinnamon on wet paint works great for a faux flaky rust effect, and leaves your project smelling great

 

[BartRidesEternal]

Cinnamon on wet paint works great for a faux flaky rust effect, and leaves your project smelling great

That is a great idea, thanks! Cinnamon smells, I wonder if I can still smell it underneath a layer of clear coat

 

[LeMad Hatter]

That is a great idea, thanks! Cinnamon smells, I wonder if I can still smell it underneath a layer of clear coat

It's faint, but it's still there for a while

 

[OddJob]

Nice work with the mustard,BRE! And the sand gave a good effect too. IF you wanted to, you could get a darker brown spray,spray it on a sheet of paper towel and the while it's still wet, use a small watercolor paint brush with a blunt end and dab it in the splotch on the paper towel.

Then use it to add just a fringe around the edge of your rust spots revealed by the mustard. And maybe add some of that to the edges of the fins on your BB shroud.

This ^^ looks very much like a vintage,well used implement, farm tractor or city truck.

 

[BartRidesEternal]

Nice work with the mustard,BRE! And the sand gave a good effect too. IF you wanted to, you could get a darker brown spray,spray it on a sheet of paper towel and the while it's still wet, use a small watercolor paint brush with a blunt end and dab it in the splotch on the paper towel.

Then use it to add just a fringe around the edge of your rust spots revealed by the mustard. And maybe add some of that to the edges of the fins on your BB shroud.

View attachment 235932

This ^^ looks very much like a vintage,well used implement, farm tractor or city truck.

Thanks Oddjob, that is a great idea to create more depth!

I did that (before reading your post) with a paint touch up pencil (clear) and cinnamon.
First a few dots with the clear pencil, add cinnamon to the brush and blow it on there.
Then sweep it with the brush.

I am very happy how it turned out.

The cinnamon gives it that "dirty" rusty looks.

I used the mustard technique with the fork too, I wanted the fork a little lighter shade of white (fade) and keep the original patina.

So satisfied that I applied the matte clear coat.

Partial assembly next.

Need to sand it a little.

Before cinnamon.

After cinnamon.

Drying. Top tube brown rust, (at the white/orange headtube) needs a little work.

And there is room to add a little oily grime.

Thanks for all the help guys!

 

[BartRidesEternal]

Small parts painted and rustified too.
The seat post strap was brown anodised. Sanding and a little cinnamon and clear looks great!

 

[BartRidesEternal]

This evening I partially assembled the fork. Bearings and cups in place.
I assembled the wheels and a temporary stem to get an idea. Of the shape of things to come!

I am really excited to see this mockup, can't wait for more parts slapped on there.

It was getting dark, therefore not the best pictures yet.

Seeing it, I should name this the farm tractor or "the farm tracker"

Chainguard balancing on the frame. Stem is way too high!


In hindsight, the seatpost clamp needs some work. Not the right shade of brown. I did find a bolt, normally used for wood, that fits the looks and shape. I pressed it on the seatpost clamp. I believe the bolt is from 1931 or so, since it came from an old workbench from that time period. To be continued!

 

[SwissGuy]

Your paint job is really tying it all together! Wheels, fork and frame look as if they had been together since ages!
Love it!

 

[SwissGuy]

Maybe this water bottle to give a hint on your technique ?

 

[68z27]

This evening I partially assembled the fork. Bearings and cups in place.

I assembled the wheels and a temporary stem to get an idea. Of the shape of things to come!

I am really excited to see this mockup, can't wait for more parts slapped on there.

It was getting dark, therefore not the best pictures yet.

Seeing it, I should name this the farm tractor or "the farm tracker"


View attachment 236192View attachment 236193View attachment 236194
View attachment 236195
View attachment 236196
View attachment 236198
View attachment 236199
Chainguard balancing on the frame. Stem is way too high!


In hindsight, the seatpost clamp needs some work. Not the right shade of brown. I did find a bolt, normally used for wood, that fits the looks and shape. I pressed it on the seatpost clamp. I believe the bolt is from 1931 or so, since it came from an old workbench from that time period. To be continued!
View attachment 236200

BRE, I see where you're coming from. As with changing directions on builds and/or the machine starts to change or alter its personality,, I feel that name changes also are part of the design & build process. Good work, Cool ride, tractor dude.........

 

[LeMad Hatter]

This build is looking pretty spicy! Love the direction this is headed

 

[BartRidesEternal]

Maybe this water bottle to give a hint on your technique ?
View attachment 236290

Hahaha thanks Swissguy!
All the credits go to the ratina master Oddjob. Been looking for a faux tina build for a while but never had the guts. I appreciate your reply here!

This evening I partially assembled the fork. Bearings and cups in place.


BRE, I see where you're coming from. As with changing directions on builds and/or the machine starts to change or alter its personality,, I feel that name changes also are part of the design & build process. Good work, Cool ride, tractor dude.........

