# How far can you take a pre-war frame?



## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Lets find out. I have been practicing brazing so this should be fun. 
Here are my plans:
1. Sandblast off all that rust.
2. drop some hot brass in around the joints to smooth them out. 
3. Flatten and trim the drop stand tab, drill and tap a derailler hanger.
4. Cold set the rear to 135mm spacing, re-align the dropouts. 
5. Braze on cable guides/stops for brakes and deraillers. 
6. Braze on a disk brake adaptor on the rear. 
7. Ream and face the headtube.
8. Powder coat.
9. Custom Brass headtube badge.

The build will consist of mostly parts I already have. Mavic wheels with King ISO hubs, Fox F-80 Talas fork or a Fox f-100 RLC (Depends on how slack it ends up). XT cranks, Sram X.0 rear derailler. Thomson stem. Easton Monkey bar. Hope Mono Mini brakes.


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## wyatt79m (Mar 3, 2007)

Awesome


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## hollister (Sep 16, 2005)

this will end in blood and tears.



but it'll be fun to watch


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## IZH-35M (Jan 15, 2011)

*This one needs something like that.*

Good thoughts.


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## IZH-35M (Jan 15, 2011)

*65 Typhoon*

Not pre-war.

Nice though.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

I should weigh it before I sandblast it just to see how much weight it loses in rust.


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## Boy named SSue (Jan 7, 2004)

sandmangts said:


> I should weigh it before I sandblast it just to see how much weight it loses in rust.


One of the more amusing ideas I've seen posted around here. Please do it.


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## ong (Jun 26, 2006)

How are you going to run a 1 1/8" fork in that head tube? Is it beefy enough that you're going to remove 1/16" of steel from the I.D.?


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## ong (Jun 26, 2006)

Btw, a few years back I did a pretty cute head tube badge for the girlfriend's resto-modern Ron Kitching: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hollumns/sets/72157607886141419/

This was just done in mild steel, with 56% silver, then primed and painted.


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## Bikemaya (Sep 24, 2012)

Wow. Frames really haven't changed all that much in 100 years, have they?


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Bikemaya said:


> Wow. Frames really haven't changed all that much in 100 years, have they?


For cruisers, no they really have not changed much. What worked then still works now but I would say the quality has fallen off quite a bit. There are headsets available that allow you to use a 1 1/8 inch steerer in a bmx standard size headtube without boring out the headtube.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

ong said:


> Btw, a few years back I did a pretty cute head tube badge for the girlfriend's resto-modern Ron Kitching: Jeff Makes Ron a Headtube Badge - a set on Flickr
> 
> This was just done in mild steel, with 56% silver, then primed and painted.


That came out nice. I like the 3d look. I did copper on my last one but this time I want to do one in brass.


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## ong (Jun 26, 2006)

It was pretty funny sweating those tiny steel letters with my huge aircraft torch.

Interesting about the headsets -- I had no idea! So this is a 32.5 I.D. head tube, not ISO? It will be interesting to watch your project. I hope you'll post updates. I worry a bit about the (presumably) mild steel frame with the extra leverage of a suspension fork, not to mention disk brakes, but I bet it's pretty overbuilt anyway!


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

I have had reservations about that as well but I have a 36 Mercury that I have been running a short travel Bomber on for about 2 years without issue. I have jumped it and ridden pretty hard off road. The head tube is so thick I think it will hold up. I am a little more concerned about the rear end given that the chain and seat stays are oval. I may cut out the current brace between the stays and braze in a slightly wider one after cold setting. I may also braze a brace in close to the dropouts.


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## jaxes88 (Oct 17, 2012)

cool idea, very anxious to see how this turns out


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## ericb49 (Aug 11, 2006)

The frame should be around 7 lbs bare.

I vote for 80mm fork, mine was plenty slack with the Marz - climbing was twitchy (slack seatpost angles on these newsboy frames doesn't help either) but great fun pointed down.

Disk in front was all I ever needed, I ran a Nexus hub with roller brake in back.


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## rev106 (Jul 9, 2009)

I would not worry about the head tube, I've seen more brakes where the seat stay joins with the seat tube once you widen out the rear end. Adding some weld will help though. I've done 1000's of miles on my Schwinn (not pre-war) wearing out 3 sets of tires, yes you can go far as you want as long as you ignore those creaking sounds, well most of them anyway.


