one more 40's Colson to add to the fleet.
- Thread starter bairdco
- Start date
BarelyAWake
New Member
It does look mean & I diggit 
...but it's not "finished" mang - yer still missing some parts, like the vroomy bit o.o
Oh right, you meant paint heh
I'm liking the color scheme so far!
...but it's not "finished" mang - yer still missing some parts, like the vroomy bit o.o
Oh right, you meant paint heh
I'm liking the color scheme so far!
bairdco
a guy who makes cool bikes
trussrods
ok, so now that you're looking at the last picture and you're like, "dude! where'd ya get those trussrods for the forks!?..."
i made a bracket for the fork tube out of some 1/4" scrap aluminum. 1/8" woulda been easier, but the metal store's closed on the weekend, and thicker looks tougher.
first i drew out the shape i wanted. you need a big hole to slip over the steer tube on the fork, and two holes for the rods.
cut out a rough shape with a portable band saw, drilled the holes, using a holesaw for the steertube hole, and then cleaned it up on a bench grinder. i know, i know, you're not supposed to grind aluminum on a bench grinder, but i don't care. i was absent that day at metal shop...
after the grinder, i used a 3M finishing wheel to smooth and polish it. somehow, lost the individual picture of it, so you get one where it's already on the bike.
in that picture, notice the aluminum rods and the hammer on the ground...
ok, so now that you're looking at the last picture and you're like, "dude! where'd ya get those trussrods for the forks!?..."
i made a bracket for the fork tube out of some 1/4" scrap aluminum. 1/8" woulda been easier, but the metal store's closed on the weekend, and thicker looks tougher.
first i drew out the shape i wanted. you need a big hole to slip over the steer tube on the fork, and two holes for the rods.
cut out a rough shape with a portable band saw, drilled the holes, using a holesaw for the steertube hole, and then cleaned it up on a bench grinder. i know, i know, you're not supposed to grind aluminum on a bench grinder, but i don't care. i was absent that day at metal shop...
after the grinder, i used a 3M finishing wheel to smooth and polish it. somehow, lost the individual picture of it, so you get one where it's already on the bike.
in that picture, notice the aluminum rods and the hammer on the ground...
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BarelyAWake
New Member
ROFL - that first fangy pic is epic 
bairdco
a guy who makes cool bikes
i've got some aluminum rods that are, uh, i dunno what size, same size as normal strut rods.
take your big hammer (BFH) and beat the crap out of the ends. i use the flat part on a vice as an anvil. keep flipping them over and beating on them till they're about 1/8" thick.
you'll notice that the last side you were smashing will end up offset a bit, so it lays flat on the bike.
go back to the bench grinder that you already ruined and clean them up. (the picture shows before i polished them.) you don't have to get them perfect, because your axle nuts and washers will hide any deformities.
one thing you do have to make sure of, is that the axle mount part is flat. if it's angled at all, your axle nuts will tweak out on an angle, and that's just not good.
punch and drill holes in the ends for the axle. i go one drill bit size bigger than the 3/8's axle, otherwise they're really tight. forgot the size. 25/64ths or something.
then set them on the ends of your axle, have a smoke and figure out how you want them to look.
mark where you want to bend them and then, well, bend them. i use the wooden 2x6 railing in my backyard. they're aluminum, so you just hold one side flat, and push the other side down. MAKE SURE you're bending them along the same line as the axle mounting ends, or you'll get them all crooked, try to bend them back, and never get them straight. also, as i mentioned earlier, one side where it mounts to the axle will be flatter from when you last beat on it. when you're bending, make sure you bend one the opposite as the other, so you have a left and a right.
i bend one first, check it back on the bike, then bend the other one to match.
make all the bends you need then mark where the trussrod bracket is and cut them off. cut them as clean as possible, or else they'll end up a little shorter (or one will) and you'll have to do some re-bending and they'll be crooked.
once you have a clean cut, drill into the center, using pilot bits and progressing up to the size of the tap you're gonna use. do this slowly, carefully, and straight-ly. remember, it's soft aluminum, and if you drill crooked, then you just wasted all that time hammering and bending.
with these rods, i've tapped them for M6 bolts, the same size as most of your engine bolts. i've done them with 1/4-20's, too. that's about the biggest you can go.
once they're tapped, clean them up and install them. you might have to do a little "adjustments" to your bends.
i think that's it. here's the pics:
take your big hammer (BFH) and beat the crap out of the ends. i use the flat part on a vice as an anvil. keep flipping them over and beating on them till they're about 1/8" thick.
