Project bike

cletus · 15-09-2020 10:00pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

got the non-drive side of the BB out with less fuss than expected, just waiting for some oil to penetrate the drive side before i tackle it. i would be very surprised if it's italian thread (given it's a british brand) but was just checking - the width of the non-drive side threads is just a shade under 35mm (i assume this is the dimension i should be measuring) which would confirm it's english. i think.

obviously i have visions of sweating over the frame trying to get the thing out by turning it the wrong way.

Hmm, uses precision measuring device. Result? 'a shade under 35mm'

magicbastarder · 15-09-2020 10:09pm

Got it out anyways. I would hesitate to call an electronic vernier calipers (with dead batteries) bought in lidl 'a precision instrument'!

cletus · 15-09-2020 10:36pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

Got it out anyways. I would hesitate to call an electronic vernier calipers (with dead batteries) bought in lidl 'a precision instrument'!

Off topic, but I've always wondered about the accuracy of those Lidl Vernier calipers in comparison to a good one

iwillhtfu · 16-09-2020 8:59am

cletus wrote: »

Off topic, but I've always wondered about the accuracy of those Lidl Vernier calipers in comparison to a good one

Like everything else in Lidl, not quite the same but close enough.

magicbastarder · 21-09-2020 8:58pm

i'm making all these mistakes so you don't have to. don't cut the spokes til *after* you've removed the freewheel and broken the hub down.

8valve · 21-09-2020 9:36pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

i'm making all these mistakes so you don't have to. don't cut the spokes til *after* you've removed the freewheel and broken the hub down.

oooooooooh.

some lessons in life are learned the hard way.

I feel your pain.

I finished painting a frame today.

Then dropped it.

FML, as the kids say.

Blanchy90 · 22-09-2020 8:33am

I finally got around to drilling a small hole in the bb to stop the crack getting any worse. Next step is to paint it and start reassembly.

At this rate I might have it done for xmas

magicbastarder · 22-09-2020 8:50am

there's a chap i know to say hello to near me who was telling me a few years ago he has a mercian pro in the attic for the last 30 years, with a busted chainstay. i told him mercian pro will repair any frame they've ever made, must stop him if i see him again to see if he did anything about it.

magicbastarder · 22-09-2020 8:50am

Blanchy90 wrote: »

Next step is to paint it and start reassembly.

what approach are you using for painting?

Blanchy90 · 22-09-2020 9:34am

magicbastarder wrote: »

what approach are you using for painting?

Probably just car spray cans. I have some primer left in the shed so I'll see how that goes on. it it turns out ok I'll get a couple of cans in halfords and go that route. If it turns out crap I'll sand it back and go for rustoleum or something similar.

magicbastarder · 24-09-2020 2:35pm

i have to yet figure out how to deal with the chrome on the fork i have (which turns out to be a tange one). it's too far gone to rescue, but it's not the sort of thing paint stripper can remove.

cletus · 24-09-2020 3:37pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

i have to yet figure out how to deal with the chrome on the fork i have (which turns out to be a tange one). it's too far gone to rescue, but it's not the sort of thing paint stripper can remove.

You've a couple of options, none of which are particularly easy. The safest way is to media blast it

Other options are hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid), but its very corrosive, or sodium hydroxide (lye). Do not use this with aluminium

You could try using chromic acid and electrolysis, much like the rust removal I've posted here before.

Lastly, I've heard brake fluid will strip chrome if left overnight, I've never tried it, but if you do, wear gloves, that stuff is unplessant to deal with

edited to add: all the above chemicals are unpleasant to deal with, so take proper precautions if you go that route

magicbastarder · 24-09-2020 3:48pm

yeah, i was wondering was it even just a case of creating a key in it for paint to adhere to.

cletus · 24-09-2020 6:10pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

yeah, i was wondering was it even just a case of creating a key in it for paint to adhere to.

Dunno, to be honest. Never tried. I'd imagine you could, but you'd need a good keyed surface, and you'd want to clean it really well before priming it. Good quality primer too (anti rust, so you don't rust from underneath the paint)

Make sure you wear some sort of mask or respirator, can't imagine chrome dust is any too good for your lungs

8valve · 24-09-2020 8:44pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

yeah, i was wondering was it even just a case of creating a key in it for paint to adhere to.

Proper chrome plating is harder than Vinnie Jones in a bad mood.

Find a local blasters and get it back to bare metal; then paint.

Alternatively, Tallaght powder coating do a chrome finish powder which isn't bad.

iwillhtfu · 25-09-2020 8:58am

magicbastarder wrote: »

yeah, i was wondering was it even just a case of creating a key in it for paint to adhere to.

As far as I recall a lot of colnago frames are chromed entirely and then painted over so I can't see paint not adhering being an issue on a prepared surface.

Alternatively there's a company call wedochrome or something like that, they chrome a lot of bikes and vintage car parts so should be a good finish.

jimm · 26-09-2020 8:27pm

iwillhtfu wrote: »

As far as I recall a lot of colnago frames are chromed entirely and then painted over so I can't see paint not adhering being an issue on a prepared surface.

