Finally getting back to the piano I’m turning into a fountain for a wedding venue. Had some helpers today.
Projecting, tinkering, fiddle-farting around: whatcha building? (5 Viewers)
- Thread starter DRANGED
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Been spending the last couple of weeks tuning up and cleaning bikes. Our local rides are Motobecane Cafe Express 8's (Nexus hub gears):
My bike is the one with all the luggage. Still waiting for a couple of parts for mine, as the Sigma bike computer needs a battery cover for one of the sensors. Of course, Sigma no longer supports parts for that. I found a NOS set on eBay, but it's coming from Quebec, so it's taking a bit longer to get here. I didn't like the mountain bike style handlebars, so I custom bent one using a handlebar designed for a English 3 speed bike. Tweaked the ends out a couple of degrees wider, and it's a lot more comfortable now.
I still need to clean/oil the chains on both bikes, but that's a simple chore.
The next couple of bikes are 'vintage': 10 speed Peugeot U-08 Grand Sport (mine) and 12 speed Lotus Excelle (wife's). They're both 40 years old. I bought mine in May 1980, the wife's was shortly after. Both needed a good cleaning and over haul of wheel bearings, new cables, etc. Lots and lots of hand polishing to remove rust spots/stains from years of sitting. The tires were rotted on both bikes. I put Kenda 1 1/8 x 27 K36 gumwall tires on both bikes to retain the vintage look. Both bikes got their headsets overhauled. The Peugeot was a stinker, as the bottom bearings are loose, and they fell out. I'll probably find a couple of them in a year or two. But the top was caged. The Lotus was caged top/bottom. All the grease had turned to wax. Just nasty looking semi-solid crud. Both chains needed a serious cleaning. But neither one was stretched beyond useful (checked with my Park tool).
Wife's Lotus is just about done. Her's has aluminum rims, which didn't require the amount of polishing that the Rigida steel rims on my Peugeot did (my fingers ache). Taping the handlebars was not as easy as it would seem. I ordered a new seat for it, and it should be in today, and I've picked up the vintage Cats Eye reflector kit off eBay, which should be here soon. I'll add the rear wheel reflector to her Lotus, and put the rest on my Peugeot (which had them originally):
My Peugeot is still being worked on. It's about 90% done, with new tires/tubes, cables, and a whole lot of hand polishing of chrome and aluminum parts. Still need to tear into the freewheel, clean/polish the crank arms and chain wheels. I may get a new seat for it. Haven't decided. The handlebar tape is original, and in decent condition. Although not as comfy as the newer padded tape, I'm going to leave it.
These are not full restorations, I left the paint 'as is', only cleaning and wax. I like the patina on both bikes.
My bike is the one with all the luggage. Still waiting for a couple of parts for mine, as the Sigma bike computer needs a battery cover for one of the sensors. Of course, Sigma no longer supports parts for that. I found a NOS set on eBay, but it's coming from Quebec, so it's taking a bit longer to get here. I didn't like the mountain bike style handlebars, so I custom bent one using a handlebar designed for a English 3 speed bike. Tweaked the ends out a couple of degrees wider, and it's a lot more comfortable now.
I still need to clean/oil the chains on both bikes, but that's a simple chore.
The next couple of bikes are 'vintage': 10 speed Peugeot U-08 Grand Sport (mine) and 12 speed Lotus Excelle (wife's). They're both 40 years old. I bought mine in May 1980, the wife's was shortly after. Both needed a good cleaning and over haul of wheel bearings, new cables, etc. Lots and lots of hand polishing to remove rust spots/stains from years of sitting. The tires were rotted on both bikes. I put Kenda 1 1/8 x 27 K36 gumwall tires on both bikes to retain the vintage look. Both bikes got their headsets overhauled. The Peugeot was a stinker, as the bottom bearings are loose, and they fell out. I'll probably find a couple of them in a year or two. But the top was caged. The Lotus was caged top/bottom. All the grease had turned to wax. Just nasty looking semi-solid crud. Both chains needed a serious cleaning. But neither one was stretched beyond useful (checked with my Park tool).
