The Rustoration Build Off
- Thread starter BarelyAWake
- Start date
It's been awhile lol, but I managed to stop riding the Rollfast long 'nuff to get the dropstand on! Still crusty & the mounts raw steel - but it works and looks right methinks... I don't remember where I left off, but it's simple 'nuff sos I'll just post it anyway o.o
1/8" plate steel & a buncha ungodly dremel noises - I had to make an extension out of a lil chunk of stainless to relocate the cable mount for my rear brake;
(click to view)
Welded on the inside of the dropouts (I'll prolly fill the seam), the lil nubbin in front I left long so I can grind the ends flush. I thought I might hafta regrind the tabs too to get 'em to hold the dropstand at the right angle - but it worked out & I don't hafta touch them *whew* The spring clip under the fender... well, I've got one less stainless ruler lol, but it had just the right thickness & springiness so it got sacrificed for the cause heh
OFC all this meant I had to perform tests and stuff... which means another ride...
1/8" plate steel & a buncha ungodly dremel noises - I had to make an extension out of a lil chunk of stainless to relocate the cable mount for my rear brake;
(click to view)
Welded on the inside of the dropouts (I'll prolly fill the seam), the lil nubbin in front I left long so I can grind the ends flush. I thought I might hafta regrind the tabs too to get 'em to hold the dropstand at the right angle - but it worked out & I don't hafta touch them *whew* The spring clip under the fender... well, I've got one less stainless ruler lol, but it had just the right thickness & springiness so it got sacrificed for the cause heh
OFC all this meant I had to perform tests and stuff... which means another ride...
silverbear, my 24" colson's about done, besides upgrading a few things here and there, like maybe a smaller sprocket. ever since i added that supertrapp muffler, i can wind out that 30 tooth. so i'll probably go down to a 28, but the speeds i'll get then might overwhelm the bike itself. it get's a little squirrely at, well, let's just say, if it was legal, i could almost take it on the freeway. (trying to avoid claims without proof. 
)
the only other things to do on it are wipe the dirt off and fill it with gas.
got a new project about to start, just posted a thread for it. as soon as i'm settled into my new house, the shenanigans will continue...
http://motorbicycling.com/f38/another-colson-build-18289.html
)the only other things to do on it are wipe the dirt off and fill it with gas.
got a new project about to start, just posted a thread for it. as soon as i'm settled into my new house, the shenanigans will continue...
http://motorbicycling.com/f38/another-colson-build-18289.html
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Barely,
That is just perfect, elegant even. I do love that bike.
Hey Bairdco,
So that muffler has made a real difference. Have you found a buyer yet for the copper cruiser? I'm going to look for your new thread...
SB
That is just perfect, elegant even. I do love that bike.
Hey Bairdco,
So that muffler has made a real difference. Have you found a buyer yet for the copper cruiser? I'm going to look for your new thread...
SB
Well, it's been a while but don't think for a second that me ol' Rollfast is anywhere near "done" 'cause it'll never happen lol
LET THERE BE LIGHT(S n'stuff)!
Got around to wiring in the genhub & rewiring the headlight (it's actually three old headlights cobbed together heh) I can haz high & low beams fer when it's all dark n'spooky outside. Finally finished making the taillight housing for that groovy ol' red glass reflector lens, a task I'd put off for a good long while. This also provided an opportunity to get some more copper on the bike, I used 1/4" tubing to keep the sneaky wires outa the wheels... it turned out better than I thought it would, now I just gotta wait for it to tarnish up a bit.
Got the rear fender whole again, still needs a lil tweaking to get the curve perfect (same for the front) & I've got a lil horn and brake light microswitch to figure out to keep me busy tho. A daily commuter, I've racked up around 600+ miles so far FTW
(click to view)
LET THERE BE LIGHT(S n'stuff)!
Got around to wiring in the genhub & rewiring the headlight (it's actually three old headlights cobbed together heh) I can haz high & low beams fer when it's all dark n'spooky outside. Finally finished making the taillight housing for that groovy ol' red glass reflector lens, a task I'd put off for a good long while. This also provided an opportunity to get some more copper on the bike, I used 1/4" tubing to keep the sneaky wires outa the wheels... it turned out better than I thought it would, now I just gotta wait for it to tarnish up a bit.
