I found this bike while looking for a bike for the Clunker Classic but not having the time to do anything with it popped the back wheel into the back of another bike.
I recently decided that the geometry on my polo bike (yes polo bike...) isn't how I want it. After spending time on the computer doing lots of research then working away for hours doing CAD I thought I'd teach myself to weld with my brothers' Clarke Mig. The first practice pieces weren't too bad. Laid a few nice enough beads down, nowhere near straight though as I was using a handheld mask. Moved on from 2mm to 1mm, beginning with too little power then too much wire popping holes to just right. Did a few butt welds which was a bit of a feat of balancing having to hold onto the mask.
Anyhoo, on to the pictures.
What I pulled out of some brambles -
After a few of panicky days I ended up with this for the Clunker Classic -
Forgot to get the camera out for the initial bit of practice and the cutting/welding of the rear half so here's the first bit of modification -
Here's some photo's of what the joins are like now, the pipe used to extend the stays is around 2/2.5mm wall and something like a 30mm dia. Huge in comparison to what I was welding to. So I cut two slot's down the larger pip then beat it down to the diameter of the original stays. The original stays have been pushed inside the end of the pipe about an inch so if the welds do fail then it won't completely collapse on me in a split second.
Dropouts -
Brake mountings, they were cut from a set of bent forks I got hold of which then provided the extensions for the forks
I popped some standard mtb wheels in there and noticed a large gap between the wheel and the frame.
Somehow I'd managed to measure the pipe 100mm too long. Not to worry though, it's just makes the bike more stable while riding.
On to yesterdays work, again I forgot to take some pictures post weld/pre clean-up. The hardest bit I found was to keep a straight bead and also to work around pipe. Working on flat plate is fairly easy, so I ended up doing a lot of tacks and a few short beads.
The start -
Cutting the forks ready to accept the extension
Notching the fork extensions, note the amount needed to make them fit inside. They were also pushed into the fork about an inch -
Pre weld -
Post paint -
Not exactly perfect but I couldn't be bothered measuring. Easily fixed with a bit of filing though -
Ta daaaa -
It is very short though as you can see from this pic -
So the project will continue when I find myself another donor bike. Thinking of adding a seat tube a few inches further back than the standard one. I'll also add some gusseting to the chainstay extensions. I don't want to do a Burf...
I recently decided that the geometry on my polo bike (yes polo bike...) isn't how I want it. After spending time on the computer doing lots of research then working away for hours doing CAD I thought I'd teach myself to weld with my brothers' Clarke Mig. The first practice pieces weren't too bad. Laid a few nice enough beads down, nowhere near straight though as I was using a handheld mask. Moved on from 2mm to 1mm, beginning with too little power then too much wire popping holes to just right. Did a few butt welds which was a bit of a feat of balancing having to hold onto the mask.
Anyhoo, on to the pictures.
What I pulled out of some brambles -
After a few of panicky days I ended up with this for the Clunker Classic -
Forgot to get the camera out for the initial bit of practice and the cutting/welding of the rear half so here's the first bit of modification -
Here's some photo's of what the joins are like now, the pipe used to extend the stays is around 2/2.5mm wall and something like a 30mm dia. Huge in comparison to what I was welding to. So I cut two slot's down the larger pip then beat it down to the diameter of the original stays. The original stays have been pushed inside the end of the pipe about an inch so if the welds do fail then it won't completely collapse on me in a split second.
Dropouts -
Brake mountings, they were cut from a set of bent forks I got hold of which then provided the extensions for the forks
I popped some standard mtb wheels in there and noticed a large gap between the wheel and the frame.
Somehow I'd managed to measure the pipe 100mm too long. Not to worry though, it's just makes the bike more stable while riding.
On to yesterdays work, again I forgot to take some pictures post weld/pre clean-up. The hardest bit I found was to keep a straight bead and also to work around pipe. Working on flat plate is fairly easy, so I ended up doing a lot of tacks and a few short beads.
The start -
Cutting the forks ready to accept the extension
Notching the fork extensions, note the amount needed to make them fit inside. They were also pushed into the fork about an inch -
Pre weld -
Post paint -
Not exactly perfect but I couldn't be bothered measuring. Easily fixed with a bit of filing though -
Ta daaaa -
It is very short though as you can see from this pic -
So the project will continue when I find myself another donor bike. Thinking of adding a seat tube a few inches further back than the standard one. I'll also add some gusseting to the chainstay extensions. I don't want to do a Burf...