Cool bike.
Nice job on the tank.
Trust me, I have filed this in my "good to know" brain cells.
Thanks.
Nice job on the tank.
Trust me, I have filed this in my "good to know" brain cells.
Thanks.
1937 Columbia with Custom Tank
- Thread starter KCvale
- Start date
I seen one of the Columbia bike on wally world .com a few days ago and had thoe thought of making an actual tank like you did KC.
It's a nice classic looking bike and its possible that at some point I may do one up, I have the tools to do all the tank work myself so it wouldn't cost me that much to do the work myself.
very nice looking bike.
It's a nice classic looking bike and its possible that at some point I may do one up, I have the tools to do all the tank work myself so it wouldn't cost me that much to do the work myself.
very nice looking bike.
I think a good bit of money could be saved on the gas tank conversion by skipping the welding. From my experiences working with Tinsmith making in frame gas tanks out of both tin and copper, I think the way to go is by using tin instead of the heavy steel. The tank walls are only as strong as the weakest point, which is determined by the side panels. The top and bottom panels can be of a good quality tin which is easy enough to bend, cut and is inexpensive. The outlet for fuel and the gas filler can be done before the sides, top and bottom panels are soldered together. The panels can be held together prior to soldering with small sheet metal screws. Once the solder is being laid down, remove the sheet metal screws as you go. The solder will fill the drilled screw holes. I would also attach the panels to the inside of the tank with the side panel flanges overlapping the top and bottom panels. That makes it easier to see that you have a good flow sealing things up and doesn't change the fit of the side panels into the frame. We made a number of tanks with tin and several with copper and none of them leaked. No commercial sealer was used. You certainly could use a sealer as a kind of insurance policy since your bikes are for customers, but for your own use if you ever did experience a leak at a solder joint it would be a simple repair.
I think the bike and tank turned out great and would consider buying one of these myself if I didn't have too many bike builds under way already.
SB
I think the bike and tank turned out great and would consider buying one of these myself if I didn't have too many bike builds under way already.
SB
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Im with you silverbear, the thinner tin and soldering was how I had thought to do one myself.
350? Why so much??!
Even so, it's cool.... I'm trying to think of an easier, less expensive alternative for my huffy Olympia, rather than a penut tank.
One idea is a large weed eater tank mounted bare in the top bar gap, covered by some aluminum metal, painted up.
If I can find the perfect weed eater tank though....
$50 for the caswell, $50 for the input/outputs, and $250 to have the local shop make the overkill steel frame the side overs mount to.
I already have a new design for a much lighter center piece design with fittings on it you can just bolt the side covers to, tape the seams and caswell up to be a solid air tight tank.
Sure you can throw a few pop-rivets to secure the chain guard steel together a little better but after seeing this caswell stuff in action it don't need much support as it death grips everything it touches, dries hard, and don't let go.
KC,
I'm sure you're right about the gas tank procedure you've outlined working just fine. I was also thinking that for something like a cantilever frame you could cut out a piece of plywood to the side contour of the frame opening and use it as a form for bending the edges over on a cutout of tin. Make two to match and you would have the equivalent of what your Columbia came with. Then follow through with what you have just outlined and a nice, custom fitted tank results for a hundred bucks, or less than that if you were to reuse a gas filler and fittings from a peanut or other gas tank. I would probably still use solder and skip the tank liner because I'm cheap and comfortable with soldering. Anyway, what you're doing makes a DIY tank feasible and inexpensive.
SB
I'm sure you're right about the gas tank procedure you've outlined working just fine. I was also thinking that for something like a cantilever frame you could cut out a piece of plywood to the side contour of the frame opening and use it as a form for bending the edges over on a cutout of tin. Make two to match and you would have the equivalent of what your Columbia came with. Then follow through with what you have just outlined and a nice, custom fitted tank results for a hundred bucks, or less than that if you were to reuse a gas filler and fittings from a peanut or other gas tank. I would probably still use solder and skip the tank liner because I'm cheap and comfortable with soldering. Anyway, what you're doing makes a DIY tank feasible and inexpensive.
SB
The side covers are pressed with a nice 90 ~1/2" all the way around.
You can mold the a bigger piece direct from that or sure, make some slightly smaller jig to form metal around, it all can work to make a wider center piece.
I toasted 2 tanks to do mine and gave up on trying to use the filler, there just wasn't enough tank room in the front to easily open and close a filler that big and I didn't want to even wider in front, the thing already holds 6L at that size.
Well, solder is a tough gig just to get air tight to begin with and far from free, and that is un-mounted, will it hold up after and couple hundred miles of vibration on a bike with chain guard gauge metal?