you'll notice that the last side you were smashing will end up offset a bit, so it lays flat on the bike.
go back to the bench grinder that you already ruined and clean them up. (the picture shows before i polished them.) you don't have to get them perfect, because your axle nuts and washers will hide any deformities.
one thing you do have to make sure of, is that the axle mount part is flat. if it's angled at all, your axle nuts will tweak out on an angle, and that's just not good.
punch and drill holes in the ends for the axle. i go one drill bit size bigger than the 3/8's axle, otherwise they're really tight. forgot the size. 25/64ths or something.
then set them on the ends of your axle, have a smoke and figure out how you want them to look.
mark where you want to bend them and then, well, bend them. i use the wooden 2x6 railing in my backyard. they're aluminum, so you just hold one side flat, and push the other side down. MAKE SURE you're bending them along the same line as the axle mounting ends, or you'll get them all crooked, try to bend them back, and never get them straight. also, as i mentioned earlier, one side where it mounts to the axle will be flatter from when you last beat on it. when you're bending, make sure you bend one the opposite as the other, so you have a left and a right.
i bend one first, check it back on the bike, then bend the other one to match.
make all the bends you need then mark where the trussrod bracket is and cut them off. cut them as clean as possible, or else they'll end up a little shorter (or one will) and you'll have to do some re-bending and they'll be crooked.
once you have a clean cut, drill into the center, using pilot bits and progressing up to the size of the tap you're gonna use. do this slowly, carefully, and straight-ly. remember, it's soft aluminum, and if you drill crooked, then you just wasted all that time hammering and bending.
with these rods, i've tapped them for M6 bolts, the same size as most of your engine bolts. i've done them with 1/4-20's, too. that's about the biggest you can go.
once they're tapped, clean them up and install them. you might have to do a little "adjustments" to your bends.
i think that's it. here's the pics:
Attachments
Last edited:
bairdco
a guy who makes cool bikes
next time, on "this old bike," we'll show you how to make some cool pedals.
here's a coupla glam shots of the bike, and a sneak peek of my Tomasseli Super Pratic B 1/4 turn throttle.
(i think i've got the front coaster brake figured out [again] but i'm tired of messing with it for now.)
here's a coupla glam shots of the bike, and a sneak peek of my Tomasseli Super Pratic B 1/4 turn throttle.
(i think i've got the front coaster brake figured out [again] but i'm tired of messing with it for now.)
Attachments
GoFastBicycles
New Member
That will be your quickest selling bike......just my prediction.
Coolest one you have built.....just my opinion.
Adam
Coolest one you have built.....just my opinion.
Adam
GoFastBicycles
New Member
Everything is for sale$$$$$Adam
bairdco
a guy who makes cool bikes
thanks Barely. i'm waiting on a case so i can rebuild my old motor. the one on my 24", where the chain broke and cracked the case. then that one'll go back on the 24 and the new-ish one that's on there now will go on this bike.
for now though, i've got the coolest beach cruiser in town. and with the weather as nice as it is, and being a 10 minute pedal away from Newport Beach, it's an awesome bar-hopping, girl-watching, boardwalk cruising bicycle...
for now though, i've got the coolest beach cruiser in town. and with the weather as nice as it is, and being a 10 minute pedal away from Newport Beach, it's an awesome bar-hopping, girl-watching, boardwalk cruising bicycle...
silverbear
The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Bairdco,
You've been busy my friend. I love the bike and your backyard ways of doing things which turn out so well. It gives hope to the guy without a big shop and the latest and greatest tools. The best tools you have are that clever brain and determined heart.
And thanks for the pictorial walk through. I know it takes time to stop and take photos, then more time later on making the uploads and commentary, but it is so much appreciated on this end where we see not just what you did, but also how you did it. Some of us even start to think, "maybe I could do that, too". Even false starts and wrong turns are helpful as they show the creative process. Sometimes wrong turns are part of the way we get to where we want to go (I'm referring to the coaster brake up front and am glad to hear you have some more ideas on that). Thumbs up!
SB
You've been busy my friend. I love the bike and your backyard ways of doing things which turn out so well. It gives hope to the guy without a big shop and the latest and greatest tools. The best tools you have are that clever brain and determined heart.
And thanks for the pictorial walk through. I know it takes time to stop and take photos, then more time later on making the uploads and commentary, but it is so much appreciated on this end where we see not just what you did, but also how you did it. Some of us even start to think, "maybe I could do that, too". Even false starts and wrong turns are helpful as they show the creative process. Sometimes wrong turns are part of the way we get to where we want to go (I'm referring to the coaster brake up front and am glad to hear you have some more ideas on that). Thumbs up!
