The Rustoration Build Off

[fasteddy]

Bairdco, I think that it would be a crime if you didn't. With your talents you should have a great business.
There are a lot of people I would think, who want a MB but have no idea who to ask for one. We are to much a Walmart crowd now.

There are how many people who have a bike in the garage that they would love to have a motor on. Baidco motors to the rescue. Your full service motor bike dealer.

Steve.

 

[BarelyAWake]

Oh, btw Silverbear, after some puzzling with the engine I got more space above the engine. I will construct some sort of tank made out of bean canisters or similar. I bought some soldering material the other day.

Hey - while makin' yer own tank outa cans is ofc the coolest thing in the world, have you considered the ol' fire extinguisher as a fuel tank trick? With a nicely tapered "front" and a good, heavy gauge steel it may be easier to make than the cans. The "Kiddie" automotive sized ones outa be about the perfect size too. Ifn it's not long 'nuff or yer goin' for extra style - get two, cut 'em up and have both ends tapered. While it'd be best to have 'em welded - that'd be quick and cheap;

My tank progress has been... intermittent. Between alla drama of a flooded house and ofc bein' in the middle of my work week I've not had a lot of freedom to jus' sit down and doodle. Still - I've done three test layouts for the top and bottom panels, the first two proving yet again that there's a huge difference between "planning" and the real world lol

My first idea was to have a somewhat angular tank, sorta coffin shaped if viewed from above. It's quite important for the tank to have a fairly abrupt taper in the front as the rear forks for the springer will hit it when I turn the handlebars all the way to one side or the other. Too wide and I'll limit the steering - too narrow and I'll not only have a dang strange lookin' tank, it wont hold much and I'd be forced into havin' a pinhole for a fuel fill. While the cap will be smaller than normal - I really don't want to be forced into using a funnel to fill the blasted thing.

So while the angular tank looked great in my brain, when I got around to draftin' out the shapes it jus' didn't work. Sure - I got it to all "fit together" (sketched out anyway) but it jus' looked stupid as heck. The sides will be rounded front and rear (they're only angled in the pics 'cause I've not ground the rounds yet) and the clash of rounds and angles combined with the gently swooping frame was too much to bear. Additionally, the taper in the front needed to be so abrupt to give me the flat sides where I wanted 'em... well... trust me - it looked really bad lol

No materials wasted tho, as I didn't cut anything and it's funny how easily Sharpie wipes off with a lil acetone FTW. My second attempt was similar to the first just with the bends/angles in slightly different places, but with the same disastrous results - they offended mine eyes. More acetone and back to the drawing board.

I really don't know why I had my heart set on angles... they don't make the math any easier and the Rollfast is all curves so I shoulda known better *shrug* For whatever reason that's what I had envisioned from the moment I thought about makin' a tank and bein' a stubborn fool I ignored alla my past experience and tried to make it work anyway. Sure - I could make it work, I've even finally figured out where the bends need to be - but on my third attempt I jus' grabbed a batten (jus' a thin strip of scrap plywood to plot curves, ply so the grain doesn't effect anything) and did a test curve... lo and behold, a classic curve pleasing to the eye with alla various widths in all the right places BTW, battens are also handy for figurin' out what the length of a curve is if flattened out - bend the batten to the curve - mark, flatten and measure. Ya can use a bit o'string... but it tends to get all squirrely on ya.

K - so I'm going to have a curved tank then heh, it's sometimes a lot better to listen to what the materials have to say than my silly brain;

This is actually just my test piece - I'll be cutting out just the top half of the drawing, the bottom isn't to scale and is just there to help me envision the shape. Once the top half is cut, I'll use it as a trace template and flip it over to get as close to a symmetrical, mirrored shape as possible. While battens are great for plotting nice curves - you'll never get quite the same shape twice so it's best to not rely on 'em too much. The 1" band going down the middle is the top tube of the frame, the straight lines comin' off the ends are for the wrap-arounds front and rear. As they'll need to be some mysterious hourglass shape from the sides tapering in - I'm gonna wait till the rest is cut and I can bend them into place and trace. Yeah, I could use the ol' math... but we've already discussed the insidious shortcomings of my brain;

While it's all ready for the jigsaw... it's also about 5:30am here and despite all my threats of audio revenge - I'm still jus' not bastid 'nuff to make screamin' sheet metal death noises and wake the entire house.