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## Bicyclelist (Sep 5, 2006)

I have a 120mm fork on mine, it slacks it out nice for some downhill action.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

I got it back from the sandblast. It lost about 120 grams of rust but I suspect most of that was muck built up in the BB shell. It has some pitting that I have filled in with hot brass. I cut out the old fender mount/brace between the chainstays and cold set the frame which was much easier without the brace. I re-aligned the dropouts and then cut a piece of steel tube to fashion a new brace. I am going to use the same steel tube to fashion braces for the dropouts to stiffen up the rear for disk brakes. 

This is my first time brazing. I did some practice runs on some steel scrap. I brazed 2 pieces together and it seems the key to a good weld is getting the metal hot enough to keep the molten brass flowing. Otherwise you end up with globs and a weak bond. It is also key to prep the surface by roughing it up so the brass can flow in and bond. I brazed the 2 pieces together and after cooling I put it in a vise and beat the sh!t out of it with a hammer to see how strong it was. To my suprise it was very strong and took alot of pounding to break so i am confident the disk brake mount will hold up assuming I can get it mounted properly.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

My first time brazing. Still alot of file work left but I managed to do it without overheating and warping the frame. Its not pretty but I think it will smooth out ok. Once it is powder coated or painted it should look fine.


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## sansarret (Mar 17, 2006)

The paint actually usually highlights the dips and uneven spots (especially undercuts), so try to get it as good as you can before you paint it. I filed some joints before which I tought were perfect, but they didn't look so perfect after the paint. Looks great for your first time brazing, Cheers.


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## rev106 (Jul 9, 2009)

paint is 90% prep. Looking forward to seeing your completed project, with some dirt on it.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

rev106 said:


> paint is 90% prep. Looking forward to seeing your completed project, with some dirt on it.


You said it there. This bike is going to require lots of prep before painting. I was going to do a powder coat but there are some areas with pitting that need to be filled. I don't think you can do power over body fill. Either way, my paint guy is really good and cheap.

I got the derailler hanger tapped and I have fashioned some gussets to reinforce the rear end. After I get the disk tab mitered I will see if everything will fit and if so I will start brazing.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

I brazed in some braces for the rear end. I used the same tube that I used for the chainstay brace, heated it, hammered it flat and mitered it to fit the shape of the rear triangle by hand. Lots of file work. I brazed it in and then hit it with the angle grinder to get it shaped right. I had to coat it with primer because my garage is so damp that everything flash rusts practically overnight. Next step is the disk brake mount. Not bad for a guy that learned to weld watching YouTube. I also tapped and shaped the drop stand tabs into a derailler hanger and trimmed the non drive side dropout.


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## Linoleum (Aug 25, 2008)

So cool, thanks for posting pics


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## WarBoom (Dec 13, 2011)

That is gonna be awesome when its done, whether it works or not please get it on film!!


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

WarBoom said:


> That is gonna be awesome when its done, whether it works or not please get it on film!!


I ordered a steel disk brake mount from Pacenti. It is made from 1/4 inch mild steel and I plan to use a 160mm disk wheel and an avid bb7 as a jig to get the alignment right. If I can't get disk brakes to work I will just braze on some canti mounts but I have seen other pre-war frames with disks so I am determined to make it work. It is probably a really stupid idea and completely impractical but it will be so awesome if I can pull it off. I may even do the paint myself.


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## WarBoom (Dec 13, 2011)

Disc brakes and the plates to stop on you will have the stoppage solved but my main worry is almost a century of metal fatigue


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

WarBoom said:


> Disc brakes and the plates to stop on you will have the stoppage solved but my main worry is almost a century of metal fatigue


That is always a concern but honestly. I am 42 years old. My days of taking drops off of loading docks are over and my 36 Mercury which was made in the same factory and is practically identical has put up with lots of abuse. Truth be told I trust these about as much as some modern bikes.

I got the disk tab in today and tried it on for size. Untrimmed like this was a no-go. I would never be able to get the wheel on an off without messing with the brake. 









So I trimmed it a bit, still rough but after some grinding and filing it should fit flush to the top of the seat stay. Then I will strip that primer back off, sand it with 80 grit so the brass can get a grip and then I will lay a fat bead in there. This way I can take the wheel off without any fuss.


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## Boy named SSue (Jan 7, 2004)

This thread is really exciting me. Really cool project.


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## datmony (Jul 12, 2012)

Incredibly cool, love the dedication and fab skills. Really looking forward to the final product.


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## eastcoaststeve (Sep 19, 2007)

Admire your skills and the effort involved...it's a great project...looking forward to seeing the next update.