SB
GoFastBicycles
New Member
true, adam. for the right price, it could be yours
I'm trying to sell mine not buy yours
Adam
bairdco
a guy who makes cool bikes
thanks SB. it literally is "Backyard Engineering." my workshed is in the backyard, but it's too hot to work in on a nice sunny day, so i just use the whole backyard. the only problem is the whole yard is a wooden deck, and there's a gap of 1/4" between every board, so i keep losing nuts and bolts to the "dark side."
there are so many things you can make without spending millions on tools or hiring a machine shop, it just takes more time, effort and A-team skills. i think most people these days grew up with a video controller instead of a hammer in their hands, so it's pretty intimidating for them to tackle a project like a fuel tank or a motor mount.
i'm trying to show how easy it really is, or at least that it can be done ('cause it ain't always easy.)
as far as false starts and wrong turns go, i have a truss rod from yesterday with a broken drill bit embedded into it, i have a copper fuel tank from the last bike that i smashed and stomped on like it was a beer can, just because it looked like crap (and i was drinking with my roomates while trying to build it. not a good idea...)
so there's gonna be mistakes, but the successes totally make up for it.
there's nothing like the feeling you get when someone says, "that's cool, where'dya get it?" and you can tell them you made it yourself.
you can always buy custom, but then you're just a customer.
there are so many things you can make without spending millions on tools or hiring a machine shop, it just takes more time, effort and A-team skills. i think most people these days grew up with a video controller instead of a hammer in their hands, so it's pretty intimidating for them to tackle a project like a fuel tank or a motor mount.
i'm trying to show how easy it really is, or at least that it can be done ('cause it ain't always easy.)
as far as false starts and wrong turns go, i have a truss rod from yesterday with a broken drill bit embedded into it, i have a copper fuel tank from the last bike that i smashed and stomped on like it was a beer can, just because it looked like crap (and i was drinking with my roomates while trying to build it. not a good idea...)
so there's gonna be mistakes, but the successes totally make up for it.
there's nothing like the feeling you get when someone says, "that's cool, where'dya get it?" and you can tell them you made it yourself.
you can always buy custom, but then you're just a customer.
Large Filipino
Member
I think it's because bikes are pretty popular out here.
I usually find my score at Garage sales because I would peek inside and see an old bike in back.
This happened with my Montgomery Ward Newspaper bike.
Garage sale find. Way in back off all this junk.
40 bucks.
So when I find time I go to garage sales.
The flea market on I76 and 88th ave is worth the drive as well.
culvercityclassic
Well-Known Member
Very nice work Bairdco...when you gona ride with us so I can see your work in person?
CCC
CCC
bairdco
a guy who makes cool bikes
well, tried one last thing before giving up on the front coaster brake.
made a cable stop to mount to the forks, made a pulley to mount to the sprocket so the cable wraps around, giving it more leverage, and uh, that's all i made besides a monogrammed cable end. (http://motorbicycling.com/f13/how-make-simple-cable-end-mold-21321.html)
it slows the bike down and it looks cool, but unless i could get a finer threaded worm gear on the sprocket and clutch cone, it won't work for speeds above pedaling, unless i made some kinda Rube Goldberg-type linkage system.
i'm gonna leave it on the bicycle, since i probably won't be putting the motor on for awhile (since i need a cool pedal cruiser for the beach) and order two front drum wheels from Worksman. that way i won't have to mess with un-lacing and re-lacing the wheel.
here's some pics of how cool this useless thing looks...
made a cable stop to mount to the forks, made a pulley to mount to the sprocket so the cable wraps around, giving it more leverage, and uh, that's all i made besides a monogrammed cable end. (http://motorbicycling.com/f13/how-make-simple-cable-end-mold-21321.html)
it slows the bike down and it looks cool, but unless i could get a finer threaded worm gear on the sprocket and clutch cone, it won't work for speeds above pedaling, unless i made some kinda Rube Goldberg-type linkage system.
i'm gonna leave it on the bicycle, since i probably won't be putting the motor on for awhile (since i need a cool pedal cruiser for the beach) and order two front drum wheels from Worksman. that way i won't have to mess with un-lacing and re-lacing the wheel.
here's some pics of how cool this useless thing looks...
Attachments
GoFastBicycles
New Member
Chicks dig useless things.
Adam
Adam
weekend-fun
New Member
how to you aquire all these colsons? ebay? craigslist? neighbors? anyways cant wait 
Sam
Sam