Got the rear fender whole again, still needs a lil tweaking to get the curve perfect (same for the front) & I've got a lil horn and brake light microswitch to figure out to keep me busy tho. A daily commuter, I've racked up around 600+ miles so far FTW
(click to view)
Attachments
I love the tail light and am going to do some investigating from my own stained glass supplier to see if glass jewels can be found anywhere. That rings all my bells! I made a tail light for the American Fler (now deceased) from a tomato paste can cut to about half length and then shaped with the dremel to fit the curve of the fender. Is yours a real one or make believe from a tin can like mine? I like them and will make more. If nothing else I can use hand blown stained glass cut to size ( I used to have a stained glass shop when I was much younger and love the stuff). The copper tubing is much nicer than the clear vinyl I used on my Flyer, but containing the wiring is a good idea. I hid mine inside the fender stays and held it in place with small ties of elk hide thong. You know me and leather. Gosh I love that bike. Glad to hear that it is working as serious transportation as that is my goal with the Firebird build I'm planning. Your quality Rollfast is what I'm modeling some of my build on, especially the shift kit setup and your attention to detail. You are contributing to the delinquency of an elder, Barely. What would your mother say to that!!!
Great to hear that 600 miles have accumulated and you and your bike are still alive and rolling fast.
SB
Great to hear that 600 miles have accumulated and you and your bike are still alive and rolling fast.
SB
Barely,
I just looked them up..
Stained Glass Supplies from Whittemore-Durgin
... and they do have faceted round glass jewels. I always used to enjoy the humor in their catalog and would read it from cover to cover for a lot of great information and laughs. Be sure to read the message from Early A. Consternation, Manager of Externals on the opening page. I also like their clever use of language with a kind of hoity toity Victorian flavor. When I start making tail lights for sale I'll be ordering some jewels for sure.
SB
I just looked them up..
Stained Glass Supplies from Whittemore-Durgin
... and they do have faceted round glass jewels. I always used to enjoy the humor in their catalog and would read it from cover to cover for a lot of great information and laughs. Be sure to read the message from Early A. Consternation, Manager of Externals on the opening page. I also like their clever use of language with a kind of hoity toity Victorian flavor. When I start making tail lights for sale I'll be ordering some jewels for sure.
SB
Thanks silver - I remember yer tin can work well, if anything it's more "real" than this lol as mine is just a flashlight the glass reflector happened to fit in, cut & sanded to fit the fender ofc... shh, don't tell anyone but ofc the flashlight housing is plastic *shame* Fortunately ya can't really tell unless ya tap on it & so far no one has guessed it's a chopped up flashlight, so I suppose it's worked out heh
As for the red glass lens itself, it's a somewhat common vintage bicycle reflector - I just peeled off the metal backing plate & mount to salvage just the lens.
Much like this - jus' not blue ofc;
BlueGem Glass Jewel Reflector Vintage Schwinn Bike Rack - eBay (item 110532379952 end time May-22-10 13:54:28 PDT)
The bumpy "Pinfire" ones like this are more common tho;
NOS 2 1/4" Green Round Reflector for Balloon Bikes - eBay (item 120565762608 end time Jun-03-10 14:16:41 PDT)
...so while the blown glass thing is awesome, if ya jus' want a nice glass lens keep an eye out. There's nice "cat's eye" oval ones that'd look sweet too BTW
edit: THAT'S a great catalog silver, they've a great outlook too! I'ma gonna bookmark that 'un fosho... I dunno if I'll ever need their stuff, but if I should I'll know where to go
As for the red glass lens itself, it's a somewhat common vintage bicycle reflector - I just peeled off the metal backing plate & mount to salvage just the lens.
Much like this - jus' not blue ofc;
BlueGem Glass Jewel Reflector Vintage Schwinn Bike Rack - eBay (item 110532379952 end time May-22-10 13:54:28 PDT)
The bumpy "Pinfire" ones like this are more common tho;
NOS 2 1/4" Green Round Reflector for Balloon Bikes - eBay (item 120565762608 end time Jun-03-10 14:16:41 PDT)
...so while the blown glass thing is awesome, if ya jus' want a nice glass lens keep an eye out. There's nice "cat's eye" oval ones that'd look sweet too BTW
edit: THAT'S a great catalog silver, they've a great outlook too! I'ma gonna bookmark that 'un fosho... I dunno if I'll ever need their stuff, but if I should I'll know where to go
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However you did it the tail light is perfect.