Ah well.

 

[weekend-fun]

Snow day!! We have no school!! So know time for some extra $$$$ by shovlein' driveways
maybe i'll get enough to buy a nice headlight.............

 

[silverbear]

Hmmm, UPS truck, huh? I wonder what Santa Claus is bringing Bairdco... You must have been a good boy this year, or like Fasteddie, bribed him. I agree that you have all the talent and drive to make a go of a business. It sounds like we're thinking somewhat along the same lines. Your target buyer might be different than mine (geezers and rich ladies) and mine might be more sedate rides.... step throughs and automatics... that sort of thing, but using classy old bikes with HT motors. My own plan involves making up a website which will be my "showroom" since I don't have a real shop and will have a virtual one. I already have the domain name and am planning to create the website this winter/spring in time for summer. In my part of the world of northeastern Minnesota the money people arrive in the summer and there are a lot of them from Minneapolis and Chicago, all over the country and even Europe coming for the whole summer to their lakeside cabins or staying at resorts for vacation. I live 12 miles from a kind of Mecca (Ely) which is a jump off point for the million acre Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. My plan involves taking my Elgin or something else eye catching in a trailer I will remake as a bike hauler with one or two plain Janes (newish bikes, bump start and basic) locked on the trailer. I'll ride around all day with the eye catcher and dog in tow on busy tourist days like weekends and festival days, have lunch in the park and let the interested people find me. We talk some and I give them my business card, maybe two or three business cards which direct them to my website. On the website are bikes currently available including the previous winter's classic builds with hefty price tags, also something like a new Schwinn Jaguar which will look like a really good deal being cheaper since I'll have less money in it.) I'll also show what I have in classics not yet built and for an advance of a certain amount of money (non refundable if the customer changes heart and I am midway) and I will paint it or not paint it, give it heavy duty wheels, a different seat or whatever the customer wants, including a choice of bump start, pull start or automatic with pull start. I think for myself it is a good business plan. I don't think I will sell kits or motors, just bikes I build. I have no aspirations of a big business or trying to make a bundle. I just want to supplement my social security (matching it) so that my life is more comfortable and I have something to occupy myself with that I enjoy and believe in. I think some variation of this plan would work for others, too. I don't think you need a great shop or fantastic tools, mostly integrity, initiative and a right attitude. Anyway, that's my plan, Stan... it's what I wanta do, Stu. Gonna give it a go, Joe. So that's why it sounds like I have so many bikes. I don't really, but do have more than I can ride (or afford). Wish me luck. I hope you follow through and sell some as it would be a service to others and would put your considerable talents to good purpose.

Hey Barely, you tank is coming along nicely and your photos are super. More please...

Weekend Fun, sounds like your on a money mission. Good for you. It sure beats spending all your money on CDs or video games. You have a lot more skill and mechanical knowledge than I had at your age. Way to go.

Tellus, what more can you share about the history of your bike... the company and all? More photos when you have them.

I'm still in winter mode and need to restock firewood for my employer. More snow is coming tonight. I'm hoping to do a little fender work this afternoon as the sun is shining at the moment and I can stand outside and do some sanding without getting frostbite.

Steve, hows the mounting setup coming for that sidecar? I'm curious, my friend, and want to borrow (steal) your ideas!
SB

 

[mekano]

Silverbear:

Tellus was manufactured by a company called "Herman Geijer & Co" in a swedish town called Karlstad (32 000 inhabitants around 1945). The bike I have is not a common sight in Stockholm where I live but they do appear on the countryside and more nearby Karlstad. There is very little info about these bikes. I know the company owner Herman died 1949.

