Mad Honk 

@hazetguy Does that Sun unit still work?
Today I worked on re-creating a bottom bracket tool I used in the 70's. It locks into the fixed cup and it threads against itself so It can't slip and works on both left and right handed cups. A very simple design that just works. The working looks a bit unrefined but will remove fixed cups. Depending on which side of the tool you tighten it moves both right and left thread designs. The nuts are race car lug nuts with a bit of lug stud welded into one end with an extension that is welded into a 1/2 inch drive hard socket. I need to bit more cleaning of the welds and then paint but I have a new tool I haven't seen in a long time. Smiles, MH

albrt 

This week's project appears to be an early 70s Columbia:



Apparently there were a bunch of 10-speed models named after different suburbs of Boston - Lexington, Lenox, Andover, etc. The model name was on the top tube, but the decal is gone on this one.

This looks to me like it was intended to be a U-08 knockoff. It has basically the same Simplex derailleur set as a contemporary U-08 I was working on a couple weeks ago, and the look is similar as long as you don't notice details like the crimped-in dropouts. There is a serial number list available online that pegs this as a 1965 frame, but I just don't think so. The rear derailleur has a fuzzy number that looks like a 71.

Basically a piece of junk, but a solid piece of junk with a history.

Johno59

What stops the tool from rotating in the axle hole. Do you align the flats on your tool with th×e flats on the fixed end and bring the spanner to bare on the tool flat at the same time as the fixed end flats?

ARider2

I have been working on a '97 Lemond Tourmalet that is in excellent original condition. I decided to leave the original handlebar tape and tires to show just how original and low mileage the bike is. Only items replaced so far are the nylon spacer which screws in to the non-drive side of the bottom bracket, the spoke protector, brake pads and all cables/housing. I cleaned, degreased and repacked all bearings with new grease. As a 61cm it was the largest size frame available that year but the Tourmalet is near the bottom of the line with a steel frame and a 3 X 7 Shimano RSX drivetrain. It rides very well for a nearly 25 year old steel frame road bike. I really like the dark blue metallic paint and am tempted to keep the bike but alas I already have too many!

SurferRosa

Looks like it has mismatched rims. And I'd be really surprised if that's the original stem, pedals and bar tape.

Mad Honk 

Johno59,
The wrench is just a standard 36 mm wrench that fits on the fixed cup. It is about 18" long so it will have plenty of leverage, unlike the Parks and other spanners. It cost $20 but with 15% off and a rebate coupon it was more like $12. I could not resist at that price!
The tool I made is two race car lug nuts welded to a hollow extension and then welded inside two 1/2" drive impact sockets. One side has a stud welded into one of the lug nuts. The other lug nut is hollow and they jam against each other on either side of a fixed cup. Depending on which end of the tool you tighten it works for both left and right handed threads. I will post a few pics when I get to my other computer that allows pictures to be down-loaded. Smiles, MH

J.Higgins 

I for one, would LOVE to see some more pics of your tool... the fixed cup tool I mean...

BFisher 

A little cleanup work on these nice old Weinmann levers with factory drillium. I used Mothers Mag and Aluminum polish.

ARider2

Good eye SurferRosa. Front rim is Mavic XP10 (original spec) and rear is Mavic XP30 which was likely changed early in the life of the bike along with the stem. The handlebar tape and tires appear to be the originals and the bike came with the original pedals as well but I put on a temporary replacement set on.

Mad Honk 

Johno, and JHiggins,
Got some pics down loaded into computer so here goes:

The tool is two pieces that fit together clamping the cup between them. The length on each piece needs to be long enough to extend past the outer shell of the bottom bracket. Each piece and a BB cup pictured.

This is how the pieces fit together to clamp the cup. The tool actually clamps the cup by engaging the cup by the center area inside the races of the cup.

This picture shows the fit of the tool inside the cup. The stud has a clearance of about 2mm (the same as my Var fixed cup tool).

This is how everything goes together. Each piece clamps on the cup when screwed together. Then the tool can be tightened with a 1/2" drive socket as shown, or if extra leverage is needed a long breaker bar can be used. I have a 2 foot bar here in the shop for plenty of extra leverage.
Hope this makes the tool a little easier to understand. It is more of a junk-yard tool that just works and fits almost everything. I suspect I will get calls from my local co-op to come break apart some of the junk they get in and try to dismantle to save parts for the junk bins. Smiles, MH

southpawboston

Oh, man, that came out beautifully! I had the same Cannondale awhile back, but it was downright tatty.

southpawboston

I think that was typical back in the early days of spec-ng sealed bearings on bike components. I've rebuilt lots of sealed bearing hubs from the 70s-80s that only had an outboard seal.

sloar

Just finished my ST1000, still waiting for a 24t ring and front bags to finish it off.

SpiritCyclist

Nice 'Dale!

Having the day off today, I swapped a few things around and came up with this:


This Varsity was a roadside find roughly a year ago. It's become my favorite bike. Fits me like a glove.

thook

are those plastic or alloy fenders? if alloy, what kind/brand?

sloar

original plastic fenders that came with it.

jdawginsc 

Thanks. The paint is in great shape, so polishing really brought it out.

JacobLee 

I’m pretty sure those are SKS Chromoplastics. They’ve got a layer of foil sandwiched between layers of plastic. I used a set for years before the front fender shattered from my foot hitting it.

thook

yes, thank you! i suspected they might be. i have a set of chromo's. i just keep looking for some alloy ones like that. the kind esge used to make that the chromo's replicate

2cam16

Continuing the cutting down of my herd, I decided to bring this back to life and sell it after it's been hanging down to frame and fork for a few years. Much as I hate letting it go, I probably won't ride it anyway since the Trek 560 and Bottecchia are better riders. Slapping on a mix of 105 and Exage stuff I have in the bins.
rebuild by 2cam16, on Flickr

bOsscO

Cool! I've never heard of a DB Master TG model.
Although the frame looks small there seems to be a lot of clearance between the frame and wheels.

2cam16

Thanks! Yeah Western State Imports pretty much mixed and matched the names of their brands. It's actually a longer name,Diamondback Centurrion Master TG. The Centurion is on the tt. Centurion also has a Master in the Ironman bike. lol

Mad Honk 

I have been putting off getting to the most damaged of my bikes that were involved in a house fire (arson that was never solved). So today I have started on the Team Fuji and hoping to get it to a hot bath sometime tomorrow. I am suspecting this frame is full chrome underneath the paint. There is chrome in the water bosses that is visible, and if not I will know that it will have to go to PRO Kote Indy for a new powder coat. I have taken a few pics to document the process and hopefully give a bit of perspective of what can be restored. At some point I am going to put the finished item in the valuation thread. So here are to beginning photos.

the fire damage doesn't show well but the paint is destroyed and the tires were burned off the rear rim

front wheel is almost intact the bikes were hung on a steel rack and the worst damage was to the area near the top of the rack. close look to the bars show how the tape literally melted on the bars

the rear didn't fare very well

frame paint still has decals but will have to come off

Fuji frame decal indicating tubing type
And so begins another restoration project. Smiles, MH

VtwinVince

This is my latest project, a '97 (i think) RockHopper which I bought as a frame years ago.

billnuke1 

Cousin!