Bare bones

[Nabeaquam]

A1955 Schwinn cantilever frame and fork that’s ready to be built up for town, country, gravel or trail.

Phosphoric acid soak to remove rust and oxidize the paint To make it crumbly.

After a few weeks in the acid.
Sanded, wire brushed and the tight spots sand blasted with my homemade sandblaster.
Drying the acid pickling by the wood stove after melting lead filler in the places where there were gouges.
Ready for whatever parts to make into something.

 

[hamster]

Draws chair up, puts logs on fire, fill glass. This is going to be another winter treat to watch!

 

[markoc]

Fantastic dedication to keeping a frame alive - and what a pretty thing. Imagine the miles that have passed under it's wheels.

Bookmarked!

 

[stevet1]

sand blasted with my homemade sandblaster.
Ingenious.

 

[moonlite]

Excellent -- looking forward to seeing this one take shape

 

[mk one]

A1955 Schwinn cantilever frame and fork that’s ready to be built up for town, country, gravel or trail.View attachment 788839
View attachment 788840View attachment 788841
Phosphoric acid soak to remove rust and oxidize the paint To make it crumbly.
View attachment 788842
After a few weeks in the acid.View attachment 788844View attachment 788843
Sanded, wire brushed and the tight spots sand blasted with my homemade sandblaster.View attachment 788845View attachment 788846
Drying the acid pickling by the wood stove after melting lead filler in the places where there were gouges.View attachment 788848
Ready for whatever parts to make into something.View attachment 788849

Nice frame.

Are you leaving the finish as is, shows off the brazing nicely, or do you plan on painting it again?

 

[Nabeaquam]

Nice frame.

Are you leaving the finish as is, shows off the brazing nicely, or do you plan on painting it again?

I’m planning on passing it on so I don’t know what the finish will be.

 

[novocaine]

zero offence to Schwinn in fact I'd say well done to them, but they really are built from the cheapest, thinnest and quickest material and methods possible.

 

[Nabeaquam]

zero offence to Schwinn in fact I'd say well done to them, but they really are built from the cheapest, thinnest and quickest material and methods possible.

zero offence to Schwinn in fact I'd say well done to them, but they really are built from the cheapest, thinnest and quickest material and methods possible.

If you’re thinking Chicago Schwinns then this is not entirely true. True for quickest. The head tube is electroforged, which is almost instant, but the result is very robust. The tubing is very thick, but is mild steel. The crank and fork are forge stamped from solid steel, fast but heavy. The last picture of the frame, when you pick it up, it already weighs more than any similar vintage European bike I have ever owned. Originally it had polished stainless steel fenders, which was not cheap. I had a complete one once, fenders, luggage rack, chrome chain guard, steel headlight, steel generator, steel wheels and hubs, 4x lacing on the rear, a solid steel quill and a heavy Bendix coaster brake. You could also get them with a battery powered horn tank. That’s a minimum of 45 pounds of over geared short seat post squashed down riding position. It’s not the heaviest vintage American cruiser I have ever owned. I gave one away because it was too hard to lift it into its storage rack. Real tanks, but they last and last. Schwinn built their own steel rims as they used an odd diameter, same as 1930s high end British club bicycles. These old Schwinn built rims are so heavy that you really don’t need to true them if you respoke them. Lace em up, tighten the spokes. Their true.