I have found two swedish sites that has pics and very short info about Tellus'es. Below are some links, one is a motorized bike, one more moped-like (31cc) and then a bike with the same color as mine, a Tellus Lux. I noticed on the moped (the red one) that many parts are the same as on mine, the fork for example.

Motorized Tellusbike:
VETERANSTALLET.se - Fuchs 40 tellus cykel - Bildgalleri

Moped version:
TELLUS (Nyman-Crescent's "Autoped")

Tellus Lux:
- TELLUS > TELLUS LYX > Idrottsmagasinet, Karlstad.

NOW! Some updates:
Today I got this from the mailman (attached), it was mine on swedish ebay for 7 dollars:
The tank comes from a Husqvarna, model Novolette:
http://web.telia.com/~u27807366/pictures/mopeder/husqvarna_hoger.jpg

I was hoping on this type of more squeezed one but the seller had no pic in the ad: http://hem.passagen.se/veteranberra/moped/novo52.jpg

I will see what i can do with it, if it fits the Tellus I'd be happy!

Thats it for now, must give a helping hand in the kitchen!

 

[weekend-fun]

I was glad for the photos on this listing so that I could see my bike as it was sold (in a different color) and can see what the graphics were like. I never would have pictured this bike in white, but I like it and can visualize leaving it as it is, plugging in a black HT motor, a black gas tank behind the seat and with just that it would be a really sharp ride. If I were rich I'd bid on it.
SB

yep i like the way it looks, 'specialy the rear part very cool i think i'll look into it, prob wont buy it if it's to expensive for you guys

 

[weekend-fun]

Kinda my late X-mad list Weekend-funs garage builds: Bikes I want

i think most of theese aren't worth it, but some are

 

[fasteddy]

Silver Bear, our local Home Depot is kind of light weight compared to most. Geared more to the home owner/ light construction guy.

Went by today and thier plumbing section is mostly plastic pipe. I'll have to get to a good plumbing supply co. Monday to see if I can get the parts I need.

Want to get the interior of the side car done first and then on to the whatever it is going to ride on.
If it works I'll give every one as good a set of plans as possible.

Want to see lot's of sidecars out there. Buddy mentioned a insulated keg sidecar.
Think I'll leave that to the younger and more inclined. My liver payed the price years ago.

Steve.

 

[mekano]

Todays update on Tellus bike:
Bought a hd rear wheel. To make the sprocket fit I have to give the sprocket hole another 5 mm in diam. I will try to dremel and see if something happens.
Sorry for the poor pic quality, my mobile is old and it's kinda dark. Cheers!

 

[mekano]

Here is my mock up tank before soldering.
I saved some of the cap (pic 2) to strenghten the tank in the middle.

Havent tried to fit in the Novolette tank that arrived by mail yesterday.

 

[mekano]

Oh, it was Ravioli Bolognaise....

 

[silverbear]

Thanks for the information and links on Tellus. Interesting. Your Huskvarna tank reminds me of all the chain saws up my way made by Huskvarna. I use Jonsureds, myself, being well made and less expensive. Of the two the "new" one is about twenty five years old, which I bought new. The other is the old one. Ha. Huskvarna made high end motorcycles, didn't they? Is that what the tank came off of?
So you have a new wheel. I had the same trouble with my sprocket needing to be a little bigger and used a chainsaw file. If it is too much for the Dremel then try that. Your can tank looks good. Will that hang from the crossbar or go behind the seat? Comin' along!
SB

 

[silverbear]