Thank you!!
Right now I'm thinking; where do I go with this build? I have multiple outcomes.
Fenders or no fenders?
Flat tracker or oldschool cruiser?
Lights or no lights?
Open chainring/sprocket or closed?

Monday/Tuesday evening I go for a parts pickup at a friend. Among other things he has got a 'Electra' crankset with beautiful sprocket:

Long story short, it is from my old 'Electra Ratrod' bike, which he bought a few years ago.
My thought was, that, with an open sprocket you can see the orange art deco bottom bracket strenghtening plates better.

Going to do it step by step. Assemble pieces and evaluate.
Keep it a little practical.

I love the flat tracker / board tracker looks right now

Maybe t'll try some fenders I have in my shed this evening. Mockup, no assembly.

Seatpost clamp is better now:

Rust in pieces!

Thanks guys, you too @LeMad Hatter

 

[GuitarlCarl]

Too bad the unique chainguard covers up the wonderful bottom bracket (of course the sprocket would too) but maybe a nice airy one would let it "breath" It's like the guard doesn't quite match everything else. But maybe it just needs paint to match the fork and rims. Your paint looks great for a first time faux-tina. Sticking with one technique instead of throwing everything at it works very well. I like this build and you can't go wrong with board tracker styling here.

 

[BartRidesEternal]

Too bad the unique chainguard covers up the wonderful bottom bracket (of course the sprocket would too) but maybe a nice airy one would let it "breath" It's like the guard doesn't quite match everything else. But maybe it just needs paint to match the fork and rims. Your paint looks great for a first time faux-tina. Sticking with one technique instead of throwing everything at it works very well. I like this build and you can't go wrong with board tracker styling here.

Thank you Carl!
I see what you mean regarding the chainguard. I did want to utilize a black sprocket instead of a grey/chrome one to make the guard pop out, but maybe I'll have to make a few mockups first
But I will use a sprocket with holes in it. I have a few ruff cycles sprockets that I can adapt in the lathe.

I put some the fenders on the bike, no assembly with screws, just to have a look.
Then I tried various lights and its positions/locations.

Tried that old 'candle lamp' on the bike, but that did not fit the look I am aiming at.
I do like the fenders though, more than I expected. The aluminum fenders are quite badly damaged and need some love, but not beyond repair. That is another positive thing about ratrods; reuse damaged parts! I does not matter if there is a dent or scrape.

More thoughts below these pictures!
and sorry for the awful mess in my shed

The rear fender is badly dented at the black section. Probably folded in the past. I can cut and shorten them. I hope to keep them long, since I wanted to assemble some sort of license plate there.

First impression.

Not bad!

Crusty Torpedo lamp, I like it!

Small aluminum lamp. Location is meh...

Better!

I like this! Very cool. Don't know if I like it more than the torpedo lamp.

Candle lamp: beautiful in itself, but not for this build.

Kickstand fixed and assembled!

Found this Brooks seat!


Regarding the aluminum fenders: I can sand them and keep them unpainted. That would match the chainguard. I will keep the insides black, to keep a look I can't describe.
Or paint them orange with faux patina.

I'll try them unpainted first and I can paint them afterwards anyway!

I am also scouting for some bars. I saw one on a photo on pinterest which I really like:

Bars, bike

 

[SwissGuy]

For front light I would try to compare: long lamp long side of fender forward vs. short lamp and short part of fender forward...
The seat is a perfect fit!

 

[Brian macumber]

Love the way the middle bar is kinda looks like the old scroll work on those cast iron things on porches

 

[OddJob]

Maybe this water bottle to give a hint on your technique ?
View attachment 236290

i NEED one of those bottles!!

 

[BartRidesEternal]

For front light I would try to compare: long lamp long side of fender forward vs. short lamp and short part of fender forward...
The seat is a perfect fit!

Will try that later on. Thanks!

I assembled the headset completely. Used 1 1/8 inch aluminum spacers and gave them the rusty look.

Bracket painted, dried and assembled.

Spacer and top nut.

There is a thought to give that top long spacer some notches or speed holes, rather than a simple clean spacer. Maybe later.

I mocked up the 165mm cranks with a black new chainwheel.
I like 175mm cranks a bit more. I can pick some up next week. Unfortunately this weeks appointment is rescheduled.

Pictures:

I like the thick, solid sprocket!

Nuts for the crank rustified!


What do you guys thick about the colours regarding the crank and sprocket?

I am leaning towards black crank and black sprocket. A little used rusty look, but not too much.


The black really helps with the frame and chainguard popping out.

Pedals

Other pedals.

What to do with these?
-Disassemble and fabricate new custom pedals?
-Wood?
-Or speed hole them?
-Paint them?