Much of the glass company catalog is straight forward listing of stuff and for how much, etc, but the section or department called "miasmic diddle" cracked me up. A lot of weird stuff is in there with funny descriptions. Some of it is from warehouses in the 1800's and early 1900's. Actually the brass dog license tags from some city in Ohio in 1946 are pretty cool although I haven't figured quite what I would do with one. Maybe put it on Moosh's collar and try to convince people she is a wonder dog in part because she is around sixty five years old and has had me since I was a puppy. There are also testimonials from supposed customers like the guy who bought a surplus glass doll's eye to put in the end of an olive so that when he drinks martinis he feels much less alone. Stuff like that which appeals to my strange side.
SB
Much of the glass company catalog is straight forward listing of stuff and for how much, etc, but the section or department called "miasmic diddle" cracked me up. A lot of weird stuff is in there with funny descriptions. Some of it is from warehouses in the 1800's and early 1900's. Actually the brass dog license tags from some city in Ohio in 1946 are pretty cool although I haven't figured quite what I would do with one. Maybe put it on Moosh's collar and try to convince people she is a wonder dog in part because she is around sixty five years old and has had me since I was a puppy. There are also testimonials from supposed customers like the guy who bought a surplus glass doll's eye to put in the end of an olive so that when he drinks martinis he feels much less alone. Stuff like that which appeals to my strange side.
SB
Well, I figured I'd mention in all fairness that like all builds the Rollfast has had it's share of teething pains. Nothing particularly devastating - the worst being that odd "pulsing" evident in my shiftkit vids.
At first (and for far too long lol) I thought it was simply binding links in the chains... what boggled me was I'd fix them and it'd just happen again. I examined all sprockets and shafts for alignment and play, none seemed bent or wobbly so I figured it was just the el'cheapo chains. Replacing them all with only slightly better quality (Bell BMX chain) did indeed stop the binding link problem - but the "pulse" was still there
Puzzled and a little concerned as under heavy load the pulsing put quite a bit of strain on things I delved a lil deeper into the problem and as it turns out the flower nut and/or the shaft it connects to is slightly bent. No doubt a manufacturing error overlooked with the... exemplary quality control these kits are known for I'll be sacrificing the poor Schwinn's clutch pack & flower nut, transferring it's parts to the Rollfast to see if it's the shaft itself that's bent. It probably is, but it's so minute that it's hard to tell.
If the shaft is bent I'm not gonna bother worrying about it, unlike my first build I made sure there were no "unique" modifications to the engine mounts, keeping the low expense of engines in mind I focused on keeping the engine as easily replaceable as possible, I'll just transfer the modded & custom bits to the new motor. I did actually use my "spare parts" kit to build the Rollfast so I do need another anyway, it's a bit of a bummer but no surprise.
Everything else is as minor as it is inevitable heh, the lil allen set screws keeping the shiftkit sprockets in place conspire to loosen no matter how much I chastise them for their wayward ways, dabbing blue loctite keeps them occupied for a while - but they're gonna get the red and they're gonna like it. Speaking of wandering, my rear axle has proven to have an interest in overthrowing the dictator - while my ol' Rollfast has the axle tension/position screws in the dropouts (bedanged if I know the proper name for 'em lol) I've found that only really helps lock the drive side in place as the other side is pushed back from the torque. This would not be a problem with many axles - but like most three speeds my Sturmey has flat spots on the axle shaft for the locking tabs, keeping the axle from rotating in the dropouts.
Ofc this also means that there's 1/2 the available threads for the axle nut to grip on - it's a delicate dance between enough torque to keep the axle from moving and stripping the nut... and yea, I've stepped on those toes lol, fortunately Sturmey was wise and made the axle shaft much harder than the nut's alloy so it's the nut that strips out and not the shaft *whew* It's not as big a deal as it sounds, I've figured out just how tight it needs to be & I've a spare axle nut in the kit just in case. The worst that happens is it'll shed the chain and I need stop, put it back on the sprocket and readjust the axle and it's only happened twice anyway *shrug*
Other than that, the ol' girl has been really good to me - I'll also openly admit to not necessarily always treating her with the respect age should have earned her... while mostly I cruse comfy relishing the quiet smoothness, with the engine mods & aftermarket parts, the shiftkit and a careless madman at the helm... well, suffice to say this bike is a bit of a "sleeper" - lookin' the old comfy cruiser that she is she's earned a few shocked looks when I drop a gear, crank the throttle & she wakes up, kicks up her heels, gets on the pipe & jus' sings - teaching the local mopeds about the age-old mysteries of power to weight. It's funny, she can't seem to let a moped wander in
without a lil learnin', that old dance to be done
At first (and for far too long lol) I thought it was simply binding links in the chains... what boggled me was I'd fix them and it'd just happen again. I examined all sprockets and shafts for alignment and play, none seemed bent or wobbly so I figured it was just the el'cheapo chains. Replacing them all with only slightly better quality (Bell BMX chain) did indeed stop the binding link problem - but the "pulse" was still there
Puzzled and a little concerned as under heavy load the pulsing put quite a bit of strain on things I delved a lil deeper into the problem and as it turns out the flower nut and/or the shaft it connects to is slightly bent. No doubt a manufacturing error overlooked with the... exemplary quality control these kits are known for I'll be sacrificing the poor Schwinn's clutch pack & flower nut, transferring it's parts to the Rollfast to see if it's the shaft itself that's bent. It probably is, but it's so minute that it's hard to tell.