Hey Steve,
Actually the Home Depot near here is also pretty light weight in what they offer. Below are two pictures of a bike trailer I found at the land fill last summer and brought with me with the idea of making it into a sidecar. It was missing wheels, but a kid's bike nearby in the landfill volunteered for duty. It's amazing what people throw away. I already have a nice instep trailer, so don't need this one. The way it is constructed I think will lend itself to a sidecar conversion. I'm going to remove the front arm which attaches to the rear axle of the bike and bolt it on in reverse from farther back on the left side of the trailer frame. It will become the rear most attachment to the bike, attaching in the same way to the axle with the ability to flex. The left trailer wheel will be removed, of course. What's left is the front mount which I'll figure out once somebody smart (like you) has an idea for me to adapt. It's just for Aaniimoosh The Wonder Dog who only weighs around 25 pounds, so it doesn't need to be heavy duty. If it works out and doesn't feel too weird to me having it alongside, then next winter I'll strip birch bark from a couple donor trees at spring thaw when the bark will pop off the trees without killing them. Then I can cover it in bark stitched on with split black spruce root in the same way a birch bark canoe would be covered. Should work OK. I'm not the wood worker you are and gave almost all my tools to my sons some years back when I thought I was dying and wouldn't need them anymore. So, whatever I do has to be fairly simple. Simple is good, too.
SB

 

[silverbear]

I don't have a lot new for show and tell, but have photos for a couple little things. Today I made a funnel just for the heck of it from a mandarin oranges can and a few inches of copper pipe. Since the filler on my gas tank is smallish, I figured I needed a funnel and don't much like plastic ones. I was going to buy an old copper Coleman fuel funnel, like what was used for the white gas lamps. But I followed a couple auctions and they go for too much as collectibles. Anyway, I used a flaring tool to make one end of the copper pipe flare out a bit (the end inside the can) and soldered it up. It only took about ten minutes to make, including eating the oranges.
I also changed the juice can mount to simplify it. As suggested by Norm at Venicebikes, Stainless steel clamps look nice and are plenty strong. I cut a new base plate which fits under the rear rack and using the dremel cut off wheel made little slots for the free end of the clamps to fit through. Simple. I think it gives a cleaner look than the cradle. I want lights on my bike so I don't get run over, so scrounged an old bicycle turn signal light which was kind of popular in the sixties as an add on. I removed the bulbs and replaced them with LED lights for the rear light, one at each arrow. Then there is a second circuit with five LED bulbs which will light up when I use the hand brake. I like it and think it looks old timey. I couldn't resist a little Indian decal which is sold for cast iron toy collectors to replace wrecked decals on cast iron Indian motorcycle models. They went on the gas tanks, I believe, so mine goes beneath my gas tank. Ha! My second childhood, I guess, or maybe I'm still in the first one. I'm working on fenders as I can. They will get done eventually.
SB

 

[fasteddy]

Silver Bear, as I told you my Dad always said it was a poor day when you couldn't bring back better from the dump than what you took. They stopped the heavy, once a year trash pick up here, but that was incredible pickings.

Lots of nearly new bikes sitting on the side of the road just waiting for a new owner.

If the plans I have for the sidecar running gear works you should be able to just bolt the trailer to the frame. The wheel you have will work perfectly.
My aim is to try and make it so that it can be made with the minimum of welding and fancy tools. Just off the shelf parts where possible.

Do you have a photo of Aaniimoosh the Wonder Dog?

Steve.

 

[mekano]

Juice can and copper pipe funnel it will be for me aswell! Great idea!
My tank has also a small filler.
Havent soldered the tank yet but I will most probably have it rack mounted because of my motors high placement. If my husqvarna (yes they did the most durable motorcycles ever known) novolette tank fits I believe it will be a bit too low for the carb (If I fix the cleareance prob it's ok but I dont wanna bend the cranks)
Put the new hd rear wheel on the Tellus just to try it out and he says it fits him better, fills out the space beautifully!