Steve


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

I was brazing like crazy today. Clearly I still have alot to learn but i managed to get a nice heavy strong braze. The key is keeping the surrounding metal red hot so the brass flows. Getting the mount tacked into position was a *****. I used my disk wheel and clamped the brake in place on the rotor to serve as a jig. It worked and I got lucky. The brake lines up just fine. Still lots of file work and sanding to do but it feels super solid.


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## Boy named SSue (Jan 7, 2004)

Looks really cool. I'm always excited to see updates to this thread.

I would have been tempted to smooth all of the junctions between the dropouts and stays.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Boy named SSue said:


> Looks really cool. I'm always excited to see updates to this thread.
> 
> I would have been tempted to smooth all of the junctions between the dropouts and stays.


I actually did that on the other side but I ran out of oxygen. I still need to braze a bit more on the back side of the disk mount because I have some pits from running out of oxygen.


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## WarBoom (Dec 13, 2011)

Looks really good man for a first time braze it turned out nice


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## rev106 (Jul 9, 2009)

Nice!


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

One thing for sure, if I ever do anything like this again I a getting a proper welding torch. The little bernzomatic kit I bought works pretty well but it is tough keeping the metal hot enough for the brass to flow over it. It would be fine for small stuff like cable guides but not big jobs.


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

sandmangts said:


> One thing for sure, if I ever do anything like this again I a getting a proper welding torch. The little bernzomatic kit I bought works pretty well but it is tough keeping the metal hot enough for the brass to flow over it. It would be fine for small stuff like cable guides but not big jobs.


Not to mention the cost of the oxy cylinders. After a few clunker conversions I spent as much on those little red cans as I would have buying a good used kit.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

jeff said:


> Not to mention the cost of the oxy cylinders. After a few clunker conversions I spent as much on those little red cans as I would have buying a good used kit.


Yep. I could have gotten a used setup with a cart, torches and tanks for $150 a while back. I regret not buying it. I went through 5 oxy cylinders at 9 bucks a pop and I am going to need at least one more for the cable stops.


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## rigidftw (Mar 21, 2010)

awesome project! :cornut:


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## Captain Duderino (Jan 19, 2012)

Oh, man! That is one gorgeous frame! I love the curve of the top tubes and the fillet, even rusty they look just perfect! Please do fill every dip and file to hair-losing perfection, oh the beauty! I am so green with envy now and am heading over to CL to see if there's anything there so graceful...


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

This week I scored a Giant AC1 with a cracked frame super cheap. Along with some newer XT bits, Race Face cranks and a Manitou Sherman fork it had these lovely Hope M4's. Overkill? Yes. But they sure are pretty.


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## Bikemaya (Sep 24, 2012)

Not overkill AT ALL. This project deserves all the bling more than any of those fancy shmancy frames 

You, sir, are doing this frame a great justice.

:thumbsup:


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## Isildur (Nov 10, 2007)

Looks really nice, can't wait to see it finished. Commented to subscribe!


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

Isildur said:


> Looks really nice, can't wait to see it finished. Commented to subscribe!


hee hee, nice screen name.


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## 1 cog frog (Dec 21, 2004)

girlonbike said:


> hee hee, nice screen name.


Glad to see another LOTR nerd that caught that!

Sandmangts, this is beyond awesome, love seeing the updates!

frog


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## erol/frost (Jan 3, 2004)

Wow, what a project, excellent work.


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## Isildur (Nov 10, 2007)

girlonbike said:


> hee hee, nice screen name.





1 cog frog said:


> Glad to see another LOTR nerd that caught that!


Haha, Cheers! For some reason I really liked the story of Isildur when I first read it way back in my early teens (early ninties) in LOTR & Silmarillion 

Back on topic: Looking forward for the next update! Can't wait to see how it finishes up!


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## phattruth (Apr 22, 2012)

Anyone else out there done this with a 20's or thirties vintage frame. I'd really like to do one of those. I really like the roaring 29er Tony Pereira built, just can't afford one.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

phattruth said:


> Anyone else out there done this with a 20's or thirties vintage frame. I'd really like to do one of those. I really like the roaring 29er Tony Pereira built, just can't afford one.


One of our forum members Timmy has a Pereira 29er that to me is still one of the best looking bikes I have ever seen. To my knowledge there is at least one other person who has added disks to a pre-war frame. It was a schwinn and it was posted on Rat Rod Bikes. I think the username was catahula. Just go to that site and search for disk brakes and you will find it. Not much detail though. I think a pre-war schwinn would be a little better suited to this because the stays are round and not as narrow.


