Show me your cruiser.
#826
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I guess you're not worthy - I taped the nipples and spokes. And that IS a new chain. And ya - it's a Huffy, but there is great value in taking something ready for the trash heap and turning it into something beautiful, usable, and loads of fun. It's a sturdy bike and brings me a lot of pleasure. Oh, and the basket did not cost more than $88 - substantially less, in fact. Not sure if you are being mean or trying to be funny, but I love my little bike that I refurbished by myself. I have other, high end, expensive bikes, but this one is loads of fun.
if you paint a wheel again, an easier way is to use some drinking straws and slit them sideways (depending on how you paint you might be able to cut them in half or thirds to not use so many). you can slip them over the spokes easily and even keep them for a future wheel paint job.
also if you have a spare frame, or can spray away from the frame you're building, you can put the wheel back on and spin it while you spray it. spin it fast enough to keep the straws against the rim (centrip... er... I can't remember the word) and it also makes the paint coats pretty even.
#828
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if you paint a wheel again, an easier way is to use some drinking straws and slit them sideways (depending on how you paint you might be able to cut them in half or thirds to not use so many). you can slip them over the spokes easily and even keep them for a future wheel paint job.
also if you have a spare frame, or can spray away from the frame you're building, you can put the wheel back on and spin it while you spray it. spin it fast enough to keep the straws against the rim (centrip... er... I can't remember the word) and it also makes the paint coats pretty even.
also if you have a spare frame, or can spray away from the frame you're building, you can put the wheel back on and spin it while you spray it. spin it fast enough to keep the straws against the rim (centrip... er... I can't remember the word) and it also makes the paint coats pretty even.
clever! thanks!
#829
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Well, except me.
Local university colors, since we get students through fairly often just looking for something cheap and faster than walking a mile from off-campus housing to class. Completely rebuilt from the ground up like most of our "junk restoration" projects, (though surprisingly the tires looked good enough to keep after powerwashing) including relacing the wheels in 3-leading-3-trailing, (I was bored and there was a good movie on, and it gave me an excuse to not leave the rims the hideous rusty pale blue they started out as.) so it ought to be good for a few years with minimal care.
Last edited by KD5NRH; 11-28-17 at 06:01 PM.
#830
Calamari Marionette Ph.D
Don't be silly; nobody would Krylon a Huffy.
Well, except me.
Local university colors, since we get students through fairly often just looking for something cheap and faster than walking a mile from off-campus housing to class. Completely rebuilt from the ground up like most of our "junk restoration" projects, (though surprisingly the tires looked good enough to keep after powerwashing) including relacing the wheels in 3-leading-3-trailing, (I was bored and there was a good movie on, and it gave me an excuse to not leave the rims the hideous rusty pale blue they started out as.) so it ought to be good for a few years with minimal care.
Well, except me.
Local university colors, since we get students through fairly often just looking for something cheap and faster than walking a mile from off-campus housing to class. Completely rebuilt from the ground up like most of our "junk restoration" projects, (though surprisingly the tires looked good enough to keep after powerwashing) including relacing the wheels in 3-leading-3-trailing, (I was bored and there was a good movie on, and it gave me an excuse to not leave the rims the hideous rusty pale blue they started out as.) so it ought to be good for a few years with minimal care.
That thing is awesome.
#831
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The repaints are mostly to get people driving by to stop and think "gee, for less than a couple new tires on my boring Ford Escort, I could be doing my local errands on something with real character."
Of course, with the hills in town, I doubt anybody will want to make a serious grocery run on a single speed, but most of what's on the pile is some sort of MTB. (Though I do have another Huffy cruiser in progress that's likely going to be hammered bronze metallic with blue/yellow accents.)
Thus, we end up with stuff like the above, or this old Galaxy done in the local HS colors.
Or the chromed out Diamondback that just looks so much cooler without any decals interrupting the shine.
Besides, it's just fun to take junk people were going to throw away and make it both useful and unique.