If the shaft is bent I'm not gonna bother worrying about it, unlike my first build I made sure there were no "unique" modifications to the engine mounts, keeping the low expense of engines in mind I focused on keeping the engine as easily replaceable as possible, I'll just transfer the modded & custom bits to the new motor. I did actually use my "spare parts" kit to build the Rollfast so I do need another anyway, it's a bit of a bummer but no surprise.
Everything else is as minor as it is inevitable heh, the lil allen set screws keeping the shiftkit sprockets in place conspire to loosen no matter how much I chastise them for their wayward ways, dabbing blue loctite keeps them occupied for a while - but they're gonna get the red and they're gonna like it. Speaking of wandering, my rear axle has proven to have an interest in overthrowing the dictator - while my ol' Rollfast has the axle tension/position screws in the dropouts (bedanged if I know the proper name for 'em lol) I've found that only really helps lock the drive side in place as the other side is pushed back from the torque. This would not be a problem with many axles - but like most three speeds my Sturmey has flat spots on the axle shaft for the locking tabs, keeping the axle from rotating in the dropouts.
Ofc this also means that there's 1/2 the available threads for the axle nut to grip on - it's a delicate dance between enough torque to keep the axle from moving and stripping the nut... and yea, I've stepped on those toes lol, fortunately Sturmey was wise and made the axle shaft much harder than the nut's alloy so it's the nut that strips out and not the shaft *whew* It's not as big a deal as it sounds, I've figured out just how tight it needs to be & I've a spare axle nut in the kit just in case. The worst that happens is it'll shed the chain and I need stop, put it back on the sprocket and readjust the axle and it's only happened twice anyway *shrug*
Other than that, the ol' girl has been really good to me - I'll also openly admit to not necessarily always treating her with the respect age should have earned her... while mostly I cruse comfy relishing the quiet smoothness, with the engine mods & aftermarket parts, the shiftkit and a careless madman at the helm... well, suffice to say this bike is a bit of a "sleeper" - lookin' the old comfy cruiser that she is she's earned a few shocked looks when I drop a gear, crank the throttle & she wakes up, kicks up her heels, gets on the pipe & jus' sings - teaching the local mopeds about the age-old mysteries of power to weight. It's funny, she can't seem to let a moped wander in
without a lil learnin', that old dance to be done
Barely,
I read your post with great interest and appreciation. You are a good writer, my friend and a born teacher. I will never tire of looking at that bike. Just a lovely old girl! I can't remember where your fenders attach... to the axle itself? I'm wondering how to solve the not quite enough threads problem as I will face the same on the upcoming Firebird build using the same rear axle. Hmmm. Something to contemplate.
SB
I read your post with great interest and appreciation. You are a good writer, my friend and a born teacher. I will never tire of looking at that bike. Just a lovely old girl! I can't remember where your fenders attach... to the axle itself? I'm wondering how to solve the not quite enough threads problem as I will face the same on the upcoming Firebird build using the same rear axle. Hmmm. Something to contemplate.
SB
Just a quick note on the pulsing or at least something to look into. I don't know what chain you are using from the engine output sprocket to the jackshaft but we have found that the master links on both the 410 (BMX) and 415 chains will bind on the hub of the engine output sprocket. It all boils down to the fact the a normal chain link is basically an 8 shape. Because is this each link has clearance in the middle as it wraps around a sprocket. The master links are typically and oval shape and do not have clearance when bending around the sprocket. I typically grind the outer plate of the master link so it approximates a regular link. I am not saying this is it but it may be worth looking into. Sweet bike BTW BA.