That would be chromovelato. Battaglin do it also. "Painted" with colored laquer!

https://officinabattaglin.com/video-how-a-cromovelato-steel-frame-is-actually-made/

I am currently restoring an Olmo Competition. The fork was originally chrome plated but is in poor condition. I sanded it as best I could with 400 grit wet & dry paper and applied 2 coats of etch primer and will apply finish coat(s) to match frame colour. Primer and finish colour obtained from Vinny Byrne. Keeping fingers crossed that primer will adhere properly.

magicbastarder · 01-10-2020 8:19pm

when did dunlop stop making inner tubes in ireland?

cletus · 01-10-2020 8:21pm

Dunlop shut up shop in Cork back in '83

magicbastarder · 01-10-2020 8:22pm

well, there's your answer to how long inner tubes last. it still holds air.

magicbastarder · 01-10-2020 8:27pm

i'm actually kinda amazed by that. that someone got that long from an inner tube.

Type 17 · 01-10-2020 8:38pm

They were around for quite a while - Dunlop tyre on vintage car, showing "Made in Saorstát Éireann" (Irish Free State was 1922-1937).

magicbastarder · 08-10-2020 9:32pm

just about ready to paint now. just need to spend a little more time on the chainstays. bought an etch primer, just for that little extra bite on the forks. abraded them with a cheapo dremel jobbie and a diamond head, and sanded with 240 grit.

i had been hoping to find a nice bright metallic green, but the lad in the local motor factors says that's not a colour which there's much demand for.

08-10-2020 10:45pm

I quite like the bare look or would it polish up so to speak without painting it?

magicbastarder · 08-10-2020 10:48pm

from what little i know, you need a primer for the paint to take - and same goes for lacquer. but there's no such thing as a clear primer.

08-10-2020 11:02pm

I'm pretty sure I've seen frames bare but just assumed they had some kind of clear coating on them. So I guess they are just that bare metal and polished to within an inch of their lives then?

Also know little, actually nothing as you can tell about this

iwillhtfu · 09-10-2020 8:47am

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm pretty sure I've seen frames bare but just assumed they had some kind of clear coating on them. So I guess they are just that bare metal and polished to within an inch of their lives then?

Also know little, actually nothing as you can tell about this

Bare frames look cool imo but I'm biased

I can't help with coating as it is totally bare and awaiting a bit of patina before I probably coat with clear lacquer or possibly linseed oil.

You'll get an electric green metallic spray paint, have a google for montana spray paints

magicbastarder · 09-10-2020 10:40pm

another example of 'you should have thought of that first' - i abraded and sanded the fork before priming, and i should have left the dropouts alone and masked them off; the chrome on them was fine. still, they look well enough.

one thing i need to do before starting on the frame is to try to open up this crimped cable guide, it obviously took some impact and flattened slightly:

09-10-2020 10:45pm

Looking at the fork there now one colour or paint the crown a different one? Then match it on the rest of the frame and the joins?

magicbastarder · 09-10-2020 11:42pm

i have yet to decide that. a mix of metallic blue and metallic green might be nice though.

magicbastarder · 10-10-2020 10:47pm

iwillhtfu wrote: »

I was the same until I gave it a shot.

It looks a hell of a lot easier when looking at videos but what a ball ache. I'd happily pay a wheel builder, I had whip lash going back and forth to videos. I'd say if you did it regularly it would a piece of piss but for a one off wheelset I'd happily pass.

posted to GCN today, longer (and i expect more in depth) than their usual fare. that said, it's not a topic you could make a 5 minute video about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTC5KebZyeo

magicbastarder · 12-10-2020 1:33pm

iwillhtfu wrote: »

You'll get an electric green metallic spray paint, have a google for montana spray paints

turns out there's a paint specialist not that far from me - vinny byrnes in santry, in one of the airport business parks off the airport road. they had montana in stock, but matt finish. they can do metallic paint mixing to order, but it's the guts of €25 for a can.
i went for a bright green, non metallic but gloss finish, one of the standard holts range, so under a tenner. hopefully it won't look tacky.

iwillhtfu · 12-10-2020 1:46pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

turns out there's a paint specialist not that far from me - vinny byrnes in santry, in one of the airport business parks off the airport road. they had montana in stock, but matt finish. they can do metallic paint mixing to order, but it's the guts of €25 for a can.
i went for a bright green, non metallic but gloss finish, one of the standard holts range, so under a tenner. hopefully it won't look tacky.