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

phattruth said:


> Anyone else out there done this with a 20's or thirties vintage frame. I'd really like to do one of those. I really like the roaring 29er Tony Pereira built, just can't afford one.


Yes. Currently under the torch for canti's. Well, has been for quite awhile. 27 Colson. I have a 34 CCW in the same state.


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## biss-ness (Aug 13, 2004)

sandmangts said:


> One of our forum members Timmy has a Pereira 29er that to me is still one of the best looking bikes I have ever seen. To my knowledge there is at least one other person who has added disks to a pre-war frame. It was a schwinn and it was posted on Rat Rod Bikes. I think the username was catahula. Just go to that site and search for disk brakes and you will find it. Not much detail though. I think a pre-war schwinn would be a little better suited to this because the stays are round and not as narrow.


★ RATRODBIKES.COM ★ • View topic - 1936 Schwinn B98 Nexus 8 Spd Disc Brakes ! > > SOLD

Here is a link when it was for sale... super cool resto-mod!


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Yeah his setup kinda gave me the idea. Notice how many washers and spacers he had to use for a 160mm disk though. He should try a 140 and pull those spacers out to stiffen it up. His setup must be a pain to align properly but it sure looks smooth.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

I got it mocked up today so I could work out the cable routing. Only then did I realize the brakes were set up as lefty rear and righty front. Needless to say this won't work for me so I will be swapping the levers and re-bleeding which kinda sucks because I have to by a bleed kit. I have a lovely Sid fork provided by ccmcdoc via our trade thread and I couldn't be happier. It works flawlessly and looks almost new. Since the fork is black I am thinking of going with a matte black finish which will go with the hubs, fork and parts and it should give the bike a road warrior kind of look. I have some custom decals and a headbadge in mind as well. A cross country fork with downhill brakes on an antique frame. I think we have truly entered the land of ridiculousness.


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## phattruth (Apr 22, 2012)

*27 Colson MTB*



jeff said:


> 27 Colson.


Outstanding ride! I'd love to do one of these. Time to find a frame.


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## Wildebeast (Apr 5, 2011)

Awesome build and great work so far on all the resto mods.

Mind sharing what your plans are for the headset?

Subscribed!


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## MichaelinOsaka (Jul 24, 2006)

Looks real nice! If you could figure out the year it was made you should paint "193? -> 2012" (or the year you finish this) on the top tube somewhere.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Here is the answer to the headset question.


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## biss-ness (Aug 13, 2004)

sandmangts said:


> Here is the answer to the headset question.


Let me know when these go into production. Very Nice! :thumbsup:


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## thesickfits (Feb 4, 2009)

Favourite thread.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

biss-ness said:


> Let me know when these go into production. Very Nice! :thumbsup:


They alread are along with a magnitude of amazing cool parts for old bikes. Take a look here: Products

Not my site by the way. Tick Oner is also on facebook and he is the one turning down headsets to fit pre-war bikes. You supply the headset. He is quite an interesting individual. He will only work on American made headsets. He makes really nice handlebars and seatposts too. He also makes bolt on canti bosses for old frames. Very trustworthy.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Just one more cable stop left to braze and we are done with the hot stuff. Next step will be to remove the old seat post collar so I can use an alloy one instead. I also poured in some more brass around the dropouts to smooth them out. Cable routing on the downtube seemed the best option because it is the only straight bar on the bike. Using the top tube for the brake line was the only option for the rear brake. I had to mount it on the sid a bit to keep the cable from rubbing the head tube too much. I am going over the top of the bb shell for the rear derailler and maybe the front too.


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## phattruth (Apr 22, 2012)

Nice work on that frame. I can't wait to see it completed.


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## breckenridge (Jul 14, 2012)

Very cool project. I'll be checking back!


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## Andy FitzGibbon (Jul 7, 2007)

sandmangts said:


> One of our forum members Timmy has a Pereira 29er that to me is still one of the best looking bikes I have ever seen. To my knowledge there is at least one other person who has added disks to a pre-war frame. It was a schwinn and it was posted on Rat Rod Bikes. I think the username was catahula. Just go to that site and search for disk brakes and you will find it. Not much detail though. I think a pre-war schwinn would be a little better suited to this because the stays are round and not as narrow.