Wife's Lotus is just about done. Her's has aluminum rims, which didn't require the amount of polishing that the Rigida steel rims on my Peugeot did (my fingers ache). Taping the handlebars was not as easy as it would seem. I ordered a new seat for it, and it should be in today, and I've picked up the vintage Cats Eye reflector kit off eBay, which should be here soon. I'll add the rear wheel reflector to her Lotus, and put the rest on my Peugeot (which had them originally):
My Peugeot is still being worked on. It's about 90% done, with new tires/tubes, cables, and a whole lot of hand polishing of chrome and aluminum parts. Still need to tear into the freewheel, clean/polish the crank arms and chain wheels. I may get a new seat for it. Haven't decided. The handlebar tape is original, and in decent condition. Although not as comfy as the newer padded tape, I'm going to leave it.
These are not full restorations, I left the paint 'as is', only cleaning and wax. I like the patina on both bikes.
Some nice bikes Hack.
I'll show them to my son when he gets back from this weekend bike/camping trip.
I have been dinking around with one inch to the foot scale fortune teller booth.
I made one years ago and it sold pretty fast.
Picked up some VCR's for twenty five cents each and just watched the movie Big again so decided to make another booth.
Got the booth and gearing done so now have to dress up the wiring and dress the figure and should be done in a few more days.
I'll show them to my son when he gets back from this weekend bike/camping trip.
I have been dinking around with one inch to the foot scale fortune teller booth.
I made one years ago and it sold pretty fast.
Picked up some VCR's for twenty five cents each and just watched the movie Big again so decided to make another booth.
Got the booth and gearing done so now have to dress up the wiring and dress the figure and should be done in a few more days.
Super nice!
Thanks! Rebuilding the bottom bracket on my Peugeot was 'interesting'. It has the Swiss thread bottom bracket, which is the same thread size as the French thread, but it's a left hand thread. Took a bit of brute force to remove, but it was well worth the effort to clean everything out and re-grease the bearings. I couldn't figure out why there was so much sand and fine gravel in there. But then I noticed that the seat post was open at the top. The rear tire would throw junk up under the seat and it would fall down the tube to the bottom bracket. I plugged it, so hopefully it won't happen in the future.
I’m a project person. Starting today by doing some slight mods to the cross carving I did about 17yrs ago.
done
- Thread starter
- #48
That's badass!
- Thread starter
- #49
Honduras is in the blood now!With a machete no less!
Hack, What hub is that on the Motobecane?
My knowledge of bikes never got passed the Swinn Varsity I rode in the 70's
I think my son has Motobecane.
He has close to a dozen different bikes and your talking about Swiss threads and the like sounds a lot like him.
Bean, what kind of stone is that?
I have never worked in stone of any kind.
I have some pieces of Marble and some Granite but never had the ambition to try them.
I barely have patience for wood.
We have some talented people on this forum.
Who would have thought from reading some of the other threads posted.
My knowledge of bikes never got passed the Swinn Varsity I rode in the 70's
I think my son has Motobecane.
He has close to a dozen different bikes and your talking about Swiss threads and the like sounds a lot like him.
Bean, what kind of stone is that?
I have never worked in stone of any kind.
I have some pieces of Marble and some Granite but never had the ambition to try them.
I barely have patience for wood.
We have some talented people on this forum.
Who would have thought from reading some of the other threads posted.
thebigredrocker
SILVER Star
Fiddle fart type project:
JB welded plastic floor drain lid finally busted. So I used some scrap steel to make better lids.
JB welded plastic floor drain lid finally busted. So I used some scrap steel to make better lids.
We call it white builders stone. It’s fairly easy to cut and carve. They typically use it as stone for homes after its cut into rectangles.
Next phase, metal water basin and sheer.
Really happy with the way this is turning out.
- Thread starter
- #56
Creating a little garage wall art.
I repurposed some old bump stops and a junk passenger front FJ80 seat to make a garage chair. I hope to use it when I'm hiding from the family.... I mean, tinkering in the garage, or pondering my other projects.
Redneck: Hell yes! But really comfy with the flex from the bumpstops and nicely broken in seat
Redneck: Hell yes! But really comfy with the flex from the bumpstops and nicely broken in seat
My fortune teller is mostly done.
Just fantastic sir!!