 

[bairdco]

i "won" a 20" bike today on the bay. i was the only bidder. $49.99, and the guy's local. what's even better, is he works about 2 miles from my house, so he's gonna drop it off early next week.

it's a "camelback" type frame, lugged joints, skiptooth, and i've been searching everywhere trying to find out what it is. i think it's a Fay Mfg. Co. "silver ring bike-about Jr." the sprocket, lugs, handlebars, tooth count, new departure hub, seat, and frame size all match.

the awesomest thing, if it is a Fay,( CONTENTdm Collection | Compound Object Viewer) is that's the company that Fred Colson, along with some other guys started before he started Colson Bicycles. so i'm keeping it in the family.

the less than awesomest thing, is Fay made tricycles, velocipedes, and other kiddie bikes, and they called them "fairy bicycles." so my bikes totally gay. like the "gay nineties" gay. so if someone ever says, "dude, yer bikes gay..." i can smile and say, "yeth, it ith! thankth alot!"

(sorry, couldn't resist.)

their line of bikes also goes by the name "Red Cross - Our Little Ones."

it's all pretty confusing.

so, i've got the 24" middle child Colson, the 20" baby brother on the way, and what i've been holding out on, and now being shipped from New York, is the older sister.

a mid 30's Colson Vogue ladies bike. been stored in a basement since the 40's. this one probably won't get a motor. i'd like to find an older brother (boys bike) Colson and swap out all the parts.

so that's what i've been up to, here's some pics off the 'bay. i'll post more when the bikes are in my greasy little hands...

 

[mekano]

Wow, those are some awesome cool bikes!

 

[silverbear]

Bairdco,
Nice finds. That 20 incher looks like it has room for a HT engine thanks to the raised crossbar... I like it. If it turns out that you aren't able to find the sister bike's big brother, I'd bet you could motorize that step through and sell it. Elders sometimes have trouble with swinging a leg over the seat and a step through is just the thing. Last summer I almost sold a newish man's Huffy to a neighbor lady who just had to have it. She was ready to pay for it, but I had my misgivings since she was maybe fifty years old, hadn't ridden a bicycle in a good many years and was not in great physical condition. One reason she wanted the bike was to also pedal it and work off some pounds. I said that I thought she should ride it first. So we went for a ride on a very good paved road, virtually no cars and she had a grin from ear to ear once she managed to get it started. The trouble came when she stopped and was dismounting. Her experience had been with girl's bikes... step throughs. She lost her balance and down she went. I suggested another ride later in the day and we repeated the experience. Now her confidence was shaken. I tried to help her with how to put your anchor leg out further from the bike when getting on an off, but she did it again, hit the pavement and hurt her hand. The next day she came to tell me she didn't think it was for her. But I remember the joy she had while she was riding and how she goosed it to 25 or so on her first ride. It was for her, or at least the school girl inside her. The problem is that it wasn't the right bike. She had the money and didn't balk at what I was asking for it. I don't think she would have had any trouble with a step through, and if it had been an automatic clutch all the better. Anyway, her experience led me to do some rethinking of things and now I want to target older men and women who have the means to buy these bikes. I'll also do men's classic bikes and new Schwinns with bump start engines... plug and plays, but I'm not going to forget the elders. Anyway, it isn't just young guys who want a motorbicycle and a lot of the young guys don't have any money. Somethin' to think about anyway. I know step throughs aren't your thing, but you're going to sell it, right?
SB

 

[bairdco]

the thing about that bike, is it might be too nice to put a motor on. the paint looks like i can get it back to almost new. the rims aren't rusted, it's got the fenders and rack, etc...

if i can restore it just by polishing it up, i might keep it as is for awhile, ride it to the beach, then sell it down the road when i tire of it.

as for my "target" market, most of the people around here that can afford expensive bikes are middle age men, looking for toys, trying to be a kid, yet still trying to stay "macho." so a men's bike would sell better, unless i find a rich couple who want a pair.

dunno yet, still waiting for it to arrive.

the smaller bike looks perfect. the ad had the dimensions, and without having the middle bar, they're about the same as my 24". and it looks like the plug will end up right in that hump, and with the "V" frame, i'm hoping it'll fit right in. that one will definitely get a custom tank, because the peanut will be too bulky. the top tube's 15" long, and the tanks are like 11" or something.

i also think i figured out a super cheap, super cool way to make a tank, but you're all gonna have to wait for that...