I built one several years ago using a '70 Schwinn cantilever frame. Originally built it with a pre-war spring fork and Sachs drum brake hubs (rear was 7 speed). Widened the rear spacing to 135 and internally routed the cables.
I rode it that way for a while and then gave it to my dad, who put a hub motor in the rear and added a disc mount. He rode it that way for a while, then wrecked it and decided he was done with riding. So, I got it back and parted it out. Still have the Sachs hubs. I have a photo of it together somewhere, but can't find it. Here's one of the frame (which I sold on RRB).

You might want to consider adding some material to your dropstand/dropout area so that if you snag the derailleur it won't rip the threads out. Build looks good.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Seatpost clamp removed, last cable stop brazed on. I filed and sanded for hours. The frame had some heavy pitting but I think after I get the primer sanded it will look ok.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

manbat said:


> Been watching this thread for a while, looks like youre nearly done now :thumbsup:


Getting close for sure but I still need the headset turned and I need the bb adaptor and a decent crank. Problem is I am totally broke after Christmas. Hopefully a parts donor bike will come along on craigslist so I can score some parts will little or no out of pocket expense. Sure would be nice to have this complete for Keyesville this year.


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## johnnybentwrench (Dec 30, 2012)

Man, Nice job. I like you added braze ons


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Painted today and started working on the headbadge.


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## Boy named SSue (Jan 7, 2004)

Always excited to see the updates. All the brazing looks really smooth under the paint. Awesome.


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## SubaDrew (Dec 22, 2009)

Ha. I still haven't finished the build up of that frame Andy. Hopefully I'll get a chance to paint it and build it up here in the next few weeks if it gets a little warmer.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

I got the headbadge done today. I used a sheet of brass plated steel from an old door kickplate. The acid etch took off the brass around the resist and left just the steel showing. I then used spray paint and I wet sanded it with a Turtle wax headlight lens restoration kit. It took the paint off the raised areas and left the brass showing.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Made a little more progress. I decided to use the Hope Mini brakes instead of the M4's. I got the rear brake mounted up and it is good to go without having to use shims or spacers. I used a Truvativ bottom bracket adaptor. I am waiting for my modified King headset and a new XT crank to arrive and then it is building time. All the hard stuff is over. The bottom bracket is just a tad higher than my DX which is good. The headtube angle is not as slack as I expected so steering should be pretty snappy.


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## WarBoom (Dec 13, 2011)

Wow that is impressive. Sure does look fun


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## Bikemaya (Sep 24, 2012)

Are you going to keep the frame that matte black? The rock shox stuff kinda clashes with its flashy bright logos and shiny finish.

IMHO, name brand means squat on this build. Paint the fork the same matte black! Stealthy coolness


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## 1 cog frog (Dec 21, 2004)

Frame too small?

That's one heck of a seatpost. Hope that thing is solid.

All kidding aside, looking good, but I agree on the stealth look. Make the fork match the frame.

frog


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Yeah, I was using that long rod to make seatposts for all my old pre-war bikes. I used it to hold the frame for painting and now it is a little stuck. I will need to put it in a vice to get it back out. I was debating taking the logos off the fork. I think I will and I may remove the labels from the wheels as well.


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## Captain Duderino (Jan 19, 2012)

Sooo nasty! I love it! 

I vote fullly label-less.


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## J_Westy (Jan 7, 2009)

Looking great!

What are your impressions of those "Mr. Tick" bars?


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

J_Westy said:


> Looking great!
> 
> What are your impressions of those "Mr. Tick" bars?


 I have not actually ridden them yet. The sweep is a little more than I am used to but it feels comfortable. The quality is excellent and he will do them in custom widths for the same price. I am lucky my brake cables were about 5 inches too long for my single speed because they came off an extra large bike so they work with this bar without having to change cables.


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

Great project! I think you'll find that fork will set the bike back too much (too slack). Might be worth getting an older 2.5" travel SID (or any other short fork) vs the 3" one you have just to drop it a little more.

I agree with the others, fork needs to be decal free and flat black would be even cooler.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

All that remains is the headset. It should be here early next week. I plan to swap the skewers for some black XT ones, trim the cables etc. The rear brake cable is a little shorter than I would like so I had to route it differently than I planned. I could just get a new cable but I just bled these things and they are working perfect so I will wait until the next time they need a bleed to make a new cable. All the decals are gone. I would have painted the fork but to do it right would mean dissasembling it so I will wait until it needs service to do that. I made a shim for the handlebars out of an old scott handlebar. I trimmed off 2 pieces of it and made a shim for the front derailler as well. The rear wheel mounts up perfect with no brake rub. Shifting seems great in the stand but we will have to see how it is on the trail.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

It's like a modern klunker.