Silver - while I'll admit to a crowded axle (rack & fender struts, locking axle washers) the shortage of threads isn't from a lack of axle length - it's the flattened sides that allow the tabbed lockwasher to hold the axle & keep it from rotating - similar concept as a stovehead bolt and a square hole.
End result, less threads (about half)
Ghost0 - thanks for mentioning that, I completely spaced talking about the potential for chain interference & checking for smooth operation and in fact I did have just a little contact - but it was the rear mount plate, the lil notch next to the chain's path was not quite enough & it would just touch from time to time... a tap w/the ol' dremel fixed that (literally - about than 1/32" off, if that).
The master link's shape is an interesting problem, I had checked the drivetrain by lifting the rear wheel off the ground (dropstands are ossum), locking in the clutch and free spinning the wheel backwards (bypassing the freewheels) and all was well with no intermittent resistance. I then checked all chains for signs of wear or material deposits & there was nuffin' - but I hadn't thought of the master link's "rectangle" side plate hitting the sprocket's shoulder. Trotting down to check during my lunchbreak, it doesn't look to be an issue with this setup - it doesn't look to be contacting at all, but I'll do that lil mod you recommended just to make sure, defo can't hurt.
Sadly - even if that is all that's causing this, there's defo something askew in my clutch assembly... ah well, ya buys yer ticket and takes yer chances with these lil HTs lol it just gives me more to tinker with right? Thanks again fer the tip!
End result, less threads (about half)
Ghost0 - thanks for mentioning that, I completely spaced talking about the potential for chain interference & checking for smooth operation and in fact I did have just a little contact - but it was the rear mount plate, the lil notch next to the chain's path was not quite enough & it would just touch from time to time... a tap w/the ol' dremel fixed that (literally - about than 1/32" off, if that).
The master link's shape is an interesting problem, I had checked the drivetrain by lifting the rear wheel off the ground (dropstands are ossum), locking in the clutch and free spinning the wheel backwards (bypassing the freewheels) and all was well with no intermittent resistance. I then checked all chains for signs of wear or material deposits & there was nuffin' - but I hadn't thought of the master link's "rectangle" side plate hitting the sprocket's shoulder. Trotting down to check during my lunchbreak, it doesn't look to be an issue with this setup - it doesn't look to be contacting at all, but I'll do that lil mod you recommended just to make sure, defo can't hurt.
Sadly - even if that is all that's causing this, there's defo something askew in my clutch assembly... ah well, ya buys yer ticket and takes yer chances with these lil HTs lol it just gives me more to tinker with right?
Thanks again fer the tip!
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ok update i should have posted weeks ago.
So we unpacked and.. cant find the kit parts! only have the motor, carb, and SB's tank. Ugggh. I guess its my fault because i spent most of my time packing up bikes. but it did put the kit in a box. And the movers were just terrible. I found my shoes in a box marked "bed". I am realy realy realy tempted to send the bike and what i have left of the kit to Venics and say "here is my headace, finsih it for me plz"
I dunno.. just lettin yall know
Sam
So we unpacked and.. cant find the kit parts! only have the motor, carb, and SB's tank. Ugggh. I guess its my fault because i spent most of my time packing up bikes. but it did put the kit in a box. And the movers were just terrible. I found my shoes in a box marked "bed". I am realy realy realy tempted to send the bike and what i have left of the kit to Venics and say "here is my headace, finsih it for me plz"
I dunno.. just lettin yall know
Sam
Aww weekend, that's a bummer - but at least you've got all the important bits, particularly silver's tank 'cause those are sweet!
...and just ta let you know, I figure ya jus' win by default man
...and just ta let you know, I figure ya jus' win by default man
I couldnt find the rest of the parts.but I made a deal with Venice and I'm going to send the bike to him and he is going to slap it togather with the spare parts from his shop. Then from there I might upgrade it. I also have another plan. Hint: Pvc+chicken wire+fiber glass=?
Sam
Sam
I can't think of a better solution to your problem! Anything Norm might 'slap together' is better than most of us can do with a year working on it. Awesome! We're going to want photos when you're done with Sam on the bike, California cruisin'...I couldnt find the rest of the parts.but I made a deal with Venice and I'm going to send the bike to him and he is going to slap it togather with the spare parts from his shop. Then from there I might upgrade it. I also have another plan. Hint: Pvc+chicken wire+fiber glass=?
Sam
SB