Of course, with the hills in town, I doubt anybody will want to make a serious grocery run on a single speed, but most of what's on the pile is some sort of MTB. (Though I do have another Huffy cruiser in progress that's likely going to be hammered bronze metallic with blue/yellow accents.)
Thus, we end up with stuff like the above, or this old Galaxy done in the local HS colors.
Or the chromed out Diamondback that just looks so much cooler without any decals interrupting the shine.
Besides, it's just fun to take junk people were going to throw away and make it both useful and unique.
#833
Calamari Marionette Ph.D
The repaints are mostly to get people driving by to stop and think "gee, for less than a couple new tires on my boring Ford Escort, I could be doing my local errands on something with real character."
Of course, with the hills in town, I doubt anybody will want to make a serious grocery run on a single speed, but most of what's on the pile is some sort of MTB. (Though I do have another Huffy cruiser in progress that's likely going to be hammered bronze metallic with blue/yellow accents.)
Thus, we end up with stuff like the above, or this old Galaxy done in the local HS colors.
Or the chromed out Diamondback that just looks so much cooler without any decals interrupting the shine.
Besides, it's just fun to take junk people were going to throw away and make it both useful and unique.
Of course, with the hills in town, I doubt anybody will want to make a serious grocery run on a single speed, but most of what's on the pile is some sort of MTB. (Though I do have another Huffy cruiser in progress that's likely going to be hammered bronze metallic with blue/yellow accents.)
Thus, we end up with stuff like the above, or this old Galaxy done in the local HS colors.
Or the chromed out Diamondback that just looks so much cooler without any decals interrupting the shine.
Besides, it's just fun to take junk people were going to throw away and make it both useful and unique.
Custom fade job. Stylish.
#834
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if you paint a wheel again, an easier way is to use some drinking straws and slit them sideways (depending on how you paint you might be able to cut them in half or thirds to not use so many). you can slip them over the spokes easily and even keep them for a future wheel paint job.
also if you have a spare frame, or can spray away from the frame you're building, you can put the wheel back on and spin it while you spray it. spin it fast enough to keep the straws against the rim (centrip... er... I can't remember the word) and it also makes the paint coats pretty even.
also if you have a spare frame, or can spray away from the frame you're building, you can put the wheel back on and spin it while you spray it. spin it fast enough to keep the straws against the rim (centrip... er... I can't remember the word) and it also makes the paint coats pretty even.
#835
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#836
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Don't be silly; nobody would Krylon a Huffy.
Well, except me.
Local university colors, since we get students through fairly often just looking for something cheap and faster than walking a mile from off-campus housing to class. Completely rebuilt from the ground up like most of our "junk restoration" projects, (though surprisingly the tires looked good enough to keep after powerwashing) including relacing the wheels in 3-leading-3-trailing, (I was bored and there was a good movie on, and it gave me an excuse to not leave the rims the hideous rusty pale blue they started out as.) so it ought to be good for a few years with minimal care.
Well, except me.
Local university colors, since we get students through fairly often just looking for something cheap and faster than walking a mile from off-campus housing to class. Completely rebuilt from the ground up like most of our "junk restoration" projects, (though surprisingly the tires looked good enough to keep after powerwashing) including relacing the wheels in 3-leading-3-trailing, (I was bored and there was a good movie on, and it gave me an excuse to not leave the rims the hideous rusty pale blue they started out as.) so it ought to be good for a few years with minimal care.
#839
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So it looks like a fair amount of prep work, masking, repaints, and sanding. 6 hours minimum heh? What can expect to see for a return on your efforts?
#840
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Krylon...14 years ago. In 28* weather (in and out...out to paint, back in to dry between coats). Did it for my son. I saw it last month, still looks as good as the day it was painted.
