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Archived: Restoration Tips





RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   Bike Registration Stickers posted by: P.C. Kohler on 12/27/2002 at 5:16:29 PM
I am sure this has been addressed before, but here goes:

Is there a wonderfully easy way to remove those awful bike registration stickers that are usually plopped right over a nice decal??

P.C. Kohler


   RE:RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   Bike Registration Stickers posted by Stacey on 12/28/2002 at 11:43:22 AM
Wonderfully Easy? No. The varietys of adhesives used on stickers is astounding! Some will peel off quite easily while with others, nothing will budge them short of a Thermal Nuclear Device.

Your best course is to start as non-invasive as possible. Bring the bike inside and get it warm, then with a hair dryer heat up the sticker, see if it starts to loosen. If that dosen't work, I've used Ronsonol Lighter Fluid with a great deal of success... tho' caution is warrented here, it is flammable AND contains Naptha. If that dosen't work there are commercial preparations available at the paint department of your local auto parts store designed specificaly for just such a job. When it comes to leaving the decal intact... All bets are off. Good luck!

   RE:RE:RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   Bike Registration Stickers posted by P.C. Kohler on 12/28/2002 at 3:08:30 PM
Thanks, Stacey... see I was hoping there would be some miracle fix, you know the kind that invariably uses some combination of baking soda and white vinegar!

P.C. Kohler, digging out the hairdryer

   RE:RE:RE:RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   Bike Registration Stickers posted by P.C. Kohler on 12/30/2002 at 4:58:06 AM
It WORKS! Thanks!!

   RE:RE:RE:RE:RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   Bike Registration Stickers posted by Stacey on 12/31/2002 at 3:22:57 PM
GREAT! You're welcome :-)))))))) How'd the decals fare?




RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:    posted by: Andy on 12/26/2002 at 2:44:21 AM
Help please!
I've got an alloy-chrome(6061) Redline racer and i want to get ride of the redpaint which is located by the rear dropouts as well as the headset area.Any ideas how i can do this easily and without damaging the chrome?


   RE:RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:    posted by Andy on 12/26/2002 at 2:49:25 AM
Maybe use some paint stripping solvents?But i believe this might be quite a harsh method....




RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   WANTED posted by: ISAAC RAY on 12/23/2002 at 4:45:44 PM
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!stingray frame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I AM ALSO LOOKING FOR A 20IN LOWRIDER FRAME. ANY CONDITION. I LIVE IN THE S.F. BAY AREA. ANYONE CAN HELP E MAIL ME IKEAGUIRRE14@NETSCAPE.NET THANK YOU. ALSO LOOKING FOR A EXTENDED TWIST FORK CROWN AND CHAIN STEERING WHEEL CHROME.





RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   house of kolor posted by: isaac ray on 12/20/2002 at 1:56:43 AM
where can i get a hold of some house of kolor paint in my area. i live in the san francisco bay area. thanks


   RE:RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   house of kolor posted by a friend on 12/22/2002 at 4:26:14 AM
Issac, go to your local automotive paint supply. Ask them too show you the kolor chip book for Kustom Kolors. Then check out the base coats they offer too achive different shades towards your intrest.




RESTORATION TIPS - MISC:   Question??? What is the best way to remove headbadge rivets?? posted by: Darrell Slifka on 12/18/2002 at 7:23:48 AM
My question is: What is the best way to remove the rivets from the head badge and not damage the head badge? Thank you in advance. Darrell


   RE:RESTORATION TIPS - MISC:   Question??? What is the best way to remove headbadge rivets?? posted by a friend on 12/19/2002 at 4:53:43 PM
Darrell, This is tricky but, with a little patients I have done this. Take a jewlers file and some duct tape, just enough too cover the rivet head that surrounds the badge. This will also keep the face of the badge from becomming damaged. Then start with the file cutting into the rivet head like you were cutting a slot too incert a screw driver. Make sure that the cut is thin and straight and deep enough so the screw driver will bite. Now, that the rivet head is slotted take your 4inch shank screwdriver no longer than that, so you have tool control, with back and forth motions very slowly, so you don't distroy your slot, work it loose a little at a time. This works for me when I take my time. Once you see it seperate from the badge start too remove it with a counter clock motion.