I've always fancied a bright green frame, you could always add some red decal bands or whatever colour to break up the block green.

magicbastarder · 12-10-2020 1:59pm

yeah, as enfilade mentioned i could also paint the lugs a different colour. or else bright green frame and different coloured stays.

cletus · 12-10-2020 2:21pm

I put this on the 'Today I did something..." thread, but I figured it might be of interest here too

https://youtu.be/dbLxSsfKzmA

magicbastarder · 12-10-2020 8:13pm

well, it certainly is green.

iwillhtfu · 12-10-2020 8:23pm

magicbastarder · 14-10-2020 8:55pm

am thinking of lacquering it. the paint used has a vaguely gloss finish, but i reckon a coat of lacquer mightn't hurt in bringing up a nice shine.
is lacquer just lacquer? or is it just a generic name for a range of different formulations?
reason for asking is i've already a can of baufix (can't remember if that's from lidl or aldi?) lacquer which states it's suitable for indoor and outdoor use, and for on metal, wondering should i give it a blast.

iwillhtfu · 14-10-2020 9:04pm

This stuff https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/392953707567 is great it's a 2 part clear, you pierce an inner compartment or something and it mixes then you spray. I've always found cheap lacquer isn't very tough.

magicbastarder · 14-10-2020 9:10pm

hmm. that stuff would cost me nearly as much as the bike did initially!
and i assume it's to be used all in one go if it's a two part, possibly an epoxy?

iwillhtfu · 14-10-2020 9:18pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

hmm. that stuff would cost me nearly as much as the bike did initially!
and i assume it's to be used all in one go if it's a two part, possibly an epoxy?

Yeah I'm not sure if it keeps, I've used it on two frames and it's wicked bad for your lungs so I'm guessing that makes it good

you could always go for the wet sand and multiple coats approach which gives a really glossy finish.

2 Wheels Good · 14-10-2020 11:39pm

Thought I'd share before & after pics of my lockdown project.
I started the paint removal this time last year, finished the rebuild in May

1992 British Eagle K1, 21 speed Reynolds 531 frame

Converted to a 1x10 gravel bike after watching the GCN videos last year

Spray.bike for the paint. Ebay and sjscycles.co.uk for the new bits

Hoping to take it touring next year

ridelikeaturtle · 15-10-2020 12:51am

2 Wheels Good wrote: »

Thought I'd share before & after pics of my lockdown project.
...
Hoping to take it touring next year

That looks like a fun project! An interesting mix of components. I'm guessing you've done a bit of research into the gearing? That front ring looks small enough, and with that cassette you should have no issues going up anything.

If it fits you, great job. Will love to hear how it goes down the road. Nice work!

2 Wheels Good · 15-10-2020 5:24pm

ridelikeaturtle wrote: »

That looks like a fun project! An interesting mix of components. I'm guessing you've done a bit of research into the gearing? That front ring looks small enough, and with that cassette you should have no issues going up anything.

If it fits you, great job. Will love to hear how it goes down the road. Nice work!

It was a great "evening course", that's how I treated it, cost about €400 so a bit more than planned. Respraying it was worth it, another few years and the rust would have taken it.
I reused anything that was cleanable and still worked and bought what i could off eBay.

I'll find out with the gearing when I hit a decent hill, but i thought 38 in front and 11-34 at the back would cover most needs. I'll never be going >25kph so the range should cover me.
Strangely enough the geometry is close to my road bike so I've it set up pretty much the same as that for saddle and reach.

8valve · 15-10-2020 8:53pm

2 Wheels Good wrote: »

Thought I'd share before & after pics of my lockdown project.
I started the paint removal this time last year, finished the rebuild in May

1992 British Eagle K1, 21 speed Reynolds 531 frame

Converted to a 1x10 gravel bike after watching the GCN videos last year

Spray.bike for the paint. Ebay and sjscycles.co.uk for the new bits

Hoping to take it touring next year

Serious nostalgia! I had one, which was nicked on me from outside work.

Fella cycled past me on it a few weeks later... I recognised him and informed the guards.

He ended up in court for receiving stolen goods ( he bought it in the pub!) and had to buy me a new bike on the instructions of the judge lol

Harrybelafonte · 16-10-2020 10:12am

Montana paints took over from Krylon as primary choice for graffiti and is a great choice. You might find them cheaper and with more choices in art shops.

Blanchy90 · 16-10-2020 12:50pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

well, it certainly is green.

Love the colour, that's what I had originally planned for mine

Blanchy90 · 16-10-2020 12:57pm

Just having a look at Montana paint and it looks to be seriously good value!

https://www.artmaterials.ie/paint/spray-paint/montana-spray-paint.html

How much paint would you need for a frame and fork? I was planning to just use some old primer I have in the shed and get some paint in halfords but Montana looks like a much better and cheaper option

magicbastarder · 16-10-2020 1:14pm

the stuff i used above - standard holts spray paint you'll get in most motor factors - cost me €7.50 i think.
the etch primer was €15, largely due to it being a can twice the size, simoniz brand. but i can use that elsewhere anyway.

8valve · 16-10-2020 8:06pm

Blanchy90 wrote: »

Just having a look at Montana paint and it looks to be seriously good value!

https://www.artmaterials.ie/paint/spray-paint/montana-spray-paint.html

How much paint would you need for a frame and fork? I was planning to just use some old primer I have in the shed and get some paint in halfords but Montana looks like a much better and cheaper option

the beauty of Montana cans is that, as graffiti paint, they're extremely opaque, require no primer, stick to nearly everything, and are very resistant to the elements..

remember, this stuff has to be blasted off subway carriages in New York!

I painted an entire VW Transporter using 18 Montana cans a few years ago and it lasted for years.

I would recommend you overcoat it with montana clear gloss varnish/lacquer to avoid oil from the bike components staining the paint, as it has a natural satin/matt finish.

Project bike

Comments