My '79 basket case build

Thanks emz. I'll try to remember pics during the process. I wish I had with the bars, I got caught up in it and totally spaced the camera.

I just puttered around today. I decided to make my own brake lever. I haven't finished it, but I thought I would share what I did do, and the very basic tools I did it with.

The only tools I used that aren't pictured are a bench vice, welder, and a few metal files.

brake_lever_001-2.jpg

brake_lever_002.jpg

brake_lever_003.jpg

brake_lever_004.jpg


Still need to finish shaping the lever and figure out something to use as an end.
 
lol If caffeine free Diet Coke did this to my body, I'm suing Coca-Cola. :D

buckeye, jump into the welding! Mistakes are what grinders are for. I've been posting these small projects so others can see that you don't have to have a metal shop full of expensive tools to build cool stuff. It's awesome that my thread has given you some ideas that you might not otherwise have had. Thanks.

emz, thanks! The plan is to make or customize every little piece I possibly can. There's only one lever as I've decided to go with a suicide shift (hand shift/foot clutch). I'm also going to be customizing that mirror that's mounted on the handlebars. I took it apart yesterday to see how to go about it, and it will be an easy project.

Tech, I already made the cables out of braided string cheese and straightened Silly Straws (They aren't so silly anymore.)

Kent, on this chop I've done all the bends with a cheap pipe bender. I have a friend with a pneumatic bender, but I haven't needed to borrow time on it for this bike yet. If I decide to gooseneck the frame I'll probably have to use it though. The trick with the pipe bender is to bend in small increments over the entire length, centering each bend at the top of the die.

Thanks everybody!
 
The trick with the pipe bender is to bend in small increments over the entire length, centering each bend at the top of the die.
Click to expand...

There's a piece of advice that's often overlooked. Failing to do it that without an internal mandrel will usually result in kinked tubing.

Good post.
 
Teebs said:
Tech, I already made the cables out of braided string cheese and straightened Silly Straws (They aren't so silly anymore.)

Kent, on this chop I've done all the bends with a cheap pipe bender.
Thanks everybody!
Click to expand...

Teebs,
Can we see a pic of the cables?
Also, what is the cheap pipe bender you are referring too? One from HF or something you built?

Sweet build. Thanks for showing what can be done with some simple hand tools.:thumbsup:
 
atomic, I'd love to take pics of the cables, but they're very UV and heat sensitive, so I have to keep them in a sealed box until I solve that problem. I'm thinking that if I submerge them in pumpkin seed oil for exactly 172 hours, 48 minutes, 16.7 seconds they'll be properly cured. I already tried curing a set with canola oil with disastrous results...

My pipe bender is similar to the HF 12 ton bender. I bought it at a local discount tool store 4 or 5 years ago. I buy enough stuff there that I got it at a pretty steep discount.
 
Teebs said:
atomic, I'd love to take pics of the cables, but they're very UV and heat sensitive, so I have to keep them in a sealed box until I solve that problem. I'm thinking that if I submerge them in pumpkin seed oil for exactly 172 hours, 48 minutes, 16.7 seconds they'll be properly cured. I already tried curing a set with canola oil with disastrous results...

My pipe bender is similar to the HF 12 ton bender. I bought it at a local discount tool store 4 or 5 years ago. I buy enough stuff there that I got it at a pretty steep discount.
Click to expand...

Actually, I don't think pumpkin seed oil is going to be strong enough, you'd probably want to go with something like habanero oil to really burn it in. Also, I don't think 172 hours is enough, more like 220... 221, whatever it takes. :thumbsup:
 
The best cable curing agent is non-dairy creamer and squirrel urine. Man it's tough trying to collect the second ingredient.
 
Buckeye, that's exactly why I'm experimenting with alternative curing agents! Atomic, habanero oil makes the sting cheese strong but far too brittle. Maybe Guajillo pepper oil, it's not quite as potent?

The pumpkin seed oil failed. The Silly straws turned snot green and tried to recover their silliness. :mad:

Tech, I've gone through a couple of cases, any help will be greatly appreciated.

While waiting for them to fully cure, I fooled around with paint and did some work on the seat area. The paint is just some silver metallic spray paint with orange Duplicolor Metalcast layed over it. Cheap and easily removed. I like it. The seat is sooooo much more comfortable.

headlight_paint_001.jpg


seat_003.jpg


seat_002.jpg


seat_001.jpg


Thanks to gggGary for the seat-rail idea. I'm not sure if that's what he had in mind, but I like it. And I don't know why, but I'm REALLY hating that tank now.
 
I think Gary meant to put two of those rails near the seat so it matches the double tubes on the headlight holder and matches the double tubes on the rear brake holder.


That headlight bracket is sexy !
seat001dbl.jpg
 
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