   RE:RE:RESTORATION TIPS - MISC:   Question??? What is the best way to remove headbadge rivets?? posted by Gralyn on 12/24/2002 at 2:10:34 AM
I once removed them by going inside the head tube and pushing them through from the inside. Once they cleared the head badge - I took a pair of wire cutters or needle-nose plyers and pulled them out.




RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   S/W Cadet disassembly/restoration posted by: David on 12/17/2002 at 8:45:16 PM
I recently acquired a Stewart-Warner "Cadet" (white-face, green numbers) speedometer. It buzzes a bit when I turn the drive gear; otherwise it appears to function. Anyone out there have any experience in disassembling one of these things? And is there a way to re-set the odometer? I'd like to keep it in lieu of getting a more modern speedo. Something about that retro look I like...





RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   Tip on touchup paint posted by: Kim on 12/13/2002 at 2:18:16 PM
Here's a great tip:

For fixing scratches on paint use nail polish.

My daughter has this big bag of cheap (inexpensive) nail polish in many different colors, including many that have little silver flakes in them. The ones with the flakes work great on touching up bikes with metalic paint.
All of these nail polishes leave a great glossy finish, too.





RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   Scratched chrome! posted by: Skip on 12/11/2002 at 3:05:50 PM
A word to the wise:
NEVER NEVER NEVER use steel wool or tin foil on chrome. I received a bike I bought from an Ebay seller that looked great in the photos but up close the chrome is scratched to heck from a steel wool cleaning.

PLEASE only use bronze wool like they sell in the kit on this site. Bronze wool is softer and won't ruin your chrome!





RESTORATION TIPS - MISC:   Serial No. help posted by: Noel V on 12/9/2002 at 10:13:55 PM
im trying to ID the year of my Schwinn Lowrider the Serial No is MN506773 can anyone help


   RE:RESTORATION TIPS - MISC:   Serial No. help posted by Skip on 12/11/2002 at 3:04:47 PM
1977

   RE:RESTORATION TIPS - MISC:   Serial No. help posted by thanks on 12/13/2002 at 7:39:02 PM
thanks




RESTORATION TIPS - MISC:   coaster brake posted by: Lincoln on 12/9/2002 at 4:34:35 AM
My '65 single speed coaster brake Hawthorne seems to slip when I pedal hard uphill. Do I need to overhaul the rear hub and clean off the old grease? DO something else? What kind of grease to replace it with? Special tools? Special problems to do this? Instructions on web? I recall fixing a flaky coaster brake 3 speed hub, but that was 20 years ago.


   RE:RESTORATION TIPS - MISC:   coaster brake posted by Skip on 12/11/2002 at 3:05:38 PM
First load it up with WD-40.
Then after cleaning, add some 30 weight oil.




RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   mag wheels posted by: isaac ray on 11/30/2002 at 1:22:04 PM
i want to paint a pair of gt mag wheels but someone told me that the paint will just chip off. Is there a special paint or primer for plastic. should i just scratch this idea. if it is possible let me know how and what supplies to use. thanks a lot!!!!!


   RE:RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   mag wheels posted by a friend on 12/2/2002 at 12:22:30 AM
Issac, go too your local automotive paint supply and ask for the additive they use in the paint too make it flexsible; they use this additive for the rubber bumper covers on cars. Thats if your using a spray gun. Just clean your rims real good, and take some thinner and wipe them down, and use a 3M "red scratch pad" to rough up your rims for your paint.

   RE:RE:RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   mag wheels posted by JimW. on 12/16/2002 at 3:12:29 AM
I may have good news for all of us who have mag-style wheels in the wrong color. (I've got a pair of Peregrines I got a good deal on, unfortunately they're raspberry-sherbet-colored.) In the current issue of Popular Mechanics, I found a product feature on a new Krylon product: Krylon Fusion paint for plastics. It's billed as "no prep superbond paint". Sounds like just the thing for the job. Krylon's pretty ethical in their advertising, so it's probably pretty good. Pop Mechanics says you can paint a plastic trash can with it, which is probably the ultimate test. It costs less than $5 a can.




