Willi Witch

[BartRidesEternal]

Awesome project Frankie!
Due to my never ending projects I hardly leave the 'builds' section of this forum, but with these buildoffs happening I will certainly follow more.

Beautiful bike you got, how did you obtain it? In the Netherlands you never these beautiful American oldies for sale.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Thanks for your honest feedback, i really appreciate that. It does have a slight bend just at the end. I wasn't sure about that piece too. It doesnt look bad, but you know...

You're welcome. Yeah, it doesn't look bad, and if you're using what you have available to you without going out and buying more tubing, it makes sense. I just think a slight adjustment could make that lower tube flow with the rest of the frame even better. In the end, it's your ride and your call. I just thought I'd give a little constructive critique before you started welding.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Maybe if i shorten it a bit it looks better. I could take off about 5 to 10 mm (i mean 1/4 to 1/2 inch). There is a piece of tubing i side where the 2 pieces meet. I can always put it back together again, only need some more welding then.

That could work. I'm having a tough time visualizing it, so it'd probably help to get a rough mockup first.

 

[Frankie plekhand]

Awesome project Frankie!
Due to my never ending projects I hardly leave the 'builds' section of this forum, but with these buildoffs happening I will certainly follow more.

Beautiful bike you got, how did you obtain it? In the Netherlands you never these beautiful American oldies for sale.

Thanks man!
Yeah you sure keep on building cool things.

I found the bike on marketplace only 10 km away from me, of course i had to buy it

 

[Frankie plekhand]

That could work. I'm having a tough time visualizing it, so it'd probably help to get a rough mockup first.

Yeah thats why i haven't welded it yet.
I needs to flow, i also need that visualization.

 

[Frankie plekhand]

You're welcome. Yeah, it doesn't look bad, and if you're using what you have available to you without going out and buying more tubing, it makes sense. I just think a slight adjustment could make that lower tube flow with the rest of the frame even better. In the end, it's your ride and your call. I just thought I'd give a little constructive critique before you started welding.

Still plenty of time to get some scrap bikes to harvest some more tubing

 

[OddJob]

I wouldn't over think that second top tube. Remember, we are building complete bikes here. And not taking close-ups with our eyes on a single weld joint when we take in a view of the whole, competed bike.

This shot, to me, gives it more perspective. And looks great from here!

The swoop of your top tubes compliments the natural curvy-ness of those beautiful frames. RaT oN~!

 

[Frankie plekhand]

Finally got some time at my friends weld shop.
Been a few years since i welded... My friend set up the machine and said here you go, just like riding a bike i guess

 

[OddJob]

Looking good!

RaT oN~!

 

[BartRidesEternal]

View attachment 195302
Finally got some time at my friends weld shop.
Been a few years since i welded... My friend set up the machine and said here you go, just like riding a bike i guess

That is a beauty! Looks like it came out of the factory like that.

Maybe I could ride towards your home turf after the buildoff and ride together, certainly want to see that bike!
Are you keeping the skip tooth gears?

 

[Frankie plekhand]

That is a beauty! Looks like it came out of the factory like that.

Maybe I could ride towards your home turf after the buildoff and ride together, certainly want to see that bike!
Are you keeping the skip tooth gears?

He Bart,
Sorry for the late reply!
Yeah always cool to make a ride with a fellow RRB-er!
And yes definitly keeping the skiptooth!

 

[Frankie plekhand]

My first ever fauxtina attempt
Got some spraycans, even a fake rust spraycan.

First up, a layer of fake rust. It even has texture to it

Some blue

Some black

Some sanding with wet 400 grit amd rusty water with sand in it
And at last add some scallops and more rust

A little more sanding, scraping, brakecleaner, sand and scissor work.
The result:

For now its ok, need to step back and let the paint dry for a bit. It took me about 30 min since its fast drying paint. But sometimes you need to know when to quit, and i think thats about now. So i'll let it rest for a day or 2 and then i'll re-evaluate

 

[BartRidesEternal]

I love the spray pole, my wife would get mad as heck

Looks great! Never tried faux patina, seems like a lot of fun!

