First Steel
 

Drew first steel on my cruiser today. No longer OEM...
After taking almost everything off the frame I gave it a few shots of Frame Saver yesterday.
Then between over indulging on coffee and scrounging around a plan started coming together.
I had three other things I wanted to get done.
First, secure my rear fender on to the seat stay bracket.
(Thanks to someone on this forum, which reminded me about this detail I had overlooked)
Second, drill a drain hole in my bottom bracket.
(Again, thanks to this forum bringing this up numerous times)
Third, add on my 'cooling fins'.
(It's hot, humid and hostile to steel in Florida)
:)

Fender washer mandrel
The fender washers I scrounged up were flat.
So I had to shape two fender washers to fit the curvature of my rear fender.
Screwed fender washer on to post and beat it with a hammer.
Don't be alarmed at the mess. Ellie isn't

Fender washers mounted on both sides of the fender to seat stay bracket. First steel, drilled 3/32" hole in fender and bracket. (used prick punch first) The foam washers helped me center the fender and the clamp kept the fender against the bracket. Purple Loctite on both washers and screw.

The next thing was to drill a drain hole for the bottom bracket.
I thought this was going to be pretty straightforward... but it wasn't... it is not just a hole.
It's a huge honking hole!
I started with a small drill bit. Then I dowsed the hole with water. The water tension held the water in the hole. (We have hard water here). Yes, the rain isn't hard water, but by the time it bounces off the road or I actually turn a hose on my bike (heaven forbid), the water will not be soft anymore. So I got a bigger drill bit... dowse ... then a bigger drill bit ... dowse ... then a bigger drill bit. Finally I settled on an 11/32" hole.
The brown stuff is Frame Saver.

I tried to hide my 'Cooling fins' the best I could. No doubt it will turn into a white wooly booger in the coming years. I put it behind my kickstand and flush with the rear fender. Drilled holes with 5/32" drill bit. Cleaned off all the Frame Saver with 99% isopropanol alcohol around this part and screwed in. No Loctite.

Soft tools.

That's a clever joke, right?

It really does have a purpose.
I'm using 'talk around' to avoid the fallout.
My friend's old Cannondale has something similar on his.
Immaculate frame.
P.S. It looks big in the picture, but really it is only 2" x 1 5/8"

Nonsense, never mind.

Whatever, never mind.
I don't appreciate your implication that I'm a liar either.
Go back to the peanut gallery.

"Me thinks the lady doth protest too much." You post in a public forum but don't want any kind of a conversation -- that's on you.

"Nonsense, never mind. "


Obviously you are a premier leading conversationalist.
My apologies.

Not sure I understand the point of this thread but to see one's self in print. maybe I'm missing something but what are the cooling fins doing? The photos lack the Macro views. Andy.

Unless your running a motor in that thing I cant figure out what purpose the 'cooling fins' serve, genuine question I’m intrigued

It is a sacrificial piece of metal.
Martyr Anodes CM873395M Volvo Penta DPS S Anode, Magnesium
by Martyr Anodes
Link: https://amzn.com/B007D292ZC


It will corrode setting up a voltage that will protect steel and aluminum from corrosion.
Normally used on boats but this one is specifically used in freshwater.
So any mild corrosion of this magnesium will set up a voltage potential between the two metals.

Sorry about my camera prowess.
The 'cooling fin' is a small chunk of magnesium that will corrode and setup a voltage potential to protect my frame.

I found the hole size needed in the bottom bracket to break the surface tension of hard water in the hole to be of informational value. It could take hours in a humid climate for that to finally get thin enough to open. So now it drains more readily.
Also I read in this Bike Forum where people were having problems with stress cracks where their fenders were mounted. I decided to head that off at the pass with this installation.
Thanks again Bike Forums.

Unless your bike is immersed in an electrolyte, the anode will only protect the holes you drilled to mount it.

And, FYI, water drains easily through a small meniscus leaving only a small drop (about the same amount retained by the lip of a larger hole).

I gots to git me some cooling fins for me hot @ss

I'd be curious to see how long it takes for a corrosion preventer that size to disintegrate. I'd bed a quarter-sized disc would still outlast the bike (unless you are storing it submerged in saltwater). Perhaps a quick dash of zinc paint on the edges of the hole would have been all that is needed... I have used the zinc paint on steel parts of a boat trailer and not even a glint of rust anywhere after 5 years.

That's not what I saw when I started with a small drill bit.
Guess you can tell that to the pro-cyclist that have a gaping screen at the bottom of their bottom bracket.


The proof of concept of this donor metal is right before my eyes with my friend's bike.
So which should I believe, a guy and his bike that has lived on the coast all his life or a guy that lives in the High Plains.

Ask the pro cyclist if they are worried about draining water.
Search "cathodic protection." You will believe what you want.

If you live on the coast the real issue is salt, and "donor metal" is not going to change that...

Does a sacrificial donor metal work in humid salty air?
Some people seem to think so.



Jesse thinks it is pretty straightforward

(Seems like I've heard of these guys before)
AC Zincs ACZ-3/4 Protectant | Carrier HVAC

(These guys also)
Corrosion Grenade by American Air & Heat | American Air & Heat | americanairandheat.net

(Vague recollection)
AC Zincs ACZ-3/4 - Zinc Anode 3/4" Corrosion Grenade --- 1394543526883

7/8" Corrosion Grenade Zinc Anode

https://www.centralairtampabay.com/s...n_Grenade.html

(Myrtle Beach)
Myrtle Beach Air Conditioning Services Include AC Corrosion Deterrents

Corrosion Grenade - Carolina Temperature Control | HVAC

(annoying music, don't click on it)
Corrosion Protection |

https://davisbroscooling.com/products/

Residential & Commercial Heating Air Conditioning Repair Charleston SC

I agree about your camera prowess. However I'm anxious to see a pic of the bike.