RESTORATION TIPS - MISC:   Any hints on storing wheels? posted by: Mike Stone on 11/29/2002 at 9:28:24 PM
I am trying to organize the garage - the bicycle garage.

Just about everything - all the parts - have found their way into a drawer or container. I'm proud of that.

Now, I have to find a way to store the spare wheels. I must have 60 wheels.

Does anybody have any space saving ideas for storing wheels?


   RE:RESTORATION TIPS - MISC:   Any hints on storing wheels? posted by Stacey on 12/1/2002 at 12:30:06 PM
Sure, take some lengths of coat hanger wire and bend them into a modified "S", hang one end over the rafter and hang the wheel on the other. If your rafters have been covered over with drywall, a quick trip to the home center store and pick up 2 floor flanges, 2 4" nipples, 2 elbows and 1 6'-8' length of pipe and build yourself a trolly rail to bolt to the ceiling... then hang your wheels on that.

Good luck

   RE:RE:RESTORATION TIPS - MISC:   Any hints on storing wheels? posted by a friend on 12/7/2002 at 10:44:15 PM
I have a great space saver idea; put them inside the house. I value my parts, especially my rims. Put them right inside the closet. Remove all those shoes you don't use, and replace them with nice shinny chrome parts; well worth more than any o'l smelly o'l tennis shoes.




RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   Best wax? posted by: David Poston on 11/28/2002 at 6:46:28 PM
Does anyone know if these miracle two-year waxes (e.g., Le Tour Frame Coat) really work? Do they damage the paint? Do they last that long?

http://www.branfordbike.com/bikecare/bcare1.html#item3

I've been using 3M Show Car Paste Wax, which leaves a wonderful gloss and is supposed to last around 90 days on cars.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,
David.





RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   ???paint??? posted by: isaac ray on 11/24/2002 at 10:19:01 PM
what is the difference between acrylic lacquer, urethane and enamel? Which is best? also whats the difference between pearl,
pearl mettallic and candy type paints? thanks for the info.


   RE:RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   ???paint??? posted by JimW, on 11/26/2002 at 5:24:25 PM
The differences in basic paint types are due to the respective chemistries. Basically, Lacquers are thinned with more volatile solvents than enamels. Both are air-dried. Urethanes are two-part catalyzed finishes which set up shortly after they are combined.

Kandy paint is a transparent color-tinted finish, applied over a metallic undercoat. Pearl is an additive to clear coatings which gives a pearl-like sheen. A pearl metallic finish is a transparent colored (Kandy)finish with tiny metal flakes as an additive in it, with a pearlescent clear top coat applied over it.

   RE:RE:RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT: ???paint??? posted by isaac ray on 11/27/2002 at 11:17:50 AM
thanks Jim. this site is awesome.

   RE:RE:RE:RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT: ???paint??? posted by Cal on 11/27/2002 at 3:58:34 PM
Can you still buy Lacquers?
I'd love to find them in a spray can but can only find enamels.

   RE:RE:RE:RE:RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT: ???paint??? posted by Mike Stone on 11/29/2002 at 9:27:13 PM
Most of the automotive touch-up paints are laquer.

For what it is worth, I have found that laquer is easier to work with because it dries quickly and has less tendancy to drip.

Enamel, on the other hand, seems to have a more durable finish. It takes several weeks to a month for most enamels to properly cure. They may feel dry to the touch, but the finish gets stronger with time.

Mike Stone

   RE:RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   ???paint??? posted by Lincoln on 12/9/2002 at 3:11:06 AM
Urethanes can be very durable and long lasting, but some of that long lasting may only seem that way due to your shorter life. The old IMRON was supposed to be very tough but was very bad for your health unless extreme cautions were taken. If I was doing an all out paint job, I might consider sending my frame for powder coating, which is supposed to be pretty tough. Not sure how much it costs, and you'd have to strip everything off the frame. The powder coating I've seen seemed to be tough and hard.