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## Boy named SSue (Jan 7, 2004)

sandmangts said:


> The rear wheel mounts up perfect with no brake rub.


Nice!!! Well done indeed.


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## datmony (Jul 12, 2012)

Absolutely love the way it turned out. Looks great. I would throw a Brooks on there myself for a little offset of color. One with the brass rails would look super sick on there but that is just personal preference from my side. Great work!!


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## jtmartino (Jul 31, 2008)

Damn man, that is fantastic work. Let us know how it rides!


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Still waiting on the headset so I experimented with the headbadge a bit. I used the toner transfer method to make one out of aluminum. It was much easier than brass or copper. With brass and copper you have to use ferric chloride which is just horrible stuff. With aluminum you just use Lye (Sodium Hydroxide) and water, same stuff I used to strip ano off of old rims. I spend 2 dollars on some surplus aluminum and it worked great. Got a nice deep clean etch in about 45 minutes. I think if I had a better laser printer I could get a more detailed image but this one looks ok.


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## CS2 (Jul 24, 2007)

sandmangts said:


> Still waiting on the headset so I experimented with the headbadge a bit. I used the toner transfer method to make one out of aluminum. It was much easier than brass or copper. With brass and copper you have to use ferric chloride which is just horrible stuff. With aluminum you just use Lye (Sodium Hydroxide) and water, same stuff I used to strip ano off of old rims. I spend 2 dollars on some surplus aluminum and it worked great. Got a nice deep clean etch in about 45 minutes. I think if I had a better laser printer I could get a more detailed image but this one looks ok.


Very, very nice work.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Finally got the headset turned down to fit and installed. After that everything else just fell into place. I took it for the first ride around the neighborhood and I am absolutely thrilled with the way it rides. It shifts flawlessly and stops on a dime. The steering is not lazy feeling at all. This is the first time I pulled a bike off the stand and rode it without having to adjust the shifting or brakes in some way. Just a little tweak to the bars and saddle and I was dialed in. I absolutely love it. I will get some dirt on it this weekend and see how it holds up. And I will try to get some better photos.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Took it out for a few miles of dirt today. Front derailler needed some tweaking to get it to drop to the small ring but other than that everything is solid. The 2.35 tire in the rear is cutting in pretty close but it sure takes the edge off the small bumps. 34.6 pounds as it sits.


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## WarBoom (Dec 13, 2011)

Beautiful bike! Only 34lbs that's lighter than I expected, I applaud you sir it turned out very nice


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## colson (Mar 7, 2013)

Love It!!


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## ong (Jun 26, 2006)

That's really excellent! Very distinctive. How's it ride?


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## GMF (Jan 10, 2004)

That is crazy awesome. I'm really impressed with all the custom fab work! Much respect...


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

It is still in one piece. I commute on it 12 miles daily and I get a few miles of dirt on the way home. I have ridden a bike everyday since January 1st this year as a part of my weight loss/get in shape for Keyesville program. Although I ended up not going to keyesville I stuck with the plan which included eliminating beer. So far I am down 17 pounds. So yes this bike has taken a good pounding. My biggest concern was whether or not the rear wheel would move in the dropout. After several drops and small jumps and some off camber impacts it has not budged.

My biggest mistake was using grey primer, I could have used black and all the chips in the paint I am getting would not be so obvious. I will probably strip it and get it powder coated in the future if it holds up. I just didn't want to spend the money only to have to repair it.


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## colson (Mar 7, 2013)

sandmangts said:


> My biggest mistake was using grey primer, I could have used black and all the chips in the paint I am getting would not be so obvious. I will probably strip it and get it powder coated in the future if it holds up. I just didn't want to spend the money only to have to repair it.


Same here on the grey primer on my Colson! 
Not sure on the powder coat, would have to rough up the front after to add the very dark green darts I have. Currently it's a pearl black with the pearl green up front, don't really see the green until the sun hits it, then it pops. It was my first paint job, so what did I expect anyway.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Still riding and racing.


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## onlycrimson (Nov 11, 2008)

That is really cool, does it handle ok with that slack head tube angle?


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## pinguwin (Aug 20, 2004)

Just a FYI if anyone wants to make a head tube badge but you can use a laser cutter to do this work also. Most laser cutters don't have the power to cut aluminum (and if they do, turn the power down) but you can etch the anodization and leave a nice Al finish underneath.

The laser cutter also allows extremely fine details and basically, if you can see it on a computer screen, the laser cutter will etch it for you.


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