There are plenty of ways to make a tank structure but I highly recommend you seal it up with a caswell type sealant that forms an air tight tank in the housing that from what I've seen simply just does not give to anything.
I'm just saying that I've have good luck with soldered seams being leak proof and holding up well. After hundreds of hours soldering leaded glass windows I should have a good feel for working with solder. Not saying it is better than what you're doing, but if you already have the tools there isn't much expense in the solder or flux and a repair would be simple enough.
What you're doing is excellent and especially for someone new to all of this it is a real good way to go with the commercial liner. Quick and foolproof.
SB
What you're doing is excellent and especially for someone new to all of this it is a real good way to go with the commercial liner. Quick and foolproof.
SB
I have to post here, so that when I copy KC, It'll be easy to find the directions!
Thanks KCvale! Good thread.
Thanks KCvale! Good thread.
It would look better too, no need for Bondo type stuff to even the seams.
Save ya $52 in sealer as well.
I tried with my electronics soldering iron and thin solder and got nowhere, I wanted to preserve the tank side plate logos best I could too, but heck ya, if you have the tools and skills that should be great.
Thanks SB, a good add to this topic ;-}
The Caswell is a good product.
I have used it with good results many times.
I also solder similar structures all the time.
Until the advent of plastic radiators and or welded steel / aluminum or plastic automotive fuel tanks.
They were all soldered.....
I don't see a problem with either method being used to build a tank.
If I was to solder a fuel tank though , I'd line it with Caswell due to the alcohol content in the new fuels.
Rusty tanks are no good.
I have used it with good results many times.
I also solder similar structures all the time.
Yes it will , and has for better than a hundred years.
Until the advent of plastic radiators and or welded steel / aluminum or plastic automotive fuel tanks.
They were all soldered.....
I don't see a problem with either method being used to build a tank.
If I was to solder a fuel tank though , I'd line it with Caswell due to the alcohol content in the new fuels.
Rusty tanks are no good.
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The bike needs the seat changed to a 1937 or 1930s leather seat form that time and change the grips and handle bars to 1930s and change the crank and the peddles removed all the decals on the bike and pin stripe or paint them on and change the wheels to chrome. And maybe an old chrome headlight on the fender. And keep everything eles on the bike the same give it more of a 1937 or 1930s look have those parts on the bike factory columbia parts from 1937. That would look good on the bike. The bike would look it was made in the 1930s. What do you think.
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To be moved along as I have other projects, I dumped a bunch into it already, and I think it pretty awesome as is.
I think that would be cool for someone that just wants to buy a frame for $150 and then spend $1000+ more to add a tank and replace most everything else.
All I wanted to do was see if I could motorize that bike and make the fake tank a real one but still look the same.
I think I got pretty close ;-}
Yeah, you got pretty close alright. Nice build.
I've been thinking about something. The last I knew, a couple of years ago, Columbia still existed. But I doubt if they'd made any bikes in America in a while.
They simply contracted bikes out of Asia. Much like Pacific Bicycle. But it looked as though their stuff was of higher quality.
If these new 1937s are made by the same people, then could it be that this model is a better bike than some of the other Huffys and Roadmasters and Schwinns that are now marketed by the big box stores?
If so, then this model just keeps on looking better and better.
I've been thinking about something. The last I knew, a couple of years ago, Columbia still existed. But I doubt if they'd made any bikes in America in a while.
They simply contracted bikes out of Asia. Much like Pacific Bicycle. But it looked as though their stuff was of higher quality.
If these new 1937s are made by the same people, then could it be that this model is a better bike than some of the other Huffys and Roadmasters and Schwinns that are now marketed by the big box stores?
If so, then this model just keeps on looking better and better.
Like Chinese 2-stroke engines, there are many bike building factories.
Programmable machines make the frames.
The labor is pretty much the same though a really experienced machine operator may make an extra $2 a month, so it comes down to the materials used.
All I know is I won't build on a $99 Huffy but this Columbia feels pretty solid but the real test comes with the wheels they used.
SO far so good but to answer another question, yes, without a baffle or 2 in the tank the gas does slosh around.
Programmable machines make the frames.
The labor is pretty much the same though a really experienced machine operator may make an extra $2 a month, so it comes down to the materials used.
All I know is I won't build on a $99 Huffy but this Columbia feels pretty solid but the real test comes with the wheels they used.
SO far so good but to answer another question, yes, without a baffle or 2 in the tank the gas does slosh around.
I used filler necks and caps from power steering reservoirs on one I did.The filler came in.
It could have been bigger, that might be a tight fit for a gas pump nozzle.
I found a British die set but not local and over $40, I'll just sacrifice a tank so I can get the parts up to welder today.
With any luck I'll have it back today or tomorrow.