   RE:RE:RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   ???paint??? posted by JimW. on 12/10/2002 at 3:33:28 PM
Powder-coat finishes are incredibly durable. The surface is almost indestructable. A powder-coating outfit had a powder coated muffler in their car show display, with a small sledge, so people could test it. I pounded the hell out of that thing, and really beat the metal up, but the finish wasn't fazed. Of course, a lot of people don't like the way it looks, as you can't get the extreme gloss you can get with paint finishes. If durability is more important that looks, powder-coat is the way to go.

   RE:RESTORATION TIPS - PAINT:   ???paint??? posted by David on 12/17/2002 at 8:41:52 PM
For a really awesome paint job, I used Dupli-color "Mirage" when I re-painted my old touring bike. It's a three-step acrylic that produces the "chameleon" type color changes. I did the green/purple, and it's outstanding. $20 at Auto Zone.




RESTORATION TIPS - MISC:   bikestand posted by: isaac ray on 11/13/2002 at 8:01:23 PM
does anyone have a plan to build a bike stand i can use paint my frames. one that can rotate 360 degrees and up and down. thanks


   RE:RESTORATION TIPS - MISC:   bikestand posted by Will on 11/14/2002 at 1:35:14 AM
HI, i would also like a bike stand plan that I can build too...please help me and isaac! Thanks to anyone that can help!

   RE:RESTORATION TIPS - MISC:   bikestand posted by L.LUJAN on 11/15/2002 at 5:57:52 PM
Issac, and Will. So Your in need of a "Bone Yard Cycles" paint stand. Now you can visit http://bikerodnkustom.homestead.com/ and save me alot of banking on the keys. But you know what, I still have too give you measurements. Well here goes, #1 Take a peice of flat sheet metal 1/16inch thick, and cut 23.x13.inch. #2 get a old chevy bumper jack with the bottom jack plate like the ones they used in the 60's,and 70's cars. #3 Remove the up and down assembly on the jack. This will take some cutting of the stop edge at the top of the jack. #4 Now measure 3.inches off the back of your sheet metal that you have already cut. Place the jack plate down and find center. #5 Now weld the jack plate too your sheet metal 3.inches from the back of sheet metal. #6 Once youv'e done that, now place your post in position. "Now listen up"! lean the post back so it leans toward the 3.inch area that I talked about about earlier. In other words the rear of the stand. Now weld the post too the jack plate. Heres the tricky part, now I work with alot of Schwinn bikes, so three of my 6 stands have old Schwinn seat posts welded too the top of the jack posts. This seat post craddles right nice in the top of the jack post. You are trying too achive a 90 degree angle too the post. #7 "Keep it straight, and still" and weld good. If you need any further info. on this check out Jim Wilsons bitchen BR&K and you will see on some of my entrys my stand in photos. Once you have your stand all done you will find that painting will be alot more fun and better qaulity all around. No more hanging your parts like your laundry. You can also weld a 4.inch screw too the rear of your stand too hang your spray gun, or hose. If you use a rattle can disregaurd.

   RE:RE:RESTORATION TIPS - MISC: bikestand posted by isaac ray on 11/15/2002 at 9:38:26 PM
thank you very very much. info is very much appreciated. good luck. thanks!!!!

   RE:RE:RE:RESTORATION TIPS - MISC: bikestand posted by L. LUJAN on 11/15/2002 at 11:12:50 PM
Heres some added information concerning the paint stand. Make sure you use the correct seat post too insert your choice of frame for painting. You will also weld a large washer too keep the frame from sliding too far down the post. As for the technics of this tool; as you paint your frame; stick your index finger in the head tube as you 360 the frame for your desired area for paint. Just make sure that the frame remains intack as you are turning. Every now and then between coats check your frame position, This way you have piece of mind that your frame is in a secure position, and not on the floor. After your frame is dry, turn and pull towards you every so easy and apply your foot on the sheet metal plate so it doesn't come back at you.