Likes For KOTA:
#841
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#842
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I'd guess 8-10 hours on that one, counting relacing the wheels. At the moment, we're rearranging the back space, and haven't set the sandblast booth back up. Really cuts the prep time down. As for overall return, we make more on the maintenance, though of course the single speed coaster brake ones rarely need more than flats fixed until they start rusting up again. (Though I think a flat fix ends up being our highest labor-charge-per-minute-spent repair.) This is more of a project to get stuff that would have been headed to the scrap yard back on the road; some just get fixed up, some rustier ones just get wire brushed and sprayed with whatever's at hand while they're already stripped down anyway, and some with character get actual thought put into them. If the price covers materials and some of my time, it's worth it to get somebody else on a bike. (And thus, of course, provide one more bike we'll be fixing from time to time.)[/QUOTE]
I'm glad to see that I'm not the only guy working for peanuts! I wouldn't ever even consider re-lacing wheels on a bike that cost $100 brand new. I would kill for a sandblast booth but alas no room for such a luxury. I regularly bring back the dead but there's a limit to the life I can provide. Bad ones get flat black and a cheap price tag. I like your shop I'd like to think if I opened a shop it would be alot like yours. This is what I'm talking about.
I'm glad to see that I'm not the only guy working for peanuts! I wouldn't ever even consider re-lacing wheels on a bike that cost $100 brand new. I would kill for a sandblast booth but alas no room for such a luxury. I regularly bring back the dead but there's a limit to the life I can provide. Bad ones get flat black and a cheap price tag. I like your shop I'd like to think if I opened a shop it would be alot like yours. This is what I'm talking about.
#843
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I like it. I started a "school colors" bike, but got bogged down by my Achilles heel. I can't build wheels, and never seem to have (or want to spend) the extra cash to have it done. but I have a 29er wheel I like (internal 7sp) and a couple of the 29er huffy cruiser frames, so I mean to try it again with one of them.
#844
Calamari Marionette Ph.D
#846
Calamari Marionette Ph.D
#847
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I like it. I started a "school colors" bike, but got bogged down by my Achilles heel. I can't build wheels, and never seem to have (or want to spend) the extra cash to have it done. but I have a 29er wheel I like (internal 7sp) and a couple of the 29er huffy cruiser frames, so I mean to try it again with one of them.
Tensioning and truing once it's laced is a bit more in depth, but once you have the hang of it, doing a pair in a day is easy.
As for painting rims, I painted them, then laced, then cut a piece of a pizza box to match the inside radius of the wheel and used it as a handheld mask while touching up the parts I'd scratched.
#848
Senior Member
Don't be silly; nobody would Krylon a Huffy.
Well, except me.
Local university colors, since we get students through fairly often just looking for something cheap and faster than walking a mile from off-campus housing to class. Completely rebuilt from the ground up like most of our "junk restoration" projects, (though surprisingly the tires looked good enough to keep after powerwashing) including relacing the wheels in 3-leading-3-trailing, (I was bored and there was a good movie on, and it gave me an excuse to not leave the rims the hideous rusty pale blue they started out as.) so it ought to be good for a few years with minimal care.
Well, except me.
Local university colors, since we get students through fairly often just looking for something cheap and faster than walking a mile from off-campus housing to class. Completely rebuilt from the ground up like most of our "junk restoration" projects, (though surprisingly the tires looked good enough to keep after powerwashing) including relacing the wheels in 3-leading-3-trailing, (I was bored and there was a good movie on, and it gave me an excuse to not leave the rims the hideous rusty pale blue they started out as.) so it ought to be good for a few years with minimal care.
#849
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That's beautiful!
Thanks, he liked it so much he ordered one for his girl. Built on an old Kawayama frame with new wheels and tires.
Thanks, he liked it so much he ordered one for his girl. Built on an old Kawayama frame with new wheels and tires.
#850
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You're buying your parts in the wrong place, lol.
You must watch out for the word "style" after important words. A true Nantucket basket starts at $50 the one on the yellow Huffy had that New England fishing look to it and there are surely many levels of quality when it comes to faux leather grips but good bargain shopping is not lost on me, but I despise returning junk.
You must watch out for the word "style" after important words. A true Nantucket basket starts at $50 the one on the yellow Huffy had that New England fishing look to it and there are surely many levels of quality when it comes to faux leather grips but good bargain shopping is not lost on me, but I despise returning junk.