Tips n Trix

[MattiThundrrr]

Hint:

More like "Pro Wrench Tip" this is a great one:

"when using that crank puller, make sure you grease the threads on the tool, then thread in by hand till snug, then use adjustable wrench to snug down tight before you turn in the outside nut which actually removes the crank.
Otherwise, you will have stripped threads on your crank arm for sure. Your tool is steel, the crank is aluminum, very soft".

 

[us56456712]

I bought a gallon of ph down at the thrift store for $30. The label said it was phosphoric acid. It’s $45 a gallon new. Phosphoric acid removes rust and changes it to iron phosphate. I diluted it enough to cover a frame, probably 10-15 to 1 with water. It removed the frame paint and bleached my blue fork white. It works fast. Overnight you see it working and 3-4 days seems to do it. I’m leaving it in longer to see if it removes more paint. Phosphoric acid is the industrial gold standard for dipping large pieces for rust removal. Car bodies are sometimes dipped as it gets in places where blasting won’t, plus it leaves the iron phosphate rust inhibiting coat. It will still rust after a few days so I use the Ospho and paint. Next I’ll rinse it and put on a thin wash of Ospho rust treatment. Then whatever finish I have laying around.

 

[Kroozerdave]

I have

A Wald 13/16 inch replacement 15 1/2 inch long seat post. These suckers are light and bend. I believe it’s 3/8 inch galvanized plumbing pipe I use to reinforce it. Cut off threads on one end, remove burs, slather the galvanized pipe with JB Weld to act as a lubricant, place the seat post on a wood block and spend about 10 minutes hammering the galvanized pipe into the seat post. Cut off what you can’t hammer in. I got about 12 inches in. Alternately you can bench grind a little off the plumbing pipe. View attachment 225188
View attachment 225189

 

[Kroozerdave]

Used this trick to strengthen crutches too. Then someone picks one up and the jaw drop at the unexpected weight.

 

[us56456712]

I bought a gallon of ph down at the thrift store for $30. The label said it was phosphoric acid. It’s $45 a gallon new. Phosphoric acid removes rust and changes it to iron phosphate. I diluted it enough to cover a frame, probably 10-15 to 1 with water. It removed the frame paint and bleached my blue fork white. It works fast. Overnight you see it working and 3-4 days seems to do it. I’m leaving it in longer to see if it removes more paint. Phosphoric acid is the industrial gold standard for dipping large pieces for rust removal. Car bodies are sometimes dipped as it gets in places where blasting won’t, plus it leaves the iron phosphate rust inhibiting coat. It will still rust after a few days so I use the Ospho and paint. Next I’ll rinse it and put on a thin wash of Ospho rust treatment. Then whatever finish I have laying around.View attachment 231966View attachment 231967View attachment 231968

Almost all the paint came off in the phosphoric acid dip. I used a torch to burn the small amount remaining and it’s back in the phosphoric acid to see if that helps.

 

[RustySprockets]

Headbadge removal with less worry...

Grab a steel soup can, cut a section, drill holes just large enough for the rivet heads to pass through. Zip-tie your new 'headbadge armor' to the bike's headtube and proceed to grind or file away the rivet heads, then pop the badge free. Once removed, the now-headless rivet remnants can either twisted out or driven through the tube with a punch.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I've also used armor like that to protect the BB shell when I hacked the crank with a Dremel to do a quick and dirty single speed conversion. Zip ties sound better than my taped up solution

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Also, the good doctor offered his remedy for tricky rivets:

I’ve removed badge rivets by using a 90 degree bent awl pressing the tip against the bit of rivet that extends into the headtube and pushing the rivet out enough to grab the head with some locking needle nose pliers, then twist counter clockwise while pulling.
It can be a bit ‘tedious’ but it preserves the badge

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Just a (home-made media blaster) I seen on YouTube or somewhere not good for big stuff but works ok for small areas.

"Just need a blowgun with a long tube make a hole in the tube on top use some kind of bottle to hold the blast media. drill a hole just big enough for a tight fit."

That's good stuff right there. I just emptied the ThundrrrLads' sandbox if anyone needs a few hundred pounds of lightly used media

 

[MattiThundrrr]

A little hack for y'all if you are missing the grommets on your banana seat.

"Get the 1/4 - 20 x 5/16 Brad hole along with a 1/4 - 20 machine screw (add a nut for safe measure) and voila!"

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Last night I sat on the living room floor in front of the air conditioner and put the back wheel together

Nice workstation. More like "geniusboy" if you ask me

 

[RustySprockets]

Never underestimate the power of cardboard! Personally, I found one of these PVC flanges laying by the side of the road. I use it like a pedestal to keep the scratchy bits of a hub off the floor or tabletop.

 

[Kevin B]

Never underestimate the power of cardboard! Personally, I found one of these PVC flanges laying by the side of the road. I use it like a pedestal to keep the scratchy bits of a hub off the floor or tabletop.

View attachment 240764

Good idea. I may borrow that and cut a notch for a brake arm.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Good idea. I may borrow that and cut a notch for a brake arm.

Picture didn't come along. Here's the PVC flange in Kev's quote. Great idea, Rusty

 

[Wildcat]

My old set of bars aren't tall enough, so I went through my junk to see what might work to make them taller. A 1" fork tube goes right over the 7/8ths bars. but I didn't have any more fork tubes long enough so I checked all the frame parts. The seat tube from an old frame is also 1" and will work. I cut the old bars with a tube cutter, filed down the lip and they are a snug fit. I'll cut the frame up tomorrow and fit both sides. I could have them welded or drill holes and bolt them together. This adds about 6 1/2 inches in rise.
Bars cut:

Fork piece added with about a 3/4 inch overlap on each end.

 

[Wildcat]

My old set of bars aren't tall enough, so I went through my junk to see what might work to make them taller. A 1" fork tube goes right over the 7/8ths bars. but I didn't have any more fork tubes long enough so I checked all the frame parts. The seat tube from an old frame is also 1" and will work. I cut the old bars with a tube cutter, filed down the lip and they are a snug fit. I'll cut the frame up tomorrow and fit both sides. I could have them welded or drill holes and bolt them together. This adds about 6 1/2 inches in rise.
Bars cut:
View attachment 244991

Fork piece added with about a 3/4 inch overlap on each end.
View attachment 244992

They will get welded sometime in the near future, rise is now 18" and width 25".

 

[Son of Kradus]

Great sleeve job, it'll polish up really well after welding! nice big bars! Love it!

 

[Wildcat]

What is good is the sleeves, made from different parts, easy to find. 1" tubing from different places. I think these will need wrapped in handlebar tape after welding but that will use up some more leftover stuff in the shop.

 

[Son of Kradus]

What is good is the sleeves, made from different parts, easy to find. 1" tubing from different places. I think these will need wrapped in handlebar tape after welding but that will use up some more leftover stuff in the shop.

in the pics they look to be shiny, I thought if the welders good enough it wont damage the chrome too bad and you can polish it.....Hmmmmm Tape might be a bit easier I suppose LOL

 

[Wildcat]

A few inches of one sleeve is threaded from the fork. The welding over here is mostly rod, so good but not pretty.