Are the blue spraycans matte or satin? Or even high gloss?

I'll remember your words, we will ride some day

 

[Frankie plekhand]

I love the spray pole, my wife would get mad as heck

Looks great! Never tried faux patina, seems like a lot of fun!

Are the blue spraycans matte or satin? Or even high gloss?

I'll remember your words, we will ride some day

She isn't home haha, just wet the grass and spray away.
And since the name is Willi Witch, i just had to use a broomstick
All matte paint. When its proper dried and how i like it, i will coat it with BLO to blend it all together

 

[Frankie plekhand]

Small update
Cleaned the bearing cups and the headset and pressed them back in the frame

Left is dirty, right is cleaned and polished

 

[OddJob]

Wow, nice work on your first faux-tina effort , Frankie! You got a nice vintage 'worn look' out of your frame.

One other technique that I have seen used, is to put a thin layer of shellac over as your final coat. It tends to break up a bit to give it that 'craquelure' look.

And you said it when "But sometimes you need to know when to quit, and i think thats about now. " You can always go back and do more, but stopping before you think you are done usually produces good results.

RaT oN~!

 

[Frankie plekhand]

Wow, nice work on your first faux-tina effort , Frankie! You got a nice vintage 'worn look' out of your frame.

One other technique that I have seen used, is to put a thin layer of shellac over as your final coat. It tends to break up a bit to give it that 'craquelure' look.

View attachment 196589

And you said it when "But sometimes you need to know when to quit, and i think thats about now. " You can always go back and do more, but stopping before you think you are done usually produces good results.

RaT oN~!

Thanks Oddjob, also for the great tip!

 

[Frankie plekhand]

The part i hate the most, cleaning all the goo and grime of the parts, so i try to do it in between fun jobs.

Well at least the bearings and cranks are clean.
Next up making the fork fit.
And i found a cool ducktail fender and a chainguard, might use it. First i want a rolling chassis.

 

[Frankie plekhand]

So got a bit of work done today, i want to rebuild the wheels but try not to use new materials.
Started with the rear wheel

35 spokes turned, 1 was frozen

36 spokes turned
Aargh forgot to remove the rear cog
Never removed a skiptooth before so i used common sense and googled it

Step 1 remove the locking ring, check!
Step 2 remove the cog, but it doesnt seem to budge... do i have to turn it counterclockwise to remove it?
Will get to that later, just removed the entire drijfkop (yes thats dutch)

This is why i love old bikes, quality stuff! Just needs a bit of cleaning and some grease.

Next up, try to clean the rim, starting with wd40 and steel wool

Not bad at all, but i think i'll give it another shot with fine grit wet sanding, p1000 i think.

I was looking at the hub and there is a little grease portal, but it seems to be missing something. There is a little screw with a hole next to it, does anybody know how they look so i can reproduce something?

Thanks for watching!

 

[BartRidesEternal]

So got a bit of work done today, i want to rebuild the wheels but try not to use new materials.
Started with the rear wheelView attachment 197075
35 spokes turned, 1 was frozenView attachment 197081
36 spokes turned
Aargh forgot to remove the rear cog
Never removed a skiptooth before so i used common sense and googled itView attachment 197077View attachment 197076
Step 1 remove the locking ring, check!
Step 2 remove the cog, but it doesnt seem to budge... do i have to turn it counterclockwise to remove it?
Will get to that later, just removed the entire drijfkop (yes thats dutch)View attachment 197078View attachment 197079
This is why i love old bikes, quality stuff! Just needs a bit of cleaning and some grease.
View attachment 197080

Next up, try to clean the rim, starting with wd40 and steel wool
View attachment 197083View attachment 197086
Not bad at all, but i think i'll give it another shot with fine grit wet sanding, p1000 i think.

I was looking at the hub and there is a little grease portal, but it seems to be missing something. There is a little screw with a hole next to it, does anybody know how they look so i can reproduce something?View attachment 197082
Thanks for watching!

I have that same experience with old parts, I did some research on the old vs modern production methods.

That last picture, regarding thr lubrication hole:
There should be a little plate or cap that you can turn away like with my bendix hub: