Zman's bike now with acetylene lighting

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Zman

Zman

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Sep 10, 2010
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germany
Hello there !
i am tinkering since a while at a real working acetylene lighting, got a set of head- and taillight from LUXOR, made in france in 1920.
It was a good ebay deal, the headlight is in very good used (original) condition, the taillight is a NOS part. Only the acetylene generator and the mounting brackets was missing. The brackets i built from Moped-mirror brackets and the new acetylene generator i got in a shop for speleologists ( hoehlenforscher ? ), they are using this type of lighting today. After assembling all parts, i filled up the generator with water and carbide and turned on the lamp with a lighter. It works immediately without gasleaks or anything else ! I was very amazed about the brightness of that lamp, more than 15W Moped light ! In the next time i will built on the taillight, and order red rubber hose for the vintage look. More coming soon !!!
 

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2door

2door

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Sep 15, 2008
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Beautiful, Z. Period perfect and functional.
Years ago I had a brass miners head lamp with the generator on a belt clip. I have no idea what happened to it but it could have been converted to a bike lamp.
Thanks for sharing.

tom
 
Zman

Zman

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Sep 10, 2010
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fire up the lamp !

For the first time you take a spoonful of carbide into the can, it will be enough for a test about 20 min., 5 heaped spoonful of carbide reaches for ca. 2 hours of light, fill the can to the allowed maximum will make light for ca. 8-10 hours says the manufacturer of the generator. Then fill water in the tank, screw the carbide filled can with the tank together. Open the valve of the tank to spending a max. of 2-3 drops of water per second, be careful !!!! , more water produces too much gas, the burner in the lamp will turn to a welding burner...
If the water drops on the carbide it will make a hissing sound for a moment, don't fear, after hearing the noise you can take a matchstick and fire up the lamp !
At last, be careful of the lamps heat, don't touch it ! the acetylene generator goes hot too about the chemical reaction from carbide & water...
 

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Zman

Zman

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Sep 10, 2010
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germany
the bicycle...

is still the same as in my introduction 2 years ago, only a few parts were changed. Now there is a springerfork like the Triumph 1913, i've changed the handlebar, a thumbs throttle, cotton isolated ignitionwire, the sparkplug connector and a saddle with more springs for a more comforetable ride.
The Bicycle is a 1950's man's Victoria, wheelsize 28". The engine is a Zuendapp Combimot, made in 1954 and the only way to motorize a bike legal in germany. This engines are especially made to motorize bicycles in the poorly years after WWII. There where some engines more like the Victoria FM38, the Lohmann, the Lutz, and many more, but i've figured out the Zuendapp is the strongest and trustiest of them all....
 

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killercanuck

killercanuck

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Dec 17, 2009
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Very cool Zman, icing on the cake! And thanks for explaining how it works too. Will the rear light use the same generator?

Also, I'm curious, is it possible to extinguish/restart? (stop water, let burn out/restart water, re-light?) Or do you have to time the amount of carbide for your ride, and carry extra in your pocket just in case?
 
truckd

truckd

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Oct 19, 2010
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palmdale calif
That is an absolutely cool bike! love the Tank! can't seem to find your 2 yr old thread, tell us about the tank!, I am building a similar type bike(slightly different,slightly!) and you can see a pic of it on my thread "Blood Thursty" it's the black one a few pages in and again on the thread title'd "Harley 1915 board tracker"
Love It!
 
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Zman

Zman

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Sep 10, 2010
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germany
Killer, that isn't my original introducing thread, that's my next (new) project....i've used the tank from the Victoria bike on this pictures only to see how it looks on this bike !
 
Zman

Zman

New Member
Sep 10, 2010
219
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germany
a glow in the dark...

Killer, was a good asking, i've tested it for you with the taillight ! .You can stop it by closing the watervalve, but it didn't make a restart ! maybe on the basis of the chemical reaction ? i have no clue about chemistry, but i know one thing : it stinks ugly, open the window of your Apartment by messing around with carbide.....
my conclusion : you have to time the amount of carbide and water for your ride, but i think every lamp is different, so i can say how much stuff you must carry on your way only for this lighting-set....
By the way : the taillight uses the same generator, on the headlight is a nozzle to connect the hose for it.

truckd, the tank is handmade of brass by an old guy here in germany, i've buyed it on a swapmeet a few years ago. I need a second tank for my next project, but unfortunately i've lost his telephone number....
 

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truckd

truckd

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Oct 19, 2010
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Man! thats the same bike? I am impressed!! hope mine turns out as good as your's, I'am still collecting some stuff and have to get my Indian done then I'll be jumping on the new one
 
Zman

Zman

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Sep 10, 2010
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Don't confuse with the bike from the other thread ! i've more than one bike....
here is a picture, 2years ago, this bike in this thread !
 

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killercanuck

killercanuck

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Dec 17, 2009
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Uh oh, better start going to the swap meets to find your tank builder again, best of luck.

Maybe it has to dry out before it can be restarted? Is cool you can turn it off when you want though. The rear looks very bright as well, maybe two would look good back there? :p

Love the wide rear rack, that's a lot of real estate for cargo. :)


edit - Sorry for posting the wrong bike too. My bad.
 
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truckd

truckd

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Oct 19, 2010
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palmdale calif
Sorry to bug ! but why didn't you mount the engine in the frame, don't get me wrong it looks good either way, when all is said and I'll have a bent back bone(AKA Camel back) with center bar and in-frame tank, I also want to replace the Treadless head set with Threaded head set and vintage 28" front forks with truss rods.
I'll be getting some design tips from your builds in the future, sure would like to see some of your other bikes (Hint! Hint!)
 
Zman

Zman

New Member
Sep 10, 2010
219
10
0
germany
Killer,
after using the gas-generator, you should clean and dry it. If the chemical reaction has ended, the carbide forms a kind of lime (Kalk?) and it is harmless to the environment, you can wash it down your sink !

Truckd,
this engine is especially made to mount it in front of the bottom bracket, the engines mounting brackets allows no other place on the bike except you build them the DIY way. All parts of the engine are matched for this position, but you can also get the Combimot for a frontwheel drive like the REX, but they are very hard to find ! i've scanned you a few pics from the original owners manual !
Sometimes it reminds me to the 1902 NSU, grandfather of motorcycling, not more than a motorized bicycle....

edit : Killer, the oversized rack is always good for a beer crate...
 

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moonerdizzle

moonerdizzle

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Jun 28, 2009
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Cheese head capitol
that motor starts like my batavus moped, centrifugal clutch with a lever operated friction disc to lock it to start? am i right? pretty good looking scoot tho, love the carbide lamp. I would love to have a carbide lamp
 
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