|
dom
Nov 14, 2016 10:59:45 GMT -5
Post by philphine on Nov 14, 2016 10:59:45 GMT -5
a project started from sadness.
I lost a sister recently. still broken up some over it. she had a 15 year old son, dominick, and I've been trying to do what I can for him, which isn't much. I'm not much of a kid person. but I figured with Christmas coming up, I'd make him a bike, and finish it out this time (paint and all I mean).
I'm also trying out a frame jig idea
I'm finding I still have to eyeball things, but it still seems a lot better. I can bolt/hold things down better instead of trying to hold it in place and tack weld it at the same time.
pretty much my old design, but with a little difference with the top tube/seat tube connection
just a comparison pic.
I think the bike will be two tone and this will give it a better look. making the curved seat post inside the fatter tube has become a bit of a hassle, but I think I'm going to make this basic change (with a straight seat post) on future bikes I make like this.
another new thing (for me, others might know this trick already), I was able to notch the frame for my bottom bracket without cutting in too deep. you know, you need the drill bit to be in metal for the hole saw to work, but I would have notched it deeper than I wanted, so I found a 1/4" fender washer that would fit into the hole saw size I was using, ground one side down some and welded it to the frame where I wanted to make my notch
then just stuck the pilot bit in the washer hole. worked pretty well. still needed to do the grinding to line it up with the rear of the frame (one of those things I still have to eyeball), but the notch was just the right depth.
I decided to do this about a week ago (about a week into November), so about a month and a half to get it done by Christmas. you know how I drag along, but I mean to finish this one. trying to do what I can to it every day, and snag some bits off ebay as I can afford them. also thinking get them in time to work them into the idea. i'mma try really hard to get this done.
|
|
|
dom
Nov 19, 2016 16:30:20 GMT -5
Post by philphine on Nov 19, 2016 16:30:20 GMT -5
a little further along
a little further on the chain line and making a tank area.
playing with the fat seat tube is still giving me problems. I'm pretty sure I can get it worked out, but the time limit means I have to get an idea together faster than I want. I know I won't use this again unless I put it on a bike with a single speed or an internal gear hub.
the tank idea I've done before. the bag is from one of my bikes since I'm short on time and need to get it fitted, but I got one off ebay for this bike. electra makes them for I think one of the womens models, but I just add it and fill in the gaps with sheet metal where I couldn't get the tubing to fit just right.
I may not get to do all the things I want to make it by cristmas, but I'm really trying to work on it as much as I can. I mean to get it done. we'll see...
|
|
|
dom
Nov 21, 2016 11:10:57 GMT -5
Post by philphine on Nov 21, 2016 11:10:57 GMT -5
tank area fairly well worked out
and I think I may have finally figured out how to get the seat post more secure inside the bigger tube. the big tube is 2", the seat tube is 1 1/8". I got a 2" fender washer and welded a smaller washer with a 1/4" hole in the middle of it. then I could use a 1 1/8" hole saw to make it fit the seat tube. i'll have to cut my new spacer/washer in half and probably do some other trimming, but I think it'll work to make sure the seat post is secure. I mean to try working on it in a bit, and also tomorrow morning in hopes of getting some more solid welding done at work tomorrow night (a thanksgiving dinner. I can have the shop and time to myself for about and hour if they'll leave me alone). I'm a little better with my home welder, but I still like to do the main structural stuff with the welder at work. if I can get it done I'm not too worried about my welding for accessories and whatnot.
still hoping to get it all done by Christmas.
|
|
|
dom
Dec 1, 2016 10:52:53 GMT -5
Post by philphine on Dec 1, 2016 10:52:53 GMT -5
got it to work and finished the main welding, and got the main bags in
I had already planned on the swing arm bag, but remembered my brother, one of his other uncles, mentioning trying to get his physical so he could try out for basketball. that made me look into backpacks that have a compartment for a basketball. I found some similarly priced to the swingarm bag, but it would have taken more time than I have to fit it to the frame well, so I went back to the original plan, and ordered a couple of mesh ball bags off ebay that should fit in the swing arm bag. got one already that fits if it's folded just right, waiting on the other to see if it fits better.
also trying to make sure I make all the tabs, guides and brackets I need
since I'm usually taking my time I add things as I find pieces or an idea occurs to me with no time limit, but since I want to paint this and have about 3 weeks left, I don't want to try to paint it, then realize I forgot a mount for one piece or another.
got a little sidetracked on another future project that I hope to include him in on (want to try and pull him away from video games at least a little), but back to trying to finish.
|
|
|
dom
Dec 12, 2016 10:44:19 GMT -5
Post by philphine on Dec 12, 2016 10:44:19 GMT -5
going with an elgin style chain guard
part of rushing is I hope it clears in all the gears. I think I got it, but no test rides are happening since I'm trying to finish and running out of time. always liked this guard, but didn't want to pay for it. even now I'm thinking I got it for a kid who doesn't seem that interested in much more than video games (really, it's dumb knowing it could end up just chained to a fence or carelessly left out to be stolen), but I want to build it and hope he likes it enough to respect the gift.
also trying to get things painted
small pieces I could run out, spray a coat on and bring in to dry. stopped by a local flea market and got his name printed out for the guard. today is close to warm (maybe mid 40's) and I'm off work, so I mean to do some last welding and grinding, and try to get some primer and one color on the bike. i'll probal still need to bring it in the house to cure, but since i'm going for two tone I think I can lean the unpainted part on something so what I painted can dry without sticking to something. then the forcast is for a similar day maybe later in the week. if I can get the one color today, that will give it a few days to dry, me to tape it off and be ready fpr the next chance to paint. then reassembly and tuning.
that will give me a week to make what adjustments I can, plus still waiting on a couple parts. none really detrimental to the build (except the front fender I want), but I'd like to get them to complete what I'm trying to do.
two weeks to go.
|
|
|
dom
Dec 17, 2016 10:44:36 GMT -5
Post by philphine on Dec 17, 2016 10:44:36 GMT -5
a paint job only a mother could love, but at least it's done. maybe if I can get him to take a real interest in it we can go back and smooth things out and do a better job.
working on the wheels now. the front is black and the rear is silver. I can't just paint the back one black since it will have a rim brake (disc on front), so I'm sanding the black off the sides of the front wheel, and I've taped off the sides of the back wheel and will paint the rest black so they look a little more like a matching set.
hoping to have it more or less assembled in a few days. that will give me the rest of the week to do what tuning and test rides I can. still a front fender as the main thing I haven't received yet. I just have to hope it comes in a few days.
one week to go.
|
|
|
dom
Dec 25, 2016 16:01:37 GMT -5
Post by philphine on Dec 25, 2016 16:01:37 GMT -5
finished by Christmas, but really leaves a little to be desired.
the back brake is weak, and I don't think I can fix it. spreading the seat stays for chain clearance has the brake on one side too far out. it barely hits the rim so you just scrub off a little speed at best. front disc works pretty well though to make up for it. also I get some chain rub in both the highest (on the chain stay) and lowest (on tire and fender) gears. I don't think I can easily do much about either, but both gears work and are I guess mostly annoying to me. the purple bits don't show well (cables, valve stems, axle nuts) are a small nod to his mother, her favorite color.
as it happens, even though I finished it, he didn't see it. he's at his fathers house. it looks like i'll be hanging on to it anyway for a while. no one has storage space for it. so I may try a little more tuning while I have it. if I can find a rear wheel with a disc brake I may do the mods to make the change.
merry Christmas.
|
|